Welcome: –    

Call to Worship –

Now is the time to worship God; This is God’s time

To forgive, cleanse and heal, to renew.

Now is the time when God calls us

To follow more clearly, to experience more fully, and to serve more willingly.

Prayer of Praise

(Ps 148: 1 – 4)

“Praise the Lord from heaven, Praise him in the heights above.

Praise Him all His angels, praise Him all His heavenly hosts.

Praise Him sun and moon; praise, all you shining stars.

Praise Him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.

Let then all praise the name of the Lord!.”

Song  1 –  “Come on and Celebrate”                                                                                      

Prayer of Confession

Merciful God, we confess that we have not been diligent in living our lives to your standards and your desires for us.  We confess that we have not been pure in thought, word and deed.  Forgive us lord.

We confess that we have not been faithful witnesses for you.  We have often failed to be the light revealing your grace to those around us.  Forgive us Lord.

We confess that our harsh words have hindered our relationships with others.  We confess that we have not brought healing to those crying out for compassion.  We confess that we have turned our backs on those who are in need of care.  Forgive us Lord.

Have pity on us, God our Saviour and forgive us our sins.  Grant us grace and courage to cast off our sins, and to turn to you for healing.  Show us in Christ the sure path of salvation, and strengthen us to follow gladly the way of the Gospel.  To your glory we pray.  Amen. 

Assurance of Forgiveness

The words of James tell us, that having confessed our sins, God is faithful to forgive our sins and lift us up, renewed and restored in our relationship with Him.

Through the power and love of the cross, let each of us know in our hearts, that we are forgiven.

Thanks be to God.

Reading:  Ephesians 1: 15 – 20  (“Good News”)

“Paul’s Prayer”

¹⁵ For this reason, ever since I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, ¹⁶ I have not stopped giving thanks to God for you. I remember you in my prayers ¹⁷ and ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you the Spirit, who will make you wise and reveal God to you, so that you will know him. ¹⁸ I ask that your minds may be opened to see his light, so that you will know what is the hope to which he has called you, how rich are the wonderful blessings he promises his people, ¹⁹ and how very great is his power at work in us who believe. This power working in us is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰ which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world. 

This is the Word of the Lord,

 Thanks be to You, O God.

Luke 11: 1 – 10 

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer

11 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”     ² Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say this:

‘Father: May your holy name be honoured;
may your Kingdom come.
³ Give us day by day the food we need.^[a]
4 Forgive us our sins,
for we forgive everyone who does us wrong.
And do not bring us to hard testing.’”

⁵ And Jesus said to his disciples, “Suppose one of you should go to a friend’s house at midnight and say, ‘Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread. ⁶ A friend of mine who is on a trip has just come to my house, and I don’t have any food for him!’ ⁷ And suppose your friend should answer from inside, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸ Well, what then? I tell you that even if he will not get up and give you the bread because you are his friend, yet he will get up and give you everything you need because you are not ashamed to keep on asking. ⁹ And so I say to you: Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For those who ask will receive, and those who seek will find, and the door will be opened to anyone who knocks. 

This is the Gospel of the Lord,

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

Passing the Peace  

We are one in fellowship and in worship of our God, whether we gather together in the Church building on Sunday morning or whether we worship in the ‘digital sphere’.  It is important that we recognise that, together, we remain one in Christ Jesus.  With that thought, let us uplift our hands and greet those both here and in their homes:

May the peace of God be with you all.

And also with you.

Hymn 2    “Be Still and Know” 

Message

‘Intercessory Prayer’ (From a message that Rev Eric Lawson, presented at Redcliffe UC, and recorded on YouTube)

Writing to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul said “I keep on praying”.

I don’t recall a day in my life when I have not prayed. The first prayer taught to me by my parents was ‘Gentle Jesus meek and mild’.  It might have been yours also. Others of you might have prayed ‘Now I lay me down to sleep’.  There has not been a day in my life when I have not said a prayer is more accurate. There’s a big difference in saying a prayer and praying. John Burton , a Baptist minister, wrote in the Gospel hymn:

‘I often say my prayers, but do I ever pray

And do the wishes of my heart go with the words I say.

I may as well kneel down and worship gods of stone

As offer to the living God a prayer of words alone’

Martin Luther said “Prayer isn’t overcoming God’s reluctance, but laying hold of God’s willingness.”

