INTRODUCTION

Gary came to me for help because he was falling into sexual temptation on his smartphone. “Do you pray about this temptation in your daily devotions?” I asked him.

“I don’t do daily devotions,” he replied. Seeing my concerned expression, he explained, “I don’t pray at set times because I pray all the time.”

It sounded super-spiritual, and yet his life was far from super-holy. “Well, that’s great that you pray all the time, Gary,” I eventually replied. “But why would you not want to have a set time of prayer as well?”

Over the next hour or so, we discussed this question about, When should we pray? I want to share the two biblical answers we arrived at by looking at Daniel 6:10 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

BACKGROUND

We’ve been looking at prayer using different biblical images to teach us to pray:

• The cross: Taught us how to pray in Jesus name
• The throne: Taught us to pray with confidence
• The battlefield: Taught us to pray as in a war.
• The supper: Taught us to view prayer as communion
• The door: Taught us to pray for all our needs
• The window: Teaches us how to pray for perspective

This week, we are looking at the schedule of prayer. When should we pray?

1. PRAY AT SET TIMES

[Daniel] got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously (Daniel. 6:10)

Gary had three main objections to having set times of daily prayer.

“I don’t want to be legalistic”

I understand Gary’s concern here. Most of us have had times in our lives when we did daily devotions in a legalistic way. Praying because we have to is like being called to the principal’s office. It’s a miserable experience that drains all joy and profit from the paltry few minutes we can muster to salve our consciences and keep God at bay.

But set times of prayer need not be legalistic. Just as making regular appointments to meet with friends doesn’t make friendships legalistic, so making regular appointments with God does not need to make prayer legalistic. It was a practice that not only Daniel, but David and Jesus engaged in too (Ps. 119:164; Dan. 6:10; Mark 1:35).

How safe would you feel if our top generals said, “We’ve decided to stop daily firearms training because the soldiers say it’s too legalistic”? Daily training in prayer is a vital part of spiritual warfare. As I said to Gary about his need for prayer to beat pornography, “You can risk legalism, or you can guarantee legal trouble.”

“It’s difficult to fit into my schedule”

There’s no doubt that setting aside time to pray impinges on our schedule. It takes time away from other activities and people. It’s hard to fit into busy mornings when we’re rushing to work or getting others rushed to work. It’s hard to fit into the evening when we’re tired and trying to wind down.

But if “for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Eccl. 3:1), then surely there must be a set time for prayer. If all the other activities of life have set times (Eccl. 3:2–8), then why not prayer? Our problem is not usually our busy schedule; it’s our upside-down priorities. If we are too busy to pray, we are too busy. God calls us to “be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10). Knowing God necessitates stillness with God.

“I prefer to be spontaneous”

I prefer spontaneity too and wish I was far more spontaneous in prayer. However, if I had only prayed when I had feelings of prayer, I wouldn’t have prayed very much in my life.

Having said that, there have been many times I’ve forced myself to pray, and the feelings have forced themselves into my life. I started praying my habit prayer and it became a joy prayer. Dutiful times can become delightful times (Ps. 119:25–32). I’ve also noticed that my spontaneous prayers were more common when scheduled prayer was more consistent (Matthew 6:6).

When God blessed Shona and I with children, we realized that we were so busy with them that we were hardly getting any time together ourselves. We needed a plan if we were not to drift apart. So we set a time each day when we would sit down for about thirty minutes, just her and me, and through these fixed times maintained and deepened our love for one another. Scheduled love sustained love.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Start Small. If you don’t have regular set times of prayer, then begin with a low bar. If we aim too high and try to begin with thirty minutes of prayer, we won’t last thirty minutes and we won’t do any minutes tomorrow. In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear says that if you want to start exercising, start with one push-up. That’s so do-able, isn’t it? But once you drop to the floor, you think, “Well, I might as well do another while I’m here,” then another, and so on. Similarly, with prayer, aim for one minute a day to begin with. You might be surprised how long you stay once you start. After a week of one-minute set times, make it two minutes, and so on.

Start by adding to an existing habit. It’s very hard to start a new good habit. But habit science encourages us that if we associate a new habit with an existing habit, it becomes much easier to remember to do the new habit. For example, if you have the daily habit of sitting in a chair to drink a coffee each morning, build on that existing habit by adding a time of prayer before you get up from the chair.

Start with Scripture. As many have noted, prayer is responding back to God in a conversation that he has started through his Word. Therefore, we can use the Bible when formulating our prayers. God starts the conversation, and we respond to his words with prayers. Take each verse and turn it into a praise, a confession, a thanksgiving, or a request.

Start with your schedule. For a set time of morning prayer, open your schedule and to-do list, and pray about each meeting, appointment, task. I call these set times of prayer, “Preview Prayers.” For a set time of evening prayer, review what happened, praying about each person you met or each problem that arose. I call these “Review Prayers.”

If we don’t schedule prayer,
we won’t have spontaneous prayer.

How do I get from scheduled prayer to spontaneous prayer?

2. PRAY ALL THE TIME

…Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Rom. 12:12; Eph 6:18; Col. 4:2; Ps. 86:3)

This command is one of several in this passage which call us to constant and consistent connection with God (16, 18). It doesn’t mean we go around with our eyes closed, head bowed, on our knees. It doesn’t mean that every second we’re not praying we should feel guilty. So what does it mean?

Repetition. In Romans 1:9, Paul talks about praying “without ceasing” for the Romans. This cannot mean it was all he did, but rather he did it frequently and repeatedly. Whenever he thought of the Romans, he prayed for the Romans.

Persistence. We don’t stop praying when the prayer goes unanswered. We don’t give in or give up but go on praying without ceasing.

Dependence. We consciously lean upon God in all that we do. Our default is dependence not independence. “Lord, I need you here…Father, guide me in this conversation…Spirit, give me courage…”

Relationship. Prayer is not a rigid ritual but a rich relationship. It’s like having our best friend with us all the time. Everything is Godward. We bring everything and everyone to God. Every human relationship, connection, or contact is an opportunity to have a relationship, connection, or contact with God.

