Luke 11: 1-13, Pray don’t prey!
Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. The prayer he teaches them is the Prayer that we now know as ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. He then sums the whole thing about praying up with a bit of a story.
Jesus said something like this. “Suppose you went to a mates place at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You tell him what the go is, ‘Another mate of mine has arrived around home for a visit, and I‘ve got nothing to feed him.’ He would shout down from his room to you, ‘You what, it’s midnight! What do you think you’re up to, we’re all in bed, the kids are asleep, push off!’ But I tell you if you keep pushing him, he’ll get up and give you what you want, because he’s your mate and he knows that that’s what mates do.
So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and the bloke who knocks, well the door will be opened for him.
Which of you parents, if one of your kids asks for a fish will give them a snake instead? Or if that kid asks for an egg, would you give them a scorpion? If you then, through you are sinful, know how to give good stuff to your kids, how much more will your Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?!” (Andrew Moffatt paraphrase)
So this instruction of Jesus is about the Lord’s Prayer which is really a prayer for believers, a prayer that honours God and a prayer for the coming of God’s kingdom to Earth. Jesus lists in Luke’s version of the prayer a format of how we should pray.
Well he gives them a format for prayer, a way in which to approach God with our requests and it goes like this.
• Honour the name of God
• Ask for the coming of God’s kingdom
• Request daily provision
• Ask forgiveness
• Ask for God’s protection
In doing this, Jesus has introduced a method of prayer.
This week, is the International Day of Prayer for Children.
I look at the wee tackers that we have here on a Sunday and what a blessing these children are to their families, and to the community here. I have noticed in the past year that these children are contributing well to their families, their schools, to this community and the wider community. I look at my own son’s and see that they are both now grown and learning trades and that the prayers that I have and am praying for them are being answered.
But I have concerns, concerns for children whose parents, parents who in many cases who dearly want to provide for their children cannot. I have a concern that the people who are able often turn a blind eye to the need that is around them.
Did you know that there are 85 people in the world who hold as much wealth as the bottom half of the world’s population 3.5 billion people? The truth is that some of the extremely wealthy redistribute their wealth but many don’t. Why would that be when this could help to alleviate so much of the world’s poverty? If you have tens of billions, or millions spare you can make a serious difference for many individual’s.
While I was doing some research for this sermon I came across some pretty horrifying stuff about child slavery, being that it is The International Day of Prayer for Children, I thought that I would mention some of it, so that these circumstances involving the very vulnerable we can remember in our prayers or get involved in, in other ways. I came across a web site that listed ten horrifying examples of modern day child slavery.
There are children in slavery engaged in or being used for; Child Soldiers In Armed Conflicts, Forced Labour in Mines, Harvesting Child Organs (there are up to 70000 kidneys on the black market per annum), Camel Jockeys In The Persian Gulf, [children trafficked to work in] Cannabis Farms In Scotland, Shrine Slavery In West Africa, Forced Beggars Of Senegal, Dancing Boys Of Afghanistan. (http://listverse.com/2014/01/07/10-horrifying-examples-of-modern-day-child-slavery/)
Well that was the first eight but I’ve picked out a couple of other points that I think can do with our knowing about and our prayers for.
Domestic Servitude
One of the most pervasive forms of modern child slavery is domestic servitude. A shocking 10.5 million children—71 percent of whom are girls and many of whom are as young as five years old—are estimated to be domestic workers around the world, and many of these children are held in slavery. It happens everywhere, including the United States. There are an estimated 50,000 slaves in the United States and an additional 17,500 are being trafficked into the country every year [and the land of the free?]. The stories almost always include a vulnerable, trafficked child who was lured into a family, where they became isolated and beaten into submission. The children have often been taken from foreign countries and have little to no knowledge of the native language. [Remember that these children are not just doing their chores they are working to survive]
Chocolate Slavery on The Ivory Coast, (Fair Trade Chocolate is a bit of a hardy annual for me, a way can really make a difference)
Most children light up when given a chocolate treat, but there are children who are slaves to the chocolate industry. They are so controlled and abused that many do not even know what chocolate is or what it tastes like. In places like Ghana and the Ivory Coast, where 60 percent of the world’s cocoa is produced, illegal child labour is carried out on a daily basis. The estimated 500,000 child slaves working in the cocoa fields live in depressing conditions. Often orphaned or homeless, they are smuggled by force or by promises of a better life. (http://listverse.com/2014/01/07/10-horrifying-examples-of-modern-day-child-slavery/) Edited.
