Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Missions

Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Intro: Helen B. Poole,  in the Christian Reader said that while she was  tucking her preschooler in for the night she asked if she could pray. Delighted, she told her it was a great idea to talk to Jesus. As she began praying, her daughters words kept getting softer and softer until only her lips were moving. Then she said "Amen."  "Honey," mom said, giving her a hug, "I didn't hear a word you said."  "That's okay, Mama," she responded. "I wasn't talking to you."

 Isn't that great? This little girl knew what we so often forget concerning prayer...it is a conversation with God. And it didn't matter if her mom heard, she KNEW Jesus heard her. That is pure faith, childlike faith, a faith we are never to loose.

EXP: But prayer often becomes a duty to perform or a magic charm to give ward off bad things from happening throughout the day. We rarely enter prayer with a single minded passion for the presence of God. A focused desire to talk with the One who saved us and who keeps us in His love. Our prayer time is very often routine, predictable...boring, if we were honest.

ILL: When Martin Luther's puppy happened to be under the table, he looked up for a morsel from his master, and watched with open mouth and motionless eyes; he (Martin Luther) said, "Oh, if I could only pray the way this dog watches the meat!  All his thoughts are concentrated on the piece of meat.  Otherwise he has no thought, wish or hope."

 Single minded passion. Is that the kind of prayer life you have? Is that the kind of prayer life you want?

 The theme of the worship service this morning, as well as this sermon, is Prayer, conversation with God. But before we begin, let's pray.

I. Scripture encourages us to Pray.
ILL: Martin Luther said 'As it is the business of tailors to make clothes and of cobblers to mend shoes, so it is the business of Christians to pray.'

 How do we know that? Because Scripture encourages us to pray.
    A. Jeremiah 33:1-3
         Some of you, not many I am sure, are old enough to remember  the song 'Beachwood 45789 You can call me up and have a date Any old time' If you are, you remember that phone numbers were once preceded by words, usually the name of the town or county, I believe. I wouldn't know as I was not around at that time, you see. Anyway, did you know that God has a phone number beginning with the name of a prophet? Jeremiah 33:3. Turn there if you will.

         The prophet Jeremiah when he wrote this was in the court of the guard, jail, by order of King Zedekiah of Judah. He was there, persecuted unjustly because he spoke the truth of God to a king who didn't want to hear the truth. He spoke of Israel's defeat by the King of Babylon and that they would be taken out of their promised land into captivity...as slaves because of their sin and rebellion.

         But...Jeremiah then speaks to them the Word of the Lord in ch. 33:3 God says 'Call unto me (pray, talk, to me) and I will answer you (what a great promise) and I will tell you great and mighty things which you do not know'. What would God tell them if they called out to Him in prayer? Great and mighty things...

Read: Jer. 33: 6-9
 This is what God promises to the Israelites..the condition, they must ask, they must call out to God in prayer and seek His face. Scripture encourages us to pray.

    B. 1 Timothy 2:8
Read: 1 Tim. 2:1
         Paul says, first of all, of primary importance..pray. Pray for all men. Why? Because it is good and acceptable in the sight of God.

Read: 1 Tim. 2:8

1. Scripture, through the words of Paul the Apostle, encourages us...no commands us to pray...especially the men.
   Yet, if you look at the faithful prayer warriors in the church, they are most often women. Men have abdicated their                  responsibility to pray...let me correct that, men have been disobedient and have rebelled against the command of God to be leaders in the church in the area of prayer.

2. Not only are the men to be leaders in prayer, they are to physically demonstrate their godlike character by lifting up holy hands in prayer. Wait, I am no Charismatic, I am not raising my hands in church.

 You may not say that but you probably think it. And that is sad. The raising of hands during times of prayer and praise is described and commanded in Scripture...But...They are to be holy hands, open to God to show that  we are holding nothing back from Him. Our sin confessed, and our hearts pure, focused on Christ, wholly dependant on Him for our very being. It represents total transparency before the Lord. It also represents the funneling of God's blessing into your life. (demonstrate) It says that you are open to receive that which God has for you...whatever that may be, even if it is not what you prayed for.

 Scripture encourages, commands men, all Believers , everywhere to pray and to do so with total dependence and trust in the Lord.

    C. Matthew 21:13
 The church doesn't pray because it is the expected thing to do...although it is to be done...No, it prays because it is vital to the life of the church. The church that prays will make a difference for Christ in the lives of it's members, in the surrounding community and across the seas. Why?