Lifestyle. We bring prayer into every area of life and every area of life into prayer. It’s not a law but a lifestyle. It’s not another “do this” but a state of being.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Every moment of life is an opportunity for prayer. Every success, every failure, every pain, every comfort, every friend, every enemy, every gain, every loss, every believer, every unbeliever, every moment of life is an opportunity for prayer. What we are aiming for is a seamless life of prayer. Prayer joins every area of life, from the bedroom to the kitchen, from the yard to the workplace, from the sink to the school, from sports to the hospital.

Constant prayer is constant mental health. According to the National Science Foundation, the average person thinks 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts in one day. Of those thoughts, 85% of them are negative, and 95% of those thoughts are the same repetitive thoughts from the previous day. Can you imagine the improvement in mental health you would enjoy if you replaced these negative thoughts with positive prayers?

Pray all the time
to find time to pray

SUMMARY

A NEW CHAPTER

Gospel. When I hear “Pray at set times” and “Pray all the time,” I feel so guilty. But then I feel so thankful for the blood of Christ which washes guilt out of my scheduled prayers and my spontaneous prayers.”

Jesus. Jesus never skipped a scheduled prayer time and engaged in prayer all the time. He did this perfectly every day of life at every stage of life.

Start. With Christ’s forgiveness and Christ’s example, let’s start with a scheduled morning prayer time of 3-5 minutes and a spontaneous prayer every time we touch our phones.

Prayer. God of Time, help us to use set prayer times and spontaneous prayer time to pray about our times and prepare for eternal times.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What excuses keep you back from putting a daily time of prayer on your schedule?

2. What would be the best time and place for a scheduled time of prayer in your life?

3. Write out 4 prayers based on Psalm 23: An adoration, a confession, a thanks, a request.

4. How can you increase spontaneous prayer in your life?

5. What motivates more prayer in your life? Guilt or the Gospel?

6. What do you think Jesus’ prayer life looked like? What verses guide us here?

PDF OF SERMON NOTES

INTRODUCTION

Psychologists define guilt as “the painful thoughts and emotions we experience when we have harmed someone else or broken our own moral code.”

• We experience, on average, 5 hours a week of guilty feelings. That’s the total of all the feelings we have of mild or moderate guilt.
• Unresolved guilt is like having a snooze alarm in your head that won’t shut off. The nagging interruptions of guilt can make it hard to concentrate.
• Guilty feelings make it difficult to think straight. When guilt is competing for our attention, it usually wins. Studies have found that concentration, productivity, creativity, and efficiency are all significantly lower when you’re feeling actively guilty.
• Guilt makes us reluctant to enjoy life. Even mild guilt can make you hesitant to embrace the joys of life. Guilty feelings might make you choose to skip a party, not celebrate your birthday, or mope around during your vacation without being able to enjoy it.
• Guilt can make you self-punish. The Dobby Effect—a phenomenon named after the head-banging elf in the Harry Potter books—refers to a psychological tendency for people to employ self-punishment to ward off feelings of guilt.
• Guilt can play a major role in mental and physical illness. OCD, depression, anxiety, as well as insomnia, indigestion, chest pain have all been related to guilt.

That’s what the psychologists tell us about guilt, but it’s actually far worse than they think or say. The Bible says it is more serious in both its causes, symptoms, and its consequences. As we’ve been discovering in our study of Romans, it is caused by disobedience to God’s law and results in eternal consequences in hell. Some of us have probably been feeling that guilt more deeply and seriously as chapters 1-3 were expounded. Maybe you’ve been asking, How do we get from guilt to joy? Thankfully, that’s the journey Paul now takes us on.

BACKGROUND

In general terms we can summarize the first three chapters of Romans as follows:

• Chapter 1 The Gentiles are guilty
• Chapter 2: The Jews are guilty
• Chapter 3: Everyone’s guilty .

But Paul doesn’t want to leave us there. He wants us to get from guilt to joy. He therefore introduces us to various characters to help us on our journey.

Who’s the first character?

1. EXECUTE MR GOODNESS

Mr Goodness hardly needs an introduction. As we are all born hand in hand with him, we all know him very well. And we like him, because he’s always telling us how good we are. And if we ever have any doubts about our goodness, he helps us to make excuses, blame others, or find others worse than ourselves to make us look good.

As Mr Goodness is extremely experienced, persuasive, skillful, and dangerous, the Apostle Paul spends the first few chapters of Romans attacking him. And in Romans 3, Paul takes the kill-shot by multiplying sharp scripture proofs of universal human sinfulness. Look at the underlined words in these verses. What’s his point?

We have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one (Romans 3:9-12).

Though there are times when Mr Goodness is driven out of our lives, he keeps resurrecting and whispering, “You’re not that bad. You are not as bad as most people. You have redeeming features. You’ve done enough to overcome the bad things.” That’s why Paul reminds us again later that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (23).

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Execute Mr Goodness. If Mr Goodness is still whispering in your ear, use this chapter to execute him. As you read these verse, pray, “Lord, kill Mr Goodness in my life, so that I don’t believe his lies.

MR GOODNESS IS
REALLY MR BADNESS

2. LISTEN TO MR GUILTY

Paul has used God’s Law to attack Mr Goodness, who now lies dying on the floor. At this point, Mr Guilty enters the room and every one stops talking. Guilt stops our mouths. We realize we have no defense, alibi, or excuse.

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God [NKJV: may become guilty before God]. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin (19-20).

Mr Guilty puts us in chains and drags us again and again to Mr Law (we’ll look at him a bit later). Mr Law presents us with two documents: God’s precepts to be obeyed and God’s penalties to be suffered.

 CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Listen to Mr Guilty. How do you respond to Mr Guilty? Are you still trying to argue with him using human standards? Are you still defending your goodness from his attacks? Or has he silenced you with God’s law?

MR GUILTY HAS LOTS OF POINTING FINGERS
BUT NO HELPING HANDS

3. RECEIVE MR RIGHTEOUSNESS (aka. Mr Perfect)

Into this gloomy room walks Mr Righteousness. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God (3:21-22). Mr Righteousness has a nickname: Mr Law-Satisfier. He comes to the law, looks at the precepts to be obeyed and the penalties to be suffered and says, “I can do both.”

