Sermon 08-14-11 "Our Father"

We have devoted ourselves to prayer this summer. From May through August. Praying the Psalms. Prayer meetings. Praying for our church’s mission. Seeking God on “his own terms,” not placing him under our conditions and restrictions. We now bring this season of prayer to a close. This of course does not mean a conclusion to our praying. Today we consider the ongoing rhythm of prayer. Varying from the routine, we structure our whole service today around Jesus’ prayer given to his disciples (Matt. 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4).

“That we may know what and how to pray, Jesus has taught us both the way and the words.”

- Martin Luther on the Lord’s

- Prayer, Large Catechism

“Let this be understood above all: the power of prayer is not in us, that we speak. It is in God, that he listens! It is his hearing that causes a true connection.”

- Walter Wangerin, Whole Prayer

“We humans, somewhere along the way, seem to have picked up the bad habit of trying to get life on our terms, without all the bother of God . . . Worse, the word has gotten around in recent years that ‘spirituality’ itself might be a way of getting a more intense life without having to deal with God . . . But true spirituality is a passion for life and a willingness to risk identity and security in following Jesus, no matter what.”

- Eugene Peterson

New sermon posted at reliantchurch.org

Sermon 11-21-10 "Tense in Our Tents"

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Listen to the sermon at reliantchurch.org