I’m sure that most of us do not have a problem with the major concept of prayer.  What we do have problems with is what we perceive are God’s responses to our prayers. It doesn’t always seem to be easy to reconcile God’s apparent silences and God’s failure to respond to our requests, when our Christian understanding is of God as a loving heavenly father as Jesus taught us. On the one hand, we say that prayer is a natural human activity;  it seems to be part of the life of most cultures and religious traditions, even though it may be understood and practised in a range of very different ways, and even sometimes by professing atheists. On the other hand we find ourselves coming like the disciples of Jesus, and asking him “Lord teach us to pray”.

Prayer is such a big subject, it embraces the whole of life, and there are many descriptions of what prayer is. One thing that has always challenged me is this:

‘Prayer is the vital breath of the Christian. Not the thing that makes us alive, but the evidence that we are alive.’

Our focus on prayer this morning is based on a prayer. It’s the prayer of St Paul which he prayed for the Christians in Ephesus, and as we listen to that prayer, there are two things about it that become immediately obvious to us. 

The first is that Paul doesn’t just pray in general, but he identifies who God is, to whom he is praying: it’s to God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of glory. When Jesus gave what we now call the Lord’s Prayer, he did not say “Give us this day our daily bread.”  He said “When you pray say “Our father who is in heaven”.  Know to whom you are praying. The traditional wisdom that ignorance is bliss is not true as far as prayer is concerned. If prayer is to become a real and integral part of our lives, we need to know who it is to whom we are praying. Otherwise we will be like the fellow who prayed “O God, if there is a God, save me, if I need saving.”

In his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well outside Samaria, Jesus  said to her “You Samaritans worship what you don’t know.”  It’s easy to say a prayer to the God whom we don’t know. Paul, in his first visit to Athens, found a city full of idols, and an altar with an inscription ‘To an unknown God’. Paul seized on this and said to the Athenians “What you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.”  He then proceeded to tell them about the one true God revealed for us in Jesus Christ.

The second thing we immediately notice about Paul’s prayer is that he doesn’t ask the Ephesians for any prayer requests.  He hasn’t received a letter from them, or sent one to them.  Because of his own vital relationship with God, he know what the Ephesians and every other Christian, including us, needs, so he writes to tell them what he is praying for on their behalf. And there are two things in particular:

First of all he prays for wisdom, and revelation for them, and the reason for this says Paul is that they will know God better.

And secondly he prays for enlightenment. He prays that by knowing God better, the eyes of their hearts will be opened, and in the culture of Paul’s day,  basically, a person’s heart represented the whole of the person.  Paul prays that in every dimension of their life, they will know the hope of their calling, the riches of their inheritance, and the reality of God’s resurrection power. Is that how we pray for one-another, within the family of our local congregation?

So, having read Paul’s prayer in our Bible reading, what might we learn about prayer from him -intercessory prayer, and prayer in general?  It’s obvious that in Paul’s life,  prayer was a continuous activity.  Let me share a short grammar lesson with you.  We know that verbs are ‘doing’ words –‘action’ words – and they can be described in a variety of ways, such as their tense –  such as if the action’s past, present or future. An action in the past can be completed in the ‘past continuous’,  in the ‘past’ or be completed in the past or have an impact on the present.  An action in the present can be completed in the present or it can be ongoing, and this is what we know as the ‘continuous present’ tense of the verb; and that is what Paul has used to describe his praying for the Ephesians. He says ever since I have heard of your faith in Christ, and your love for the brethren I have not stopped giving thanks for you, and he goes on to say I keep on asking God, I keep on praying to God for you .That is ‘present continuous’ prayer.  We just don’t live on memories of the past or the uncertainties or unknowns of the future.  We belong to, and live in, the present.  And this is where our prayer-life belongs. Writing to the Philippians, Paul said “Don’t be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, keep on presenting your requests to God, and to the Thessalonians he was even more specific and said “Pray continually”, or the old Authorised version said “Pray without ceasing.”

It’s good to have the discipline of setting aside certain regular times specifically for prayer. If you’re a morning person you may begin your day with prayer and quiet time, or you might pray at other times in your day, or at the end of the day, or it may be that at church services is the main time when you generally pray. But the words of Paul to the Philippians and the Thessalonians remind us that there are no limits on when or where we can pray.  We can pray as we drive our car (as long as we keep our eyes open of course), we can pray on the train, on the bus, on the telephone; we can pray as we watch the news. There is no place where we cannot pray. There is no situation in which we cannot pray.  There are no people for whom we cannot pray.  There is no time when we cannot pray. Our prayer-life needs to be a continuous present part of our lives, and then it will be natural and spontaneous to pray for instance for fellow travellers  on public transport, or the bus and train drivers, or for people who are in the news or for our friends or even our enemies.  Corrie ten Boom once posed a very serious and challenging question : “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tyre.  Is it central to your life or just there for emergencies. She also said: “Any concern that is too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.”