But how come Mr Righteousness has a righteousness apart from the law? How can he be a law-satisfier without the law? This cannot mean what it seems to mean – a law satisfaction without satisfying the law. Rather it is a law satisfaction without any regard to our attempted law-satisfying. Mr Righteousness offers a law-satisfaction that is completely separate and independent from our attempted law-satisfying.

It is also a righteousness of God (21, 22). This is not a mere human righteousness but a divine righteousness. This is not a mere man that has obeyed the precepts and suffered the penalties. It is God himself. If a mere human being could achieve perfect righteousness it would only be enough for one person. But divine righteousness is infinitely valuable and can extend to a multitude greater than we can number.

Who is this Mr Righteousness? He’s been around for a long time. The law and the prophets bear witness to him, but he’s now been manifested (revealed) more clearly (25, 26). Who is Mr Righteousness? It’s Mr Jesus Christ. He can obey the precepts and suffer the penalties until they are exhausted. He is the righteousness of God.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Receive Mr Righteousness. Do you think you can add anything to Mr Righteousness? Do you think you can make him any better? “All our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment” (Isa. 64:6). Take him as yours.

OUR CLEANEST CLOTHES ARE FILTHY RAGS
THAT SOIL AND SPOIL CHRIST’S PERFECTION

4. CONNECT THROUGH MR FAITH

How do we get unchained from Mr Guilty and connected with Mr Righteousness? That’s where Mr Faith comes in. The righteousness of God [is] through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction (22).

Mr Faith can sever us from Mr Guilt and connect us with Mr Righteousness. As soon as we believe, Mr Faith smashes the chain of guilt and connects the soul with perfect righteousness (25). And this is not just for special believers, for those with special faith, or even strong faith. It’s for all who believe. For there is no distinction (23). Paul loves Mr Faith and refers to him again and again (24-26).

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Connect through Mr Faith. Instead of hearing, “Guilty, guilty, guilty!” the moment we believe in Christ, we hear not just, “Innocent, innocent, innocent!” but “Perfect, perfect, perfect!” All precepts obeyed, all penalties paid.

If you need freedom or saving
He’s a prison-shaking Savior
If you’ve got chains
He’s a chain breaker

5. EVICT MR BOASTING

The light has gone on, the dust is settling, and we are now connected to Mr Righteousness. Paul looks around and says, “Where is Mr Boasting?” Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded (27).

Mr Boasting is best friends with Mr Goodness. They go everywhere together. Once Mr Goodness has done his work, Mr Boasting steps in with praise and applause: “You’re amazing. Look at all the good you’ve done. You’re far better than most people”

But faith turns the spotlight from self to Christ. And when that happens, boasting is evicted and runs away, cursing Mr Faith. [Boasting] is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law (27-28).

Mr Boasting sometimes gets back together with Mr Goodness and they stick their heads in the window and their foot in the door from time to time. But with the help of chapters like Romans 3 they are expelled and kept at a safe distance.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Evict Mr Boasting. Mr Goodness and Mr Boasting are best friends, but our worst enemies. Have regular searches for them in your soul, and if you find them, evict them without delay.

HE MUST INCREASE
I MUST DECREASE

6. HONOR MR LAW

So faith has chased away Mr Goodness, Mr Guilt, and Mr Boasting. What about Mr Law? Does Mr Faith chase him away too? Let Paul answer: Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law (31).

Every other pretended way of salvation diminishes the law in one way or another. In one way or another, the law is overthrown. These pretenders promise salvation by lowering the barrier or by compromising justice. Is that what God has done here?

No, this way of salvation strengthens and confirms the law. Christ’s righteousness reached the standard perfectly, and suffered the penalties fully. That’s why Pauls says God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (26). He is “a just God and a Savior” (Isa. 45:21)

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Honor Mr Law. Be highly suspicious of any promised salvation which overthrows, or in any way diminishes, the law of God. The only salvation worth having is one that honors God’s law and his justice.

A LAWLESS SALVATION
IS A HOPELESS SALVATION

7. ENJOY MR JOY

Mr Goodness has gone. Mr Guilt has gone. Mr Boasting has gone. Who do we have left? Mr Righteousness, Mr Faith and Mr Law. And then walks in our seventh man, Mr Joy.

Mr Joy asks Mr Law, “Are you happy?” “I’m happy,” he replies, “My precepts have been met, my penalties satisfied. Rejoice!”

Mr Joy then turns to Mr Righteousness: “Mr Righteousness, you happy?” “Of course!” he says, “I still have a perfect complete righteousness. Rejoice!”

“Mr Faith, you happy?” “Sure, I’ve severed another person from sin and united them with perfect righteousness! Rejoice!”

“And what about you believer?” asks Mr Joy. “Me? Who could be happier! The law is satisfied. Guilt has gone. Righteousness is mine. And all by faith without any contribution from me.” What a happy scene. What a happy salvation! From guilt to joy!

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Enjoy Mr Joy. Nothing makes God happier than his people’s happiness in his salvation. He loves to see them celebrating with Mr Righteousness, Mr Faith, and even Mr Law. He does not invite Mr Goodness or Mr Guilt to this party.

ENJOY MR JOY TO
GIVE JOY TO GOD

SUMMARY

THE NEXT CHAPTER

Guilt is damaging and deadly. Spend as little time as possible in the company of Mr Guilt. We do need to meet him now and again to prevent Mr Goodness and My Boasting back in, but move quickly from there to Mr Righteousness through Mr Faith.

The Gospel is health- and life-giving. Joy has so many benefits for the body, the mind, and the soul. Let’s find our greatest joy in the Gospel. It’s both safe and saving.

Help someone else travel this journey from guilt to joy. Share this message with someone who needs to get on this road and stay on it.

Prayer. Perfect God, give me perfect joy by giving me your perfect righteousness.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. How would you explain guilt to a child?

