Dear Church: Laodicea

 

Laodicea: The Lukewarm Church

Revelation 3:14-22

The Message to the Church in Laodicea

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.

"Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”

 

 

It was the last week of His life. Jesus had made the trek from Galilee through the wilderness, over the Mount of Olives and into Jerusalem. He had preached on the Teaching Steps and stirred up the tempers amongst all the priests. As He left the Temple in Jerusalem, His disciples followed Him through the Kidron Valley and up the Mount of Olives. They were hanging on every word of His teaching, and though they may not have understood everything at the time, they were eager to listen. They asked Him, “What will signal Your return and the end of the world?” After speaking of the end of days, He told them three parables about the Kingdom of Heaven, all of which we find in Matthew chapter 25:

 

·      First, the maidens considered themselves friends of the bridegroom, but they didn’t live in a way that anticipated his return. They’re thinking only about how to make things comfortable in the present moment, not how to be faithful in their assignment to God.

·      The second parable was about the wicked servant, who considers himself in the employ of the Master, but he’s never offered his talents without reserve for the kingdom. He always holds a little back. 

·      Finally, the goats and the sheep. The “goats” are surprised to be rejected by Jesus, who they thought they were faithfully serving. But when it came to pouring themselves out for the oppressed people of God, they weren’t engaged at all.

 

What did all three of these parables have in common? They described lukewarm believers. 

·      Lukewarm, an indifference to God.

·      Lukewarm, dying of conviction.

·      Lukewarm, average, neither hot, nor cold.

·      Not serving with energy and enthusiasm

·      Not living fervently for the Lord

 

Here’s the sobering fact about these parables: With Jesus, there is no middle ground. You’re either committed to the mission, all-in for Jesus, and using your resources for His people and His kingdom, or you’re not. You are either a sheep or a goat. And that puts the lukewarm Christian in a very precarious position.

 

This concept of a “lukewarm Christianity” has its roots in Revelation chapter 3, where Jesus criticizes the church in Laodicea for being full of believers who were neither hot nor cold — not unbelieving, but not on fire for Jesus, either. 

 

Over the last weeks, we’ve explored the seven letters written to the seven churches in Asia Minor: 

 

·      Ephesus: The Forgetful Church

·      Smyrna: The Persecuted Church

·      Pergamum: Satan’s Throne

·      Thyratira: Jezebel’s Jewel

·      Sardis: The Dead Church

·      Philadelphia: The Faithful Church

·      And today, we end with Laodicea: The Lukewarm Church

The letter to the Laodiceans is, by far, the harshest of the seven letters. So, buckle up! And pull out that sermon quiz!

 

The Laodicean church was independent, self-satisfied, and secure. “We need nothing!” they claimed… all the while, their spiritual power had been decaying. Their material wealth and glowing statistics were but shrouds hiding a rotting corpse.

 

In the text Steven read earlier, Jesus diagnosed the Laodiceans with three ailments:

 

1 - Spiritual Poverty: They boasted they were rich, when in fact they were poor. They were financially wealthy, yet spiritually bankrupt. They lacked spiritual riches, which only come through Christ; for when God blesses Christians with prosperity, He expects Christ-centered stewardship. 

2 - Spiritual Nakedness: Nakedness in Scripture is a metaphor for defeat and humiliation. The Laodiceans pretended to be clothed in righteousness, but in fact, they were naked, lacking righteous acts. Instead of being on fire for the Lord, they were lukewarm. Therefore, Christ counseled them to procure “white garments” from Him, so their shame might be covered. 

 

3 - Spiritual Blindness: By calling the Laodiceans “blind”, Christ was presenting a paradox. The city was famous for its export of a powder that created an eye salve when mixed with water. Yet the Laodicean church had lost its spiritual perception. The only salve for spiritual blindness is repentance and submission to the Lord, asking Him for the wisdom of His Spirit to restore our spiritual sight. 

 

So, what else do we know about these Laodiceans and their city? To the southeast of their ancient city was the mountainous region of Hierapolis. It contained hotmineral springs that were believed to have healing qualities. To the northwest of Laodicea were the mountains of Colossae, producing streams of ice-cold water from melting snow.

 

Water from both of these regions flowed down through aqueducts into pools outside of Laodicea. There, they combined to form tepid, stagnant ponds. They were neither hot (and good for bathing), nor cold (and good for drinking). Either hot or cold is good, but lukewarm is most definitely not.

 

Just consider coffee. Is there anything better than a piping-hot, triple-shot, extra foam, mocha drizzle café latte? I don’t think so. 

