Living the Lord's Prayer (Part I)

Living the Lord’s Prayer (Part I)

A sermon preached at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana on January 27, 2013 by Pastor Joe Alain

Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:5-13
John Ortberg, in his chapter on "The Practice of Prayer," writes that after Doug Flutie (of Boston College) threw a last minute touchdown against Miami in 1984, the phrase, "Hail Mary pass" became a part of our everyday language. The "Hail Mary pass" is a pass thrown under such desperate circumstances, that it could only be completed with the help of divine intervention. People sometimes say a quarterback in that situation "threw up a prayer." Ortberg says that the "Hail Mary pass" is a type of prayer used by Protestants, Catholics, and atheists alike.

Desperate people pray. That’s not new or necessarily a bad thing. Amazingly God does accept people when they turn to him in desperation, even when they have been ignoring Him for years. Desperation prayers have been the beginning of spiritual life for many of us. But by themselves such prayers are not sufficient to sustain our spiritual lives.

The first disciples of Jesus knew that prayer had to be more than just intermittent cries of desperation, "Hail Mary’s" in times of trouble. There had to be a better way to pray, so they asked Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Lk. 11:1). And Jesus did. Jesus teaches about prayer in many places in the four Gospels, but what makes our passage in Matthew 6:9-13 unique, is this is the only time that Jesus provides a "how to" on prayer.

This well-known passage, known as "The Lord’s Prayer," is also called "The Disciple’s Prayer" or "The Model Prayer," for the simple reason that Jesus is teaching His disciples how to pray in response to their question.

That the disciples had a great desire to learn how to pray, tells us that they realized just how dependent they were on the strength and wisdom of the Lord. People that have walked with the Lord a long time do not find that they need to pray less, just the opposite, they find that they need to pray all the more. This was the case with the disciples. They realized that following Jesus could only be accomplished in the Lord’s strength.

But the disciples were also encouraged to learn how to pray because Jesus’ prayer life was so dynamic and effective. The disciples are seeing Jesus pray daily and they cannot help but notice his strong and consistent prayer life and the difference it makes in his life. He prays early in the mornings. He takes quiet retreats for the purpose of prayer. He spends long periods of time in prayer when he has an important decision to make. Jesus is a man of prayer and consequently a man of purpose and peace. The disciples saw Jesus’ example and were saying, "Lord, we want what you have, but more importantly, we need what you have!"

The powerlessness of the disciples became very clear once to them when they tried to help a desperate man’s young child and they failed. The man ended up going to Jesus and Jesus healed the man’s son of an evil spirit. The disciples later asked Jesus, "why could we not heal him?" "Why could we not help the man?" "Why were we so powerless to help?" And Jesus said that this kind of faith and power "only" comes through prayer and fasting (Matt. 17:21).

Jesus assumed that His followers would pray. In the context of our passage, Jesus says "when you pray," (6:5) not "if." Prayer is basic to who we are as Christians. Prayer is like breathing. To cease to breath is to cease to live. Likewise, to cease to pray is to cease to live spiritually. So basic to our life in Christ, Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that "where there is prayer, there is the Church." A prayerless Christians is a contradiction. If prayer is so vital to our spiritual life, we should make much of prayer. We should spend time in prayer and to do that we need to know how to pray.

From this passage of Scripture I want to say a few things about the nature of prayer. Then we will begin looking at the specifics of what Jesus said concerning how we are to pray. Part 2 of this message will cover the specific areas of prayer that Jesus addresses in 6:9-13.

The Nature of Christian Prayer

1. At the heart of prayer is a personal relationship with God. We are to pray to "Our Father," Jesus says. This personal aspect is what makes Christian prayer different from so-called prayer in general. We often hear people speaking of prayer, and we wonder what "God" they are praying to, who are they addressing? Christian prayer is directed to "our Father in heaven" (6:9), in the Name of Christ Jesus, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Nowhere in Scripture do believers offer prayer directed to some generic and unknown deity. Because prayer is a relationship with God, only Christians can truly pray with assurance, with the expectation that God is really hearing and acting on our behalf.

