Purpose: To show that a false commitment to Christ will cause a lack of desire to pray.
Aim: I want the listener to be sure that he is totally committed to Christ.
INTRODUCTION: For many years medical science thought that ulcers were caused by stress and spicy foods. But, in 1979 two Australian researchers discovered helicobacter pylori bacterium. They went on to prove that it caused ulcers. In 1994 the National Institutes of Health announced that ulcers would now be treated with antibiotics rather than cream.
Before a disease can be treated successfully the cause needs to be found. Many books on prayer have been written, thousands of sermons on prayer have been preached, and even Jesus has given us examples of prayer and yet most Christians admit that they don’t pray very much.
There is no arguing with the fact that prayer meetings are the least attended of all church gatherings. Why? Why don’t we pray more? We know we should pray more. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (NAU)
Spurgeon reminds us that prayer must be a priority in the church if we want to see God’s blessing. "It is good for us to draw nigh to God in prayer. Our minds are grieved to see so little attention given to united prayer by many churches.
"How can we expect a blessing if we are too idle to ask for it? How can we look for a Pentecost if we never meet with one another, in one place, to wait upon the Lord? Brethren, we shall never see much change for the better in our churches till the prayer meeting occupies a higher place in the esteem of Christians." [1]
The obvious answer is that real prayer is hard work. Discipline is a necessary ingredient of real prayer.
The Bible often portrays prayer as hard work:
Acts 12:5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God. (NAU) The English word for FERVENT comes from a term meaning "to boil."
James 5:16 ... The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. (NAU)
Romans 12:12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, (NAU)
Luke 21:36 "But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place...." (NAU)
Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; (NAU)
Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. (NAU)
Acts 1:14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer... (NAU)
Romans 15:30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, (NAU)
Since prayer is really just talking to God, then why is it so hard? Some of us have no problem spending a lot of time talking to other people? So why does it take so much effort to talk to God? So...
➽I. Why Does Prayer Require Discipline?
➽A. Prayer interferes with our selfishness
When we talk to a holy God it exposes our un-holiness. John Bunyan said, "Prayer will make a man cease from sin, and sin will make a man cease from prayer."
Real prayer exalts God, not us. Psalm 22:3 Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. (NAU) Psalm 118:28 You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You. (NAU)
➽B. Prayer is spiritual warfare
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. (NAU)
"There is such a thing as invading Satan’s territory. Some of His churches, Jesus said, were located in ’the synagogue of Satan’ (Rev. 2:9--11; 3:9), others where ’Satan’s throne is’ (2:13). Jesus spoke of one area ruled by a ’Jezebel’ spirit (2:20--23), and another committed to ’the deep things of Satan’" (2:24). [2]
"We need a work of the Holy Spirit of a supernatural kind, putting power into the preaching of the Word, inspiring all believers with heavenly energy, and solemnly affecting the hearts of the careless so that they turn to God and live. We would not be drunk with the wine of carnal excitement, but we would be filled with the Spirit. We would behold the fire descending from heaven in answer to the effectual fervent prayers of righteous men. Can we not entreat the Lord our God to make bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the people in this day of declension and vanity?"[3]
After Paul explained our need to be ready to engage in spiritual warfare by having the whole armor of God he said to put it on, Ephesians 6:18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, (NAU)
➽C. Prayer changes us
2 Corinthians 3:18... beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, [we] are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. (NAU)
Romans 8:28-29 28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son ... (NAU)
Romans 12:1-2 1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind ... (NAU)
Since prayer takes discipline, then where do we get the discipline we need so that we will pray like we should?
➽Lk 13:22-35 II. Discipline Starts When We Value Christ
A.W. Tozer said, "To love God with all our heart we must first of all will to do so." If that is true, then where does the willingness to pray come from? The truth is that we willing to sacrifice for the things we value.
If you value having a vacation then you will want to spend the time and energy to get ready for it. If you value a sports game then you will be willing to spend the time and money to go see it.
The thought occurred to me that maybe some don’t pray very much because they don’t value the One they are praying to.
Notice how Jesus explains the attitude we should have about being forgiven.
Jesus was on His way to die in Jerusalem and a man walks up to Him and asks if the number who has forgiveness is a minority. He may have been assuming that only Jews could go to heaven and they are a small nation compared to the rest of the world.
The average person, according to my experience, believes that most people are going to heaven. How did Jesus answer that question? The answer we get from Jesus is much different from what we usually hear in modern day America.
One Bible teacher said that today: "All you need do is profess Jesus, or at least be religious, and you are readily accepted in that large and diverse group. Sin is tolerated, truth is moderated, and humility is ignored. God’s Word is praised but not studied, and His standards are admired but not followed. This way requires no spiritual maturity, no moral character, no commitment, and no sacrifice. It is the easy way of floating downstream, in ’the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience’ (Eph. 2:2). It is the tragic way ’which seems right to a man, but whose end is the way of death’ (Prov. 14:12)".