 

Unless it’s an ice-cold salted caramel cold foam, cold brew in the afternoon.

 

I love hot coffee, and I love cold coffee. But if I taste a cup of coffee that’s room temperature because it’s been sitting on the counter all day, then I’m going to spit it out!

 

To my knowledge, Jesus wasn’t a coffee drinker. But Jesus uses this very image of hot and cold water in Revelation 3, verses 15 & 16 to describe the believers in Laodicea. He says:

 

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth.”

 

Let me translate His words for you. He’s saying: 

·      You are lukewarm! 

·      You’re characterized by neither the warm passion that fuels sacrifice, 

nor the awakening refreshment of a cold shower. 

·      There is nothing distinctive about you. 

·      You claim to flow from Me, 

but you feel and look more like your environment than Me. 

 

Why were they lukewarm? Jesus continues in verse 17, “You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ Yet you don’t realize that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”

 

And just how rich were these Laodiceans?

 

The community was proud of its cloth and dyeing industries. They had developed a black wool that had become famous all over the Roman Empire. And it had a hefty price tag!   

 

And in the year 61, there was a devastating earthquake in the valley, destroying every city in the region. The Romans granted federal funds to allow each city to rebuild. But the Laodiceans wouldn’t take it, saying, 

“We don’t need your money. We can handle this ourselves.”

 

In the history of government, I have to imagine this was the only time federal aid was simply turned down!! The Laodiceans were so proud and so self-sufficient that they turned down free money. And that sense of self-sufficiency pervaded the church. They weren’t a people who cried out desperately for God because they thought they had it all under control. They may have had wealth in their clothing, but they were naked before God.

 

Jesus continues with one of the most well-known verses of the Bible, verse 20: “Behold! I stand at the door and knock.” 

 

The idea of Jesus standing at a door and knocking is often used as an illustration of Jesus’ offer of salvation to individuals: if you would only “open your heart’s door” and let Jesus into your life, all will be well. But here, Jesus is not pleading with an individual to be saved; He’s seeking admittance to a church! Jesus is standing and saying this on the outside of the Laodicean church!

 

The Laodiceans had become so self-sufficient, so complacent, and so satisfied with their riches, they don’t even realize Jesus is not inside anymore. The Laodicean church had shut the door on the Head of the church; they were smug in their prosperity, which left Jesus standing in the cold. He was an outsider to the hearts of the entire congregation.

 

Yet Christ’s appeal was heartfelt and urgent: “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his home and share a meal with him, and he with me.” He was inviting everyone in the church to experience intimate fellowship with Him. And even though His desire was for the whole church to respond and open the door to Him, ultimately it was up to each individual to decide.

 

Jesus knows not everyone will answer His invitation and open the door to a relationship with Him. Many, like those living in Laodicea, will choose to reject His call. Lukewarm, and with hardened hearts, they will remain blind to the fact they have accepted a false righteousness. 

 

And, why should any of this bother you?? Well… I’m going to say this… And I may be going out on a limb… And you might hate me… did you really come for a lukewarm sermon?! 

 

Friends, I believe WE are Laodicea.

 

Listen to how Francis Chan, in his book Crazy Love, profiles today’s lukewarm Christian:

 

·      Lukewarm Christians are those people who sit in churches and believe the Gospel message … but are not really sold out to Jesus and not meaningfully engaged in His mission.

 

·       Lukewarm Christians don’t really want to be saved from their sin. They want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. God is a useful fire escape they employ, not a God they worship.

 

·       Lukewarm Christians are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not do radical things themselves. Jesus frequently equates deeds with a person’s true spiritual state. Matthew records Jesus saying: “By their fruit you will recognize them,” and “Every good tree bears good fruit”. 

 

The lukewarm are those who claim to know God, but live as though He doesn’t exist. They may go to church and practice a form of religion, but their inner state is not one of radical transformation. Instead, it’s self-righteous complacency.

 

·       Lukewarm Christians equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness. But Jesus didn’t call us to sanitation; He called us to discipleship. If you are His follower, your life will not only be defined by avoiding sin, but also by entering into His suffering.

·       Lukewarm Christians rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. Like Charles Spurgeon said, “You are either a missionary or an impostor!”

·       Lukewarm Christians do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to. David Platt says, “If you’re not in a place where you feel desperate for the Spirit of God, then there’s no way you are on the front lines of the mission. When we are on the front lines, we desperately feel our need for God’s help.”