2. Prayer is an expression of the Christian’s faith. If that’s true, what does that say about my faith? Do I largely trust in my strength, my life’s game plan, my resourcefulness? And do I tend to only throw up "Hail Mary" prayers when desperation sets in and nothing else is working? Jesus commended a widow once for her persistence in prayer. She would not give up! She had great faith as evidenced by her persistence. At the close of that parable in Luke 18, Jesus said when the Son of Man returns, "will he find faith on the earth" (Lk. 18:8), faith being expressed through our prayers? That’s a good question, will he find us praying, expressing faith?

Prayer is an expression of our faith because in prayer we are acknowledging God’s reality and our dependency. We are saying He’s real. Furthermore, we, by our praying our saying that we are dependent upon him. In prayer we are leaning upon him. That’s not a lack of faith, it’s faith. Hebrews 11:6, a passage about the nature of faith, also helps us connect the practice of prayer to our faith. It says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." People that pray, first of all, believe in the Lord, "that he exists." Otherwise, there would be no reason to pray. But we not only believe that he exists, that God is real, but that He answers prayer, "he rewards those who earnestly seek him." This is why prayer is an expression of faith. People who pray much, have much faith. That is, they believe in the Lord and that He is true to His promises.

3. Prayer is an ongoing dialogue with the Lord who initiates all prayer. In a sense there is a circular relationship in prayer. We pray because God puts it on our hearts to pray. He initiates prayer. But we also know that He already knows what we need, "your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (6:8). So why does God want us to pray about what he already knows we need and what he’s put on our hearts? Your Father knows what’s on your heart, but he wants to hear from you. He wants you to trust him, to relate to Him as your heavenly Father on a personal level and on a daily basis. Prayer is daily dialogue, communion with God.

4. Prayer is learned behavior. Nobody is born an expert at it. No one ever masters prayer. Thomas Merton writes, "We do not want to be beginners. But let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything else but beginners all our life!" Prayer is a learned behavior and it is a spiritual discipline that needs to be cultivated. The "take away" in prayer, aside from the fact that we receive from God in response to prayer, is that God uses prayer to conform us into His likeness. The mystic Julian Norwich is quoted as saying, "Prayer unites the soul to God." It is no wonder that the disciples above all else asked Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray."

Two Prayer Models to Avoid

Before Jesus teaches us the direction of our praying, in the larger context, he identifies several ways not to pray.

1. The Hypocrite’s Prayer (6:5)"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites." The word for "hypocrite" in biblical times was associated with the theater. A good actor was called a hypocrite. That is, he played the part so well that no one knew he wasn’t who he portrayed himself to be. How does a hypocrite pray? The hypocrite prays to "be seen by men" (6:5). Jesus says that he "loves" to pray in the Synagogues and marketplaces. The problem here was not the public praying, it was praying for show.

What motivate the hypocrites prayer is the applause of men that is received. Jesus makes it clear that the hypocrite gets what he’s after ("received their reward in full"), but that’s as far as his prayer goes. The question for us here is, "are we following Jesus for earthly affirmations? For the applause of men?" "Are we willing to take the road less traveled, the narrow way?"

2. The Heathen’s Prayer (6:7)"When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans," (NIV, "meaningless repetitions"). These are empty words repeated over and over again. Now why would someone pray like this?

(1) This person thinks that they will be heard for the amount of praying they are doing. "For they think that they will be heard for their many words" (6:7).

(2) Because they do not know the character of God. If they did, they would know that God is not so much interested in the amount of words we bring him or the way we say them, God looks at the heart of the worshiper.

Behind both of these negative examples of prayer, Jesus is saying to us that prayer that is true prayer is honest, sincere prayer that recognizes the character of God. Jesus sees the heart of the one who is praying and he’s not impressed with the show or our babbling on, He looks at our heart. (Compare 1 Kings 18:26-29 and 18:36-39).

