28 December 2008
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
Fortress Chapel
F.O.B. Sykes
Tall-afar, Iraq
BIG IDEA: The Prophetess Anna was a Prayer Warrior. After the loss of her husband, she dedicated her life to Prayer, Fasting, and Worship (PFW).
REFERENCES: First Sunday After Christmas Day; PERSONAL NOTE: Remember your personal loss of your father – while in high school - and tell the STORY of how prayer made the difference in your life; Romans 8:28 (KJV) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose; 1 Timothy 5:5-15 (NIV) The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives;1 Corinthians 7:7-8 (NIV) I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am; 2 Chronicles 20:20-30(ESV)And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed."And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,"Give thanks to the LORD,for his steadfast love endures forever." And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed; Luke 2:22-40 (ESV); The Story of Simeon and The Prophetess Anna; I Samuel 1:2-20 (The trials of Hannah and the birth of Samuel) I Samuel 2:1-10 (NIV) “Hannah Prayer” - Then Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance … ; Levitcus 12:1-12(Purification after childbirth); Exodus 13:1-2, 13 (ESV) The LORD said to Moses,"Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine…"; Matthew 13:55 (ESV) Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?;
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Luke 2:34-40 (ESV)
II. READ THE PERICOPE: Luke 2:34-40 (ESV)
III. READ THE TEXT: Luke 2:36-37 (ESV) And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers - that have loss something or someone - to do what Anna did and become a Prayer Warrior.
V. SERMONIC THEME: “Prayer Warriors”
VI. INTRODUCTION: Wow! What an awesome time to be deployed in Iraq!
Here we are - an assorted group of military members - on the First Sunday after Christmas Day, in chapel, with many of our deployed “military family members”;
and we’re listening to awesome prayers, readings, and songs collectively. Wow! What an awesome way to utilize the First Sunday after Christmas Day.
I got to tell you, as a chaplain/pastor, I could not be more proud of you; than I am right now! Please join me in giving yourselves a round of applauds! God bless each of you is my prayer!
******* Take 5 Beats *******
MOVE 1: In my sermon preparation, I came across a website dubbed, St. Louis Inspirational Christian Connection where I found the following story (entitled – Highway 119). According to the story: A cop pulls over a car load of nuns …
a. The Cop says: “Sister, this is a 65 MPH highway – why are you going so slow?”
b. The Sister replied: “Sir, I saw a lot of signs that said 22, not 65.”
c. The Cop said: “Oh sister, that’s not the speed limit, that’s the name of the highway you’re on!
d. The Sister replied: “Oh! Silly me! Thanks for letting me know. I’ll be more careful.
e. At this point … the cop looks in the back-seat where the other nuns are shaking and trembling.
f. Then the Cop said: “Excuse me, Sister, what’s wrong with your friends back there? They’re shaking something terrible.”
g. To Which the Sister replied: “Oh, we just got off of highway 119.”
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 2: It’s great that we can find humor in chapel.
a. But, our Lectionary Reading for today is “no laughing matter”. For the Apostle Paul reminds us … of our “Responsibilities toward fellow Believers”.
b. For don’t you remember, in 1 Timothy 5:5-15, Paul instructs us to avoid sharply correcting an older man, and to appeal to the “older man” as if he were our father.
c. Paul reminds us to “Treat the younger men as our brothers; the younger women as our sisters; and the older women as our mothers.
d. He even tells us to “show respect for widows who really are all alone …
e. This is because a Godly widows … who are all alone, with no one to take care of them have placed THEIR HOPE IN GOD;
f. … and they continue to PRAY and ASK GOD to HELP THEM NIGHT AND DAY.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 3: Likewise, my brothers and sisters, if you ALLOW YOUR IMAGINATIONS TO WORK WTH YOU …
a. … YOU’LL DISCOVER THAT IN OUR Scriptures, today, we find ourselves eavesdropping on the lives of two devout Senior Non-Commissioned Officers …
b. … with the rank of Command Sergeant Major …
c. who were Prayer Warriors at the Chapel in FOB Jerusalem - Simeon and Anna.
d. Now, it has been said that “Prayer Warriors are people who are known for regularly interceding on behalf of others before God.
e. To intercede means to come between.
f. So, prayer warriors are, in essence, Christians coming between God and “the trouble” in another person’s life.”
g. “Prayer Warriors are like defense attorneys, appealing to the Higher Court on behalf of their defendants. We’re all guilty before God, but God is merciful. Prayer warriors recognize that quality of God’s personality and call on Him for intervention.”
