Problems, peace and prayer WBC Sun 16 Feb 2003 am Phil
4:2-9
Problems
A world with superpowers and states causing wars
A hostile world, with crooked people after their own gain, not considering the needs of others… the rights of the human being
Christians in doubt and fear- and danger of persecution. Being locked up in parts of the world for trying to help people and set them free!
KEY Christian voices all but suppressed- don’t talk about Jesus
- some of the ‘star leaders in prison’ for just that
Squabbles and disagreeing: often outside the church, certainly in the workplace… people hard to work with.
- even squabbling within the church. People not agreeing, and some thinking they were better and ‘more spiritual’ than others
PAUSE
That was the world of the book of Philippians
Rome- the Superpower that did whatever it wanted
- Paul imprisoned there, and writing form there (we’re at the end of book of Acts)
In fact- lots of Paul’s contact with them was prison based
- Acts 16. Having converted Lydia, they help/deliver a sooth-saying slave girl and get chucked in prison
Philippians were being attacked, too (1:29)
- maybe persecution by the Powers that be,. Or Judaisers
2:15 describes the world & culture as crooked and depraved
And the troubles… pressures… problems had even found their way into church
- 4:2 2 ladies squabbling. Ch 2 their ‘spirituality’ was causing division
(still! Church is by far the best place to be!-
Don’t ride in an auto – they cause 20 percent of all fatal accidents.
Do not stay at home – 17 percent of all accidents happen there.
Do not walk in the street – 15 percent of all accidents happen to pedestrians.
Do not travel by air, rail or water – 16 percent of all accidents result from these activities.
But only .001 percent of all accidents happen in church!
days of fear, worry, uncertainty, anxiety
- sounds familiar? Your work, relationships, world… church (?X)
And here’s the question:
- how should we be GOD’s people, and how should we PRAY in days like these?
1) “rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all”
Now listen, I’m not trying to get you into ‘denial’ or some form of Christian psychosis
- or be ‘flippant’ about the gravity of your or the world’s situations
o they world’s circumstances are GRAVE. Yours may be
But we are to be different in the way we meet problems
- we are to rejoice!
o In the circumstances? In suffering/trouble?! You masochist!
Maybe! Possibly
Because God CAN work in all things
• They were Xians because of Paul’s 1st imprisonment!
o But mainly: IN the Lord
Yes- keep your chin up. Not just because it does you good (PMA)
- but because of Jesus. “rejoice IN THE LORD”
- “God is good to me, God is good to me…..”
- He loves you, has saved you… will save you (He will come and save you)
- 1 Thess 4:13 ‘don’t grieve like those who have no hope’
o not about life, work, worries, problems, politicians, propaganda or war
- 1 Cor 10: nothing has befallen us… will befall us… apart from that which is common to man (and JESUS went through)
And- see how people have faced the worst! Draw courage and hope from them:
Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna was brought before the Roman authorities and told to curse Christ and he would be released. He replied, "Eighty-six years have I served him, and he has done me no wrong: how then can I blaspheme my king who saved me?" The Roman officer replied, "Unless you change your mind, I will have you burnt." But Polycarp said, "You threaten a fire that burns for an hour, and after a while is quenched; for you are ignorant of the judgment to come and of the everlasting punishment reserved for the ungodly. Do what you wish."
And be gentle. Let your gentleness be evident to all
- don’t let yourselves get wound up, reactive. Stressed
- act, think GENTLE. Act as fact. Fake it to make it.
Now- does this mean I should be a pacifist, wrt war?
- no. Not to me. Jesus didn’t tell the soldiers to quit. JTB just told them not to be corrupt (there’s something!)
- but as you march, write, protest (f you think that’s right)- be gentle and don’t be an agent provocateur! Wind up merchant
o it doesn’t glorify God
Why?
2) The Lord is near
Because Jesus is near. He is!
