Prayer & Fasting

In Matthew 6 Jesus preaches on how to pray. He begins his sermon in verses 5 and 6 with a stern warning to those listening that day “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Jesus is calling out the Pharisees who often would pray elaborate prayers out on street corners for all to hear. They would boast of their righteousness and thank God for making them sinless and better then the common citizen. The reward for their selfishness was the praise of men who looked up to them, that was it. They received no praise or blessings from God for their boastfulness. Thus Jesus reminds us that when we pray in private to make it a very private affair because it is between us and God. There is no good reason to make a spectacle of personal prayer or fasting. Both are done as a petition to God and should be done in a humble manner. God will reward us regardless of how good we pray. The point is keeping what is private just that private and before God.

In the next two verses Jesus again gives us more guidelines on how to pray. “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.  Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” This time he addresses the way we pray and the words we use. Again knowing that the example set by the religious leaders was a wrong one Jesus needed to set the record straight. He lets us know that we need not pray elaborate worded prayers or repeat ourselves over and over in order to be heard by God. The fact is God hears our prayers before we even speak them aloud. So what Jesus suggests is to keep it simple, easy and honest. Go to God as you would a friend or a parent and ask of him what it is you need not what you want. In doing so you will receive what it is you truly need.

Next we have Jesus breaking down for us the pattern or method in which we should pray. Keep in mind up until this point the Jewish people were not taught to pray simply or in a humble manner. They were led by hypocrites who abused the word of God and twisted their understanding. Here we see Jesus giving us a simple prayer that has stood the test of time. It is the most noticeable prayer in the church today. The Lord’s Prayer or The Our Father depending on your tradition. It is laid out in verses 9 – 13.

Pray, then, in this way:         ’
Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
‘Your kingdom come
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
‘Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but (deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

This prayer though used in almost every church was not solely intended to be part of liturgy. It was more or less a teaching tool that Jesus was giving us to show us how to pray. It is an outline of sorts that breaks down the elements of prayer and puts them in the context of one. If we break it down it is very clear that Jesus was teaching a how to course on the subject of prayer by using this example. I did a simple outline to show how the prayer itself is teaching us the basic method of how we should pray to God.

• It is a simple prayer which is why Jesus taught it this way to show you did not have to pray some elaborate prayer.
• “Our Father” is recognizing God as our father in heaven. Giving him his due.
• “Thy Kingdom come” is acknowledging that we are part of God’s kingdom on Earth and also the hope of eternal life in heaven.
• “Give us this day” is petitioning God to cover our basic needs.
• “Forgive us our debts” Asking forgiveness as well as the strength to forgive others.
• “Lead us not into temptation” Asking for protection form evil and to guard our hearts from temptation and sin.
• “For God is the power” Ending with praising God for all he has done and    for who he is.

Next we see Jesus returning to one of his most common themes in the Sermon on the mount, forgiveness. In verses 14 and 15 it says “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” This is reiterating part of the Lord’s prayer that came just before this. Obviously Jesus felt it was important to touch on that one more time. In order for us to truly understand forgiveness we have to forgive. In the same way God will grant us our forgiveness but expects us to also forgive others. It is the basis of our faith and our salvation.

Next Jesus talks about fasting in the same way he addresses prayer. “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Once again Jesus states that public ally calling attention to yourself may result in the praise of men but not God. But if you fast in private and go about your daily routine you will be rewarded and your petitions shall be heard. There is no need to make everyone aware of your fast because a fast is a personal form of prayer and needs to remain private.

Jesus addresses prayer more than just here but it is in this sermon that he is most focused on our personal prayer life. Public prayer is not wrong but it must be done correctly, like in the instance of corporate prayer. Then it is a group praying in agreement to petition God as a body. Also prayer can be public when it is done to pray for others or during a service. The difference here is Jesus was addressing private fasting and prayer for oneself. This is a very intimate and personal thing that should remain between you and your God. A great example is found in Luke 18: 9-14 which is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Let us hope to be like the humbled tax collector and not the proud and self righteous Pharisee. When we petition our Lord may we do so with a humble heart and without selfish motives. prayer should be for needs not wants. Prayer should be for things that can better our lives and strengthen our walk. Things like healing, wisdom, discernment, clarity and guidance. We must trust that God is faithful but also that he expects us to hold up our end of the bargain when going to him in prayer. There is not right way to pray but there is a wrong one that Jesus warns us about here. May we pray and fast through out our lives and remember to do so with humility and honesty.