Behind these faulty examples of prayer, which is not Christian prayer at all, is a failure to understand the character of God and a lack of personal relationship with Him. Through these examples Jesus is saying to His followers, "Your Father is not like this. Your prayer life will be different, it will be a personal relationship with God because He is your Father."

I began this message by saying that prayer is a relationship with God. If we have little desire to pray, it may be that we need to get acquainted with the Lord as "our Father." Is God "your Father"? "Are you His child?" John 1:12-13 tells us how we become a child of God. "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."

Have you "received" Jesus? Have you "believed in his name"? Are you "born of God"? It’s impossible to be a part of a family and not know that. But you can become a part of God’s family when you sense God drawing you, convicting you, opening your eyes, giving you faith to believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. If I’m talking to you, today is the day of salvation. God is opening your heart and life so that you will believe on His Son Jesus. Give Him your life. Confess Him as Lord and Savior.

And if you are a follower of Jesus but have little desire to pray, you may need to turn away from sin and turn back to God. Sin will keep you from prayer, but prayer will also keep you from sin.

For His Glory!

Pastor Joe

　

　

　

"Change To Live" (Luke 5:36-39)

"Change To Live!"

A sermon preached on January 20, 2013 at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana by Pastor Joe Alain. Scripture Reading: Luke 5:36-39
Meet Twinkie the Kid. He’s a familiar face to many, but he’s now empty and currently living in exile. Who would ever have thought that Twinkies would perish? Weren’t they supposed to last forever, even able to survive nuclear war? The reputation for longevity was reinforced in the film "Zombieland," featuring outspoken pastry fanatic Woody Harrelson embarking on a kamikaze mission for the last Twinkie on earth. In the 2008 movie "WALL-E," a Twinkie is sighted completely undecayed in its wrapper on WALL-E’s truck 700 years after the Earth was rendered uninhabitable for organic life forms. And in the 2012 movie "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance," the character Blackout has the power to decay anything he touches. When going through a lunch he causes a sandwich and an apple to decay in seconds, then is impressed when he is unable to cause a Twinkie inside the lunch box to decay.

Twinkies were advertised as "Golden Sponge Cake with Creamy Filling." However, there was a better chance of real sponge being in a Twinkie than real cream. For the record, Twinkies did have an expiration date, around 7-10 days.

A baker’s strike precipitated the end of production of Twinkies in November of 2012. But the real killer of Twinkies was our changing eating habits and competition. People say, "I loved Twinkies." Ok, "when was the last time you had one?" "Back in the third grade." Exactly. Aside from changing eating habits, there’s much more competition today then there was in the 1940's when Twinkies were first produced. And when Twinkie the Kid was born and made appearances on the Howdy Doody Show in the 1950s, what other shows were there that kids were watching? Time finally caught up with the beloved Twinkie.

The demise of Twinkies is a cautionary tale for the church. We cannot assume that things will continue on in the present as they always have in the past. And "Because change is from God, believers must embrace change as essential to our growth in Christ." We must "Change To Live!"

The Gospel is by its very nature living and active and as a result it must change that which it touches. Furthermore, the nature of the Gospel demands that it be accommodated in forms that can be understood by every generation. God-centered change, rather than dishonoring God, honors God by obeying His Word to proclaim the Gospel to all people.

In our Scripture, Jesus was called to task because he was not following the prescribed norms of religion. He wasn’t doing what was commonly expected (5:33), in this instance fasting. Jesus responded by telling them there would be a time to fast, but not while He the bridegroom was present. No one fasts at a wedding (5:34)! At the heart of the problem here was that the whole religious outlook of Jesus was so new and shocking, the Jewish leaders (the Pharisees) simply could not accept it or adjust to it. They didn’t realize that Jesus was the fulfillment of all that they had hoped for, that the fullness of time had come, the kingdom of God was in their presence. Content with the old wine of the law, they rejected the "new wine" of the Gospel of grace (5:39).