Read: Matt. 21:13
 Did you know that we have a sign out front that gives the time for our Wed. night Prayer Mtg? The kids who play ball over here see it, the mothers who take their children for walks, see it, the jogger passing by sees it and so do the people who walk their dogs every day.

 But, when they walk or drive by on Wed. night...do they believe what they read on the sign? Can we say that CBC is a house of prayer when there are less than 4 cars and 5 people at Prayer Mtg?

 Everyone has an excuse for why they are not here on Wed. nights for Prayer Mtg and you all think they are legitimate. (I work late, I am too tired, I pray at home, I don't like the format, I have kids) But remember, God is the one you have to reason with, and He knows your heart. We are not being obedient to the words of Jesus here, if prayer is not a priority in the life of this church. And one way to see that prayer is a priority and that CBC is a house of prayer is when you come faithfully to prayer mtg.

 The world doesn't see we are a house of prayer when you pray faithfully at home...no, they see it when the parking lot is full and there are many people sitting at tables with their heads bowed in prayer.

 Scripture encourages us to pray by saying that our churches ought to be houses of prayer.

Trans: Not only does Scripture encourage us to pray,  it teaches us how to pray as well.

II. Scripture teaches us to Pray.
    A. Matthew 6:5-13
Read: Matt. 6:5-13
 There is much we can learn from this passage about prayer. Let's briefly examine the text.

1. Scripture assumes you will be praying... 'and when you pray'

2. Scripture teaches to pray humbly before God, not trying to get  attention for yourself or praise from others for your wonderful  prayer life or flowery, religious or theological words.

3. Scripture teaches that prayer ought to be from the heart and not a mantra or good luck rhyme. It is not saying that repetition is wrong, but meaningless repetition will not be heard by God.

4. Scripture teaches that worship is the essence of all prayer. We  come to God recognizing and honoring who He is in adoration and praise. And we enter our time of prayer in reverence and awe of God.

5. Scripture teaches that our prayers ought to remember the return of our Lord and His reign on earth.

6. Scripture teaches that we ought to pray that Believers everywhere will be obedient to the Word and will of God.

7. Scripture teaches that we are to ask God to provide for our daily needs. Ours and our brothers and sisters in Christ, wherever they may be.

8. Scripture teaches that we are to pray for forgiveness. We must confess our sins before God and remember that as God has forgiven us, we also ought to forgive others in the body of Christ.

9. Scripture teaches that we ought to pray that we all will be victorious over the temptations brought before us by Satan. Instead of tearing other believers down for their fall, lets hold them up in prayer so that they may not stumble into sin.

 The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. I'd say he did a pretty thorough job. But that is not all Scripture teaches us about how to pray.

B. Mark 11:24-26
Read: Mk. 11:24-26

1. Prayer must be prayed with a believing heart. Believing that God's will will be done and that He has only your best in mind. Believing that God actually does answer prayer. Prayer is a demonstration of your faith in God, to be God.

2. Prayed will not heard by God when there is a lack of  forgiveness in your heart toward another brother or sister in Christ. If you are holding a grudge, harboring bad feelings or are angry with someone, don't expect God to hear or answer your prayers until you get right with the one you are at odds with.

C. 1 Thessalonains 5:17
 Scripture teaches us that we are to be in a constant state of prayer.

Read: 1 Thess. 5:17

ILL: Jody Capehart a Sunday School teacher frequently uses 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to encourage the children she  teaches to "pray without ceasing." One day after prayer time, a young boy said, "Mrs. Capehart, I am sorry I sneezed during your prayer today." I assured him sneezing was no problem but I appreciated his apology. He responded, "Well, I know you like us to pray without sneezing."

 Warren Wiersbe says that praying w/o ceasing does not mean a constant mumbling of prayer. True prayers is an attitude of the heart, the desire of the heart. When our hearts desire what God desires, we are praying all day long as the Spirit intercedes for us and in us.

    D. Colossians 1:9
 Colossians 1:9 continues on the theme of consistent prayer but adds something more specific.
Read: Col. 1:9

 We are to pray that our brothers and sisters in Christ will know God's will so much so that it fills their hearts, controls their minds and governs their lives. And that they would have great understanding of spiritual things. Ultimately, we are to pray that their knowledge of God increases and deepens. I need and covet that kind of prayer from you.