Amen

Turning The Cheek

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile,[ carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. Matthew 5:38-42 NLT

This verse is one of the most well known and argued in the Bible. The concept of not only turning a cheek when persecuted but to invited more suffering in order to show the love of Christ seems a bit much. This is another of example of Jesus being his clever self by taking social norms and essentially throwing them out the window. Here he is telling the people that despite what they have learned there is a new way to act when in the midst of suffering. Instead of fighting back or demanding equality by reciprocating the actions of the oppressor, Jesus says suffer in a way that causes them to see love. Whether is it is the challenge of a slap on the face, or giving more than you owe, or even to carry the armor of an oppressors army an extra distance then was allowed by Roman law. Imagine the power with in the actions of love for those who oppose us. The kill them with kindness philosophy is very much being demonstrated here. The idea of suffering because it is the right thing to do is something humanity is not used to. The theologian Matthew Henry said of this passage in his commentary of the Bible:

The plain instruction is, Suffer any injury that can be borne, for the sake of peace, committing your concerns to the Lord's keeping. And the sum of all is, that Christians must avoid disputing and striving. If any say, Flesh and blood cannot pass by such an affront, let them remember, that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God; and those who act upon right principles will have most peace and comfort.

Henry’s words here are both powerful and very practical. On one hand he says that Christians must avoid conflict and to suffer for the sake of peace. This is not a very normal way of handling persecution at all. Then he gets more concrete when he mentions that while it is a very human response to push when shoved, we must remember that our home is in the kingdom of God not here. Therefore since our sinful flesh will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven why should we allow it to decide how we react? Then Henry also plays the common sense card by stating that if we live without tension with others and stand on Jesus’ words we will live peaceful lives anyway. Jesus is not trying to reason with us or offer a suggestion. He is telling us that when we are faced with persecution to not be passive but also to remain loving in all situations. Nothing reminds me of this more than the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960’s. The nonviolent message of Dr Martin Luther King was played out like a play using Jesus’ words as a script. While in the midst of racial and political persecution King’s reliance on peaceful ways to change hearts and minds was completely Christ-like. He was in no means a pacifist because he was forcefully pushing the issue with love instead of weapons. There is no room for passivity when fighting for human rights but the most powerful weapon available to Christians is the love of Christ. Dr. King emphasized this idea of using the force of love in a sermon he gave during the midst of this movement.

To our most bitter opponents we say: ‘We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We shall meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you.’.... Jesus is eternally right. History is replete with the bleached bones of nations that refused to listen to him. May we in the twentieth century hear and follow his words before it is too late. May we solemnly realize that we shall never be true sons of the heavenly Father until we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. – Martin Luther King Jr

The concept of soul force or that of Christian love is one that can be scary to our enemies. Those who persecute others in the name of God, country or race are not ready to meet an opposition whose main weapon a loving one. To stand in the face of evil and say I love you is not easy but Jesus is urging us to look inside ourselves for strength to do just that. God is love and though many have distorted this idea Jesus in his sermon on the mount keeps returning to that very message. Love! It is not just our job to love Christians, or good people, instead we have to love even those who hurt us. Suffer through the hatred and abuse. The key is while in that suffering we rely of God’s strength to love those who hurt us and go the extra mile. Imagine having to carry the armor of a solider who despises you and mocks you. At the point he has to allow you to stop you say “let me go another mile.” It is a sacrificial act of love. It is crucial that I be selfless and not for prideful reasons though. The idea is to stand in the face of hatred and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your reaction. In loving them we suffer but for a greater purpose. The purpose of showing God to a world of darkness and pain. We also must remember that we are more than just citizens we are representatives of Jesus. This of course makes it hard to follow the world’s norms when it comes to reacting to persecution. Jesus went to the cross and innocent man to die for a bunch of people who are guilty. The beauty of the cross is the selfless act that freed us all from the judgment of God if we believe in him. Since we are all in sin our mortal bodies will always face persecution and violence. Whether it be physical, emotional or verbal our lives are played out in very violent way. The good thing to remember is we are all sinners and all in need of God’s pardon. The grace we possess is the grace that the world needs. Even Gandhi, who may or may not have found the way to heaven, said essentially the very same thing.

"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind...For myself, I've always found that we're all such sinners, we should leave punishment to God...I want to change their minds, not kill them for weaknesses we all possess." – Gandhi

Finally I will end with a passage from Romans chapter 12. Paul is addressing this very idea of loving til it hurts and loving even more.