1. Why We Resist ChangeWhy did they resist Jesus? And why do we resist change, even when God is the one who is bringing the change about? There is in certain segments of the church a kind of passion for the old. It’s been said that nothing moves more slowly than a church. Some "think" that the old is always better. That was the case here (v.39). Luke’s not saying that the Law is better, only that it "seems to be" to people who won’t accept grace. The Law seems better for the same reason that it "seems better" for me to order Chicken and Dumplins at Cracker Barrel. It’s a known quantity, it’s safe, I know what to expect, it’s comforting. But what I’ve discovered is that when I venture off the tried and true there are many other menu items that are just as good.

In the church, we forget that what is "old" was once "new." Sunday School was a new method when Robert Raikes started promoting it in the late 18^th century. Hymn singing, the invitation, even the piano in worship – new methods that developed out of 19^th century revivalism with people like Charles Finney, D.L. Moody and Ira Sankey, Billy Sunday and Homer Rodeheaver, and Fanny Crosby. What is "old" and established was once "new" and controversial. But the church adopted new wine skins so that they could faithfully communicate the Gospel in their day.

2. Why We Should Accept Change Why should we accept change? We should not be afraid of change when God is the one who is doing the changing. Judaism was passing off the scene, Jesus was fulfilling the Old Covenant, God was doing a "new thing," but they did not know it. God in Christ was about to do what the Law could never do – bring about reconciliation with God, peace with God, resulting in the forgiveness of sins. To resist that change was to resist God’s gracious offer of salvation!

Believing in Jesus as LORD was once a "new thing." We should not be afraid of change when God is the one who is doing it. Why do we make pilgrimages to the mountains in Autumn? To see God’s glorious change on display! The seasons of the year (mostly absent in S. LA, or simply "Hot" and "Rain") are God’s way of displaying both the consistency and constant change that is inherent in His creation. It’s really illogical to outright reject change. We don’t reject other changes in the world. For example, new medical technologies, electricity, automobiles, refrigeration, restaurants, High Def TVs, I-phone’s, jet travel, indoor plumbing, etc.

God is a creative God who has created us to be creators, so we shouldn’t be surprised to see change in our world. But knowledge and creative ability comes from God. The world is not a separate sphere of creation and activity, all of it belongs to God. To outright reject change may be to reject the God who makes it so, just as the Jewish leaders who rejected change and in effect were rejecting God Himself.

3. How We Respond to Change in Negative WaysI’m not suggesting all change is good, there are negative ways to respond to change. Here are three.

(1) Do nothing and hope it gets better. Sometimes we simply fail to respond to changes happening around us. I’m sure there were people at Hostess who realized that not all moms were stuffing Twinkies in their child’s lunch boxes, but no one questioned why? Most of us realize that something is happening in the church, the pews are a little more empty each year, fewer of our neighbors give much thought to God, our culture is heading away from God, but we’re not sure why. And with a few exceptions, most of us keep doing the same things that we’ve always done, wishing things would stay the same or be different, but still just wishing.

(2) Change everything! Then there are times when the church responds with what I would call a "faith fire sale." Out of panic and desperation, weariness some churches throw out foundational faith teachings like curbside refuse, the proverbial baby (in this case "The Faith") gets thrown out with the bath water. Like Esau, they sell their birthright for a pot of gumbo.

I received an email several week’s ago that highlights this extreme response to culture. It was from the historic Washington Cathedral, a place where presidents have worshiped, where state funerals have been conducted, where the Inaugural Prayer Service will be conducted this week. Sadly, the email was an announcement from the Dean of the Cathedral that "effective immediately, same-sex weddings may be celebrated at Washington National Cathedral." What was equally disturbing was the Dean’s enthusiastic endorsement with words such as, "I consider it a great honor to lead this Cathedral as it takes another historic step toward greater equality . . . I am proud" for us as a church. The joyful enthusiastic abandoning of orthodox Christian faith, it causes no disturbance, it’s not even shocking anymore!