E. Romans 8:26-28
 Remember I said that when you pray  believing you will receive it? And I said that When our heart desires what God desires, we are praying all day long as the Spirit intercedes for us and in us? Rom. 8:26-28 tells us how this happens.

Read: Rom. 8:26-28

ILL: John McGarvey, in Leadership Magazine gives this illustration of the interceding work of the Holy Spirit.

 One day our church copier broke down. I'm not mechanically minded, but I called the repair shop to see if they could tell me what the problem was and if I could do anything about it. I quickly discovered, however, that I didn't even know how to describe what was broken. I didn't know the names of the parts or what was specifically wrong. I just knew the copy machine didn't work.
   So the repair shop sent out a technician. While working on our machine, he also called the shop. Unlike me, he knew how to describe what was needed. He used words I didn't understand, but the person at the shop did, and soon the copier was repaired.  My need was met because someone came and communicated to headquarters in words I could not express.

 The apostle Paul teaches in Romans 8 that this is also what the Holy Spirit does for us. When we don't know how to pray, the Holy Spirit knows precisely what we need and prays in a language the Father perfectly understands.

 Scripture teaches us that we are not alone in our prayer. The Holy Spirit prays for us, always in harmony with the will of the Father and in harmony with the Son who sits at the right hand of the Father and makes constant intercession for us.  Isn't that great?

Trans: Scripture not only encourages and teaches us to pray, it gives us reasons to pray. Because today is the International Day of Prayer for the Percecuted Church, I will focus on only one reason...persecution.

III. Scripture gives us reasons to Pray.
    A. Persecution
Acts 12:1-17
Read: Acts 12:1-17
 What do we see in this text?

1. Herod, the king, intentionally grabbed a few disciples off the street in order to mistreat them, to beat them up. He even killed James the brother of John...and the Jews were pleased with this so Herod wanted more. He took Peter and locked him up in prison...a place he had been before.

     -As long as there are those who are w/o Christ, there will always be persecution. Persecution is part of the Christian life. Jesus never promised a life of ease for His children but He did guarantee that His followers would be persecuted.

     -In 2 Tim. 3:12 Paul writes 'Everyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.' Now that is and exciting verse filled with hope and joy! No, but it is the truth.

     -So I don't believe James and Peter, nor Paul was surprised when they were jailed falsely and persecuted by the ungodly.

2. BUT notice, So Peter was kept in prison, BUT PRAYER for him was being made fervently by the church of God.

 'And on that very night, the very night the church of God was in prayer for Peter, an angel of the Lord came and released him to go back to minister to God's flock. And what did he find? 3 or 4 people sitting around a table praying. No He found many were gathered together (in the middle of the night and in fear of their own imprisonment ) and they were praying. We must never underestimate the power of a praying church.

Matthew 5:43-47
 What about those who persecute Believers, who imprison, beat, rape, torture and murder men, women and children alike who profess Christ?

Read: Matt. 5:43-47
 We love them and pray for them so that they may come to repentance and faith in Christ. I know that this attitude is only possible by the indwelling Holy Spirit. There is a prayer guide in your bulletin and one section deals with prayer for those who persecute Christians. Use it and lets remember to pray for them..if we don't no one will.

Hebrews 13:1,3
 Not only are we to love and pray for those who persecute God's children, we are to love and pray for those children of God who are persecuted and imprisoned for Christ's sake.

Read: Heb. 13:1,3

 This is what the IDOPPC is all about. Waking the church of God up to its responsibility to look beyond itself and pray for the needs of others, even in far off countries. That while we live in liberty and freedom there are those in the church who are rarely free even for the most basic things like reading the Bible or praying in a group, or attending worship services. There are those Believers all around the world who just because of their faith in Christ are being kept from gainful employment, getting adequate food and shelter, being taken from their homes and beaten, sold into slavery, tortured, raped and murdered.

 Sure nothing may happen to you like this but can you be certain your children , and grandchildren will share the same freedom of religion you have? We comfortably pray that our needs be met while Christian Children are being raped and sold. Selfishness and complacency is the bane of the American Christian Church And God will judge us for that.

 The problem is we talk too much about the persecuted church...so much so that we think it means that there are people spray painting the walls of church buildings or breaking windows in the sanctuary. We have de-humanized the phrase.

 Folks, the persecuted church is made up of persecuted people! Watch and listen.

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