2. In what ways has guilt damaged you or helped you?

3. Which of these characters do you need to have less of in your life? How will you do that?

4. What place does guilt have in the Christian life?

5. How can you get from guilt to joy quicker?

6. What Christian songs help you get from guilt to joy?

PDF OF SERMON NOTES

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever felt that life is unfair? Ever looked around and wondered why the wicked seem to escape any consequences for their evil? Or why the godly seem to suffer for their faithfulness? Maybe you have felt the pain of that unfairness as you look at world history. Or maybe you’ve experienced injustice yourself in your family, school, business, in your employment, in politics, in relationships, or in sport. Cheats win, the honest lose. Bad people win, good people lose. Lies win, truth loses. It can be really depressing can’t it? How can we ease the pain of injustice?

I have experienced injustice and unfairness at different points in my life. As someone with a deep passion for justice, any experience of injustice is especially painful for me. I’ve experienced it in my family, in sport, and even in the church. Cheats win, the honest lose. Bad people win, good people lose. Lies win, truth loses. How can we ease the pain of injustice? Asaph takes us to the window of prayer to change our view and perspective.

BACKGROUND

We’ve been looking at prayer using different biblical images to teach us to pray:

• The cross: Taught us how to pray in Jesus name
• The throne: Taught us to pray with confidence
• The battlefield: Taught us to pray as in a war.
• The supper: Taught us to view prayer as communion
• The door: Taught us to pray for all our needs

This week, we are looking at prayer as a window, a way of seeing things from God’s perspective.

What happens when we only see things from our perspective? Pain.

I. PAIN IS A PRISON

The pain of wicked people prospering

Asaph was plunged into the agonizing darkness of envy when he saw:

• The arrogance and success of the wicked (3)
• The health and strength of the wicked (4)
• The peace and pleasure of the wicked (5)
• The pride and violence of the wicked (6)
• The scorn and satisfaction of the wicked (7)
• The malice and oppression of the wicked (8)
• The blasphemy and power of the wicked (9)
• The praise and honor of the wicked (10)
• The atheism and influence of the wicked (11)
• The freedom and ease of the wicked (12)

The pain of godly people suffering

Part of Asaph’s pain was seeing the ungodly prospering. But an even greater pain was seeing the godly suffering. When he looked at the godly he saw:

• Pure motives and a pure lifestyle (13)
• Daily pain and daily punishment (14)

This painful contrast between the wicked’s prosperity and godly’s suffering was deeply troubling to him (16). Although he tried to persuade himself that God was good and a godly life was worth it (1), he could hardly stand with the shock of the contrast (2), with the envy he felt welling up inside him (3), with the shameful embarrassment of his thoughts (15), and with the wearying confusion that enveloped him (16).

Asaph had accurate eyes, but he could only see inside of prison. His eyes were accurate in what they were seeing. Nowhere does God come in and say, “Asaph, your sight is terrible, you need glasses.” He was not mistaken or making things up. But, as we will see, he was not using a widow that would have transformed what he was seeing. Using just his physical sense of sight he was left in the darkness of physical reality. The result was a painful dark prison of confusion and depression.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Right eyes, no window. If we look at ourselves or the world with only our physical eyes, we will see only what is physically true, and that’s often a deeply depressing sight. If you let the media or social media or just your own senses be your primary means of seeing this world, you will end up in a painful windowless dark prison of confusion and depression. Like Asaph you will end up shaken to the core, tempted to backslide, and want to be wicked rather than godly.

EYESIGHT IS HEARTPAIN

How can I find God’s window? How can I see things from God’s perspective?

II. PRAYER IS A WINDOW

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end (17).

As long as Asaph viewed the world with just his own eyes, he was imprisoned in pain. But when he went into God’s sanctuary, into the place of prayer, a big bright window was opened to him, enabling him to see beyond physical sight. As he prayed, a new window on the world opened up and enabled him to see everything differently. He saw both a spiritual dimension to this life as well as an eternal dimension after this life, flooding his soul with light and liberty.

He saw an eternity of pain for the wicked

Instead of seeing the here and now of the wicked, he saw the there and then of the wicked. He saw their end, their spiritual and eternal end. He saw their previously confident steps slipping under them as they cannot find their footing (18). He saw their strength and success falling into ruins (18). He saw them destroyed in a split second and swept away into hell on a tsunami of terror (19). He saw God treat them like a bad dream (20). Asaph saw the end is all that matters. He sees the horrific end of the ungodly and is horrified by his previous thoughts and feelings (21-22). He saw that he was seeing as a mere animal.

He saw an eternity of pleasure for the godly

God was guiding Asaph, holding his right hand, counseling him to look through the right window, guiding him with his Word (24). He saw how he should see while he lived in this world, and just as he saw the wicked differently, he also saw the godly differently. Again, the window of prayer showed him the end is all that matters. “Afterward…” (24). After all dark prisons he spent time in while living here, he sees there is an afterward. “Afterward you will receive me to glory” (24). After all the pain…glory. Immediate and immeasurable and indescribable glory. This will be a glorious place, with a glorious Savior, with a glorious company, in a glorious condition, for a glorious eternity. We will have a glorious body and a glorious soul

The Christian life is really summed up in this one verse: “You guide me with your counsel (life here), and afterward you will receive me to glory (life hereafter)” (24). His new worldview gave him a new God view. He may have little in this world, but now, having God, he has enough (25-28).

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Prayer changes our worldview. Spending time in God’s presence changes the way we look at everything. Prayer is not just about getting things from God, it’s about personal transformation. We often say, “Prayer Changes Things” but it mainly changes us. It changes what we see, how we see, when we see, and who we see. The biggest change that prayer effects is that we see the end is all that matters.

Prayer changes our mental health. When we see God’s justice putting right all the wrongs, when we see the godly’s fortunes reversed, when we see the glorious future that awaits us, that cannot but improve our mental health and even become a fund of mental and spiritual wealth. The Psalms are full of this kind of perspective changing.

PRAYER PRODUCES PERSPECTIVE

SUMMARY

A NEW CHAPTER

See the cross. No one suffered more unfairly than Jesus, but through prayer he battled successfully to keep the end in view (John 17; Heb. 12:2). He suffered eternal pain to give his people eternal pleasure. Show the cross to others too, that they may have a good end.

See the end. The end is really all that matters. A good life is desirable, but a good eternity is essential. Pray your way to the end of the road and the end of all human history. The more you pray, the less the pain. All wrongs will be put right. The evil will lose everything and the good will win everything. Show the end to others too, that they may have a good end.

