Whisper to Pray - April 10th, 2011

Date: April 10th, 2011

Speaker: Pastor Kevin Snyder

Title: Whipser to Prayer

Text: Acts 3:1 - 16

INTRODUCTION

In the span of a couple of weeks that I was preparing this message the following needs in our congregation came across my radar screen:

Wes F – lost his brother
Leander – lost his brother
Barb Pisiak & Shirley Munro lost their mother & mother-in-law respectively
Randy Sommerfeld – Mom passed away
Grace & Harold Herbal – daughter passed away (Lynette’s sister)
Lawrence Forde – Dad passed away

A young Mom was awaiting news to find out if she had cancer
Some parents in our congregation were fearing the extent of the cancer in their son’s body.
A woman a part of our congregation sat in a hospital room battling against pneumonia as a result of a low blood count because of her cancer.
I got an email from someone saying - “I have recently relapsed with my depression I am miserable, unhappy, tired of everything, … I’m next to throwing in the towel.”

Think of this picture… a toolbox.

And, at times I envy you tradespeople. You get called in to help fix a problem….plumbing, electrical, mechanical, construction issue… You come in with a big toolbox or a van filled with specialized tools designed to handle virtually every conceivable problem.

But, as a pastor, or as a Christian caregiver, walk in to a need or problem with a toolbox…with not many tools.

In our toolbox there is often only 1 – 2 distinctive, multi-use tools that are available for virtually every problem or need. Doesn’t matter how diverse, critical, overwhelming….often you come in to the situation with a small, pathetic-looking, spiritual toolbox….Tools that look pretty simple and inadequate compared to the need.

“Have a wayward son that needs fixing””… Tool I have for that :prayer
"Broken heart that needs healing?” …Tool: Prayer
“Need something to cut through the hardened heart of an offended friend?”…Tool: Prayer
“Need some medication to inject love back into a loveless relationship?”…Tool: Prayer
“Lonely, depressed, struggling?”….Tool: Prayer.
“Got some overwhelming financial problems”….Tool: Prayer
“Facing a life-threatening illness?...Tool: Prayer
“Heart filled with grief and sorrow?”…Tool: Prayer

i.e.

Sometimes feel that way when go into hospital…go in surrounded by all these sophisticated machines, special medicines, highly trained nurses and doctors ….and you come in with this simple, unimpressive tool called prayer…no sophistication…no special training, no proven science behind it….just a simple prayer…

i.e.

At times we can feel like the two milk cows talking out in the field who see this big stainless steel shiny milk truck go rolling back & the one says to the other “Makes you feel kind of inadequate doesn’t it.”

Yet this one simple little tool never ceases to amaze me with what it can do.

I wonder if we, as Chirisian care-givers, often fail to bring into play that one distinctive, unique tool that we have in our repertoire.
I wonder if we fail to see the power of God because we are too embarrassed, too afraid, too doubtful…feel too inadequate to use the one distinctive, age-old tool God has put in our toolbox.

As you ponder that …let’s consider Acts 3 as an example

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Peter Speaks to the Onlookers11 While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.

There are 3 main characters in this story.

a. A MAN CRIPPLED FROM BIRTH.

A man who had unsolvable, unfixable physical problems.
His ailment stood outside the reaches of the medical remedies of his day.
It was a problem that left him dependant on the charity and help of others.
A problem that was unable to be hid…visible for all to see
.And it was a problem that he could do nothing about but live with. It faced him every morning when he woke and every night when he went to sleep.
His life had been reduced to survival.

b. 2nd group of characters were some COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS.

v.2 – “ Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts

Some people carried him and put him at the gate everyday and took him home every night. They carried him to a busy gate outside where he was most likely to find compassionate people…outside the church.

Note:

Despite all the criticisms people throw at the church it is still the place where people often look for help when they are in need.

i.e.

Rarely a week will go by where someone in the community calls or reaches out for some kind of help that we provide as a church….If it’s not counseling…it’s prayer…or financial help.

i.e.

Man that I don’t think has ever come in the doors of our church, at least not in the 6 years I have been here(will be 6 years on tuesday). But going thru a hard time andout of a job and asked for help to pay his rent.

i.e.

Week before a man who was going to BC for the funeral of his 3 year old son who was with his estranged wife….dropped in for prayer, a Bible, some food to eat on the journey…

Despite all it’s flaws & foibles the church of Jesus Christstill is the greatest repository of caring, compassionate and generous people.

i.e.Survey – 95% of what is given to charity is given by people who are connected to church, synagogue, temple or mosque.

Think of this for a moment:

Often we we feel our distinctive Christians tools are weak, & don’t look very impressive. But take that out and what do we have to offer the big, unsolvable, unfixable, complex needs and problems of people’s lives…Without these distinctive Christian tools what hope and help is there.

Take out the distinctive care-giving tool of prayer and the toolbox is empty.

These friends obviously didn’t have the financial resources to meet this man’s needs themselves.
They didn’t have the ability to care for his needs.
All they had was sympathy and enough awareness to take this man to where he may get some help some help.

Perhaps you can recall a time when someone came to you with a need because they knew you were a Christian …They felt you had something more in your toolbox than they did at least.That was these men.

That is our world.

The needs around us are often so big.
They often need so much more training than we have.
They require so many more resources than we can muster.
They are frequently more complicated than we can even sort out.
Who can heal a broken heart?
Restore a fractured marriage?
Reach the heart of a wayward child?
Who can cure every disease?
Explain every tragedy?
Give hope to the helpless and hopeless?