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,”[g] says the LORD. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:17-21 NLT

It is laid out very clearly here by Paul that we should learn to love our neighbors and those who persecute us. The idea of loving them and allowing God to do the rest is somethings Christians have never been comfortable with. We love to play God and dictate what sins are punishable by what means. God does not need us to intact punishment on his behalf but he does need us to love others as he loves us. That is our main mission on earth is to love and love again. If we can focus on that maybe much of the violence and hatred in our world will fade. Even with in our own church body we must learn to face persecution and love those we oppose. In the end we are one in Christ and as one we are not to sit passive while the world falls deeper into selfishness and death. It takes a brave man to fight for what he believes in and it takes a stronger man to love while his beliefs are trampled. It is not an easy road for us but it is essential that we look to love and forgive before we slap that cheek of our assailant. God is good and his promises are real. Stay vigilant but also stay loving because in the end love will win not violence or hatred.

May God bless you and bring you peace

Jeremy

The Breastplate of St Patrick

Today is the annual Feast Day of St Patrick. In America, England and of course Ireland it is an anticipated holiday to have fun, drink Guinness and be rowdy. The truth is that is not the reason for this remembrance of the Apostle of Ireland. This is a solemn day and still is in many Irish towns to pay homage to a man who brought the Gospel to Ireland. The story is a beautiful one about a man who followed his call and left his comfort zone for a mission field. He ended up changing a country and the church forever.

His prayer known as the Breastplate of St Patrick is one of the most quoted prayers of the saints.

I bind unto myself today
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me for ever,
By power of faith, Christ’s Incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan River;
His death on cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom;
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of the Cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour;
The service of the Seraphim,
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the Prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord,
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun’s life-giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, his shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death-wound and the burning
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Reflect on this prayer today and read more about St Patrick at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11554a.htm

So have fun and be safe this St Patty’s day but before you toast with your Guinness or throw back a Car Bomb remember what this day is really about.

May God bless you and keep you and make his face to shine upon you and give you peace.

amen

The Great Equalizer

There are many verses in the Bible about the church as a body. So many times Jesus reminded us that we are his bride and the world should know us by the way we love one another. While many of these verses are amazing and encouraging, none is more so for me than Galatians 3:28.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

This verse is so important to me it was one of my first tattoos. It has always stood as a reminder of what it truly means to belong to the kingdom of God. To be equal with everyone is something we all strive for. It is an essential quest for all humans to be treated fairly. Here is Paul stating that we in fact are given that equality through Christ who sacrificed for all people. In these modern times some of Paul’s language might not speak to us so I tend to try and put it into our cultural context. Paul was ministering to a young growing body of Christ that was still confused about who was accepted. There were Jews and Gentiles who were never thought of as equals but now were being told they were. This was mind blowing stuff for them to hear. In the same way today we can look at our own battles with equality.

Since America began we have had issues between race and gender. If we know our history we know the ugliness of the Jim Crow south, the trail of tears, the suffrage moment, and the civil rights movements. In all these cases there was some group that was treated unfairly. In many cases they were brutalized, ridiculed and even killed because they were seen as a lower form of human. Christians like Martin Luther King and John Perkins are fine examples of folks who stood up for those who were trampled under by racism and bigotry. It seems in almost ever equality movement  there are Christians in the midst and many times at the reins. Is this coincidence or perhaps just an answer to a call from God? I think it is the Christians duty to treat those around us like our equals and do so because of Christ. He died so we could one day be free from our struggles and turmoil. It is that hope that should be keeping us fighting for those who are being discriminated against.

Another beautiful thing about this verse and the main point is that salvation is not based on race, nationality, sexual orientation, financial stability or status. It is a free gift for who seek it out and accept it. Jesus didn’t die for Jews or just for Gentiles. He died for each and every person that has walked or will ever walk this earth. It is such an encouragement to know that we as Christians are seen as a family by God. Though things like racism, bigotry, and all kinds of other discrimination go on around us there is a hope that one day it will pass. This should be our message to the world. No matter how the world treats you or sees you, God sees a child. Jesus loves us all. It is like the old children’s song that went “Red and yellow, black and white, we are precious in his sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.” Such a simple but very truthful song about how much our Lord loves us.

It is easy to point at race and “say yes we should be equals!” but what about other groups. The marginalized that seem to live out of sight. The homeless, the mentally ill, the drug addicts, or the prostitutes. These are all folks Jesus would have  made a point to know and assure them that despite their lifestyle they too could be saved. Then there is more hot button groups that Christians have trouble addressing. The Gay, Lesbian, Bi and Transgender communities. These are definitely groups that have not only been cast out by the church but also the world. Though we can argue over what is sin and does the lifestyle equal sin, that fact remains we have failed these people. Our body of Christians have dropped the ball in this area way to many times and it is still a taboo subject to many. The mere mention of gay anything evokes some kind of negative or awkward reaction in most church settings. I am not trying to say we should all agree that being gay is alright with God but I am asking that we start loving this community as Christ would have. I think Jesus would be found in a gay bar before he ever would have set foot in a mega church. The reason is that the people in the gay bar need loved and need to know they are accepted by God. They need hope that despite the ignorance and hatred they endure there is a hope that it will one day pass away. that should be all of our hope.

