chafer, bible themes: church prayer & thanksgiving

The church:her worship in

prayer and thanksgiving

Monday 29 August 2011

Rom 12:1-2, Heb 13:15-16, suggest 4 sacrifices a Christian should make.Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

2

Offer your body, praise, good works, stewardship/sharing


Worship in this age is not about circumstance or form:“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." Jn 4:24It is not about a spectacular place but about a heart of adoration expressing prayer and intercession through Christ.Chafer states, “Prayer and praise are the principle elements of worship and are acts of direct communion of men with God”In OT and NT there is a progressive revelation about this subject.

3


A. Prayer before the first advent of ChristIndividuals have always offered prayer to God - though in a household it would appear the patriarch offered the main prayer, Job 1:5Between Moses and Christ it was done by the priest on behalf of the people - pleading in prayer would be on the basis of covenants and of the character of God - and followed the shedding of sacrificial blood.1Ki 8:22-26, Neh 9:32, Dan 9:4, Gen 18:25, Ex 32:11-14, Heb 9:7

4


B. Prayer in expectation of the kingdom

Jesus taught his early disciples to pray for the kingdom on earth.Matt 6:9-13 - including, “Your kingdom come...”Chafer states this is about the millennial kingdom to be established here on earth - and suggests the ending of Matt 6:13 further substantiates this thinking, “ for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

5


Chafer also suggests that Matt 6 is not the real Lord’s prayer but John 17 is - where the Lord interceded for the church recognising God’s purpose in this age.He says Matt 6 has some useful items suitable for all ages and circumstances - adoration of the Father, asking for daily bread, deliverance from temptation. He also says it is not wrong to pray this prayer - but we have to realise the millennial kingdom will not come about by human effort.

6


C. The prayer of ChristJohn 17 reveals the utmost freedom between Father and Son. Here Jesus prays as High Priest for believers in his age and after Pentecost.On earth Christ spent long times in prayer: Matt 14:23, Lk 6:12The prayer of Christ does not rest on covenants but on his own person and priestly work of sacrifice.Jn 17 reveals the intercessory work of Christ which continues through this dispensation.

7


D. Prayer under the relationship of grace

Prayer is different through all dispensations. With NT revelation of prayer in the name of Christ and in the light of his sacrifice on the cross it takes on a new dimension.Christ teaches on prayer in 3 major places: Jn 14:12-14, 15:7, 16:23-24Prayer under grace is lifted free of earthly limitations into the eternal sphere of being a new creation.

8


1. Prayer includes not only praise but your own needs and interceding on behalf of others.The rational mind says prayer is meaningless - God is omniscient and therefore is ahead of you in what you pray for.God has sovereignly chosen prayer as a way of accomplishing his will and has commanded us to do it. Jn 14:13-14,And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

9


Prayer is elevated here - Gods action is conditioned by the believers prayer!Whilst we might not understand how it works we know God has ordained some form of partnership with us in prayer - we get to share in the service of prayer and also the glory of it - Heb 10:19-20, Eph 5:30Jn 14:12 14, greater works, is connected to prayer...Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father... You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

10


2. Prayer in the name of Jesus is the highest possible form of prayer - and supersedes all previous grounds of prayer, Jn 16:24Using the name of Jesus commands the attention of the Father, and inclines Him to do what is asked - the name of Christ = the person of Christ, and recognises that we are part of Christ in the new creation. Prayer in Christ’s name is like him signing our request.

11


Unanswered prayer may be because we look for the things of self - Jas 4:22-23We should be praying His name as we are in Christ - 2Cor 5:17-18, Col 3:3What of the prayer of unbelievers? - Chafer states,“since prayer is possible only on the ground of the shed blood and by virtue of the believers vital union with Christ, the prayer of the unsaved cannot be accepted by God.”