·       Lukewarm Christians give God their leftovers — not their first and definitely not their best. Stop calling your complacency and apathy “a busy schedule” or “forgetfulness.” Call it what Malachi calls it: evil (Malachi 1:8).

Based on these statements, can you think of a more accurate picture of believers in the American church? 

 

Here’s why I answer that question “yes”:

 

In 2015, Pastor Mongerard from Darivager, Haiti visited the US for the first time, and he said two things that struck a chord with me: 

 

1)      We were driving around Shreveport, past the many, many storage buildings we have in this city! And he asked me: “What are all of these big buildings? They’re everywhere.” I explained to him that’s where we keep our belongings that don’t fit in our houses. He looked at me strangely, and asked, “So, do you go visit your stuff?” It made me think about where my priorities lie…

2)     Later that week, outside the Shreveport airport, right before he returned to Haiti, he looked at me with all the boldness he could muster, and said, “Ashley, we’ll pray for you even more now. We in Haiti may have material poverty, but you here have spiritual poverty. We will pray for the American Church.” 

The more I’ve traveled around the world, the more I realize this is the observation of many who have visited our country. When Christians in poorer parts of the world come to the U.S. and visit our churches, they see us gathering for an hour on Sunday mornings to check a box. They’re appalled by our lukewarm-ness — by how little we pray, how little we give, how much we spend on ourselves, and what we think we can’t live without. They are stunned with how afraid we are to live counter-culturally when some of them are being persecuted for their faith.    

But to our credit… No one sets out to be a Laodicean. No one gives their life to Christ and says, “Well, I’ll be a part-time Christian.” No one joins a church and says, “Well, I’ll go when it’s convenient.” But slowly over time, we let down our guard. We become susceptible to culture.

 

And that’s when Jesus jumps in, and says in verse 19: 

Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline.

 

My parents learned very quickly that to discipline me and see a change of behavior, they didn’t have to take things away, or ground me from fun activities. The way to see a transformation in my behavior was to sit me down and say, “Ashley, I’m so disappointed in you.” 

 

So, when I hear Jesus say… “Your actions make me want to vomit,” I hear, “Ashley, I’m so disappointed in you.”

 

I have to think Jesus has such a visceral and personal reaction because 

this kind of apathy tells the world such a pernicious lie about Him.

 

The single biggest cause of atheism is hypocrisy - people who claim to know God, but are not distinct in any way from the world. Their passions are not boiling hot for Jesus, nor is their behavior like an awakening cup of cold water in the face. They’re suffering from spiritual poverty, spiritual blindness, and spiritual nakedness. 

 

This should be a sobering thought for every believer. If our passion for Jesus is pathetic, that means we’re telling the world there really isn’t much to be excited about over this fella named Jesus. Our lukewarm temperature tells the world that it’s ok to be bored with Jesus, that heaven isn’t all that great anyway.

 

But friends, here is the good news: even if our affections have grown lukewarm, Jesus still stands at the door and knocks. And why? Because He loved the Laodiceans. And He loves us.

 

During His earthly ministry, Jesus went to great lengths to demonstrate that righteousness comes to us as a gift through faith alone. For it’s by grace, through faith, that we enter the kingdom of heaven. When Jesus said, “I stand at the door and knock,” He was inviting the members of the Laodicean church to recognize their miserable spiritual condition and receive His authentic gift of salvation. And He offers the same to us. Like the apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, the Laodiceans just needed to realize their absolute dependence on Christ. Hear what Paul said:

 

“I once thought things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with Him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with Himself depends on faith.”

To those who opened the door, Jesus promised a close fellowship, pictured as enjoying a meal together. And He offered this great reward in Revelation 3:21: “Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with My Father on His throne.” These words are Christ’s commitment to the Laodicean church.

And today, Jesus continues to say, “I stand at the door and knock!” 

 

To churches who are filled with nominal Christians, He sends out His earnest invitation for full fellowship. The One who holds the keys to the kingdom of heaven calls us all to hear His voice and open the door so He can come in and abide with us. To those who respond, Jesus guarantees the open door of eternal life and the reward of ruling with Him in heaven.

 

So, friends, open your heart to Him again today. Ask Him to transform your life into one of wholehearted devotion to Him, so that every detail of your life — your morals, your giving, the way you spend your time — will scream, “He is worthy!”

Following Jesus: I Am A Prayer Warrior

 

Following Jesus – I Am a Prayer Warrior

May 14, 2023

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Nehemiah 1:5-11

 

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

 

 

Good morning, Friends. Today, we’re concluding our Easter season sermon series – Following Jesus. We’ve learned what it means to be a believer, a disciple, a servant, a witness and a Christian. And today, following Jesus means this - I am a prayer warrior! Time to break out that sermon quiz in your bulletin and see what we can learn today!