More often than not, and closer to our spiritual home, there are subtle attempts made to downplay truth. Changes are made and people are invited to put aside all preconceived notions about church and to experience God. But this God is very generic and anemic and he looks a lot like us, and he resembles very little of the God of the Bible. Biblical truth remains locked up in the attic like a forgotten dusty heirloom. Abandoning "The faith" while trying to make "The faith" acceptable to people without faith, casting precious pearls before swine (Matt. 7:6), is it any wonder the world has no respect, and tramples this kind of "New Christianity"?

Americans, whether Christian or not and Baptists share a steadfast belief in the doctrine of "pragmatism." We worship what works and if a method achieves the desired results, we will overlook most anything, baptize it and make it our own. But when it comes to "The faith," "The truth," pragmatism alone can never be what guides God’s people!

Using what’s been called the "seeker church" model, a church begins by asking people what they want, and then structuring "church" to meet people’s perceived needs. I say "perceived," because do lost people really know what they need? What we want are easy answers, quick fixes, no consequences for sinful actions, sex, food, and on and on. But what people "need" is reconciliation with God! But Christ crucified will never appeal to the "fleshly" person. The cross doesn’t make sense, it’s an offense! But the cross brings life, and if there’s no cross, there’s no life!

People are spiritual in nature (Eccl. 3:11), that has always been true and still is, but people are not basically "seeking" God. "There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God" (Rom. 3:11). The "seeker" myth has been effectively demolished, the myth being that if you make church like the world lost people will come and have a glorious experience with God. But the church is throwing parties for people who don’t care and who are not coming. The unpleasant reality is that many of our changes appeal to people who are already believers. But don’t lose heart in all of this, because that never has been God’s plan anyway. Jesus said "Go!" He never did say "Ya’ll Come!"

3. Hold on Aggressively. Another radical response to culture is to circle the wagons and hold on to what we have with a death grip. This is where most of SBC is. "You can have my religious traditions when you pull them out from my cold dead heart!" It’s been said repeatedly that if the 1950s ever make a comeback, most of our churches will be ready. The mistake here is to think that God only blesses our traditions, but one problem with that is that when you look at the Bible, God seems to bless the unorthodox, the oddballs, the people who don’t go through the normal channels.

4. A Model for God-Centered Change So how can we respond to change in a positive God-honoring way? Jesus’ words provide some guidance for what should change, what should remain, and how to tell the difference.

(1) On one level, this passage is teaching us that the Gospel is like the "new wine," which is living and active, and cannot be contained in old wine skins. The Gospel must be expressed in forms that may be understood in every generation. New wine (the Gospel) must be embodied in "new" or "fresh" wineskins. "Bottles in Palestine were made of skin. When new wine was put into them it fermented and gave off gas. If the bottle was new, there was a certain elasticity in the skin and it gave with the pressure; but if it was old, the skin was dry and hard and it would burst."

We should not be afraid (as the Pharisees were) of new methods that faithfully embody the Gospel message. "That a thing has always been done may very well be the best reason for stopping it. That a thing has never been done may very well be the reason for trying it." The question we should and must ask is, not do "I" like this method (as if following Jesus was a ‘pick and choose,’ ‘wine-tasting’ affair), or is this what we’ve always done," but "will this method help us to faithfully embody the Gospel of Jesus in our community?"

Sometimes "newer" methods may be old methods revived. In our passage Jesus hints that his disciples will once again "fast," that is, an "old" tradition will be revived. So we’re not making the assumption that everything new is good and everything old must be discarded. Often an old piece of clothing fits better; and if it has not been worn in a long time, it may even be perceived as new. Where is God at work? When we discern that, then we’re ready to ask "what method will help us express the Gospel in our context?"