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 4: So, in our Scripture - today - we find a male and female CSM …
a. . … which shows that both male and female (in God’s Army) have Equal Opportunities (EO) with God.
b. For God’s Prayer Warriors come in all ranks, ages, and genders. For the Bibles says that “God has no respect of person”.
c. Now, as you may recall, early on, Simeon (an Old Male CSM) who had been promised by God that he would live to see The Coming of the Messiah …
d. … pronounced Mary and Joseph blessed for having the honor to be related to Baby Jesus;
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 5: And … for being entrusted by God with the responsibility of rearing God’s only child.
a. Afterwards, Simeon prayed that God would bless them;
b. … and he prayed that God would have others to bless them also.
c. In other words, my brothers and sisters, CSM Simeon prayed that Mary and Joseph would find favor with both God and man.
d. Then the Bible says that the Senior NCO (with Baby Jesus in his hand) personally addressed Mary – the mother of Jesus in verses 34-35 by saying:
e. This child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel.
f. He will be a sign from God which many people will speak against and so reveal their secret thoughts.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 6: And “sorrow, like a sharp sword will break your … heart.”
a. Then in verse 36, as if what had already happened wasn’t enough for Mary and Joseph to deal with;
b. … Without any former introduction of any kind, suddenly the Scriptures says:
c. “There was also a prophetess, Anna - which is Greek for the Hebrew name “Hannah”, - was the daughter of Phan-uel of the tribe of As-her.
d. She (an Old Female CSM) had married as a young virgin.
e. But, became a widow after just 7 years.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 7: And then she remained a widowed for 84 years.
a. Women who remained widows after the death of their husbands and who devoted themselves to God were held in high esteem among both the Jews and the Early Christian Church.
b. This is also true today for many Christian communities within the United States (e.g., Corretta Scott King and Nancy Reagan are but two of many examples of widows who remained celibate after the death of their husbands).
c. Still, I find it interesting that immediately following CSM Simeon’s prophecy to Mary (in verse 35) that “sorrow, like a sharp sword will break her heart”, …
d. … Then … the Scriptures says in verse 36 – There was also a prophetess, CSM Anna …
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 8: Now, perhaps, this is just a coincidence …
a. but is it possible that CSM Anna’s own suffering had opened her heart to God?
b. For the Bible says that she never left the temple;
c. She worshipped night and day, fasting and praying.
d. Now, I don’t know if this passage should be taken literally or figuratively.
e. In other words, I not sure if Dr. Luke is communicating to us today that CSM Anna never left the Chapel or if CSM Anna was always connected spiritually … to what God was doing in FOB Jerusalem.
f. But, the Word of God says … Anna never LEFT the chapel.
g. She went to the 1900 hour Service and the 1100 hours Service.
h. She worshipped night and day.
i. She fasted and prayed.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 8: What I do know … is … when the “Sword Pierced our Heart” ….
a. … It means … that we have loss something or someone.
a. or … perhaps we have loss a child.
b. When the “Sword Pierced our Hearts” … perhaps we have loss a spouse …
c. or … maybe we have loss a friend …
d. … or … perhaps … we have loss Respect from our neighbors …
e. … but for sure … “When the Sword Pierced our Hearts” … we have loss something or someone.
f. Because …. there are times when our hearts are heavy and we can’t quite control our tears … BECAUSE A SWORD HAS PIERCE OUR HEARTS!
g. My brothers and sisters … I believe … the reason why Anna is interjected immediately … after Simeon’s comments to Mary …
h. … is because she is someone who had experience LIFE’S LESSON …. of “having had a Sword Pierced Her Heart” …
i. CSM Anna … had become aquinted with pain and grief!
****** TAKE 5 BEATS *******…
MOVE 9: And I believe God is saying to us this morning … that if we are to learn anything from CSM Anna ….
a. we … should learn to do what SHE DID … “WHEN THE SWORD PIERCE HER HEART”: …
a. … PFW – Pray, Fast, and Worship.
b. When trouble comes into our lives …. - We Should Pray.
c. Pray until something happens. Pray like Anna prayed.
d. Fast until God moves the pain from across the windows of your heart.
e. Talk to God and seek spiritual counsel;
f. Find out … how God wants you to FAST (phone, computer, water, food, etc).
g. Then … Go on a FAST for God to STRENGTHEN YOU.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
CELEBRATION: Deny your flesh and fill your Spirit with THE Lord’s Presence.
Worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth.
It doesn’t matter if you have to attend every religious service on the FOB.
Worship until you get connected.
Worship … until you hear God … for yourselves.
PFW – Pray, Fast, and Worship the Lord …
And Just ANNA and SIMEON …
You too will become PRAYER WARRIORS.
Because Prayer Warriors – Pray, FAST, and Worship (PFW)!