➽Vs.22-24a A. Gaining forgiveness is hard "Strive to enter"
This was a shocking reply because the Jews assumed that they were already inside salvation. They would grant that a few Gentiles might be IN salvation if they adopted the Jewish faith, but not many Gentiles would be saved.
"Strive" -- Gk. -- ’agonizomai’ -- this is where we get our word "agonize" from. It was the word used for those who competed in the athletic games like wrestling. It means to put all your energy towards the prize.
Jesus is saying that JEWS had to strive to enter salvation. Jesus is not saying that we have to earn our salvation; He is saying we must learn to value our salvation. Imagine that free tickets were being given away to your favorite singing group. In order for you to get a ticket you have to show up early and wait in line for hours. If you really value the free ticket you will do whatever it takes to get it.
No one has ever stumbled into the kingdom or wandered through the narrow gate by accident. Entering the door to God’s kingdom takes conscious, purposeful, and intense effort.
➽Vs.24b B. God’s forgiveness is individual "narrow door"
The important question is NOT "How many will be saved?" but "Am I one of the saved?"
The entrance to heaven is single file. Jesus does not save groups, only individuals.
➽Vs.24c C. God’s forgiveness is rare "many...will not be able"
We could ask the same question about Americans. In a recent survey about 82% of Americans say they are Christians. But, only 9% have a biblical world view.
When God destroyed the world in Noah’s day He only saved 8 people. When God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah only Lot and his family escaped.
Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 7:13-14 13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. (NAU)
Luke 4:25-28 25 "But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; 26 and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 "And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." 28 And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; (NAU)
➽Vs.25 D. Opportunities for forgiveness will end "shuts the door"
It doesn’t matter how wide a door is when it is closed.
Jesus is saying that there is coming a day when many will WANT to be saved but it will be too late.
There is coming a day when many who thought they were going to heaven will find out that they aren’t going to make it. Jesus made that clear in Matthew 7:21-23 21 "Not everyone who says to Me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, ... 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 "And then I will declare to them, ’I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ (NAU)
➽Vs.26 E. Association with Christ is not enough "in Your presence"
Jesus said that many would think that Jesus would forgive them because they had been associated with Him. Many today think they are going to heaven because they belong to a certain church, or been baptized, or because of the home they were raised in, or because they go to church regularly, or read their Bible, or because they pray.
Jesus is saying that none of those things are enough
➽Vs.27-30 F. God may forgive others and not you "east and west...north and south"
1 Corinthians 9:24-10:12 24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. 1 [Is Paul talking about Christians here or those who just think they are Christians?] For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. 6 Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play." 8 Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9 Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. 10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. (NAU)
➽Vs.31-33 G. Forgiveness is costly "I reach My goal"
Some Pharisees arrive with a news flash for Jesus: Herod wants to kill you. Jesus responds by illustrating what He had just taught. Jesus valued doing His Father’s will so much that He refuses to be deterred. He was going to Jerusalem to die and nothing was going to stop Him.
Our forgiveness cost Jesus more than we will ever understand. If we accept His offer of free forgiveness (although it was costly to Him) then we will gladly give up anything He asks. Luke 9:23-26 23 And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. 25 "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? 26 "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. (NAU)
➽Vs.34-35 H. Forgiveness is only for the willing "you would not have it"
This is why the Bible says to, Hebrews 4:11 be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. (NAU)
Luke 16:16 "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. (NAU)
Jeremiah 29:13 ’You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. (NAU)
"Bestow upon me, O Lord my God, understanding to know thee, diligence to seek thee, wisdom to find thee, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace thee." - Thomas Aquinas [4]
Paul valued his relationship with Christ so much that it drove him to pursue a closer relationship with Him. Philippians 3:7-15 7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; (NAU)
CONCLUSION: Do you have a hunger to pray more? Do you long to pray with other believers? If not, then ask yourself what it is that you value more than seeking God in prayer with all of your heart. If you long to pray then you will take every opportunity to pray.
Matthew 13:45-46 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. (NAU)
Have you found that pearl of great price? If you have, then you will do anything to get closer to it.
A.W. Tozer said, "We should repent [of] our lack of love and determine from this moment on to make God the object of our devotion."
[1] Spurgeon, C. H. (1996). A collection of Sermons. Index created by Christian Classics Foundation. (electronic ed.). Logos Library Systems (326). Simpsonville SC: Christian Classics Foundation.
[2] Murphy, E. F. (1997, c1996). Handbook for spiritual warfare (414). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[3] Spurgeon, C. H. (1996). A collection of Sermons. Index created by Christian Classics Foundation. (electronic ed.). Logos Library Systems (328). Simpsonville SC: Christian Classics Foundation.
[4] 10,000 sermon illustrations. 2000 (electronic ed.). Dallas: Biblical Studies Press.