(2) On another level, and at the heart of this passage is the truth that what the Gospel touches must change. The Gospel is "new wine," it’s living, it’s active, it’s constantly changing whatever it touches, both people and institutions. You’re either growing (changing) or dying. You cannot know and follow Jesus and remain unchanged! "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:17-18). God in Christ effects this marvelous transformation, this "metamorphosis" (Rom. 12:2). To remain unchanged (i.e., to live in disobedience to God’s call) is to invite stagnation, which is the evidence of our futile attempt to keep from living, which in effect results in our dying. Jesus said to save your life is to lose it, and to lose your life for my sake is to gain it. Believers don’t have to become cold, indifferent and die. Neither do Churches. But we do have to let the Gospel new wine change us. We have to change to live!

And change is always a choice. Out of all creation, human beings are the only ones who can chose to change or not. Be different, don’t wish it to be so, obey God, choose life! Likewise, as a church we have to make a choice to live. We cannot continue to do what we’re doing and expect different results, I think that’s called insanity. But for us to change, we must first be changed by the "new wine" of the Gospel. Hearts have to be changed. We must be willing to put God’s Word and obedience to Christ first in our lives. Are you ready to do that?

If so, there will be incredible joy for God’s kind of Gospel change ("new wine") brings joy to our hearts. When I accept God’s kind of change, I’m able to see God at work in the world and I’m able to accept my brothers and rejoice. I experience freedom, freedom from jealousy, from envy, from rivalry, from self. And God is glorified and His kingdom is furthered.

Interestingly, Twinkie the Kid may be resurrected from the dead! Talks are now underway for another company to take over that division. So state fairs can rejoice, fried Twinkies may be back on the menu soon. To change is a choice, a choice to grow. If we fail to chose, we still have made a choice. Chose to grow, to live! Change for the sake of the Gospel! Ask yourself, "Is the life that I am living living?"

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe

Living Wisely in the New Year

Living Wisely in the New Year
A Sermon Preached on January 6, 2013 (Epiphany Sunday)
Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, LA
Dr. Joe Alain, Pastor

Scripture Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12
Introduction: Do you have all of your Christmas decorations packed away? If not, don’t feel too bad because Christmas isn’t really over yet. On the Christian calendar January 6th is called Epiphany Sunday, which marks the celebration of Epiphany, following the twelve days of Christmas. And for some of our fellow Christians, this day is bigger even than Christmas! Epiphany comes from the Greek word “epiphaneia” which means “appearing” or “revealing” (see 2 Tim. 1:10). Epiphany marks the first appearance of Jesus to the Gentiles. On this day, some Christian traditions pay special attention to the visit of the Wise Men (“Magi”),  the focus of our Scripture readings today.

We usually associate the coming of the Magi with the birth of Jesus, which is ok, but keep in mind that some time had elapsed between the birth of Christ and the visit of these wise men, possibly two years since this was the age range given by Herod when he ordered the massacre of the children living around Bethlehem (cf. 2:16-18). When the Magi finally made it to see Jesus, he and his family were living in a house rather than a manger (2:11).

How many Magi came we do not know for certain. Tradition has three mainly because of the three gifts that were brought. These wise men, although influential in their country were not kings (although we can still sing one of our favorite Christmas songs, “We Three Kings”), but astrologers, scientists, philosophers, the sages of their day. Think wise men in Daniel’s time. They became in Persia almost exactly what the Levites were in Israel. The picture of kings coming to the Messiah also comes from our reading of Isaiah 60 which says “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your radiance” (60:3). Kings coming from far away nations, caravans of camels, bearing gifts of gold and frankincense, all images we find in Isaiah.

There’s always been a fascination with the star in this story of the Magi. Was it a supernova? Halley’s comet? A special alignment of the planets such as Saturn and Jupiter? Or perhaps the unusual occurrence of the star “Sirius” that appeared at sunrise during the Egyptian month of “Mesori,” which happens to mean “the birth of a prince”? We cannot tell what star the Magi saw; but it was their profession to watch the heavens and some heavenly brilliance spoke to them of the entry of a king into the world.

