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May 18, 2008AM

Matthew 6:25-34

The Journey from Prayer to People

Faith

 

I have been on a journey for quite a few weeks.

 I am not exactly sure when it started.

  And it hasn’t taken me very far.

   One thing I know is that the journey has intensified lately.

    Since Dorothy’s Mom returned to live with us it has happened every day.

     It was Mom who made me conscious of this journey.

      But it had started weeks before.

       It began shortly after the winter build-up of snow melted away.

        The flower bed outside our dining room window emerged from the snow.

         I noticed some green shoots protruding from the ground.

          The daffodils were starting to take life.

           I have to admit they were not much to look at.

            But the days went by.

            More snow would fall and I wouldn’t see them for a while.

             On other nights frost would settle on the struggling shoots.

              There were days of clouds and cold.

               Some days would go by and I wouldn’t pay much notice to them.

                But they grew taller.

                 Finally the shoots started to get a yellowish colour.

                  It was at that point in the journey that Mom moved back in.

                   On the very first morning she noticed the struggling daffodils.

                    She felt so sorry for them.

                     They were still encountering harsh conditions.

                     The world was not a friendly place.

                       And Mom was amazed at their survival.

                       Her second day here snow blanketed them again.

                        A week later it snowed again and still they stood.

                         Their budding heads getting larger and larger.

                        I think Mom almost cried for them a few days.

                         But then the day came when the sun shone brightly.

                          And the air was warm and the buds opened.

                           And there in a blaze of yellow were 7 daffodils.

                              They were glorious to see.

                               Every morning I have made the journey to the window.

                                And Mom has stood with me in amazement.

                                 How did they survive such hostile conditions?

The miracle of life is truly amazing.

 The beauty of nature unfolding around us is astounding.

  It is something we desire to see.

   It captivates our attention.

    I doubt I am the only one who has made that journey as spring arrived.

     But there is another miracle of life that can also captivate our attention.

      It is the spiritual rebirth of people around us.

       Scripture tells us that apart from Christ we are dead.

        Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

         Being short of the glory of God is a spiritual deadness.

          “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

           Paul says “In those days you were living apart from Christ.  You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them.  You lived in this world without God and without hope.” (Eph. 2:12)

            But Jesus changes all that.

            “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Phil 4:13)

             “The free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

              As we receive that gift we want to see others experience life.

               That is what Jesus calls us to do for others.

                Jesus calls us to go into the world with the gospel.

                 We are to go and make disciples.

                  We are to encourage others to experience new life in Christ.

We know there are people all around us who need Jesus.

 People are struggling under heavy burdens.

  People face a hostile world every day without knowing Jesus’ presence.

   Anyone who is in Christ sees that because Jesus opens our eyes to see.

    What do we do with that vision?

     We certainly pray to God to ease their burdens and protect them.

      We pray that Jesus will become real and dynamic in their lives.

       We know that Jesus is the answer so we pray for them.

        It is right to do that.

         But Jesus did not limit the work of the disciple to prayer.

          He said “Go into all the world.”

           Every disciple needs to make this journey.

           Yes we pray, but we need to take the journey from prayer to people.

            How often do we make that journey?

             How often does the Journey end at the place of prayer.

              Jesus says we must move from prayer to intersect their lives.

               What hinders us from doing that?

                What enables us to enter that journey?

Jesus preached a sermon about the flowers of the field and birds of the air.

 He said some interesting things about them.

  Notice the things He said the flowers did to make themselves look beautiful.

   Did you see what He told us the birds of the air did to have food enough?

    What did the flowers do? - Nothing! (verses 28 and 29)

     They do not spin or toil.

      Well they are only plants after all so what do you expect?

       Surely the birds do something (see verse 26).

        They don’t sow nor reap, nor gather into barns.

         What do the birds do?

          The same as the flowers – nothing!

           So how do they survive?

           Not through anything that they do.

            God provides everything they need to live life to the fullest.

             As I journeyed with the daffodils I realized they had no control.

              They could not control the weather.

               They did not monitor their moisture intake.

                They did not worry about a thing.

                 My mother-in-law did more worrying than they did.

                  Those flowers had no control over what happened to them.

                   I could have gone out with scissors and cut them.

                    Were the flowers worried about that possibility?

                     Did they shudder every time I looked or walked by?

                      No they just bloomed.

                      God provided them with everything they needed.

                       Harsh conditions did not reduce God’s provision.

                        The water, soil, sunshine – gifts from God.

                         The daffodil was not in control of anything - God was.

                        And Jesus says to us, “You live like that!”

Could it be possible to live like that?

 After all we are not like birds and flowers.

  We live by more than mere instinct.

   That is so true.

    And that is what makes it even more important for us to trust God.

     We have been given a choice.

      We can choose to maintain control or we can choose to surrender to God.

       We can choose to strive for everything we experience in life.

        Or, we can choose to trust God and live by faith in Him.

Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

         We can choose to seek all the things and pleasures of this world.

          Or we can seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness.

           “Then” Jesus says, “all these things will be yours as well” (v. 33).

           The Kingdom of God is not about worrying and fretting.

            The Kingdom of God is not about our efforts to be in control.

             The Kingdom of God is about surrender.

              It is about giving up control.

               It is about living by faith.

                The Kingdom of God is about experiencing God’s provision.

“I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.  I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” (Philemon 1:5, 6)

                 The Kingdom of God is about letting go and trusting God.

“In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” (Eph. 3:12)

Faith is essential to experiencing the Kingdom of God in our lives.

 And faith is what accomplishes Kingdom work.

  Faith enables us to make the journey from prayer to people.

   The place of prayer is a safe and comforting place.

    It is easy to stop there.

     Going to people is risky business.

      The conditions can be harsh.

       How do we leave prayer to journey to people?

        How do we stand and grow and show the glory of God in the world?

         By choosing to believe God will provide.

          By believing that God will speak and touch through us.

           Faith in the God who provides is what enables us to choose the journey.

“Everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4, 5).

            It is faith that overcomes the world.

             Without faith we will never journey into the lives of others.

              By faith we face conditions that may be resistant to growth.

               We embrace that because we want to experience the joy of new life.

                Faith enables us to journey from prayer to people.

                Faith overcomes the fears that would isolate us from the world.

You can choose to live like the flowers of the field and the birds of the air.

 You can choose to trust God and seek first His Kingdom in your life and others.

  Faith moves mountains and moisturizes deserts.

   Let it move you from prayer to people.