Sermon: Pentecost 9C (Lectionary 17)

            I have a difficult time with prayer. There – the secret’s out. Prayer is one of the pieces of the Christian life that confounds me. Honestly, I don’t spend much time in prayer. I’m not sure I have a good grasp of how it works. Certainly, prayer is a time to talk to God and to be in an intentional relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But most of time, I wonder: what am I really asking for? Am I expecting God to be some magical wish granter who sits on His throne, sprinkles fairy dust, and makes my wildest dreams a reality? Do I think of God as some giant Magic 8 ball, who depending on my request will answer “most likely”, “Ask again later” or “outlook not so good”? Indeed, prayer for me is great mystery; an incredible challenge; and a thing I don’t quite understand.

            So, I am somewhat envious of the disciples in today’s gospel text (Luke 11:1-13). They are able to ask Jesus directly, “Okay, Lord, how should we pray?” Fortunately, we are all privy to Jesus’ answer, and it is an interesting one at that. Jesus hints at a deep-rooted relationship between God and humans in his instructions that the disciples boldly call God “Father”. He then suggests they pray for God’s kingdom to come and for daily bread, which is probably a reference to the nourishment needed for all of life, both present and future. He tells them to ask for forgiveness, and to request that God will guard them from temptation.

            I say that his answer is interesting, because it sounds very different than most of my prayers. Usually, they go something like this.  “Lord, help me make it through this day”; or,  “Hey God, what’s up with that driver doing 35 in a 65?”; or some other request for a personal need, desire, or yes, even something I just plain want.  

            I am not suggesting we should refrain from praying for things that we, as individuals, need. What strikes me, though, is that Jesus’ prayer is communal in nature. He uses words like “our”, “we” and “us”, while at the same time focusing on God’s actions of bringing the kingdom to world, and feeding, forgiving, and protecting. Jesus’ prayer emphasizes community. It points to things we all need. It asks that these things be sent, not just for the individual, but for all.

            This theme carries over into the words that follow the prayer. When Jesus uses the example of a neighbor going to his friend for bread, the emphasis is on community. The person in need isn’t trying to meet their own wants. Instead, he is taking steps to show hospitality to a traveler and is motivated out of concern for another. After this example, even Jesus’ instructions are to a group. He uses plural of you, or ya’ll, as we southerners say. “Ya’ll ask. Ya’ll seek. Ya’ll knock”. Most certainly, God will provide for ya’ll. Weaving through this is the reminder to be persistent in prayer and for communities to keep praying for that which is necessary for all people.

            Jesus’ prayer and words remind us that we work, pray, and function as a community. WE are a community of believers who are gathered by God. We respond to all God does by praying, asking, seeking, and knocking. So what do we as a community pray for?

            We pray for peace and justice to reign, for these are markers of God’s kingdom. We pray for the strength and ability to forgive others, for God first forgives us. At Trinity, we pray that we will be a place of welcome for all who wish to hear the good news. We pray that all our ministries will be successful. We pray that God will move us to share our resources, so ministry can and will continue. We pray that God will move us from complacency and resistance to change so that we are able to do active work as a community.

            After all, we are a community of believers. This is reflected in how we understand ourselves as baptized children of God. We are not in this life on our own to get what we want or maintain just ourselves. No; we are in this together, called by God to be together. We are empowered by God to do the work of forgiving, sharing the good news, and serving God and neighbor. When one of us hurts, all of us hurt. When one rejoices, all rejoice, for God knits us together as God’s holy people in the waters of the font.

            We will see this play out in just a few moments when we baptize Elizabeth Louise Baker. During the baptism, we will talk about the importance of raising a child in the faith. However, we don’t just point to Billy and Trina and say, “Make it happen, it’s up to you”. Instead, we proclaim that it is our task, as a community, to teach her the Lord’s Prayer, the creed and the 10 Commandments; and to place scripture in her hands. These are promises we do not and should not take lightly. These are promises we do not and should not brush off. These are not just “pretty words” we speak. Instead, they are tasks God calls us to do as a community for all the baptized.

            Yet, we recognize we cannot do these tasks on our own. We depend on God’s help and guidance. So, Jesus says, pray for the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that will open our hearts and minds, ears and eyes, and give us what we need to live in community as we pray, work, and live out God’s call together. Jesus promises that God will give us the Spirit and give it abundantly. After all, if we, who are sinful can give good things, how much more will God, who is good all the time, give to us?

            What powerful and amazing good news for us! God sends the Holy Spirit in abundance. God feeds, forgives, and leads us! God gathers us into community and gives us people with whom we journey; people with whom we pray; and people who go with us to share the good news. Above all else, our Father in heaven promises to hear our prayers. So we pray. We pray as a community seeking God’s guidance and for those things needed by all as we journey into the world with Elizabeth, one another, and all our Christian brothers and sisters.

Amen.

© 2010 Rev. Todd A. Cutter. Please do not reproduce or distribute without permission.