Now that was quite depressing stuff. No one in their right mind wants to hear of, or see children suffering. I would pick that there is no one here who would be happy to see children suffering in any way. I think with the way our world is changing that we as followers of Jesus, people who pray that prayer, “your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” mean it! We can make a difference; God will give his Spirit to us to help us make that difference! (SBI)
Also we can work with others, there are organisations combating child labour in most places where it exists, just going online and seeing the images of child labour will take you to sites combating it.
There are organisations such as Global Parents, UNICEF, The International Labour Organisation, Antislavery.Org, World Vision, Stop the Traffick and many more involved in bringing freedom to child slaves. Often this freedom is achieved through education. Change comes about by people like us getting involved. You can make a difference; God will give his Spirit to you to help you make that difference!
Remember also the children in New Zealand who live below the poverty line In the Salvation army State of the Nation report it was stated that 1 in 5 children in New Zealand live below the internationally defined poverty line.
Being that this sermon is about prayer I have a suggestion. As well as seeking out and being involved in cases where freedom and innocence have been removed from a child’s life; I suggest that we pray that God intervenes, in the circumstances of these children.
I know that this congregation is a congregation of Bible believers. What was it Luke said that Jesus had said? “Which of you Fathers, if your son asks for a fish will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then though you are evil know how to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” We can make a difference; God will give his Spirit to us to help us make that difference!
So what can I do as an individual to come against this stuff in prayer or in any other way?
Jesus tells his disciples this; “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” (John 14:26) Jesus then goes onto telling his disciples not to be troubled or afraid. We can make a difference; God will give his Spirit to us to help us make that difference!
I believe that we need to combat abuses against children in two ways.
1) As this sermon has a focus on prayer this is the first way, the Apostle Paul told us, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Prayer is a most effective weapon in the fight against the darkness that occurs in the world. I would suggest that you pray for these children using the format that Jesus gave us:
• Honour the name of God, Christians act as Jesus would do in such a situation, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for [to set] the prisoners [free]….” (Luke 4:18)
• Ask for the coming of God’s kingdom, many who are involved in the exploitation of children have no links into his kingdom, ask God to link them in, to introduce them to the grace of God, so that they no longer want prey on but pray for children
• Request daily provision, provision for the children, and for their families. Many children end up in bondage as their parents are vulnerable to exploitation due to poverty.
• Ask forgiveness, for those involved in exploitation of other human beings, for their neighbours. That they may be challenged in their thinking, that they too may desire to see children as children and not a resource
• Ask for God’s protection over children who are being taken advantage of and his defence of children who are exposed to the possibility of slavery. Also ask for protection of your own hearts that in this situation you remain sensitive to others suffering
And because “faith without works is dead.” (James 2:17 & 26)
2) The other way is to pray also, pray to be shown ways that you or others may help combat that poverty, for instance child sponsorship. There may be some who want to be involved in a more hands on way
There are many practical ways to be involved in combating this crime against a group that should be some of the most cherished and cared for, prayed for not preyed on, not a resource. I would also ask you to think of children in your own area who are in need, those 1 in 5 children, whose parents are also at risk and really could do with someone reaching out and lending a hand up. The Holy Spirit will help you with this task, be open to those thoughts that come to you as you think about what sort of a difference you can make.
There may even be someone here who would want to make fighting child poverty, and child freedom their life’s work, others who want to commit too, not just for a day or a week to pray for those who are doing good works for these children.
We can make a difference in the world as we get involved and as we pray for these children. God will give his Spirit to you to help you make that difference!