The other issue that seems to be on most Christians minds is abortion. Now I believe abortion is taking a life but I also believe the church has not always handled themselves like Christ would have. The issue itself has become more political then a spiritual matter. Christians are turning more to the government to end abortion then to Christ. If we have learned anything in the history of our faith is that changing hearts does way more good than changing policy. The issue of life is one we all should be defending whether in the womb or out but we must look for God’s leading on the loving way to do so. We must learn to show more compassion to those who have gone through an abortion. We also need to show love, as hard as it maybe for some, to those who perform these procedures. In the end our job is not to protest, play politics or saturate talk radio with our opinions on the matter. Our ultimate goal is to change the hearts of those in this rotten world. To fight against the issues that often lead to abortion or other decisions. If we truly believe that our God is an awesome God then why the hell are we still looking to man to fix our problems. Jesus never taught us to vote, to protest or to boycott. He never picked a political party or nationality for Christians to follow. The one thing Jesus did ask of us is to Love. Love God  and love our neighbor, which includes our enemies.

In closing I want to encourage everyone to read Galatians 3:28. Meditate on the words that Paul writes. Think about the inequality that surrounds us and the issues we sweep under the carpet because they “don’t affect me”. Think about Africa and the AIDS epidemic or the situation in Darfur. Look at the race relations in our country and ask yourself if Christ is being represented in that. Visit some elderly folks or those afflicted with mental illness and show them that they are loved as much as the next guy. This is a serious job for us as a body but a job we must do. We are all equals through Christ yet we can’t even get along half the time. We even discriminate over theology and denomination. That is madness and if we are gonna change this world we should start bringing the equalizing power of grace back into play. Jesus Christ is the great equalizer and the hope that one day we all will be one in him.

Amen

Politics and The Body of Christ

With today being Election Day I wanted to say a few words to those Christians who do vote as well as to those of us who do not. There are a variety of reasons that we do or do not yet we are all still brothers and sisters. I am very discouraged to see Christians trying to divide our body because of man’s politics and party lines. That is not only a shame but is an anti-Christ spirit with in the church. We are first part of the kingdom of God and therefore must be mindful of that when dealing with one another. You maybe a strong McCain or Obama supporter but that does not discredit the faith of someone who is not. These men are not running for president of the Kingdom of God are they? No! So I would hope Christians can be mature enough to realize that we are all different and make choices based on personal conviction. If you support a candidate because they are Pro-Life then by all means do that. If you support a candidate because they are focused on the poor and needy, please do that. Just remember neither Obama nor McCain will make our world a better place, end poverty, end wars or save our selves from destruction. That path was laid many years ago. We are citizens of a sinful fallen world but thankfully we Christians are also members of the Kingdom of God. Our allegiance is first and foremost to Christ.

My personal beliefs on politics have changed over the years and now I am a conscientious objector when it comes to participating in politics. Much of this comes from being part of an Anabaptist church but also years of study, prayer and personal convictions. That being said I have no right to say that if you vote you are less of a believer than I. That would be a very judgmental and arrogant thing to say for sure. I am reminded of Romans 12 in times like these when our fragile body is divided over such petty disputes. In verse 3 Paul gives us a warning about taking ourselves too seriously “ I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us” This goes for me and my non-voting brothers and sisters as well as the rest of the church who will be casting their ballots today. Jesus wants us to love each other and not get into disputes that divide. We must allow for opinions to be cast but we should never act as if we are 100% right.

Whether we are Anabaptists, Democrats,, Republicans, Anarchists or any of the other labels we put on ourselves, In the end we are family! There is no room for division in the Kingdom of God. Christ prayed before he died that his church be unified yet we still use things like politics, theology and denominations to divide us. We have lost track of the Gospel and the love that is behind it. Christ did not die so we could have free health care or bans on Gay marriage. He died so sinful people like you and I could have a chance to be clean again. No politician on earth can make that promise and yet we put so much faith in these men and women. I challenge all of us to try and focus on God whether you vote or not tomorrow. Seek his guidance and allow him to convict you as to which way to go. Remember the words of Paul from his letter to the Galatians. “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” In a more modern way we could read this same verse as there are no conservatives, liberals, moderates, democrats or republicans. We are all children of God and equals because of Christ’s sacrifice. So brothers and sisters, cast your votes and do so with conviction. If you do not vote then pray for those who do. Pray that the men and women that are elected. Pray for the sick, the needy and those who have yet to know the real God that loves them so much.

May God bless you and keep you and may his face shine upon you and give you peace.

Amen