And the second thing that I want to focus on in Paul’s prayer is that, as we see him praying, we discover that he is praying according to the promises of God.  Prayer isn’t something that we humans have thought up, as a possible way of obtaining access into the presence of God; Christian prayer is always a response, a response to God who is always present, and who has given us the gift of life, and offered us in Jesus Christ the gift of full life and eternal life.  I never cease to be amazed sometimes at the prayers that often sincere and mature Christians pray in public because they are prayers that ask God to do what he is already doing or has already promised.  It might be a worship leader, who,  at the beginning of a service, will pray “Lord, we ask you to be present with us”.  I find myself asking if God is out in the car park or in the church foyer, waiting to be invited in, when in reality he has promised to be always with us.  Jesus did not say “Where two or three come together in my name, don’t forget to invite me also”, he said “Where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them.”  We don’t need to invite him in, in that sense, but to thank him, because he is already and always present. But you see, we can only pray according to the promises of God if we have taken the time to familiarise ourselves with them, which is why Bible reading and Bible study are so important.  When we begin praying according to the promises of God we will find that the bulk of our praying changes from asking, to thanking God for his promises. Paul didn’t ask the Ephesians for prayer requests, but because he knew the promises of God he prayed accordingly, and there are five things that he prays specifically for the Christians in Ephesus, which are clearly contained in the promises of God:

First, he prays that they might have the spirit of wisdom.  This refers to spiritual wisdom in the everyday matters of life. When Jesus sent his disciples out on a mission, he told them that they would be like sheep in the midst of wolves, and that therefore they would need to be wise and have wisdom.  And James in his general letter in the New Testament said that if we know we lack wisdom, we should ask God, because God will give it – it’s his will.

Secondly, Paul prays that their knowledge of God will continue to grow.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, prior to his arrest and subsequent crucifixion, Jesus declared that eternal life consists in knowing God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. Knowing God is not the same as knowing about God.  The principal of the state high school where I once taught, knew that I was an ordained minister. He made no profession of being a Christian, but liked occasionally to tell me that when he was in high school, he regularly won the religion prize at his Catholic school. He knew a lot about God but did not claim to know God.

Next,  Paul prays that they might know the hope to which God has called them.  Christian hope isn’t wishful  thinking. Genuine hope is always based on reality, and the ultimate reality for us of course is God Himself, and that is why Paul was able to write to the Romans and say that hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit Whom he has given.

And then Paul prays that their hope will be realised, as they enter fully into their inheritance as God’s people.  Becoming a Christian is all about receiving an inheritance.  It’s our inheritance, not because we’ve earned it or deserved it, but because God in his grace in Jesus Christ has prepared it for us, and so Peter in his letter is able to write “Praise be to the Gods and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who,  in His great mercy for us,  has given us an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.

And finally, Paul prays that they will know and experience God’s incomparable power.  Although Paul uses the Greek word from which we get our English word ‘dynamite’, the power of God is neither uncontrolled nor destructive. It’s always channelled and focussed according to the will of God. Paul reminds the Ephesians, and us, that wherever and whenever we experience the power of God in our lives, it’s the same power that God used when raising Jesus Christ from the dead; and that is an amazing statement.  That is the same power that Jesus promised to his disciples prior to his ascension. He said “You will receive power, and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth”.  Paul’s prayer to the Ephesians is really contained in two short verses, but what a wealth of content and example is there for us!  He speaks and asks for just five things for the Ephesians, and all of them are according to the promises and will of God . All of them therefore are what we ought to pray for, for each other.

Let me conclude with a statement written by an anonymous United States Confederate soldier . He wrote:

‘I asked God for strength that I might achieve;

 I was made weak that I might obey.

I asked for help that I might do great things;

I was given infirmity that I might do better things.

I asked for riches that I might be happy;

I was given poverty that I might become wise.

I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;

I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;

I was given life that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for, but everything that I hoped for.

Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am, among all men, most blessed.’

Hymn 3 – “Standing on the Promises”    

Offering –

Offering Prayer:

We bring to You these fruits of our time and labour,

Gifts that are your own,

And with them we offer our hearts and minds and strength.

Grant that we might have the grace to love and serve you,

As these offerings are used in your service.

Amen

Prayer for Others

  Let us come before God with our cares and our concerns.

  Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may sincerely seek to love you and others so that your reign may draw near.

  We pray that we may reverence you as the sole centre of our life and forsake all ‘idols’ and allurements that entice us away from you.