Prayer. Perfect Seer, give us perfect seeing through prayer so that we can reduce our present pain and increase our eternal pleasure, and help others to do the same.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What injustice have you suffered in the past or still in the present?

2. How has that injustice affected you?

3. How has this Psalm changed your view of prayer?

4. How is prayer changing you, especially your worldview?

5. What is your most used window on the world? The media? Social Media? Prayer?

6. How will you help someone this week to refocus on the end?

PDF OF SERMON NOTES

INTRODUCTION

How do you react to hard questions people ask about the Christian faith? How do you answer tough questions about God’s justice? Do you avoid them? Do you run away? Or do you engage in apologetics, lengthy and complicated arguments to defend the faith? We should never avoid or run away. There are times we shouldn’t argue, but sometimes we shouldn’t. We should just state the truth and let it do its persuasive work. Let’s see how Paul does that in Romans 3:1-19.

BACKGROUND

In chapter 1:18-32, the Apostle Paul exposed the guilt of the heathen Gentiles. In chapter 2:1-11, he exposed the guilt of the religious Jews. He then anticipates and answers objections against God’s truth and justice in 2:12-24. His answers lead him to discuss the purpose of circumcision and how mere physical circumcision misses the whole point.He then anticipates Jews reacting against this by saying, “Well what’s the point in circumcision?” (3:1) and other questions that cast aspersions on God’s character.

Maybe you reacted against last week’s sermon with a similar, “Well, what’s the point in baptism, churchgoing, prayer, Christian home, Christian school, catechism class, etc?” Maybe you had questions about God and even accusations against God.

What’s the first accusation or aspersion arising from last week’s sermon?

1. IF RELIGIOUS PRIVILEGES DON’T SAVE, WHY BOTHER? (1-2)

Question

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? (1).

In the previous chapter, Paul rejected the lie that being a Jew and being circumcised was enough for salvation. In fact, Paul went further by insisting that those who had the law and broke it would get greater condemnation than those who didn’t have the law. He then went even further by asserting that inward circumcision is all that matters and therefore uncircumcised Gentile believers can be more Jewish than some Jews.

It’s easy to imagine a Jew listening to this and throwing their hands up in horror: “What’s the point, then? What advantage or profit is there in being a Jew, having the Old Testament, being circumcised, etc. If none of these things are enough, if these things actually increase our condemnation, if those without these privileges can be equally if not more saved.”

The Christian equivalent would be, “What’s the point in going to church, being baptized, learning catechism, and doing confession of faith, if none of these things save us?”

Answer

Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God (2).

We might have expected Paul’s answer to be, “You’re right, there’s no point. There’s no advantage.” But, no, Paul says, “It’s worth it in lots of ways.” But the first and biggest reason is that the Jews were not left to discovering God through nature but were given the very words of God. They were given the Old Testament Gospel promises and asked to manage, steward, and transmit these powerful truths to others.

Paul identified three circles: (1) the uncircumcised, (2) the physically circumcised, and (3) the spiritually circumcised. He argued that being spiritually circumcised was all that matters. Those in group 2 therefore asked, “Is there any advantage in being in the second circle?” Paul’s answer was “Yes, but not in the way that you often think. Being in circle #2 does not save but it shows you the way to salvation and it brings salvation near to you, and that’s a huge advantage.”

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Don’t overuse your privilege. Don’t rest in it, don’t boast in it, don’t think it’s enough. Overusing a privilege is abusing a privilege.

Don’t underuse your privilege. Just because some abuse it by overvaluing it, don’t underuse it by undervaluing it. Baptism and church membership are not rendered useless because some abuse it. Group #1 don’t have a map to the treasure. Group #2 have the map and can see that ‘X’ marks the spot, but they never set out to find it and get it for themselves. Group #3 use the map, go to the ‘X’ and find gold in the cross of Christ.

THE MAP IS NOT THE TREASURE
BUT THE TREASURE IS ON THE MAP

But why do more not believe?

2. IF THE BIBLE IS TRUE, WHY DO MORE NOT BELIEVE? (3-4)

Question

What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? (3).

Paul hears an objector protest: “Doesn’t widespread Jewish faithlessness undermine God’s character, especially his faithfulness? Doesn’t widespread Jewish faithlessness say something bad about God’s faithfulness? You’ve got all these promises that God has promised to be faithful to, but not many have believed them. Does that not undermine God’s character and His promises?”

Answer

“By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged” (4).

Paul jumps to the defense of God’s faithfulness. He refuses to entertain the possibility that the greatest amount of human faithlessness can put the least spot on God’s faithfulness. (He’ll return to a more detailed defense of God’s faithfulness to the Jews in Romans 9-11). But his first argument is simply: “Just as privileges do not cease to be privileges just because so many do not use them, so God does not cease to be faithful no matter how many people are unfaithful.” However many divine promises are rejected by people, God’s promises still hold true. Even if no one who was given the promises believed the promises, that would not in anyway undermine the promises or the Promise-maker. Even if everyone was a faithless liar, God remains faithful and true.

To prove this, Paul quotes David’s words in Psalm 51. David had received the greatest Old Testament Gospel promises up until that point, and yet went on to commit two of the greatest acts of unfaithfulness in the Old Testament and tell one of the greatest lies in the Old Testament. But David insists the blame is all his and God is not to be accused of anything. God is just in all his words and action.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Let’s confess our unfaithfulness. A lack of faith is never God’s fault. It’s the fault of the unbeliever. Let’s confess, “God you gave me the map, you marked the treasure with an X, and I failed to use it.” Confess not only that we are unfaithful but that our unfaithfulness reflects badly on God’s character. It makes people question God’s faithfulness and God’s truth (map).

Let’s defend God’s faithfulness. Never accuse God, never blame God. Always defend him, even at our own expense. Sacrifice our own reputation rather than God’s. Clear God’s name before our own. Vindicate him and his ways at all times to all people. Never let anyone use your unfaithfulness to cast aspersions on God’s faithfulness.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

God will be glorified, even by sin. God can turn the worst sin against him even into the greatest glory of him, as the cross proved. God will win.

