Unity Presbyterian Church

Sorry I have not been able to post my sermons for a while. Here a series I just finished on Prayer. May it bless your reflections this Lenten season.

Three Part Sermon Series on Prayer

“Everything by Prayer”

Scripture Psalm 36: 5-10 and Philippians 4:5-9

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ January 20, 2013

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Sunday

Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana

Psalm 36: 5-10 read responsively

In the heart of this psalm are words of praise and of trust in the wideness of God's mercy which extends not only to all people of the world but also to all of creation.

⁵Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.

⁶Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.
⁷How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
⁸They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
⁹For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
¹⁰O continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your salvation to the upright of heart!

Philippians 4:5-9
Paul writes this letter full of love from a Roman prison. Often, prisons of this kind were dug out of solid rock and were underground. Prisoners, their guards, and their provisions were lowered through an opening the size of a manhole. This manhole was the only means of entrance and exit. Rain and debris often dropped into this "house of darkness." Waste rarely found its way out.[1] Out of such a pit comes these words of hope.

Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

SERMON

There are many times in our lives when we need to make quick decisions. When driving a car, or something catches fire requires quick decision making. Not much time for reflection of even prayer except the proverbial “Oh My God!” But to make good decisions in such moments of crisis there usually has been time of training or refection on what to do if… so Paul from his prison tells the church in Philippi to put everything through the discipline of prayer. That means that if you are praying throughout your day, prayer will become a common source of wisdom for your actions even rapid ones. So as we walk through this journey to better understand pray, I ask you to practice at least daily prayer. If this is new to you, you are going to learn some amazing things about God, about yourself and about your relationship with God. If you are a long time participant in a conversation with God, I will ask that you spend more time in silence waiting on the Lord to reveal your purpose and direction for these days.

If you have picked up the annual report, you have seen my official notice of retirement at the end of May this year. I ask that you be in prayer for your new pastoral leadership. What form and who that will be God really only knows. But if a whole congregation is in prayer for new leadership, God will be able to do even more amazing things for Unity. Here is a little snippet as to why I ask you to pray. It is very common that ordination exams are given during the month of February. These are five intense examines on the Bible, Exegetical Study, Polity, Worship and Theology. If God has called a new seminary graduate to be your new pastoral leader, you can then say “Even though I did not know you, I was praying for you when you were taking your exams.”

When Paul was still Saul he was blinded by the light of God on the road to Damascus. In his prayer he sees a man laying hands on him named Ananias. Ananias also in prayer is told by God to heal Paul. He does not want to do this because Saul has been persecuting the church[2]

But the power of pray is that in conversation with God we see the world in a whole new way.

I have always loved hidden pictures. When you first look as this picture you see like an old wrinkled face in the center and part of a hand to the left. On closer examination there is a profile of a dragon to right of the face. Now examine the picture rotated to the right and see a woman and child praying. Here is something amazing. Turn the picture back and you still see the woman and child. Prayer rotates our view and we see the world in a whole new way. We see enemies as friends, strangers to be welcomed and love abounds. Amen.

[3]

[1]Prisons in Paul's World by Bob Fraser see: http://www.mpumc.org/uploads/file/Prisons%20in%20Paul.pdf

[2]See Acts 9:3-8

[3]Email from Jane Kohr, picture from the children’s book “Children of the East River” illustrated by Kim Jae Hong of Korea. To see the woman and child in prayer turn the page to the right or tilt your head to the left.

Teach Us to Pray

Three Part Sermon Series on Prayer

Scripture Psalm 19: 7-14 and Luke 11: 1-13

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ January 27, 2013

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE

