How important to God is the place we worship? How important is it to us? A casual survey of recent stories in the Baptist Standard show that place can play an important role in the worship of God, yet real worship can take place anywhere.

In a Jan. 10 article on Baptist historical beginnings, historian Bill Leonard said Baptist founder John Smyth served as pastor of a Puritan Separatist congregation in England that fled to Amsterdam to avoid persecution, worshipping in a bake house owned by Mennonites.

In a “2nd Opinion” column, former missionary to India Robbi Frankovich told of working in urban slums among an indigenous Indian people known as the Banjara Gypsies. “The one Christian family in their midst,” she said, “invited us to worship on Sunday on a mat in front of their hut. Out of these small steps of friendship and God’s amazing love, wonderful things happened over the years.”

And, just prior to President Barack Obama’s inauguration, Religion News Service reporter Adelle Banks wondered if the Obama family would worship in a predominantly African-American church in Washington, seeking to return to a congregational style he says “transformed him from a skeptic to a believer.”

Christian believers corporately worship in church sanctuaries around the world, but as believers, we also know our ever-present and always holy God can and should be worshipped anywhere and at any time, if we will only seek communion with him.
 
Christ alluded to this kind of everyplace worship by every believer when he told the Samaritan woman at the well that “an hour is coming when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem shall you worship the Father … .But an hour is coming and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be his worshippers” (John 4:21, 23 NASB).

But for the post-exile Jews of Ezra’s time, the temple was the national place of worship of Yahweh and it was the temple that must be rebuilt first. Its importance was paramount to Israel as a people chosen by God and ruled by him. As Solomon declared when he announced he would build the temple, it would be “great; for greater is our God than all the gods” (2 Chronicles 3:5 NASB).

Let’s catch up from last week’s lesson: We studied Ezra 1, which detailed how God worked through King Cyrus of Persia to fulfill prophecy that the Jews would be returned to Judah following their defeat and exile at the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Cyrus, in a decree, challenged all of his subjects to aid the Jews’ return to Jerusalem to “rebuild the house of the Lord” (Ezra 1:2).

Our focal passages take place seven months after Cyrus permitted the Jews to return to their promised land. The intervening events of chapter 2 detail a census of the families that have returned from captivity, along with the number of servants, livestock and wealth. Now that the people have been counted, they are preparing to rebuild the Temple by building its foundation, the altar.

Take action for worship to happen

And as we look at our focal passages this week, we will see the importance of worship calls us to a.) take actions that will encourage worship and to b.) provide opportunities to do so.

In chapter 3’s opening verses, we find the work beginning. It’s been 50 years since worship through sacrifice has been observed in Jerusalem, and it’s evident they are ready to begin. Two action-taking worship leaders, Jeshua, a priest, and his priestly brothers, along with Zerubbabel and his brothers, “arose” and built the altar to offer burnt sacrifices.

Burnt sacrifices were offered in atonement for sin (Leviticus 9:7). It is no coincidence that burnt offerings were to be offered first. It was the Jews’ sin that had led to God allowing them to be defeated and enslaved, and an act of atonement was called for. In addition, Tishri, the seventh month of the calendar, was the month when the Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles were celebrated (Leviticus 23).

Jeshua and Zerubbabel supervised the setting of the altar. Ezra also mentions that the people were “terrified because of the peoples of the lands” (v. 3), which may have lent them their urgency to rebuild the altar.

So they began continual offerings, even though the surrounding temple had not been built, nor had its foundation even been laid. Why not wait on the walls to come up to begin worship. Perhaps the need to atone for sin was so great, they felt it must be done first before the temple could be built. Perhaps they needed to clean the slate with God before building his temple.

Using the authority given them by Cyrus, they began to import materials for building of the Temple. In verse 10, we come to the laying of the foundation and a commemoration ceremony of the start of the building. And some ceremony it is. Complete with musical instruments and singing, the nation praises God for his love.

Loud worship

Then the people shout as the foundation is set. Not just indiscriminate yelling, the Bible records it as a “great shout” (v. 11) that evocates a tremendous joy for God’s blessings.

Accompanying this amazing noise, though, is the sound of weeping, especially from the older men who had seen the foundation laid for the first temple. Perhaps it was weeping with joy over the opportunity to restore Israel’s future again. Perhaps it was an immense sorrow for the sin that had led to the destruction of the first temple. It was probably both. Second chances should never be treated lightly.

Verse 13 tells us the sound of weeping became indistinguishable from the shouts of joy, but that both combined so that they both could be heard from “far away.”

What a picture of true worship. Could this kind of worship experience occur today? Of course. We have all of the elements: Our God still reigns and has offered us life eternal, reason to shout so loud we can be heard from “far away.” And because of the sin in our lives and those who are lost and separated from the Lord, there is a world’s worth of grief for us to weep over.

Can we, too, experience this amazing picture of worship? If we will take actions that will encourage worship in our personal lives and the lives of others and provide ourselves and others opportunities to do so, absolutely.

Questions to explore

• To what lengths will you go to worship God and provide opportunity for others to do so?

• Read Exodus 3:1-5. What does it have to say about places of worship?

A new pastor was out one evening visiting shut-ins. As he was enjoying the company of a beloved church member, his pager went off. He called the number displayed on the screen. He was informed that a church member and his son had both been shot during the robbery of a family business.

As he arrived in the emergency room, the receptionist said the family was gathered in the waiting area on the third floor. The receptionist took the pastor to the family. As he rode the elevator the receptionist said, “I am not supposed to tell you this but since you are their pastor, the father died in route to the hospital and the son is in surgery with life threatening wounds.”

How does anyone prepare to walk into such a devastating situation?    

Nehemiah’s task to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem was a very different situation from what the pastor was facing that evening. However, the same fear and anxiety were present. Sometimes a task that the Lord has for a believer carries fear and anxiety, just like the pastor faced as he walked into the waiting room, and Nehemiah faces as he was charged with rebuilding the walls.

How did Nehemiah overcome the obstacles he would face?

Invest your heart (Nehemiah 2:1-3)

The king and Nehemiah had a great relationship; after all, he was the king’s cupbearer. A cupbearer had the trust of the one he served. One day, the king noticed something different about Nehemiah’s demeanor. “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness from the heart” (v. 2).

The sadness Nehemiah displayed to the king occurred four months after the news came from his brother that the walls around Jerusalem were still in ruins. Why did it take so long for him to share his heart with the king?
    
Fear. For a servant of the king to show fear or sorrow was very dangerous. The king could execute anyone who displeased him.
    
Nehemiah was not going to let his fear keep him from doing what God had called him to do. His sadness of heart gave him the opportunity to speak with the king; “the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire” (v. 3).
    
To serve the Lord, we must put our whole hearts into his service. The time that lapsed before he shared with the king allowed for spiritual preparation to occur. Nehemiah invested his heart to the call of God by fasting and praying (1:4).
    
How much fasting and praying do we do?

Set clear goals (vv. 4-8)

When the king asks, “What is it you want?” (v. 4). Nehemiah did not say, “Let me get back with you on that.” He had a plan.

Notice before he answered the king he prayed. God must be involved in reaching our goals. With the king’s blessing, doors would open for him to ask others for help.

Verses 7 and 8 reveal to us Nehemiah’s planning to reach his goals even before he asked the king for help. He needed safe passage as he traveled; he needed timber to build back the gates, the wall, and a place to live during the project.

Even though he had given much thought and preparation to what he must do to get the walls back up, Nehemiah clearly understood God’s hand must be upon him. We see this when he says, “because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests” (v. 8).

Please remember, no matter how small or large the task that God has impressed upon your heart, keep him at the forefront of your planning.

Enlist support (vv. 11-18)

Why was Nehemiah so driven to rebuild the walls? Look what he says in verse 17, “Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”

With the city wall not repaired, Nehemiah saw this as dishonor to both the nation and to God. The ruins made it appear the God of Israel had no power to reestablish Jerusalem as the religious center of Judah.

What do our churches today show the world when a majority of the membership is not in a house of worship on the Lord’s day?

Nehemiah met opposition in the three governors mentioned in verses 10 and 19. He did not allow opposition to keep him form his task. He made a secret night visit to inspect the walls (vv. 13-16).

What did this additional homework do for Nehemiah?

By obtaining the facts and assessing that his plan was realistic he was able to enlist others to join him. It was because of the confidence in his plan and in his God that he moved forward. This inspection allowed additional information to be obtained before he enlisted the support of the Jews, priests, nobles, local officials and other builders.

Be prepared before asking others to help accomplish the work of the Lord.

Before the pastor left to respond to the emergency call, his wife encouraged him to find someone to go with him. Not knowing any of the history, the pastor asked a man to accompany him who had a longer relationship with the family. God provided the needed help by providing the right person at the right time.        

When we step up to serve the Lord, we often discover our love and passion to serve him equips and provides what is needed to accomplish the task at hand.

The placement of Isaiah’s call in the sixth chapter rather than the first chapter is a curiosity and generates some interpretive debate. The placement is a bit unusual (see Jeremiah 1, Ezekiel 1, Jonah 1). Without engaging the debate, the placement may well have come in the right order assuming his call also was motivated by his observation of the current sinful conditions of his known world (chapters 1-5).
 
When the prophet put pen to paper, he wrote as one looking back upon his vision and included his prophetic interpretation of what he had observed and his vision for restoration. Isaiah, with his autobiographical testimony, shows Judah the necessary step in restoration and his personal experience of how faith can change the entire nation.  

Many individuals called to ministry respond to a pressing need. God works from the external situation to prompt the heart. For this to be an appropriate way to adapt to the placement in chapter 6, one can see Isaiah going to the temple to worship. Broken over the rebelliousness of Judah and Jerusalem, he hears God call him to be a prophet.  

I grew up in the oil field in central Mississippi. My father was a production superintendent of an independent oil company but also operated a contracting business to perform work for most of the oil companies in the field. He hired many men, and they were mostly rough men, cursed like sailors, mistreated their families and had no place for God in their lives. I looked from the church windows out into a harsh and hurting world and from that perspective was called to preach and make a difference through Christ.  

Every Christian must be reminded that there is not only a call to prophecy, preaching or other vocational ministry functions but also a call to discipleship. The first followers, disciples, of Christ were called to be fishers of men.  

In church life today, worship is more asking God to grant our wishes than to hear the call to service. God’s people prefer blessings of  forgiveness, watch care, help to succeed, protection from harm, healing the sick and assurance of prosperity.

God’s Word, however, stresses that Christ came to minister and not to be ministered to, to serve with humility and sacrifice, to show compassion upon others. Isaiah’s experience teaches us how to honor God in worship that includes service. What does God expect of me when I worship?  

Recognition (Isaiah 6:1)

Isaiah begins with, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord … .”

One of my favorite stories is about the little boy who came home from church with his family. When lunch was ready, Mom said, “Go wash your hands.” The boy responded, “Germs and God, germs and God. That all I hear, and I ain’t never seen either one of them.”

Isaiah did not literally see God and makes no effort to describe him (Exodus 33:20-23). He saw evidence or a glimpse of his presence, e.g. the throne, the train, the seraphs, the shaking doorposts and thresholds, and he heard the voices of the seraphs calling one to the other. “Seraph” means “burning one” referring to an unearthly being with some human features (hands, faces, voices). Isaiah may have seen these strange creatures to mean that God was Lord of all beings for they obviously served and worshiped God.

In this mystical experience, Isaiah “saw” the Lord in all of his glory and holiness. The suggested symbolism is that of standing and looking beyond the altar of incense into the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle or temple where God dwelt. The shaking of the door post and thresholds reveals the dynamic power of God.

You must come to worship, recognizing the Lord’s presence. Worship should be God-centered and not man-centered. Pastors and musicians are not performers or entertainers. Worship can deteriorate into show business with worship leaders as performers to entertain. If the worshipper is not careful, he may be easily fooled into thinking he has worshiped when he has only been manipulated.

Often rather than praising our God, the purpose of worship is to support a pastor, enjoy the music, hear a sermon and go home happy. Worship is helping every person to recognize and sense the profound presence of God. Worshippers often come to worship to make their weekly stand against God by denying his lordship, by apathetic neglect, by willful disobedience, and glib, ritualistic participation.

Reverence (vv. 1-4)

Worship is a contraction of the Anglo-Saxon noun “worthship,” signifying recognition of the worth of the object adored. John, the apostle, in a similar vision of the throne of God in heaven has the 24 elders proclaim, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (Revelation 4:11).  

Isaiah points out the foremost characteristic of God that engages his worship experience: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” “Glory” is the manifestation of God in our earthly world. God is holy, almighty and his glory is throughout the entire earth. “Holiness” is the absolute essence of his divinity and his “glory” heralds his holiness. Worshippers should seek a similar kind of experience of bowing before the sovereign glory of the holy God of both heaven and earth and all creatures therein.

Repentance (v. 5)

Genuine reverence for God leads to confession and repentance. People come to understand how depraved they are when they look at the perfect holiness of God. Seeing “the King, the Lord Almighty,”

Isaiah’s conscience focused on his own guilt, depravity, sinfulness and ruin. Isaiah saw nothing but uncleanness and depravity in himself or his nation. Having a vision, an experience that was private and personal to him, he cried: “Woe am I. I am ruined.” His lips and those of his people were not fit to join the song of praise. Recognizing that sin had ruined his life, he looked for repentance and resolution.

True worship will not allow people to ignore their sinfulness. The ugliness of our lives cannot be ignored any longer. We no longer can accept our unholy thoughts, attitudes and behavior in the presence of God’s purity. Repentance is to seek the cleansing of our hearts and lives through forgiveness.

Reconciliation (vv. 6-7)

The seraph, symbolically, was present to serve God and to be an instrument to help in the removal of sin from Isaiah and to deliver the revelation of God. The seraph, burning like fire, flew to Isaiah with the coal from the altar in his hand and touched his lips, saying “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”  

Instantaneously, the moment of reconciliation of the unholy with the holy took place. This was atonement in the sense of restoring Isaiah’s standing before God, of removing the sin that separated the two and making the relationship whole and healthy. Since Isaiah focused on his “unclean lips,” it was the lips that were purged but represents the purging of all sin. This was not something Isaiah could do for himself but a gift of God’s grace through faith and repentance.  

Worship should bring man and God together.  That reconciliation is only possible through an honest look at sin and a willingness to be purged by the forgiving and redemptive work of our Lord.

Response (vv.8-13)

The prelude to a resolute response is a clean heart. Genuine worship requires a response—one of heart, soul and mind but also of body. The best message for cleansing comes from one who has been cleansed. Isaiah is ready to become the man of his calling, a prophet, indeed.

The dialogue is rather straight forward. God offers the invitation: “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah’s answer was without objection, quibbling, resistance, or argument: “Here am I! Send me.” The answer is not unlike Mary, astonished at her favor and task of bearing a son though a virgin, responded: “I am your servant. May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38).

Worship is more than pew-sitting, bench-warming, class study, committee meetings and running the institutional church. There is a certain amount of “going” that God requires.

To Isaiah, God gave this imperative: “Go and tell this people….”  Isaiah now asks the question, “How long, O Lord?” (v. 11). God responded with “Until …” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Have you ever had to start over after a devastating loss? More often than not, you’re forced to start with much less than you had. It’s tough going. But what if you were given a chance to start over and rebuild with most of what you had to begin with, plus a little more help along the way? Sound too good to be true? Not when it’s God’s provision.

As we’ll discover in Ezra, God graciously provides everyone the opportunity to make a fresh start in the midst of desperate and difficult situations, even the ones we bring on ourselves.

Ezra and its following book, Nehemiah, are similar in theme and storyline, each chronicling the return of the exiled Jews to Jerusalem to rebuild their temple and city and the remembrance and confession of their sin. They are believed to have originally been separate books, even though they were presented as one in some old Hebrew manuscripts.

Ezra is traditionally attributed as the book’s author, while Nehemiah is thought to have authored the book with his name. Similarities in style between Ezra, Nehemiah and 1 and 2 Chronicles suggested same authorship of the four books, or perhaps Ezra’s editorship (in addition to being a priest, he also was a scribe).

Let’s catch up on what’s been happening as we enter the book of Ezra: The Jews had been conquered by Nebuchadnezzar in 587 B.C., the temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed and the city’s walls leveled. The Babylonian army had conquered Judah and the most promising and talented Israel had to offer had been deported into exile to serve the Babylonian empire.

It’s important for us to remember that the defeat of Judah and the exile of so many to Babylon is not solely the act of an empire’s desire for power and territory. It also is the enactment of God’s judgment and the punishment of his chosen people who have broken covenant with their Lord. God’s covenant with Israel, which started with Abraham, promised them to be a mighty nation dedicated to his glory. They had a great future, a future they lost through sin. Was their future past? Or would God allow them to restore their future?

It’s nearly 50 years later, 538, and as is common, there’s a bigger bully in the territory. Persia recently has conquered Babylon. The Jews now are subjects of the Persian Empire and Cyrus is in his first year as king. The events in Ezra occur between 538 and 457.

As Ezra opens, we’re exposed to an apparent contradiction: God is using a pagan king to fulfill the prophecy of Jeremiah (25:12, 29:10), one that predicted the defeat of Babylon and the reinstatement of his people to their promised land. While the act of a holy God using a non-believing king to enact his will seems contradictory, one of the theological themes in Ezra is God’s sovereignty over all—he has the power to reinstate his people and the authority to use whatever means he sees fit to carry out his will, even someone who does not believe in him.

 God’s will is evident as Cyrus delivers his decree to the Jews, directing them to return to their homeland and “rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel” (v. 2, NAS). They were free. It must have felt wonderful after 50 years of exile, but as so often is the case with God’s blessings, there was more. Cyrus directed his subjects to support Israel with money, food and offerings for the temple.

Cyrus probably didn’t need a political poll to judge reaction to the decree. It was immediate. Starting with the heads of the tribes, the priests and those whose “spirit God had stirred” (v. 5) the people went. It appears even their Gentile neighbors surrounding them were caught in the excitement, dutifully following the decree and encouraging Israel by sharing their wealth.

Can you imagine the moment? Separated from their home for so long, they were being allowed to repatriate. Can you imagine the wonder? They were being given the opportunity to rebuild their spiritual center, the temple.

But the blessings were to continue. Cyrus extended his aid even further, returning in full the articles that had been taken from Israel by Nebuchadnezzar.

Beginning in verse 7 and continuing to the end of the chapter, we’re exposed to a literary form repeated throughout the book of Ezra: Lists. Verses 7-11 detail those returned articles, including gold dishes, gold and silver bowls, “and 1,000 other articles” (v. 10).

What was the purpose of this and other lists in Ezra? One writer suggested it may have been a way to lend continuity and organization to a people freshly on their own again. Perhaps Ezra had a keen sense of history and wanted to catalog the items for time.

Or perhaps Ezra, as an exile expressing his gratitude for a fresh start, knew the truth taken from the old hymn and chose to “count your blessings, name them one by one.” It’s a worthwhile lesson for us. As God forgives us and gives us a fresh start, isn’t it wonderful to look back and list the things he’s provided us?  

Questions to explore

• God gave Israel a fresh start for its future. Did they deserve it? Can you name a time he has given you a fresh start? Did you deserve it?

•    Israel was in exile in another country for 50 years because of their sin of rejecting God. When we sin, how does that feel like exile?

•    In Ezra 1, God accomplished his will through an unlikely source, a pagan king. Can non-believers really be a part of God’s plan for the world?

•    Think of the phrase, “Restoring the future.” How does God restore our future when he forgives our sin?   

What a wonderful day for a church when it holds dedication services for a new Family Life Center. What a sad day two years later as the church discusses the difficulty it is having paying the note on the debt of the Family Life Center.

The dream was that the new building would bring new ministries, thus bring new families into the church. The new families would bring tithes and offerings to pay the debt.

The “Field Of Dreams” approach “build it and they will come” does not always hold true. Nehemiah was brought into the building project for the walls of Jerusalem by God’s calling to meet his follower’s needs.

With so many problems facing our local communities, how does an individual or a church discern which ones to tackle? The first chapter of Nehemiah can give direction.

First, look for the need (Nehemiah 1:1-3). Nehemiah held a comfortable and wealthy position in Persia as the king’s cupbearer. When Nehemiah’s brother came to visit he asked “about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem (v. 2).” The answer from his brother moved his heart to help. The walls of Jerusalem had not been repaired and those who had survived the exile were vulnerable to attack.

The position Nehemiah held kept him isolated, and he had temporarily forgotten Judah’s humiliation. Sometimes all it takes to discover a person in need is asking a simple question, “How are you doing?” Allow the answer to be filtered by the Holy Spirit and reveal to you a plan of action.

Second, look for the reason (vv. 4-7). When Nehemiah heard about Jerusalem’s disgraceful condition, did he go back into the isolation of his nice position as the cupbearer?

Verse 4 gives insight to the relationship Nehemiah had with God: “For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” He wept for his fellow Jews and turned to God asking for understanding as to why Jerusalem was in the condition it was.

By reading his prayer, we learn it was sin that caused the downfall. He asked God for forgiveness not only for his people but also for himself. This was not a “quickie” prayer. This was a time for him to talk with God about ways to improve the situation. Once confession and forgiveness had occurred, it was time to move forward. Nehemiah sought the solution from God in how to build back the walls.   

Unfortunately, with email and text messaging fueling instant responses to our questions, believers forget that God desires intimate time with his children. Instant messaging may be what the world expects, but in our conversation time with God, this is not the case. Nehemiah has shown us how to find the reasons to be involved in kingdom work.

Third, look for the possibility (vv. 8-11). As Nehemiah talked with God, he remembered the instruction God had given Moses, “but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name (v.9).”

Repentance, followed by obedience to the commands of God, leads to restoration in our relationship with our Creator. Nehemiah found the encouragement and hope he needed to lead in this effort to build back the walls of Jerusalem.

Even though the project of building the wall was bigger than him, Nehemiah began to look for whom God could use to help get it off the ground. The cupbearer was in a unique position because he had the ear of the king.

What a blessing it is to recognize how God has placed us in positions of employment, civic leadership, and social groups to be used by him to accomplish his purposes.

During the fall of 1994, Woodland Place Baptist Church in Magnolia wanted to find a way to minister to people who had their homes destroyed or severely damaged by flooding. The flooding had hit really close to home. A church family had spent the night on top of their roof to escape the rising water that filled their home.

As health officials encouraged local residents to receive tetanus shots, the church saw a way to help by being a location to give free tetanus shots. Everything was in place to receive the vials of vaccine but the signature of a medical doctor was needed. The health department would not release the vaccines until a medical doctor signed the necessary paper work to take responsibility of liability.

The pastor’s wife sought a local physician who she served with on a mission trip to Mexico. The doctor said no because of his concern of liability. She did not waiver in her mission and began to ask others to pray for a solution.

During this time of prayer, she remembered Woodland Place had several nurses in its membership. She approached the doctor again, assuring him the nurses would be administering the vaccinations. The nurses would be watching for any side effects. The volunteer fire department would station an ambulance in the parking lot. The paper work was signed.

Be aware of God at work and keep pressing forward to discover his solution to meet the needs of others.

How would you like to have Isaiah for your pastor or as the legendary national evangelist during your lifetime? Isaiah would be incredibly qualified. Could you bond spiritually with Isaiah and accept his preaching? Or would his sermons, leadership, communication skills and pulpit presence be assessed with the typical Sunday accolades: “I enjoyed your message today,” or “You sure spoil us with your great sermons”? 

This is not just a rhetorical question for discussion in a Bible class. It is much more poignant, penetrating and practical. What really is involved is the expectation of our own response to the biblical truths by which Isaiah warns not only Judah but our nation, our culture, our government, our church and our families today.

God’s righteous expectations have not changed. Our God expects as much from our Christian family and secular nation, as he did from the nation Israel.

Born around 765-760 B.C. in Jerusalem, all of his life was spent in Judah, the southern half of the divided kingdom. Isaiah, meaning “salvation of Yahweh,” was in his early 20s when he was called to his prophetic ministry (Isaiah 6;1-8), which occurred in the year that Uzziah died (6:1) around 742 B.C. 

Isaiah was married and had at least two sons (7:3, 8:1-4). He lived 70 to 80 years and his prophetic ministry lasted some 50 years, during the last half of the eighth century. He addressed the nation of Judah during the reign of Uzziah, Jothan, Ahaz and Hezekiah (1:1). Manasseh succeeded Hezekiah and, according to tradition, had Isaiah “sawn asunder,” about 686 B.C.

Judah was experiencing a time of affluence and prosperity, of military strength, strong economy and national prominence. Assyria was the dominant power in the region, taking the northern kingdom, Israel, into captivity in 722 B.C., about 20 years after Isaiah was called. Seriously threatening Judah, near the end of the eighth century B.C., Assyria assaulted Judah, but God intervened to protect them.

Isaiah was no ordinary man and citizen. He was a valiant visionary, notable historian, statesman of patriotic stature, farsighted seer, brilliant communicator and, preeminently, a servant of God. He was spiritually mature, intensely energetic, patiently persistent, expectantly hopeful, authentically compassionate, boldly confrontational and courageous.  

The book of Isaiah provides the world with some of the most profound prose and poetry ever produced and one of Israel’s best literary pieces. The content is a treasure of biblical doctrine and a revelation of God’s mission in our world.

No doubt the most important of the eighth century prophets, Isaiah was wise beyond his years, a spiritual giant and ethically uncompromising. Isaiah spent his entire life desperately trying to save his nation from the consequence of moral decay, evil and rebellion against God. Amoz, Isaiah’s father, must have been proud.  

Background to advance the parable

Isaiah begins with his “vision concerning Judah” which includes, in chapters 1-5, the heart-breaking  insight and detailed description of what he saw and foresaw in the future of his beloved nation. The changes taking place before his very eyes were disturbing and destructive.

He used imagery to compare Israel to the ox and donkey, “The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand” (1:3). Israel had forsaken God as rebellious children forsake the love and teachings of their parents.

He saw his nation, without God, committing every imaginable sin of omission and commission. Speaking not for himself, but for the Lord (1:2), he begins the message of judgment with this: “See now, the Lord , the Lord Almighty, is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support” (3:1). Isaiah’s message clearly is a warning of impending doom and divine judgment. The purpose of God’s judgment is not for destruction but for restoration and renewal (4:2-6). Our own nation should receive and heed Isaiah’s warning.   

The parable: Divine expectation

Isaiah was a master of the use of imagery as a communication vehicle or medium to simplify and explain his foresight  and understanding of God’s judgment revealed to him. In the venue of the fall harvest festival, he presents his sermon through song and poetry.

His song is a parable of the vineyard. I only can assume that Isaiah sang this song at just the right moment in the best possible setting. The subtlety in the beginning of the song quickly is diffused and must have caused a shocking response to those who heard it or heard about it. His stature brought in the audience, and his words brought down the house.

Couched as a love song, Isaiah reminded the listeners of the love of God for his people, the whole nation of Israel. Then, the song became a subtrefuge for a sermon and the mechanism to mirror Judah’s soul. Like the prophet Nathan, who drew David to respond with anger at the story about the little ewe lamb and then said, “You, David, you are the one” (2 Samuel 12), Isaiah says, “Listen up Judah, you are the one.”

Awareness of God’s steadfast love (Isaiah 5:1-2)

Isaiah affirmed his love for God and God’s love for Israel (v. 1) in the preparation of the vineyard and its expected production. The vineyard on the hillside belonged to God who tilled it, cleared it of stones, planted it with the best of vintage grapevines, built a watchtower to protect it and dug out a wine press in expectation of the harvest. The message proclaims that God, lovingly and carefully, had done his work and steadfastly kept his covenant promises with the highest expectation of a great yield of fruitful production from Judah. The result was only rotten, unfit and unacceptable fruit.

America has received the blessings of the nurture of God in creating the most notable nation on earth with a lustrous history of success spiritually, socially and materially. For most of the world, we are the most enviable place on the planet. God has loved us with favor and blessings immeasurable like the choice vineyard. Should God not be as disappointed in America as he was Judah and Israel? Is there enough fruit to stay the hand of God’s judgment?  

Acknowledgment of God’s judgment (Isaiah 5:3-7)

The love song of the vineyard presents a truthful and bitter assessment of God’s disappointment and response. Judah lived in contempt and ingratitude of God’s steadfast love. Giving the people of Judah and Jerusalem an opportunity to evaluate the grace of God toward them, Isaiah asked the probing question, “What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it?” (v. 3).

Verse 7 makes it clear the judgment was not about a vineyard but about Judah to which he looked “for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress” (v. 7). God clearly defined his reaction. He would allow all the necessary enemies to destroy the vineyard and its vines. The blame for the devastation rests upon the shoulders of Israel because of her infidelity to God and her rebellious ways.  

Adoption of God’s standards (Isaiah 5:8-14)

The elaboration of the essential content of Judah’s sin continues (vv. 8-30) with a series of woes expressing deep grief, severe suffering and ruinous trouble under the judgment of God. Judah had spurned his love, perverted the right and good while rebelling against God’s statutes.

It is not clear if this section is a continuation of the parabolic song or an independent section to further define Judah’s sin and God’s threatening response. Nevertheless, the day of reckoning is close at hand as God “whistles” for the “distant nations” (v. 26) to participate in the discipline of his favored children. Isaiah pronounces six woes (vv. 8, 11, 18, 20, 21, 22) for specified sins with grievous consequences to follow, should God’s hand of protection fall away.

God has a standard of righteousness that he expects of His disciples. The warning is clear. When his standard, laws, principles, statutes and instructions are pushed aside, there will be divine consequences. These consequences have the purpose of restoration. God always allows people the choice of self-destruction but gives us the Bible, his song, to mirror the soul, reveal sin and call people back to him through forgiveness, reconciliation and redemption.  

The word “endure” might be used in a couple of different ways with similar, although not identical, meanings. On the one hand, it might mean a person is putting up with a difficult or painful situation because he really has no other choice in the matter.

Say, for example, an individual is suffering from a severe migraine headache. In describing what he is going through, that person might say, “I am enduring pain that is unimaginable.” True enough; but aside from taking medication and lying down in a dark room, he really doesn’t have much control over that situation. He endures because there is no other option.

But on the other hand, we also could use the word “endure” to describe what a person chooses to do in a difficult situation, even though he also could opt to avoid or escape the difficulty.

A marathon runner trains hard, works out, runs every day, and on the day of the race tolerates aching legs and a heaving chest in order to complete the race. He doesn’t have to do that; at any time he could say, “No more!” and simply stop. But he keeps his eyes on the finish line and endures to the end.

This final chapter in 2 Thessalonians reminds us of the importance of choosing to persevere faithfully in our commitment to Jesus Christ.

The chapter begins with the Apostle Paul’s request that the Thessalonians pray for him and his fellow evangelists, as well as for the work God had given them to do. He first asked them to pray that God’s message would “spread rapidly and be honored” (v. 1). The Greek word translated “spread” (KJV “have free course”) literally means to run, as in a race—that is, to continually move forward with purpose and direction.

We are reminded here of the divine promise contained in Isaiah 55:11: “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and will achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Paul also asked the Thessalonians to pray he and his fellow-workers would remain safe as they did the Lord’s work (v. 2). Many scholars believe Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians during his 18-month ministry in the city of Corinth, during his second missionary journey. If that indeed is the case, then Acts 18:1-17 sheds some light on what the apostle might have had in mind as he wrote these words asking for prayers for their deliverance. Paul’s request arose not out of a desire for personal ease and comfort; his great concern was that nothing happen that might impede his ability to effectively share the gospel message.

This passage is just one of many times when Paul requested his readers support him and his ministry through prayer. Some of those other occasions can be found in Romans 15:30-32, 2 Corinthians 1:9-11, Ephesians 6:19-20 and Colossians 4:3-4. Paul knew his ministry could not effectively be separated from the prayers of others on his behalf.

There is a story about the great baseball catcher Yogi Berra which says that during a certain critical game, the score was tied with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. The batter stepped into the batter’s box and used his bat to trace the sign of the cross in the dust covering home plate. Berra leaned over and wiped off the plate with his catcher’s mitt and then said to the batter, “Why don’t we let God just watch this game?”

God is not merely a disinterested spectator in our lives, and certainly not in the work we do in his name; he is a deeply-involved participant. Indeed, it is his work we are doing, not our own.

T.W. Hunt has written: “The most important work of all work is spiritual work. Spiritual work can only be accomplished by spiritual methods, and the only mover in any spiritual project must be God himself.”

The encouragement to faithfully persevere is given a different emphasis in the next several verses, where Paul warned against idleness within the church family (vv. 6-12).

It has been suggested this warning had become necessary because of the keen interest the Thessalonians had in the return of Christ. Possibly some of the members of their church had become so convinced the Lord would be returning quickly that they had quit their jobs in anticipation.

Whatever the reason for the idleness of some, those unemployed individuals had become a drain on the resources of the church. Worse yet, without work to keep them busy those certain individuals had become meddlesome in the affairs of others. The NIV translates the apostle’s words very cleverly: “They are not busy, they are busybodies” (v. 11).

Paul reminded them of the example of industry and diligence he himself had set during his time among them, and instructed the Thessalonians to follow that example (vv. 7-9). The rule the apostle had taught them while he was with them in person still held true: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat” (v. 10).

This in no way is to deny that there are some individuals who are limited by physical disability or other special circumstances, and thus are incapable of working to support themselves. It is a simple acknowledgement of the principle that if a person is able to work to provide for his needs and those of his family he ought to do so, rather than being dependent upon the charity of others.

Verses 13-15 conclude Paul’s warning against indolence with instructions about how to deal with the offending brother. Just as those idle people had the duty to live in a responsible manner, the church had the responsibility to exercise loving discipline if those individuals refused to do so. The church was to deal with those people in a way which hopefully would produce shame and a desire to repent. The goal of church discipline is always restoration to fellowship: “Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother” (v. 15).

The book of 2 Thessalonians closes with prayer for peace (v. 16)—not merely the absence of conflict, but the presence of spiritual health and wholeness which touches and transforms every area of life—and for greater experience and awareness of God’s marvelous grace (v. 18). Both grace and peace are essential assets on which we rely as we anticipate that the Lord will “direct [our] hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance” (v. 5).

Prayer is so often our last resort—words thrown to the wind in hopes the wind will know where to carry them. When life seems out of control and bad things are happening, we’re forced to admit we don’t know what we’re doing. That’s when we look toward heaven to see if perhaps God is paying attention.

But prayer isn’t meant to be a 9-1-1 call to heaven. Prayer is more aptly compared to the lifeline securing an astronaut to his spaceship when he goes out on a spacewalk. Prayer supplies us oxygen to live in a non-life-sustaining environment. It provides communication with the commander. And it keeps us from drifting off into the dark unknown.

If we want our prayers to be more powerful, we must understand the purpose of prayer and we must be faithful to keep the lifeline open. Then, as Jesus did, we’ll know how to pray and what to pray for.

Life in a non-life-sustaining environment

Let’s face it, our daily walk through the world can be poison to our faith. It’s easy to believe we must conform to the pattern of this world if we are to survive in it. But conforming to the world requires us to stop emulating Jesus. We can’t look like the world and our Savior too. “We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us” (1 Corinthians 2:12).

In the world, we’re exposed to doubt and sin, which are fatal to faith. Through prayer we renew our faith and strengthen our connection to God.

Communication with the commander

For Jesus and the disciples, prayer was not a last resort. Jesus prayed first, then acted. His goal? “… I do exactly what my Father has commanded me …” (John 14:31). The leaders of the early church understood this was the secret to Jesus’ ministry, and they followed his example, delegating responsibility for everyday ministry needs so they could devote themselves to prayer and preaching (Acts 6:4).

We think of prayer as talking to God. But according to Jesus, prayer involves listening as well. How else did he know what the Father was telling him to do? Prayer is communication with God. It involves an exchange, a give and take.

On a space walk, an astronaut must stay receptive to hear instructions from his crewmembers onboard the spaceship. In the same way, we must learn to listen as well as talk to God. What he has to say to us is far more important than the things we have to tell him.

Protection from drifting into the dark void

Insects are drawn to the light. We aren’t always that focused. It’s easy for us to be distracted by the “dark” things of this world.

Prayer connects us to our source of light, which helps us recognize the shadows we should avoid. “A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light” (John 11:9-10).

For us, Jesus is the light. When we pray, we secure our mooring to him and protect ourselves from the likelihood of falling away.

What does Jesus pray for?

In John 17, Jesus prays for himself, his disciples and us. For himself, he prays to glorify God by doing the work he was sent to do. For the disciples and us, he focuses on three things: oneness, protection and sanctification through his word.

A strong theme in Jesus’ teachings is oneness. He tells us he is in the Father and the Father in him, and he commands us to be one with him. He repeats this concern in his prayer. “May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21).

Oneness isn’t just about feeling good. It unites us into the body of Christ. Remember in 1 Corinthians 12, where Paul speaks about spiritual gifts? He says, “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many part; and though all its parts are many, they form one body” (v. 12).

Only through unity can we perform the work of Christ as a church body. Jesus prays for oneness so we can better perform the work we were sent to do. Through oneness we will glorify God.

Jesus also prays for our protection because he knows how hard it is to maintain faith in a world that isn’t unified in him. He doesn’t pray for God to remove us from the challenges of this world, but for God to protect us from the evil one. Then in his next breath, he prays for our sanctification through the truth. Jesus knows we can easily be led astray when our beliefs aren’t founded on truth. Only truth can keep us safely tethered to God. So he asks, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).

Related to oneness and protection, Jesus prays for a special covering through the power of his name. “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me” (John 17:11-12).

Jesus’ prayers are powerful and effective because he knows who he is, and his faith is perfect. If our prayers are going to be more effective, we need to grasp the power available through Jesus’ name. As believers, we belong to God, which means his name is our shield. If we can grasp this truth, we can pray in faith and power simply because we are children of the Most High God.

Learning to pray

As toddlers, we learn to speak by imitating our parents and older siblings. As we learn to pray, we shouldn’t do any differently. Jesus sets a good example by staying connected to God through prayer and listening as often as he speaks to the Father. He also gives us examples of prayer so we can understand how we should pray.

It’s important to realize Jesus never prays for anything outside the Father’s will. Even on the Mount of Olives, when Jesus prays for release from the suffering he knows is coming, he qualifies his prayer. After expressing his heart, he says, “Yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). His prayers always revolve around God’s work and not his own.

If we were to imitate Jesus, we would change the themes of our prayers. We’d ask for God to be glorified. We’d pray for God’s love, forgiveness, unity, joy and protection. We’d pray for others more than we pray for ourselves. And we’d learn to listen.

In the words of Margaret Gibb, president of Women Alive, “We must move from asking God to take care of the things that are breaking our hearts, to praying about the things that are breaking his heart.”

What are some things we should pray for?
• That we develop a true understanding of God and Jesus and their purpose for our lives.
• That God would release the power of his name into our lives, protecting us from the enemy.
• That we would experience joy, even in the midst of opposition.
• That we would know the truth and the truth would sanctify us.
• That we would be one, just as God and Jesus are one.
• That we would understand the love of God for us.
• That we would learn to rest in Jesus and let him rest in him.

Discussion questions

• How powerful do you feel your prayers have been?

• What one change could you make to your prayers to make them more effective?

Last week, we took a closer look at the crucifixion of Christ. Now, we will incorporate his life and death in our mission field by looking at the example he set of making disciples.

At the start of our Scripture passage (Matthew 28:1-10), Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. While Scripture is not perfectly clear as to whether the women are at the tomb when the earthquake takes place or if they arrive afterward, they do see an angel of the Lord is present and has rolled back the stone to reveal an empty tomb to the women. He then speaks to them, and delivers the message that Christ is risen, just as he said he would.

Mary Magdalene and Mary run off to tell the disciples, and suddenly Jesus is accompanying them on the road. He tells them “do not be afraid,” and sends them to bring the disciples to Galilee.

It is interesting to note that in Matthew’s account of the resurrection, the women play a more important role than the disciples. They are the first to hear about his new life, and Jesus reveals himself to them before the disciples. This is evidence to us that everyone plays an important role in making disciples for Christ. 

The next verses we are looking at are very well known. In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus meets the disciples on a mountain in Galilee where he gives them what is now known as the Great Commission: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

From small children to adults, Matthew 28:18-20 often is used to emphasize the importance of participating in and financially supporting mission work. There are several special offerings throughout the year to give specifically to missions, and that’s not including the youth group fundraisers. While mission trips are important, effective ways of spreading Christ’s message, it is just as important to make sure we do not lose the meaning of making disciples.

Throughout the Gospel, Jesus gives us perfect examples of what it means to make disciples. After all, isn’t that how they came to be known as the 12 disciples? In Matthew 4:18-22, Jesus is walking along and calls Peter and Andrew, then James and John to become fishers of men. Luke 6:12-16 names all 12 disciples: Simon called Peter, Andrew, James, John, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot. The Gospels are the stories of Jesus walking through life with his disciples and the lessons he taught them, which are shared with us.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a disciple is defined as one who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another. If we apply this definition to the Great Commission and expound on it a bit, we are called to “go and make disciples, followers who embrace and assist in the spreading of Christ’s message, of all nations, baptizing, to purify their lives by gift of his death, them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching, to impart knowledge, them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

To make disciples for Christ does not automatically equate to overseas missions. For some people it may, but for others, it means taking a high school student to go get a soft drink and talking about what’s going on in their lives. It could be mowing a neighbor’s lawn, babysitting for a single parent to give them a night off, or serving at a homeless shelter and taking the time to hear their stories and how they ended up where they are. Every person has a story to share; they’re usually just waiting for someone to care enough to ask about it.

As we begin to wrap up our study of Matthew, take some time to focus Jesus’ resurrection, the Great Commission and how they apply to our individual lives.  Remember that Christ called all of his followers to spread his message and you can make a difference by listening to someone else’s story.

Questions for discussion

• Is it a challenge for you to apply the Great Commandment to your own life? Do you see it as more of a mission commandment?

• What does “make disciples” mean to you and what do you need to do to be more faithful in carrying out Jesus’ command?

It has been said that if two people agree on absolutely everything, then one of them is unnecessary. That statement is a rather facetious acknowledgement of the fact that on any given topic of study or conversation among any given group of individuals, it is going to be difficult to find 100 percent agreement among all those present. 

That fact makes an appropriate introduction to this week’s Bible study, because the study passage focuses on Christ’s return—and there is perhaps no other area of Christian doctrine in which there is more divergence of opinion among believers than the return of the Lord Jesus. A person might easily become overwhelmed by the number of varying interpretations of those scripture passages which speak of the Second Coming of Christ.

Ours is by no means the first generation of Christians to experience uncertainty or disagreement over the Lord’s return. Our study passage demonstrates there was some confusion on this subject among the Christians at Thessalonica, even to the point that some of the Thessalonians were concerned the Day of the Lord might already have come, and somehow they had missed out on that event (vv. 1-2).

We marvel at how the Thessalonians might have been deluded into such an erroneous belief. How, we wonder, could a Christian believe the Lord Jesus Christ would return in such a way that his followers are unaware of his coming? 

Part of the answer to that question might lie in the fact that those rumors were being falsely tied to the Apostle Paul himself. Evidently, some were claiming Paul had spoken prophetic words or written letters indicating the Day of the Lord already had come—claims the apostle strongly disavowed (vv. 2-3). But even though those statements were patently false, the fact that Paul’s name had been attached to them gave them weight with the Thessalonians, who doubtless held the apostle in the highest regard.

To settle their fears, the apostle reminded them of some vital facts related to the Lord's return that he already had taught them during the time he had spent with them in person (v. 5). We easily can hear Paul encouraging them, “Don’t let yourself be confused or persuaded by false teachings concerning the Lord’s return; be convinced in your own mind of the truth.”

This passage might be taken as a warning against placing too much weight on the words of others concerning the second coming of Christ, rather than what the Scripture says. Walk into any Christian bookstore and you will find dozens of volumes on both the fiction and nonfiction shelves thematically tied to Christ’s return. Those books can be valuable aids to the study of Scripture, and many persons have their favorite authors to whom they turn for guidance on the doctrine of Last Things.

But we must be careful that our beliefs concerning the Lord’s return are derived from Scripture rather than from popular literature.

One of the things Paul already had taught the Thessalonians concerning Christ’s return—and which he reminded them of on this occasion—was that certain other events had to take place before the Lord appeared. Among those other events will be a time of great rebellion against God, as well as the appearance of the one whom Paul called the “man of lawlessness” (which many students of Scripture see as a reference to the Antichrist). A comparison of the NIV translation “man of lawlessness” and the KJV “man of sin” is interesting in light of 1 John 3:4: “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.”

The fact that Paul stated the Lord would not return until after that “man of lawlessness” had appeared does not imply Paul was convinced the return of Christ would occur (from his perspective) quickly, or even within his own lifetime. The apostle also was not attempting to help the Thessalonians create a systematic timeline of events leading up to and culminating in the second coming of Christ; he simply was reminding them certain things would be taking place before the Lord returns. Those first things had not yet taken place, and so it was not possible that Christ should have yet come back.

We cannot be absolutely certain about what Paul might have been referring to in verses 6-8—specifically, what that restraining power is which currently is holding the powers of lawlessness in check, but which will be removed prior to Christ’s return. Once again there are a number of explanations which have been offered as to the identity of who or what that restraining power is, but we cannot be dogmatic about it. But although we cannot be certain about the identities of these personalities described in the passage, we can rest in the assurance that God is in charge of the timing of all these events.

The concepts of lawlessness and God’s judgement of sin are explored further in verses 9-12. God will use their own error to punish those who choose to believe lies and delight in wickedness rather than accepting and living according to the truth (vv. 11-12). This passage calls to mind statements Paul made in Romans 1, where the apostle wrote God’s judgment consists in part of him giving sinful people over to their own sins (Romans 1:24, 26, 28).

The study passage closes with words of commendation and encouragement from Paul to the Thessalonians. He was thankful for their inclusion in God’s saving and sanctifying work (vv. 13-14), and reminded them to “stand firm and hold to the teachings” that he had communicated to them in person and by letter (v. 15).

You might have heard it said that U.S. Treasury agents are trained to spot counterfeit currency by spending hours upon hours studying the genuine article. By thoroughly knowing what a real $20 bill looks like, an agent will have a firm standard in his mind against which to compare and detect fraud. In a similar way, a thorough familiarity with the truth of Scripture will give us a ready standard against which error can be detected.

This encouragement in verse 15 to hold fast to the truth makes a fitting conclusion to our study of this passage. Whether we are talking about the return of Christ or any other area of Christian doctrine, there are basic biblical truths we must hang onto. We can remain calm in the face of numerous and confusing winds of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14), because the truth will give us a standard against which we can compare and measure what we read and hear from others.

This week, we’re reading out of John, where Jesus delivers his last lecture to the disciples. The point of his lesson is not prayer per se, but throughout the lesson, Jesus continually returns to the su0bject of prayer. Actually, the theme of Jesus’ lesson is faith. It’s a unique teaching, however, because instead of focusing on what we should believe in, it focuses on how to live as if we believe in it.

Jesus wants us to understand faith isn’t founded on knowledge about him, but on a life grafted in him. He gives us three points to remember and then relates each one to the subject of prayer.

First, we must understand the source of all power. “The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work” (John 14:10). Prayer itself is nothing more than words. Unless we are plugged in to the power source—God himself—our prayers will fall flat.

Second, we must plug into the power source through obedience. “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23). Just as Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in him, we can be in Jesus and Jesus in us. But we can only achieve this level of oneness by committing to obey Jesus even when it doesn’t make sense.

And finally, we must remain plugged in by grafting our lives into Jesus. “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:4). This grafting process occurs through a love relationship with God. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love” (John 15:9).

Four times Jesus tells his disciples they can have powerful, effective prayers:

John 14:13-14. “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

John 15:7. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”

John 15:16. “Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”

John 16:23-24. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

Jesus tells them three of the four times to pray in his name. In every instance, he tells them they can ask whatever they wish and it will be granted. Yet Jesus never teaches faith as a source for earthly happiness.

Quite the contrary. In John 15:19, he says: “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” So in Jesus’ name isn’t meant to be a magical addition to the end of every prayer, making it more effective. Instead, in Jesus’ name is the position of an effective prayer.

The proper position of prayer

When we pray, we must be in a right position in relation to God. Jesus repeatedly says he is in the Father. But this isn’t a temporary position. Jesus doesn’t walk through Galilee outside the Father and then step into the Father when it’s time to pray, as if the Father were a prayer closet. Jesus lives in right position, always leaning on and listening to the Father, always obeying him.

In John 14:12-14, Jesus says if we have faith, we’ll continue his work. If we continue his work, we’ll do even greater things than he did. And if we bring glory to God’s name by continuing his work, we can ask anything in his name, and it will be granted. It isn’t that we can have anything we want if we say a few special words. We can have anything we want if we want what God wills. And we can only want what the Father wills if we live in Jesus.

In John 15:7, Jesus tells us we must remain in him and allow his words to remain in us. His word is living and true. It also can be life changing if we open our hearts to it. By reading Scripture, meditating on it and responding to it, we will develop a heart for God. Additionally, John 15:8 says it will result in “much fruit,” which will glorify God.

Jesus’ next reference to prayer, John 15:16, places the condition of fruitfulness on powerful prayer. Jesus has been talking about his Father’s love for us. He then commands us to love one another. The act of sharing God’s love with others draws them to God. This is the fruitfulness Jesus is talking about. But we can only be fruitful if we are operating in Jesus.

Then in John 16:23-24, Jesus tells the disciples a day is coming when they can freely ask the Father for anything. Jesus is speaking about his resurrection and ascension into heaven. “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). Because of the work Jesus performed on the cross, we are saved through faith. And because he returned to heaven, we have the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. We also have personal, immediate access to God.

Aligning ourselves with Jesus

So can we really receive anything we ask in prayer? Yes, if we are in right position when we ask.

When we pray in Jesus’ name, we are praying from a position in Jesus. To achieve this position, we must be parallel to him, walking beside him or residing within him. We must be walking in faith, doing the work of Jesus. We must be obeying his teachings, loving others with God’s love. And we must be listening to the Spirit, following his promptings.

When we live our faith to this degree, we can’t help but want what Jesus wants. His will becomes our will, and our prayers reflect this shift in focus. It isn’t that we can have anything on earth we want. We can have anything in God’s heart if we’ll only ask. The key is asking from inside Jesus’ heart—in Jesus’ name.

Discussion questions

• Have you ever experienced a powerful answer to prayer? Describe your attitude when you prayed the prayer. Do you believe you prayed the prayer in perfect faith?

• Jesus says we can continue his work on a greater scale than he did if we only have faith. What would this look like? How do you think people would receive it?

We have traveled a long road through the Gospel of Matthew and we find ourselves at the passages that mark the tragic end of Jesus’ life and the most shocking visual statement of the Christian faith. Humanity killed our God in the most horrific way imaginable. It was something Jesus had hinted toward throughout his teachings, but it had always gone unnoticed. 

The story, though, is not one singular event. There is an entire evening where the actions of each of the cast of characters play a part in the final outcome of the story. It begins with Jesus at the Passover table serving the Last Supper to his disciples (Matthew 26:26-30).

Breaking of the bread and the passing of the cup recorded here would have been unusual, to say the least, for a typical Passover meal. Jesus probably would have engendered some strange looks from his disciples as he was changing the ancient traditions they all were used to. What was he doing? What did he mean by these things?
 
The actions Jesus told the disciples to take would amount to cannibalism according to the law. What was he trying to say to them?

Can you imagine your pastor saying these things from the pulpit on a Sunday morning? Of course not. Your pastor is not the Son of God, but this change from the traditional order laid out for the feast still would have been an unusual occurrence in this setting.

Jesus is trying to tell them what is going to happen, and how their salvation will be structured; not in the law of Moses, but in the body of the Christ. Unlike anywhere else in the Gospel, Jesus is bringing an image before them to reinforce the teaching. He is trying to warn them of his death, but again, they don’t understand the urgency Jesus is trying to convey.

Matthew 27:11-14 places Jesus before Pilate, and the Roman Procurator gets directly to the point. If Jesus declared himself king of the Jews it would be a capital offence to Roman law. Pilate, seeing an innocent man before him, gives him a way out, but Jesus tells him the allegations are true; he is the king of the Jews. Jesus has, in essence, sealed his fate. He has but one reply; all other charges placed upon Jesus are met by silence instead of a heated rebuttal. 

Golgotha is a desolate place outside the walls of Jerusalem where enemies of the empire were sent to execution. A gruesome sight lies before the eyes of the people as three men are hung on crosses by nails. The Roman crucifixion is thought to be the most inhumane system of execution ever invented by humanity. The amount of pain inflicted upon the victim alone would have been enough to drive most insane.

Scripture tells us Jesus occupied the center cross where a sign was placed over his head giving him the title king of the Jews (Matthew 27:37). Here in this place, as I said before, God was killed by humanity. It is the agony of Jesus as he cries out, and the responses of the people as they mock the man who came to save them, that should sway our hearts. In Matthew’s Gospel, there is no thief who comes to the defense of Jesus. No one defends the actions of the man from Galilee. 

It is a different story than we are used to. Typically, we read Luke or John at this juncture and recount the scene where one thief rebukes the other for mocking Jesus, but Matthew paints a darker tale. Here, there are no disciples close by. There are no friendly faces. His mother is not there weeping. Everyone has abandoned the Christ.

At the sixth hour of the day, darkness falls on the land (Matthew 27:45) and Jesus’ cry of God’s abandon leads us to believe God was even vacant from the scene. Let us remember that throughout the Scriptures, especially in the Old Testament, clouds and darkness signify God’s presence during the daylight hours. When Moses went to the top of the mountain in Exodus, a cloud obscured the peak of the mountain while God spoke to Moses. At Jesus’ death, when the weight of sin was most heavily upon Jesus, God was not far. At that time, more so than any other, the Father was close to the Son; weeping as he suffered. 

God had forsaken Christ, not by being absent, but by being present when Christ most felt shame. The cross, with which we adorn our walls and hang on our necks, was not a beautiful picture to any of the people present. It was a shameful reminder of what happened when someone opposed the empire. At that moment, God felt shame; the most human of experiences.
 
Questions for discussion

• Is it right for God to be present at the crucifixion? Why or why not?

• Is Matthew’s depiction of the crucifixion different from the story we are used to? Why should we discuss something as depressing as this?