12


3. What is the scope of prayer? Jn 15:7 defines it;If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.Remain in me - you must be in Christ for prayer to be heardWhatever you wish - as we are in Christ we shall ask Christ centred, God-glorifying prayers.Phil 2:13 - for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.Rom 8:26-27

13


3. What is the scope of prayer? Jn 15:7 defines it;If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.Remain in me - you must be in Christ for prayer to be heardWhatever you wish - as we are in Christ we shall ask Christ centred, God-glorifying prayers.Phil 2:13 - for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.Rom 8:26-27

13

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.


4. The practice of prayer should be given careful attention by every believer - regular times of prayer, no irreverent prayers, no useless repetitions, Matt 6:7-8 - And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Jn 16:23 - In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

14


4. The practice of prayer should be given careful attention by every believer - regular times of prayer, no irreverent prayers, no useless repetitions, Matt 6:7-8 - And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Jn 16:23 - In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

14

Jude 20 - But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,Chafer states the order of Jn 16:23 and Jude 20 is important:We do not pray to Christ which abandons his mediation but through Christ - and we do not pray to the Spirit of God but by him, otherwise it implies we are doing it in our own sufficiency


E. The prayer of thanksgiving“True thanksgiving is the voluntary expression of heartfelt gratitude for benefit received.”Its effectiveness depends on the sincerity and intensity depends on what value is given to the received benefit - 2 Cor 9:11This is not a payment for the benefit - but a recognition in receiving, that we are indebted to the giver - all thanksgiving is closely related to praise and worship.In this age we make sacrificial offerings of thanksgiving to God.

15


Prayer is mentioned many times in the OT, especially n the Psalms - thanksgiving offerings are mentioned in Lev 7:12-15praise and thanksgiving seemed to be prominent under Nehemiah, Neh 12:12-40The prophets anticipate thanksgiving as a special part of worship in the kingdom - Isa 51:3, Jer 30:19There is continual thanksgiving in heaven - Rev 4:9, 7:12, 11:19

16


Prayer is mentioned many times in the OT, especially n the Psalms - thanksgiving offerings are mentioned in Lev 7:12-15praise and thanksgiving seemed to be prominent under Nehemiah, Neh 12:12-40The prophets anticipate thanksgiving as a special part of worship in the kingdom - Isa 51:3, Jer 30:19There is continual thanksgiving in heaven - Rev 4:9, 7:12, 11:19

16

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,...saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”... saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.Monday 29 August 2011

OT thanksgiving involves appreciating the Person of God apart from all his benefits - Ps 30:4, 95:2, 97:12, 100:1-5, 119:62Remember not to neglect this idea: Ps 92:1 -It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most HighThanksgiving is mentioned 45x in NT - for earthly and spiritual blessings - both Christ and Paul gave thanks for food - Matt 15:36, 26:27, Mk 8:6, 14:23 etc. Acts 27:35, Rom 14:6

17


Paul uses the phrase “thanks be to God” in connection with;Unspeakable gift 2Cor 9:15Victory over the grave through the resurrection, 1 Cor 15:57Present triumph which is ours through christ, Cor 2:14Thanksgiving for believers 1Thess 1:2For Titus 2Cor 8:16In commanding thanks be given for all men 1Tim 2:1

18


2 important features of NT thanksgiving:1. It is connected to prayer without ceasing - Heb 13:15Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.2. Thanksgiving should be offered for all - Eph 5:20 - always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.1 Thess 5:17-18 - pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

19


Giving thanks always is not the same as giving thanks sometimes!If we accept Rom 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.Then thanks can be offered to God for all things, (if we are Spirit filled, Eph 5:18)Jonah 2:9 Daniel 6:20Ingratitude is a sin - 10 lepers - Lk 17:11-19, 2 Tim 3:2 - People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

20


chafer, bible themes: church prayer & thanksgiving

Spiritual

prayer wouldbe

prayer of christjohn

main prayer

praythis prayer

prayer weget

connectedto prayer

believers prayer

prayer ismeaningless