We will be condemned for sin. No matter how much God can glorify himself even through the worst sin, we will be condemned and judged for even the least sin if we remain an unbeliever. We will lose.

YOU WILL GLORIFY GOD
EVEN IF YOU DON’T ENJOY GOD

 Will my privileges get me some advantage in the judgment? 

4. IF PRIVILEGES GIVE US AN EDGE, WILL WE BE SPARED IN THE JUDGMENT? (9-19)

Question

What then? Are we Jews any better off? (9).

Paul has already established that privileges are an advantage, so this is not a question about the Jews having an advantage, It’s not a question about advantages but about favoritism. Does the Jews having special favors entitle Jews to favoritism in the judgment?

Answer

No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin (9)

Paul’s answer is clear. No matter the favors God gives on this earth in this time, there is no favoritism with God when it comes to the judgment at the end. Privileges are an advantage but not a security. When it comes to sinfulness and condemnation, having God’s favors will not result in favoritism. Rather, all, Jews and Gentiles, are guilty before God. All without exception (10-12) are guilty of all sin without exception (13-18), resulting in every mouth stopped without exception (19-20).

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Favors do not mean favoritism. Special help here and now does not mean special treatment there and then. Stop arguing.

“All” means “all.” We somehow hold on to the vain hope that God may make an exception for us. We somehow hope we are not included in the “all.” But there are no exceptions. We are all in the “all.” Stop arguing.

SILENCE NOW OR
SILENCE THEN

SUMMARY

THE NEXT CHAPTER

The human mind has not changed. It was as rebellious and resentful of God in Paul’s day as it is in ours. The same objections are still around. We still excuse sin and accuse God. Human logic is often devilish logic. Questions are often accusations.

God’s mind has not changed. You will never defeat God’s logic with human logic. He will emerge from every court case victorious. We will be silenced (19-20)

The Gospel has not changed. As we will see next week, God has found a way to be just and yet justify the ungodly (21-26). The Gospel is God’s answer to the hardest question.

Prayer. Just God, help me to love your justice rather than question it, and to tell tough truth to help others escape tough judgment.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. How have you asked/answered tough questions about God’s justice in the past?

2. What other accusing questions have you heard or asked about God’s justice?

3. How do you know that needs to hear the treasure map illustration?

4. What are the uses and limits of human logic?

5. How do you handle questions that you cannot get satisfactory answers for?

6. How will this sermon change your apologetics or evangelism?

PDF OF SERMON NOTES

INTRODUCTION

How would you feel if I stood here and said, “None of you are true Americans”? What if I went even further and said, “Illegal immigrants are more American than you are”? I might not be a pastor for long! Yet, Paul did something very similar to the Jews of his day. He said, “You are not real Jews. In fact some Gentiles are more Jewish than you are!”

Why? Why did Paul say something so stark, so provocative, so annoying, so insulting, so outrageous, so aggravating? Because he wanted to address the most dangerous devilish lie throughout all history. What is that? What is the most dangerous devilish lie in all human history? It’s this: Outward religion is enough. That’s the lie that’s damned more souls than any other. It’s damned Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists. But also Jews, and yes, even Christians. How do we defeat the most dangerous devilish lie in all human history? Paul gives us the answer in Romans 2:17-29. But to really understand Paul’s point here, we need to look at the background to it and why he wrote about this here.

BACKGROUND

• Chapter 1:19-32 The Gentiles are guilty before God
• Chapter 2:1-11 The Jews are guilty before God
• Chapter 3:1-19 All are guilty before God.

Why did Paul devote three chapters to proving the guilt of all? Because so few want to face up to their sin and guilt. I read recently that while attendance at Mass is growing in the Roman Catholic church, attendance at confession has never been lower. A teacher at Boston College asked members of his philosophy class to write an anonymous essay about a personal struggle over right and wrong, good and evil. Most of the students were unable to complete the assignment. When asked, “Why?” most of them said, “We haven’t done anything wrong.” Few feel their guilt, few want to feel their guilt, and most resist any feelings of guilt. That’s why so many are satisfied with just outward religion (and no religion).

Paul knew that people would never see the danger of the lie “outward religion is enough” until they saw the truth about their own sinfulness and guilt. A little guilt can be covered with the veneer of outward religion, but great guilt will smash that veneer to pieces and make people realize they need much more than some pieces of outward religion. In these closing verses of Romans 2, he is especially addressing the religious who trusted in outward religion, the Jews who thought Nationality + Law + Circumcision = Salvation.

How does Paul combat the most devilish lie in history?

1. OUTWARD JEWS ARE NOT JEWS (28)

For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical (28).

Outward Jews are frauds 

• They had the light: They relied on the law (17), boasted in God (17), knew God’s will (18), approved of God’s morals (18), and were well-instructed in the truth (18).
• They shone the light: They tried to guide the blind (19), shine in the darkness (19), correct the foolish (20), and teach the immature (20).
• They didn’t walk in the light: They had the light, tried to shine the light, but did not live in the light. They didn’t do what they commanded, and did what they forbad (21-25).
• They polluted the light: Their spiritual theft and spiritual adultery prevented Gentiles from seeing the true light, and, worse, made them blaspheme the light.

Outward Jews are flesh-powered

The rabbis taught that circumcision saved from hell, that Abraham sat before the gates of heaven and didn’t allow any uncircumcised Israelite to enter. Circumcision was salvation. But Paul rejected this reliance on the flesh. “For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision” (25). Circumcision was not only a marker of religious identity and of belonging to God and his covenant family. It was also a commitment to cut oneself off from sin. If a Jew did not cut themselves off from sin, it didn’t matter how much flesh they cut off from their bodies. In fact, God viewed them as uncircumcised. Circumcision was not designed to be just outward and physical but to be reflected in the inward and spiritual.

Outward Jews are fame-hungry

Why were so many Jews so focused on the flesh? Because they were so focused on impressing others and getting praised by others (29). Their religion was not about giving glory to God but getting glory from others. When religion was all about the outward and the physical, it needed the praise of others to keep it going.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Outward Christians are not Christians. Just like the Jews of Paul’s day, there are professing Christians whose religion is fraudulent, flesh-powered, and fame-hungry. Such “Christians” are not Christians. He/she is not a Christian who is merely one outwardly, nor is baptism outward and physical. If the outward and the physical are all we have, we have nothing worth having.

