Rossville Christian Church
Sunday, October 10
- Here I Am To Worship
- There Is Power In The Blood
- Intro:Prayer:I have seen people dead rise againI have seen the sick healedI have seen to wounded comfortedI have seen the power of rejoicing in GodI have seen the power of people together on their kneesPrayer - Jesus prayed. He prayed early and he prayed often. Jesus prayed, as it says in Matt 14:23
Matthew 14:23 NASB95 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.So let us Pray!Read page 58 from YanceySo we care about what God cares about, eternity and a loving relationship with all who call upon his name, this is why Jesus prayed, for that close intimate love he shared with the Father above. To reestablish that connection with God and that takes rhythms, it has to be on a consistent cycle. Our prayer, like our work, cannot be a random event, although spontaneous prayer is OK, we must have a Rhythm and intentionality to draw close to God both in His will and for the sake of others. In John 17 we find that Jesus prayed for the will of God.God’s WillJohn 17:1–2 NIV After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.A. Glorify God1. He sent Jesusa. For this purposeb. For the cross2. Doing His willa. Going to the crossb. This was the night beforei. during the passover feastii. Eagerly he waited to eat this passover with themLuke 22:15 NIV And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.iii. God glory was comingJohn 17:3–4 NASB95 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.B. In His willKnow Jesus ChristThe whole of God’s WillThat they may have eternal lifeConversation between God and Jesus that they are about to accomplish the taskBy Glorifying ChristHis mission - the Crosshumbling himself before men, becoming the leastMatthew 20:27–28 NASB95 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”b. Now His disciples knowHe was praying in front of themRevelation for what was about to happenC. ClosenessJesus wanted to be closeto the fatherfor the sake of His willRemember He knew eternitydidn’t feel at home in this worldprayer brought Him back to thatAway from the crowdsAway from the dramasometimes it was all nightc. For rhythms sakei. Can’t always just be with peopleii. Need to spend time with GodAfter spending a lot of time with people during the week. I have to have time alone with God. I try to make it each day, but many times that get interrupted. Instead for the sake of rhythm in my life I have to take time alone with God. For it is only by His power and the power of prayer to Him that I am able to do the things of His will.For OthersJohn 17:6–9 NIV “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.A. First for the Disciples1. To do His willa. Be like Christi. Why we are called Christiansb. Give up our life for the causeMatthew 16:25 NASB95 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.2. Laying it all downa. Jesus didb. Gave up everythingi. Dignity, pride, selfMy kids walking, they sure fell down a lot, but they had the confidence of their father to keep on trying. They had my encouragement and closeness to have the wherewithal to continue to get up when they fell down. Just like God does for us, that is what prayer is, encouragement, closeness and confidence to move forward. We can pray for each other in this as Christ did for the disciples.B. For the FutureJohn 17:20–21 NASB95 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.1. Those who would heara. The story of Christi. glorifying Godii. God glorifying Christiii. Gospel - the Good Newsb. Know the Truthi. Set them freeGalatians 5:1 NASB95 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.2. That they may be glorifieda. In the salvation of ChristYancey Pg 303b. Endearing our hearts toward othersc. We get to be glorifiedi. pray for others to be glorified3. Its a rhythma. intentionally praying for each otherb. Intentionally praying for the lostAs I grow older, don’t know why it works that way, I notice more the responses to prayers that God puts out there. Maybe because when I was young my mind was always a flight, but as I grow older I am able to notice the benefits of prayer. The closeness to God I feel and the response He pours out on us. But I think mostly its because i have a rhythm of prayer that I do, when its out of wack so am I.Conclusion:Prayer is for us and for others. We can send up love, thanksgivings and requests for both ourselves and for others. Are you praying today in rhythm? It has to be an intentional everyday event if we want to stay close to the Father and His will. Even Jesus had to pray, he had to get away and pray and he loved being in prayer. We also have to pray for others, to encourage our brothers and sisters and to prepare the hearts of those whom we will offer the Gospel to. The only possible way to do this is to be in a good rhythm of prayer, to have a place either in your house or by the lake or where ever to spend time with God, feeling His closeness and being ready for whatever the day holds.Pray Matthew 14:23NIV2011
John 17:1–2NIV2011
Luke 22:15NIV2011
John 17:3–4NIV2011
Matthew 20:27–28NIV2011
John 17:6–9NIV2011
Matthew 16:25NIV2011
John 17:20–21NIV2011
Galatians 5:1NIV2011
- Above All
- What A Beautiful Name