Beyond our fascination with the extraordinary events that took, is the wonderful meaning behind the story. There is much to see in Matthew 2:1-12 that illustrates living wisely. Today, as we begin a new year, we will view this story through what’s been identified by many Christians as the five marks or characteristics of a maturing believer. What can we learn from this account about living wisely?

Living wisely involves a commitment to . . .
1. Worship
The expressed desire of these wise men was to worship the one who was “born King of the Jews” (v.1). Their long journey was rewarded when they found the child Jesus. “And falling to their knees, they worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (v.11). They bowed the knee before Jesus, gave offerings, and rejoiced!

The gifts that they brought Jesus were significant, they were costly, gifts worthy of a king. Each of the gifts speaks in some way to the character of Jesus.
    (1) Gold is the gift fit for a king. Jesus was born to be king, but He is a king who rules by love (cf. 1 Jn. 4:9).
    (2) Frankincense is the gift fit for a priest. It was in the temple that frankincense was used by the priests. The function of the priests was to open the way to God for men. The priest is a man who builds a bridge between men and God. This is what Jesus did. As our “mediator,” He opened the way to God; he made it possible for men to enter into the very presence of God (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5).
    (3) Myrrh is the gift for one who is to die. Myrrh was used to embalm bodies. Jesus came into the world to give His life as the sacrificial Lamb of God (cf. Jn. 1:29).
The gifts of the wise men, even at the cradle of Christ, they foretold that he was to be the true King, the perfect High Priest, and in the end the supreme Savior of men.

The worship of the wise men was Christ-centered, it was costly worship, it was joyful worship, and it was intentional or planned worship. They came prepared to worship. They bent their knees in adoration, they gave costly gifts, they expressed joy, and behind all of it was a plan, a plan to seek Christ and to honor Him.

How will you worship the Lord this year? Your worship will be realized to its fullest as you have a plan for worship. This is why we encourage every believer to have some type of plan for meeting with God daily. Without a plan, my time spent with God is haphazard, other things take precedence, God gets squeezed out. That’s why I need a plan to meet with God, a time and a place to meet with God.

You need a personal plan to meet with God and a commitment for corporate worship as well. Plan to be in worship each week unless there is sickness or work, or you are out of town. And when you go off somewhere, worship where you go. For some of you this commitment to worship will be difficult (if you have small children), but it can happen, but you have to have a plan, you have to be intentional about your worship.

The account of the Wise Men also points out that giving is a vital part of our worship. This too was a planned part of their worship. Some of you have a well-thought out plan for how you will give. Everyone can have a plan and everyone can give. If debt or your lifestyle or your priorities are keeping you from giving, then make this the year that you will deal with your debt, your priorities, your lifestyle choices. You have to plan to worship. As believers we can not worship just based on feelings which is not a good or godly way to mature in Christ. The wise men with their full reasoning and confidence were following God’s Word, which is never just a subjective feeling. They had a plan. We need a plan for 2013 if we are going to worship the Lord.

Living wisely involves a commitment to worship, to . . .
2. Discipleship
There is some overlap here because a commitment to worship is what a disciple of Jesus does. But before even worship, the wise men must have had knowledge of God’s Word. They heard God’s Word, they read it. God’s Word brings faith, then they applied God’s Word. Because that is what brought them to seek the Christ child in the first place. A growing disciple reads and applies God’s word to his or her daily life. And because of this, there is a transformation that takes place in that person’s life.

Why do some Christians appear different than others? More joyful? More confident in God? More purposeful? Is it because there are different classes of Christians? Do some just get it and other do not? No! The reason some people are different is because they are not just hearers of the word, they do the word. There’s a commitment to being a disciple. There is a hunger for God, to know Him. A disciple is someone who does the word. And because of that they are different! But you can be different too, with a commitment to be a disciple, a growing learner, someone who hears and puts God’s Word into practice. This too must be thought-out if it’s going to happen. It begins with reading and reflecting upon God’s Word. It continues with your participation in a small group study where you can interact with other disciples. Your spiritual life is further developed as you put your faith into practice, using what God has given to you for His glory.