Flee all fraud, flesh, and fame. These are three mortal enemies of true religion, true Christianity. Hypocrisy, independence, and people-pleasing are your greatest enemies and we must flee and fight them every day by faith.

FAITH FIGHTS FRAUD, FLESH, AND FAME

If that’s an outward Jew, what’s an inward Jew?

2. INWARD JEWS ARE TRUE JEWS (29)

A Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God (29).

Inward Jews are sincere

If a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? (26). This is a rhetorical question, one which has such an obvious answer that Paul doesn’t give it. In contrast to the fraudulent Jews who had lots of light and walked in darkness, these Gentiles had little light but walked in it. Unlike the double-standard Jews, these Gentiles were sincere in their obedience. The inward matched the outward. Their heart and life aligned. Their sincere lives condemned the Jews’ acting lives. He who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law (27). The privilege of circumcision was cancelled by Jewish disobedience, and the disadvantage of Gentile uncircumcision was removed by sincere obedience.

Inward Jews are Spirit-powered

Rather than relying in the flesh, the Gentile believers relied on the Spirit (29). They put no trust in flesh or force, not in cut skin or force of will, but in the work of the Holy Spirit. Their obedience was not the result of mere human effort but of divine power. This need for Spirit-change and Spirit-power was actually nothing new. It was the consistent message of the Old Testament (Dt. 10:16; 30:6; Jer. 4:4; 9:26) and was carried on through the New Testament (1 Cor. 7:19; Gal. 5:6; 6:15; Phil. 3:1). The Spirit-surgeon removed what the skin-surgeon could never remove – hardness of heart (Ezek. 36:37b; 11:19-20). The Spirit did what the letter could never do.

Inward Jews want secret praise

In contrast to the outward Jew who was motivated by human praise, the inward Jew was motivated by God’s praise. Whereas the outward Jew had to do everything publicly to get human praise, the inward Jew is happy to do things secretly and privately because for him/her, God’s praise is more than enough. The name “Jew” is derived from “Judah” whose name in the Old Testament was associated with the verb “to praise” (Gen. 29:35; 49:8). “Jew” therefore means “Praise” and could be understood actively as “Praiser” or passively as “Praised.” God’s praisers will be praised by God.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Inward Christians are true Christians. A Christian is one inwardly, and baptism is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. Examine and encourage yourself with this truth. Sincerity, spirit-empowerment, and secret praise are all linked. Each strengthens and grows the other.

I’m a Jew, I hope you are too! Do you see why gave this sermon this title? Christianity is not the rejection of Judaism; it’s the fulfillment of it. The New Testament is not Plan B; it’s the fulfillment of Plan A. The Christian looks on outward Jews with pity and says, “Forsake your false Judaism, and embrace true Judaism.” We don’t ask them to forsake Jewish truth but to flee Jewish error. If you ever have opportunity to talk to a Jewish person about religion, why not start the conversation with, “I’m a Jew too…”

SINCERE + SPIRIT + SECRET = SALVATION

 SUMMARY

A NEW CHAPTER

Gospel. The truest ever Jew was Jesus Christ. He was an inward Jew, not just an outward Jew. He was sincere not a fraud, Spirit-powered not flesh-powered, and pleased God not people. He was the perfect Judah, the perfect praiser of God, and was perfectly praised by God. Our only hope of being a true Jew is through faith in the truest ever Jew.

Evangelism. Bring this message to a false Jew or a false Christian this week. Religion does not have to be such a drudge, such an effort, such an act. It can be liberating, energizing, and satisfying. Bring this message to yourself firstly and continually.

Prayer. Make me a true Jew by making me a true Christian. Deliver me from fraud, flesh, and fame. Deliver me to sincerity, Spirit, and secret praise. Keep me from the most dangerous devilish lie in human history by giving me faith in the most saving truth in all history.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What do you think is the most dangerous, devilish lie in history?

2. How has this lie influenced you or people you know?

3. Where have you seen fraud, flesh, and fame in your own life?

4. Where have you seen sincerity, the Spirit, and secrecy in your life?

5. How did this sermon help you understand and love Jesus more?

6. How would you use this sermon to help someone who is still only an outward Christian?

PDF OF SERMON NOTES.

INTRODUCTION

Children, have you ever been afraid to ask your Dad for something? Let’s just say it’s an iPhone. You really want it, in fact, you really need it. But you’re scared to ask. You’re scared because you’re afraid of how your Dad may react. Will he ignore you? Will he be angry at you? Will he call you discontented and never satisfied with the Tracfone he’s already given you? Will he say, “Have you any idea how much an iPhone costs? How did you ever think we could afford that right now?” You’re afraid to ask because of the way your Father may say “No!”

Or, if you’re a really wise child, you will be afraid to ask because you’re not sure you’re ready for it. You’ve seen the damage iPhones have done to other kids and you’re afraid that might happen to you too if you get one. What if your Dad’s too busy to really think through the dangers and lets you one without preparing you for it? You’re afraid to ask because of the way your Father may say “Yes!”

Both fears—the fear of how your Dad will react and the fear of how you will react—paralyze your knocking and silence your asking. Similar fears can come into our prayers, as we wonder about “What can I ask my heavenly Father for?” You have a need or a desire but you’re afraid to ask God for it because you’re scared about how he may react. Or you’re scared that he may give you what you ask for and it may turn out to be a bad thing for you.

Jesus knew our fears about prayer and therefore gave us Matthew 7:7-11 to remove our fears of a painful “No” and a painful “Yes.”

BACKGROUND

Last week we heard the Lord knocking on our door (Revelation 3:20). This week we are knocking on the Lord’s door. Last week’s door-knocking expressed the Lord’s desire to fellowship with us over supper. This week’s door-knocking expresses our desire for the Lord’s help in our daily lives.

“What can I ask my heavenly Father for?”
“Well, what do you ask your earthly father for?”

1. BAD FATHERS KNOW HOW TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS TO THEIR CHILDREN

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children (Matt. 7:11).

