In our lives we make promises of all kinds. From the time we are kids until we are mature adults we make promises to others about what we will do, say or think. Some of the promises are used as bargaining tools, like when you were a teen and you promised to take out the garbage every week for a year if your parents would just let you go to your friend’s party. Some promises are meant well but are not realistic, like when we promise to never upset our spouse ever again. BUT some promises are meant to be kept – like a promise to love, honor and cherish – till death do you part.
Over the next 4 week we are going to be looking at promises just like that. For those who are members of the United Methodist – not just here in Rotterdam but all around the world, when you joined the church you took vows or in other words made promises. The actual wording is this: “Do you promise to be loyal to The United Methodist Church, and uphold it by your prayers, your presence, your gifts and your service.”
When we responded “yes” to this it seemed pretty simple but as we look over each promise made in this statement we will see that we have powerful tasks to fulfill as we live out these promises.
This first week we are going to consider our promise to uphold the church with our prayers. Why do we need to pray? In searching the Bible (NRSV) I found the word “pray” used 516 times. In the Gospel of Luke alone pray was used 27 times!
After Pentecost when the church was just beginning we read in Acts 2:24 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. There must have been something important about praying right from the beginning!
Prayer is our way of communicating with God and showing that we trust Him and have faith that he will hear us and help us in our time of need.
Mark 11:20-25
20 In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 Then Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 22 Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. 24 So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.25 “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”
When we pray for our church, our ministry, and for each other we are saying, “God, our faith is in you and with you all things are possible.” When we talk with God and listen for God’s response, our faith becomes evident. Our ministry would be worthless if it was not supported and bathed in prayer. I believe God wants us to come to Him as we seek to fulfill the work of His Church in this world. God wants to work in and through us and in order for us to know His Will we must talk with God and have faith that we can do all things through Him!
Is there a “right way” to pray? Even Jesus’ first disciples asked Jesus this question.
Luke 11:1-4
He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”
The Lord’s Prayer is universal and all-encompassing. It covers all the necessities – praise and honor to God, our daily need, forgiveness in our relationships and help in fighting the battles of this world.
Although this is definitely a right way to pray, is this the only way? As I mentioned earlier, prayer is fundamentally having a conversation with God and my theology tells me that any conversation with God is the right way to pray. When we talk with our friends and family, do we worry about how or what to say? Hopefully not! God loves us and knows us even better than they do, so we don’t have to worry about how we pray – we just need to talk to God.
Philippians 4:6 – 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Then who do we pray for?
I Timothy 2:1-8 – First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all—this was attested at the right time. 7 For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument;
So let’s see is there an end to the list of who we should pray for? No! It is includes everyone – even kings and those in high positions.
James 5:16 – Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.
Praying for each other is so important. Look at our prayer list that is included each week on the back of the announcement insert. This list includes the people we know who are hurting either physically or emotionally.
Each week we add to this list as we lift up prayers in worship. In addition to all of these there are people who need our prayers that we don’t even know! When we believe that God hears our prayers and have faith in all that God can do – our prayers are the best support we can offer anyone!
In Colossians 4:3 we read that Paul seeks prayers for himself and others who are witnessing to Jesus: “At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ…”
Paul knew the power of prayer for himself and for all who were willing to share the message of Jesus Christ. We can also see this as our call to pray for our church as a group of people who are willing and eager to share Jesus with other. We can pray just as Paul wrote…that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ. Our prayer support includes all people.
Can our Prayers make a difference?
Luke 11:5-11 – And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7 And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. 9 “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish?
Of course our prayers make a difference! Why because Jesus told us to ask, seek, knock…and the door will be opened! Be persistent – it’s okay because God wants to hear from us. There is a new acronym I have seen:
P.U.S.H
Pray
Until
Something
Happens
God will always answer us…maybe not exactly how we expect but God is faithful to hear and answer us.
SO….Will you keep your promise? Can you pray for the United Methodist Church – its’ ministry around the world as well as here in the Rotterdam area?
Will you take the announcement sheet home with you and pray for list of people before you – including those who are in nursing homes and shut in?
As long as you have the announcement sheet –
Can you begin at the beginning and pray a prayer of thanks for those who were in attendance and a prayer of hope that those who were absent will return?
Will you pray for our finances?
Will pray for the ministries that are mentioned and for the events that are upcoming?
Promising to uphold your church in your prayers can be a full time task!!! Maybe there is a way to break it down so that each day our prayers have a different focus? However we pray, we must pray and have faith that God hears our prayers and that through our prayers…mountains can be moved – miracles can happen – Rotterdam UMC will be a powerful witness to all people!
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