Living wisely involves a commitment to worship, discipleship, to . . .
3. Evangelism
One of the more fascinating things about this story to me is that these wise men came from a pagan nation in the East. How did they hear of the Messiah? How was this possible? Who told them? These wise men were from the same area of the world where the Jews had lived in captivity, Persia, today’s Iran and Iraq. Many years prior to this, while in captivity some of God’s people did not lose heart. They held on to the hope of God, they held on to the Scriptures and the promises of God.  In captivity, faithful Jews held on their Scriptures and shared them with their captors (e.g., Balaam’s prophecy, Num. 24:17). So these men had the revelation of God from the Old Testament Scriptures. And by faith in God’s Word, they traveled to Bethlehem in search of the King of the Jews, the Messiah. The once captors have been become captivated by the Sprit of God!

God’s faithful people in captivity were like lights shining in the darkness. They shared with their captors and bore witness of the coming light that Isaiah and others spoke of. Like the story of Hansel and Gretel, God’s people left some stones of promise all the way to Babylon. Those precious stones of truth that were left behind led these men to the truth – Jesus! You and I can leave some stones of promise, of truth in our daily path of life, stones of promise that will point people to the truth of Jesus.
After the wise men came to Bethlehem they returned to their own country. We’re not told, but it’s not too hard to imagine that they told others what they had seen, what they had heard, who they had worshiped. They became witnesses to many more generations in the great chain of grace. The call of salvation always brings the call to return to your home and to tell what God has done in your life (cf. Mk. 5:19). Have you met the king? Have you bowed the knee to Him and worshiped? God calls you to share what you have seen, who you know, and who has changed you, right where you are. And he will give you the power and grace to do it.

Living wisely involves a commitment to worship, discipleship, evangelism, to . . .
4. Ministry
I’ll just say a brief word about this because it is more implied here than explicit. It has been noted by many Bible scholars that the costly gifts that the wise men brought were gifts that would have been a God-send (no pun intended) to this peasant Jewish family. These gifts would have met their needs in a significant way. And that is what ministry is – meeting needs in the name of Christ.

Ministry, real ministry flows from all of what I have already spoken of today. Real ministry flows out of our sacrificial worship. We are able to minister, to meet needs because of faithful worshipers. Real ministry flows out of a life of obedient discipleship, loving not just in word but in deed as well. Real ministry flows out of a life that is concerned for the spiritual condition of others. It flows out of a heart that longs to see people reconciled with God.

Meeting needs without Christ is merely a handout. But with Christ meeting needs becomes a ministry, a hand up. When we worship, when we are serious about our discipleship, when our heart is warmed for others to know God, we will discover ways to minister and it won’t be forced, it will be natural, supernaturally.

Living wisely involves a commitment to worship, discipleship, evangelism, ministry, to . . .
5. Fellowship
Finally, let me say a brief word about fellowship, again more by implication here. These wise men traveled together. They were seeking the Lord together and there is incredible strength in that partnership. By themselves they may have never had made it to Bethlehem to see the Christ. At the very least, the journey would have been more difficult and downsized. By yourself the journey of following Jesus will be much more difficult. You need a commitment to make this spiritual journey with other believers. By yourself your likely to become discouraged, you will probably make more detours than are necessary.

Solomon said “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Eccl. 4:12). There is strength in numbers. “If one falls down [and we will], his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (4:10).

Summation and Invitation
The maturing believer, the believer who lives wisely is one who Worships, one who is a Disciple, who Evangelizes, who Ministers, and who Fellowships with other believers. Will you live wisely in this new year? Will you make a commitment today to these five areas of a growing Christian? It’s a commitment between you and the Lord.

My New Year’s Resolution
With God’s grace and strength, I will live wisely in 2013 through a commitment to the five marks of a maturing Christian.
My Signature: _______________________________
Today’s Date: _______________________________






For His Glory!
Pastor Joe