 

Although the phrase “prayer warrior” is not found in Scripture, a prayer warrior is generally thought of as a Christian, who prays continually and effectively for others in the manner of praying taught in Scripture. Prayer warriors have a heart for God, a heart for prayer, a heart for people, and a heart for Christ’s church. They pray with a bold trust that God answers each and every prayer, according to His perfect will and in His perfect timing.

 

And a prayer warrior’s favorite theologian is, of course, MC Hammer, who rapped, “We’ve got to pray just to make it today! That’s why we pray!” 

 

But those words could also be attributed to the Apostle Paul. He wrote to his friends in Thessaloniki, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances.” He encouraged the Colossians to “devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

 

When we think about prayer, we usual­ly regard it as one of the many things we do to live a full and mature Christian life. We say to ourselves: “Let’s not forget to pray because prayer is important! Without it, our lives become shallow. We need to give our time, not only to people, but to God as well.” 

If we’re fervent in our conviction that prayer is important, we might even be willing to give 15 minutes to prayer during a worship service, or a whole hour to prayer each day, or a whole day every month, or a whole week every year!

But when the apostle Paul speaks about prayer, he uses very different language. He doesn’t speak about prayer as a part of life, but says it is all of life. He doesn’t mention prayer as something we shouldn’t forget, but claims it is our ongoing concern. He doesn’t exhort his readers to pray once in a while, regularly or often, but instead to pray without hesitation, constantly, unceasingly, with­out interruption. Paul doesn’t ask us to spend some of the day in prayer. No, Paul is much more radical. He asks us to pray night and day, in joy and in sorrow, at work and at play, without intermission or breaks. For Paul, pray­ing is like breathing.

 

And Paul practiced what he preached. “We constantly thank God for you,” he wrote to the Thessalonians. “We pray continually that our God will make you worthy of His call.”

 

To the Romans, he wrote: “I never fail to mention you in my prayers”, and he com­forted his friend Timothy with the words: “Always, I remember you in my prayers.”

 

The two Greek terms that appear repeatedly in Paul’s letters are 

pan-tote and a-di-al-eip-tos, which mean “always” and “without interruption.” These words make it clear that for Paul, prayer is: 

·      not a part of living, but all of living; 

·      not a part of his thought, but all of his thought; 

·      not a part of his emotions and feelings, but all of them. 

Paul’s zeal allows no place for partial commitments, or piecemeal giving, or hesitant generosity. He gives all and asks all.

 

And why? Well, my other favorite theologian Henri Nouwen said, “I am deeply convinced that the necessity of prayer, and to pray unceasingly, is not as much based on our desire for God, as on God’s desire for us. It is God’s passionate pursuit of us that calls us to prayer.”

 

So, how? How do we become a prayer warrior? How do we effectively pray as Scripture guides us to pray? 

Well, let me tell you about this friend of mine named Nehemiah. We find Nehemiah in the Old Testament book of… Nehemiah. Nehemiah is most often referred to as a cup-bearer, though later he was appointed governor of Jerusalem for two terms. It was his job to taste the wine to make sure it wasn’t poisoned before allowing the king to drink it. Like Joseph & Daniel, Nehemiah had attained great significance within the king’s palace by becoming the king’s closest confidant. The king fully trusted him, which makes sense, since he had to trust his cupbearer with his life. This placed Nehemiah in the perfect position to lead the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, which had been destroyed by the Babylonians. 

 

Right there in the first chapter, we find Nehemiah’s prayer. He’s just received news from a friend that survivors of the Babylonian captivity are in great distress. The walls of Jerusalem were broken down and its gates burned. The news tore Nehemiah’s heart apart, so he began fasting and praying without ceasing. 

 

And the Lord did indeed hear Nehemiah. Several months later, when he was serving wine to the King, the King noticed Nehemiah’s sadness. The king graciously allowed Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. He also gave Nehemiah a letter to hand to the governors, telling them to grant permission for Nehemiah to safely pass through their territories along the way. Long story short, Nehemiah and his workers finished rebuilding the walls in a record 52 days. 