Earthly fathers are “evil”

The best earthly father is still a sinner. All fathers were born in sin, lived lives of sin, still sin, and will sin for as long as they live. In that sense, they are “evil.” Two of the ways in which that “evil” can appear in connection with providing for their children is in self-centeredness and impatience.

Like all people, earthly fathers struggle with the selfishness and self-centeredness that makes them live for themselves rather than their wives and children. They can be reluctant to spend money on their children, money that could be spent on themselves and their interests.

Earthly fathers can also battle impatience with their children’s requests. “If my son asks me one more time for a puppy, I’m going to murder a puppy!” “If my daughter asks me again for a new iPhone to replace her Tracfone, I’m going to flush her phone down the toilet!”

Earthly fathers know how to give good gifts

Yet, despite the innate sinfulness of our earthly fathers, in general they know how to give good gifts to their children. That doesn’t mean they give them everything they want, but rather they give them gifts that will do them good rather than harm. They don’t always get that right. Sometimes they give what they thought was a good gift, but it turns out to be harmful. Sometimes they hold back giving something because they fear it will harm them, but their fear is unfounded.

In general though, God has given earthly fathers an instinct to give good gifts to their children. Fathers on the whole, are able to deny themselves to provide for their families, and they patiently bear with their children’s direct and subtle requests for gifts. Their default is to give, to give good, and to give when their children ask. As Jesus observed” “Which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?” (10). The instinct to give good gifts to their children is God-given and God-like.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Fathers, let’s confess our sin. Admit that we are not perfect. Acknowledge that our selfishness and impatience sometimes gets the better of us. Confess, even to our children, that we are sinners and that we don’t reflect our heavenly Father.

Children, let’s praise our Father for our father. Although the best father is a sinner, yet, we shouldn’t focus entirely on his negatives and failures. Praise God for every time they sacrificed themselves for our good, gave up money they could have spent on themselves to spend it on you, and considered your requests with patience, grace, and generosity. If your Father was more evil than good, more selfish than unselfish, more impatient than patient, then you were not treated right. If you got a stone when you asked for bread, a serpent when you asked for fish then that was evil and wrong. If you got evil treatment from your father when you should have got good gifts, then God abhors that distortion of his order and his image. He is the father of the fatherless (Ps. 68:5).

BAD DADS KNOW HOW
TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS

How does this help me with prayer?

2. THE BEST FATHER KNOWS HOW TO GIVE THE BEST GIFTS TO HIS CHILDREN

How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matt. 7:11).

Our heavenly Father is good

However good our earthly father is or was, our heavenly Father is much better. He is the most unselfish and patient Father we could ever imagine. Everything he does is for the good of his children. He has never run out of patience with his children’s requests. He is perfect in every way without any shadow side. He has perfect goodness meaning he is the most generous person anywhere. He has perfect wisdom, meaning that he knows exactly what will do the most good to each of his children. He has perfect power, meaning he not only wants to give good gifts, he can do it too. He has perfect patience, meaning we can bring the most ridiculous requests and the most repeated requests and he won’t be angry with us.

Our heavenly Father knows best how to give the best gifts

Our heavenly Father’s gift-giving expertise means that he gives the right gifts, in the right quantity, to the right child at the right time, and it always turns out right. He has such a perfect Fatherly instinct that he knows what to give before we know what we need (Matt 6:8). He has never given a gift he regretted. He’s never made a mistake in giving the wrong gift to the wrong child. He’s never given too much or too little. He’s never given at the wrong time. He’s never run out of patience with our requests. He’s never given one child a stone when he asked for bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish. He is the perfect Father with the perfect fatherly instinct. His default is to give, and to give good gifts. He’s constantly looking for opportunities to give. He doesn’t just know how to give good gifts, he actually gives them.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Let’s praise our heavenly Father. Let’s thank him for giving us so many good gifts throughout our lives. Praise him for never giving too soon or too late. Let’s thank him for giving us bread when we asked for a stone, and fish when we asked for a snake. Praise him for not giving what would harm us. He is a good good father who gives good good gifts to his bad bad children. Praise him for his default, his instinct, which is to give good gifts to his children

Let’s ask our heavenly Father. The aim of this passage is to encourage us to ask our Father for anything we need or want knowing that he is not looking for a reason to say “No!” but rather he’s looking for a reason to say “Yes!” It’s not a promise that God will give us whatever we want. It’s a promise that if we bring our requests to him for whatever we want that he will give us what’s good for us and will protect us from any gifts that would harm us. With that confidence we can ask, seek, and knock (7-8). We can come to his door and knock on it whenever we want, for whatever we want, with confidence that God will sort out the good from the bad and make sure that he will only give us what is good for us. Some people want verses 7-8 to be a blank check that we can fill in with whatever we want and God will always cash it. That not only ignores verses 9-11 but is also terrifying. I’d be so scared to ask God for anything if I didn’t have the confidence that he would sift my requests into good and bad, helpful and harmful, and only give me the good and the helpful.

KNOCK, SEEK, ASK
GET GOOD, GOOD, GOOD

SUMMARY

A NEW CHAPTER

Receive the Gospel. Our Father gave us the best gift possible when he gave us His Son (John 3:16). He sacrificed his only begotten Son for the good of all his adopted sons and daughters.

Ask for the Holy Spirit. Luke’s account reveals that Jesus defined the best gift as the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). He is the best gift because he brings God to us as our Savior, Sanctifier, Leader, Encourager. We can never have enough of the Holy Spirit and God can never give enough of the Holy Spirit. Ask for the Holy Spirit every day this week and see what happens.

What is prayer? Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies (Shorter Catechism 98)

Prayer. Giver of every good and perfect gift, help me to ask for anything knowing you will give only good and perfect gifts.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What kinds of reactions did you get when you asked your earthly father for something?

2. How do you deal with the mixture of good and bad in your earthly father?

3. Can you think of a time your dad gave you something that turned out to be harmful?

4. How does the perfection of our heavenly Father affect your prayers?

5. When did God refuse a request that you eventually saw was for your good?

6. How will you know if God answers your prayer for the Holy Spirit this week?

PDF OF SERMON NOTES