From what I’ve seen our world doesn’t have any tools in the toolbox. So often all it has the capacity to do is help the person cope with their miserable situation…put salve on their sores. The toolbox is empty.

So, if as a Christian in the needy world, you often feel you don’t have many tools or resources, you have one more , and one more powerful than else in this world. You have Jesus. You have a prayer. And maybe that tool is far more powerful than what it looks…what it appears on the surface.

3. The 3rd characters are PETER & JOHN.

Simple, Spirit-filled, and devoted Christians with no special skills… No copious amounts of money…no special formula….just one tool in their toolbox – prayer.

v. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. …. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.

Question:

Do you realize the healing, restoring, power of the multi-use tool God has put in your hands?

Could it be that we can move into these overwhelming, unfixable, hopeless, and helpless situations and say, “Silver and gold I do not have, but such as I have I give to you…”

Do we comprehend that prayer can …

move mountains (Mark 11:23,24)
release the oppressed (Mark 9:25,29)
demolish strongholds (2 cor.10:4)
Is powerful and effective (James 5:16,17)

I wonder how many miracles would happen in our worlds if we, as Christians, had the faith, belief, and courage of Peter & John to reach into the toolbox and pull the tool of prayer more?

If we could humbly say like them,

“I don’t have what you think is the answer to your problem…but what I can do is bring you and your need to the strong name of Jesus. And I have found that in his name and faith he can do more more than you can imagine right now.”

I wonder would happen around us if we accessed more regularly that divine tool we call prayer

i.e.

Christian who asked a friend in a Bible study, “Do you think Jesus literally turned water into wine.”Christian friend humbly & wisely answered, “I don’t know if he did that then, but I do know personally he can turn wine into furniture.”

i.e.

Several years ago I had a 20- something guy that came to church. He had a speech impediment, low self-esteem and some bad habits…and not much strength to overcome those habits. Barry & I would talk and he would tell me his struggles and failures. One day he came to me and told me he wanted to quit smoking. He feared for his health but knew he didn’t have the strength to quit. I looked in my toolbox for the “break smoking tool” and all I had was the same old multi-use tool. I said to Barry , “Barry, I don’t have a formula for you…5 steps…12 steps…no proven method….all I have to offer you is prayer. And I said “Barry how about we go into the sanctuary and kneel at the altar and let’s pray that God would free you from this habit. Told him I don’t why God sometimes delivers people instantaneously…have no further cravings…and sometimes it takes a long time, struggle and battle. I don’t why he delivers some instantaneously and some he walks with them through a several month battle…Only thing I can think of is sometimes smoking isn’t the problem it’s a symptom…real issue is a self-discipline issue and some he teaches that lesson through struggle. And some it seems he sees they just don’t have the strength to do it on their own…they are really powerless over their addiction and he delivers miraculously….what he will do in your case I have no idea. But silver and gold I have none but such as I have I give to you….”Went into sanctuary & we knelt down. I began to pray that God would deliver Barry and take away the desire, give him the power to overcome, and cleanse him….In the middle of my prayer…Barry started coughing…not just a little hack but this deep, heaving cough. Coughed and coughed….finally he got up and left me at the altar and he headed to the lobby where there was a washroom. I waited and listened to him heaving away. My prayer then switched “O Lord, don’t let him die…or no one will want me to pray for them…”Anyways he was in their for I’m guessing 10 – 15 minutes coughing….Finally he came out and I looked at him and he looked at me and we both just shrugged & I said “Barry, I don’t know what happened in there but honestly I wasn’t trying to kill you.”We both laughed and I walked him out to his car. Beside his car in the parking lot was this big Waste Management type garbage bin. He took the pack of cigarettes out of his shirt pocket, took another couple packs out of his car & threw them all into that bin , and drove away. For as long as I knew Barry he never smoked again.It wasn’t by my ower or godliness or cleverness that Barry was freed that day…it was the strong name of Jesus which we accessed by this simple little tool called prayer.

CONCLUSION

During this season of lent ….we have been going through this focus 40 campaign. A prayer emphasis campaign with over 700 Church Of God congregations enrolled. We’ve invited you to pray through a special calendar.

To fast.

To set aside time to read a daily devotional and pray.

This campaign is motivated by a belief that prayer changes things….that God can perform miracles in lives, families, communities, and nations when his people pray in faith.

This morning…I want to invite you to bring your needs to Jesus. Whatever they are…

Physical needs – need healing, deliver you from a habit
Emotional needs – depression, life is a battle
Financial needs
Job need
Relational needs – a relationship with spouse, sibling, child, parent
Burden - concern for the welfare of a loved one
Spiritual need – forgiveness, unload a burden of guilt, shame, anxiety, fear…

I want to invite you to bring your need and let us pray with, & for, you.

We have no sophisticated tools to offer you …just the age-old distinctively Christian tool of prayer…maybe you have doubts even what Jesus can do in your helpless, hopeless situation…but maybe God has a miracle of healing for you today.

We don’t know what he will do when we bring the need to him in faith. I do know nothing extraordinary or significant will happen if we don’t.

Maybe you want to grab a friend to come and pray with you.
If you want to just pray by yourself or with friend – come and kneel at altar…pray and when done go back to seat.
If you want special prayer….anointed with oil for healing, or someone to pray for you just come and sit in front row.
Deacons & prayer partners, staff, come and pray for you….simply share need & they will pray….

But let’s not go home carrying the needs we came with. Let’s bring them to Jesus in prayer.

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The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ac 3:1-16