 

So, what made Nehemiah’s prayer so special that it moved God’s heart in such an amazing way? And what can we learn from it? If you have your Bible, turn to Nehemiah chapter 1. Let’s read through the prayer and see for ourselves: 

 

First… Praise

“O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, 

who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him 

and obey his commands,”

An effective prayer warrior approaches God in reverent praise, and that’s what Nehemiah did. He began with a confident, joy-filled spirit by praising God. This is also how Jesus guides us in the Lord’s Prayer, by saying, “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name!” Perhaps that’s a nudge to always begin our prayers this way, by acknowledging the greatness of God. History tells us that Nehemiah prayed this after the Israelites were released from seventy years of Babylonian captivity. By praising God for His faithfulness in keeping His covenant promises, Nehemiah is declaring God’s character and using it as a basis to ask God to intervene in the situation.

 

Which leads us to number two… Petition

“…please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant, which I pray before You now, night and day….”

Immediately following praise, Nehemiah requests for God to pay attention to him. Now, we know God is always paying attention to us, but Nehemiah doesn’t want to take any chances. He specifically asks God for what he needs. His statement “which I pray before You now, night and day” tells us he’s very anxious for God to respond, and he’s committed to keep on asking, to keep on praying until God guides him. 

Third… Confession

 

“I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.”

Nehemiah continues with confession, openly admitting his family has sinned. They have not kept God’s rules, and he intercedes on their behalf. He uses words like “I” and “we.” Nehemiah confesses all had sinned before God, all had fallen short and were in need of salvation. They had even sinned as a nation. At the same time, he knows the forgiving nature of God, and he claims the promise that God will bring them back to the land and redeem them. This invites us to confess our sins and repent every time we pray, so our sin doesn’t interfere with God’s perfect work in our lives.

Fourth… Remind God!

 

 “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me, and obey my commands, and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’

 

Recalling what God has promised in His word is an excellent tool to use when we pray. God knows His promises, but when we remind Him of them, it deepens our connection with Him and strengthens our relationship with the Creator of the universe.

 

Fifth… Humility

 

Nehemiah continues: “Now these are Your servants and Your people whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand.”

 

When we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, He will lift us up, higher and higher. Nehemiah acknowledged his place as God’s servant, and God’s power of redemption. While he was mainly referring to the Israelites’ exodus out of Egypt, he’s also confident God will bring an equally successful second deliverance for the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. 

 

Sixth… Final Ask

 

“O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today….. by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.”

 

Nehemiah repeats his request. “Those who delight in honoring Him” were the people in Jerusalem, who had been praying for God to intervene for years. So, in verse 11, Nehemiah makes his petition again. He prays for success and mercy. And as he prays… an idea formed in his mind. A plan takes shape! Could God soften the King’s heart? 

 

Have you ever been praying for wisdom, and then an idea, a thought, a plan, a Scripture pops into your mind? That can be the Holy Spirit speaking to you and giving you an answer. When you pray for wisdom, God will give it to you.

 

Seventh… The Big Finish

 

Because the Messiah had not yet come, Nehemiah simply ends his prayer in verse eleven. For us today, if we’re praying for something specific, Jesus instructs us in John 14:13 to pray in His name: 

 

“You can ask for anything in my name and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.”

 

He also says in Matthew 21:22, “And whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

 

Nehemiah believes God will do what He said He would do, and we can, too.

 

Friends, Nehemiah heard of a problem with Jerusalem. It wasn’t necessarily his problem. But his heart was moved, and he was motivated to pray.

He was persistent. He wept. He mourned. He fasted and prayed for days – 

And this was not just a 1-minute prayer in passing. He spent a lot of time before the Lord praying about the problem and searching for God’s will about what he could do. It is evident he had a lifestyle of prayer. 

 

And Nehemiah didn’t rush to the king to get help immediately. He didn’t start issuing orders. He didn’t rely on his own wisdom to begin taking action. From the world’s perspective, he did nothing. He sat down, and he prayed. From God’s perspective, this was everything. This was his best recourse.

 

And he kept praying and kept praying until God opened a door for him. The text tells us Nehemiah started praying in late-autumn, and his conversation with the king wasn’t until the following spring. The Apostle Paul would call this “praying without ceasing.” 

 

Later in Nehemiah, the king asks him what he wants. And right there, right in the king’s throne room, we find Nehemiah praying again. But this prayer is not like the last prayer. Chapter 2, verse 4 says, “With a prayer, to the God of Heaven, I replied…” This prayer was most likely in his heart, unspoken, and probably very quick. Along the lines of, “God, help me.” And God did.

