Sermon Tone Analysis

*The Price, Promise and Purpose of Prayer*

*Jn 14:13-14*

Maranatha Baptist Church.

Sunday July 3, 2005

 

Earlier we sang in our *National Anthem* “God keep our Land”.

In many ways this is a prayer.

The *logical intent* of this prayer in our National Anthem is that *there is a God*.

We say the he is *our God*, and *we are his*.

His work of *“keeping”* would indicate that we *he intervenes* and he is the *ultimate ruler.*

-*Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley*, Premier of New Brunswick and *one of the Fathers of Confederation,* rose each morning to start his day with prayer and Scripture reading.

As the 33 fathers gathered in Charlottetown to discuss and draft the terms of the British North American Act, there are were many suggestions on *what to call this new “United **Canada**.”*

That morning, as Tilley read from Psalm 72:8, he became so convinced that Canada should be a nation under God, that when came down to the Conference session, he presented the inspired *“Dominion of Canada.”*

The other Fathers readily agreed and accepted.

-*Canada**’s coat of arms*, adopted in 1921, stands upon the Latin phrase “A Mari Usque Ad Mare,” which when translated means “*from sea to sea” a reference to Psalm 72:8.*

-*Canada**’s official motto* comes from Psalm 72:8, “He shall have dominion from sea to sea.” Until not many years ago, *July 1 was called “Dominion Day*” which was a recognition of the sovereignty of God.

Today, it is called “Canada Day.”

Part one of the Canadian *Charter* of Rights of Freedoms, the Constitution Act of 1982 states that “Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God..”

 

*Please turn to Romans 1*

 

Ironically it has been the *appeal to the Charter* that has been used to *claim liberty* from God.

People claim *Autonomy* from God.

We become a *law unto ourselves*.

Rom 1:18-28 *Rom **1:18*  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Rom 1:19  For what can be *known about God is plain to them*, because God has shown it to them.

Rom 1:20  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been *clearly perceived*, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.

So they are *without excuse*.

* Stop: Can anyone then say they did not know God’s standard: God testifies that

V.19 It is plain.

V.20 *Perceived*: *Known by the senses; felt; understood; observed*.

Therefore without excuse.

What then is the *fundamental dishonour*, both *individually* and *nationally?*

Rom 1:21  For although they knew God, they *did not honor him as God* or *give thanks* to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Rom 1:22  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, Rom 1:23  and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

* *Every time the anthem was sung and Dominion Day was celebrated* it was meant be *a prayer* and *thanksgiving*.

* *Look around* how much individually and nationally *was this done *this weekend?

What then is the *result of this failure?*

What does *God do?*

 

Rom 1:24  Therefore *God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts* to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, Rom 1:25  because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!

Amen.

Rom 1:26  For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions.

For their *women* exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; Rom 1:27  and the *men* likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and *receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error*.

Rom 1:28  And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a *debased mind* to do what ought not to be done.

* We just saw the *Gay pride parade* and *Dyke march*:

* God declares that *homosexuality is a judgement*.

*V.24*: God *gives people up* to the desires of their heart.

* *V.27*:

Individuals and society received the *due penalty* for this error.

* Yet *for the faithful remnant* there is *hope:*

* *

*Back to our principle text: Jn. 14*

Jn 14:1 says: Let not your hearts be *troubled*.

Literally: “Stop being troubled”.

When Jesus said these words it was an *hour* darkened by the shadow of *Judas’s* treachery and *Peter’s failure* and only a *few hours away* from the agony of *Gethsemane* and death on the cross

*Jn.

14* can help us understand what is *happening in our land* and the *1)Price 2) Promise and 3) Purpose of Prayer*

*1)      **The Price of Prayer: “I will spend most of my time on this”*

Jn 14: 12" "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever *believes* in me will also do the works that *I do*; and *greater works* than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

·         Do you notice who is doing the */action./*

·         It is */not/* what *we do* thorough God, */but what God does/ through us.*

*Phi **2:13*  for it is *God who works in you*, both to will and to work *for his good pleasure*.

Joh 14:6  *Jesus* said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

Always *keep tabs on Jn 14* but please turn to *1 Jn 5:20*

* We are *absolutely dependent upon Christ* for our *knowledge of redemptive truth* and for the *spark* *that causes that truth to live in our souls.*

* *The way to God* is fundamentally *not through our actions*, or works but *only though Christ* and his actions and works.

*1Jo 5:20*  And we know that the Son of God has come and has *given us* understanding (The Way), so that we may know him who is *true*; (The Truth) and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ.

He is the true God and *eternal life* (The Life).

*Christ** is doing* the action *through us*.

The *starting point* is *faith*: “Back to v. 13”:

*1Jo **5:13*  I write these things to you who *believe* in the name of the Son of God that you may *know* that you have eternal life.

1Jo 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask *anything according to his will* he hears us.

1Jo 5:15  And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

*If we don’t have faith:*

Heb 11:6  And without *faith* it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

* The *access to God* comes through faith in his son.

Therefore, the only prayer that God honours *from the unbeliever* is the prayer of faith.

Please turn back to *Hosea 7:10*

 

Some may think that since they poses salvation, God will *automatically be responsive* to their prayers

 

What then is the reaction of God to *prayers made by the disobedient**?*

*Corporately*

Hos 7:10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; *yet they do not return* to the LORD their God, *nor seek him*, for all this.

7:11 Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.

7:12 As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will *discipline* them according to the report made to their congregation.

7:13 Woe to them, for they have *strayed from me!* Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me!

I would redeem them, but *they speak lies against me*.

*7:14* *They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds*; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me.

*Back to Isaiah 59:1*

Isa 59:1  Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; *Isa 59:2*  but *your iniquities* have made a separation between you and your God, and *your sins have hidden his face* from you so that he does not hear.

Isa 59:3  For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness.

What about prayers made with *great frequency*?

*Isa **1:15*  When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make *many prayers*, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

For *Husbands:*

*1Pe 3:7*  Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so *that your prayers may not be hindered*

 

For *Everyone* Individually:

*Psa 66:18*  If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

*Yet, For those who are obedient:*

*Psa 34:15*  The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.

*Jam **5:16*  (Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed).

The prayer of a *righteous* person has great power as it is working.

* It has indeed *no intrinsic power*; but *God has graciously purposed* that *his favor shall be granted to the righteous  who call upon him*,

 

Phi 3:8  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ *Phi 3:9*  and be found in him, not having a *righteousness* of my own that comes from the law, but that which *comes through faith in Christ*, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—