  We pray that the Church will be sincere in its proclamation of the need to repent, such that people will be drawn to faith in you.  Come into towns and cities, the crowded places where people live with the stresses of everyday life.  Break down the darkness of ignorance and indifference with the light of the revelation of your grace and mercy.

  We pray for all who are seeking you, that they may experience a deep and loving relationship with you and come to know that they are your beloved child.

  We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide and empower us to pour our lives out in loving service to others, particularly those with whom we find it hard to relate.

  We pray for the poor, the sick, and the homebound, that we may generously assist them and offer encouragement and support to them.

  We pray for all who care for the sick and homebound, that you will help them to provide their assistance with love and ever renew their strength.

  We pray for all new and expectant parents, that you will give them the wisdom to be good parents who nurture their children with love and faith.

  We pray for all who are discerning their direction in life, that you will inspire all who are making vocational decisions and give them the courage to follow your instructions.

  We pray for all who are suffering, that you will guide those living in areas of war to safety, open the channels of food for those in famine, and send your healing Spirit to all who have been tortured or abused.

  We pray for the gift of Peace, that you will inspire dialogue that will bring an end to the arms race, and bring an end to conflicts and terrorism.

  We pray for all who are grieving, that they may know your life-giving presence with them today.

  We pray for those who are lonely, who are separated from family or close contacts.  Please be a reassuring presence with them and hold them in your love.

  We pray for all who are held unjustly, particularly missionaries, that you will free them, help them to give faithful witness to Christ, and reunite them with their families.

  We pray for empathy and wisdom to prison chaplains as they counsel prisoners and give hope to those who are being released back into Society.

  Strengthen those who endeavour to make our Society more caring and moral.  Watch over the strangers and the widows and the orphans.  Bless the work of those agencies who aid travellers in need and provide housing and support to the abused and neglected.

Copyright © 2021. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.  https://liturgy.slu.edu/ 

[Raymond Chapman in Leading Intercessions p83, David Hostetter in Prayers for the Seasons of god’s People Year B p205]

  Please bless the work of Scripture Union as they provide In-Service training to their chaplains who are located in schools across Brisbane North, Brisbane South, Brisbane West, and the Sunshine Coast.  May this training refresh and inspire chaplains in their efforts to care for pupils, their families and staff at schools.

  We pray for the island Nation of the Caribbean, from Cuba to Puerto Rico, from the Bahamas to Trinidad and Tobago.  We pray for those who have been devastated by disasters, for the rebuilding of their lives, their communities and their eco-systems.  We pray for the strengthening of all who faithfully witness to the Gospel through word and deed.  We pray for those who have been affected by crime, that they will not lose hope and trust in their Governments to enforce public safety and security.  We pray for those whose lives have been affected by addictions.  Give guidance and support to agencies and aid groups to reach out to them and be the source of strength and hope for which they are seeking.  We pray for good governance and smooth transitions between political leaders, so that there is no social upheaval or unrest.

  We ask that you bless the efforts of those leading Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School, that the Holy spirit is engaging with the children who attend the classes, opening hearts and minds with a clear message of your love for them.

  We pray for the Chaplain at Bald hills State School, Kylie Conomos, that you are guiding her efforts to care for the children and teachers at the School, that you are encouraging her in her work and supporting her as she gives of herself to those whom she serves there.

Loving God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your compassion and care.  To your glory we pray

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil,

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,

Now and forever.  Amen.

Hymn 4 – Youth of the Race Arise

(to the tune of ‘Crown him with many crowns)

1.3 Youth of the race, arise

With hearts and faith aglow,

Lift up God’s standards to the skies

And conquest every foe.

Follow the Christ your King,

With loyalty supreme,

Go work, and daily nearer bring

The kIngdom that you dream.

2.3 As knights in days of old

Prove valiant in the fight,

Your vows through thickening perils hold,

And win eternal life.

True comrades on Life’s way

A loving service give;

And gladly live each flying day

As Christ would have you live.

3.3 Yours are the dawns of God

If but your strength endures;

The vast horizon, mounting road

The opening portal yours!

The great adventure take,

God’s purpose to fulfil;

And He, who worlds from nothing spake,

Shall in you, work His will!

            Edwin Wesley Howard Fowles 1871 –

Benediction                                                                                                                                  

Let us go out with our minds open to his light,

So that we will know what is the hope to which He has called us,

How rich are the wonderful blessings that he promises his people,

And how very great is his power at work in us.

And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you always. 

Amen.

Benediction Song:

Now to Him who loved us, gave us

Every pledge that love could give,

Freely shed his blood to save us,

Gave his life that we might live,

Be the kingdom  And dominion

And the glory evermore.

Samuel Miller Waring 1792 – 1827