- to you. I f you are a believer He is nearer to you than your closest friend or lover. He is IN you (if you are in Him)
o learn to see with the eyes of spiritual sight.
o Learn to practice the presence of God
o (lie? No! he IS there)
“Close proximity, intimacy” is one meaning of this
The other is not proximity but eschatology
- He’s near to coming again. They thought that, then
o We should think it now. He’s certainly nearer!
o (no- I don’t think this is ‘the end’!)
- Jesus’ coming or calling will be sooner than we think
o May be tomorrow! And I’m not frightened of it!
And here’s how we are to deal with ALL these issues. Whatever the issue.
- not worry about it. Fret about it.
o Note: even our ‘prayer’ can be fretting. Worrying. Repeating the problem so our unconscious mind becomes more concerned!!! We- more agitated.
We ‘take it to the LORD in prayer’
3) By prayer and petition present your requests to God
There are some things you CAN change and do.
“But God- God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change Courage to change the things I can And Wisdom to know the difference”
- there are so many things you can’t change. You’re not God!
(great version: Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change The courage to change the things I cannot accept, and the wisdom to hide the bodies of those I had to kill today because they got on my nerves.)
Pray about it- and leave it there.
- don’t think you’ll be heard because of many words, or getting a formula right
o you’re just talking to your father! Just chat to Him
Petition is such a helpful term. You sign a petition and take it to the ‘representative’- the one who has power to change things
- and then LEAVE IT with them
What we can do is pray, pray, pray- and then wonder why we don’t have peace!
- in fact, we’re reinforcing our fears! (not the truth of God’s sovereignty)
A crew was unloading a tank car of highly explosive chemicals when it exploded. Two men were killed and half a dozen were knocked unconscious. As the ambulance attendants were carrying one of the men on a stretcher he regained consciousness. Just as he did, his hand fell over the side of the stretcher. Feeling nothing but air, he let out a great moan and said, ``Oh no! I haven’t even hit ground yet."
-
o “but things might not go as I want!”
certainly! But prayer is ‘presenting’ and trusting God for the answer (His answer)
• and submitting! (the prayer and our lives)
• press ‘send’ on the email. It’s gone!
So- we present our prayers with THANKSGIVING
- “father you hear me. Thank you that you always hear me” (Jesus)
- thanks for how you’ve helped in the past etc etc.
o look back, look upward, look forward
4) Peace
So- how do we get the peace?
- by doing what He says. And practicing it repeatedly
o pray. Thank. Leave
Ie – imitate Paul & those who have made it work and practice the presence of God
- if you don’t imitate them (& do what God says)- don’t be surprised if the peace eludes you!
Whatever you have seen work in others- DO IT! And, because it’s GOD you’re looking to, He will bring HIS peace in answer to YOUR obedience
- within your personality type! (but God CAN mature your personality type)
The peace that passes all understanding
- ie it really IS supernatural. Surpasses our dreams . Peace is the evidence of the presence of God
- ie God’s peace is more effective than our intense rationalising!
And here’s my (this passages) final thought
5) Pause for thought
The summary is: whatever is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things
This is not advocating escaping from the real world- and I’m trying to get us ALL back into it
But it is saying that sometimes you can’t carry the world, work and all their worries all the time
- sometimes I DO have to turn the TV off because I can’t handle any more horror, and I can’t do anything about it.
o Oh the blissfulness of those early years after really committing myself when I was somehow blind to the world’s suffering
?childish?
But maybe we SHOULD be more childlike!
- fill your minds with GOOD things. Psalms hymns, spiritual songs, Jesus, noble right, excellent, praiseworthy things
- even about PEOPLE (1 Cor 13 & love, Valentines day)
… and pray… and leave the things there.
And the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds
- good image for the Philippians. Garrison town. Could picture a sentry keeping peace over them
A prayer:
To Thee, O God, we turn for peace... but grant us too the blessed assurance that nothing shall deprive us of that peace: neither ourselves, nor our foolish, earthly desires, nor my wild longings, nor the anxious cravings of my heart
Soren Kierkegaard "The journals of Soren Kierkegaard, p 85 1938
Play ‘don’t worry be happy’ snippet