 

This reminds me of a story I heard in Russia, of a 19th-century peasant who desired so much to be obedient to Paul’s call for uninterrupted prayer that he went from priest to priest, looking for an answer, until he finally found a holy man who taught him the Jesus Prayer. The priest told the peasant to say thousands of times each day: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.”

 

This prayer slowly became so united with his breath­ing and heartbeat that he could travel throughout Russia, carrying only his knapsack, the Bible, and some bread and salt… all the while living a life of unceasing prayer. 

 

Both kinds of prayer are examples of praying without ceasing. We need to have those extended times with the Lord. And we also need to have those moments throughout the day when we offer up “insta-prayers” or “snap-prayers.” If we can send instagrams and snapchats, we should be able to send an insta-prayer, right?

 

Nehemiah’s insta-prayer, “God, help me,” had power because it was rooted in a lifestyle of prayer. If we only come to God in times of great need, our insta-prayers may lack the same sincerity as if we pray continually, all the time, in good times and in bad.

 

And so, friends, when you think of Paul’s call to pray without ceasing, think of Nehemiah. It means extended lengths of time in private prayer, pouring out your heart and emotions to God. It also gives space to fill our lives with those quick, spur of the moment prayers when we face obstacles, and temptations, and decisions in our daily life.

 

After all, let me remind you of the words from that great theologian, MC Hammer, we’ve got to pray, just to make it today. Without God in our breath and in our lungs, we’re nothing. That’s why we pray. 

And friends, I didn’t want you to just HEAR a GREAT message about being a prayer warrior! I’d like for us to take some time today to do just this, to practice Nehemiah’s example of being a prayer warrior. This is called guided meditation…I’ll say a few sentences, and then invite you to pray silently, guiding you through several prayers.

 

 You’re welcome to sit comfortably in your pew, or come up to the front to kneel at the altar, however you pray best. 

 

Why don’t we start with a deep breath… and let us take time to practice this prayer of Nehemiah… 

 

 

O Good & Gracious God, You are a great & awesome God, and we praise You for who You are, Your love, Your faithfulness. In love, Lord, You have set us free:

    free from slavery to sin and self,

    free to know and love You,

    free to follow and serve You.

We praise You for Your faithful love toward us,

and for the many ways You have demonstrated that love to us…

 

We see Your love in the natural world around us —

   in the sky and trees and rivers.

We see Your love in the gift of Your commandments —

   the rules for living that guide us into right relationship with You,

   and with the people around us.

And we see Your love in Jesus Christ, 

   who lived and died to bring us life.

We praise You for the many blessings You shower over us…

 

O Lord, because we have experienced Your love, we come before You with confidence, bringing our needs and the needs of our world. Be attentive to the requests that are on our hearts. God, in Your unfailing love, hear our greatest needs, hear our petitions to You… 

We pray for leaders of the Church.  

May they serve as examples 

to those who would come to believe in Christ for eternal life.  

May the Church place its hope in You, O God, 

and not in human wisdom.

We name our leaders and place them before You…

 

We pray for the leaders of the nations.  

May they show mercy and advocate for the rights of the people.  

May they, like Moses, seek the greater good rather than their own interests.

We lift those leaders to You now…

We pray for the people in our lives.  

May we learn to love the stiff-necked, the sinners, 

and all those in great need of your mercy.  

Make us instruments of your peace, 
as we lift to You those who are hard to love…

 

We pray for the sick, the anxious and the sorrowful.  

Make them hear of joy and gladness, 

that broken bodies and broken spirits may rejoice!

We lift our sick loved ones to You now…

 

O, Lord, we confess that we have not loved You with our whole hearts. We have failed to be an obedient church. We have not done Your will. We confess that we have sinned against You. And you, Lord, You say that if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And we confess those sins to You now… 

 

Forgive us, Lord. And please remember Your promises, O God!  You said to Jeremiah, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with your whole heart.”  And Jesus promised if we keep on asking, we will receive what we ask for. And if we keep on seeking, we will find.  And if we keep on knocking, the door will be opened. Remember Your promises, O God…

 

We are Your servants, O God. 

We are nothing without You, Lord. 

We long to be used by You, for You have redeemed us by Your mighty hand…. 

Use us in these ways, O Lord…

Merciful God,

give us strength and courage to keep Your commandments,

    to live in faithful obedience to Your will.

Guard our hearts and minds from all that might distract us

    from living out our commitment to You.

We hand over those distractions to You…

 

O Lord, please hear our prayers! 

Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring You. 

Hear these words upon our hearts…

 

We pray all these things, in the name of Your Son, Jesus the Christ, 

Amen and Amen.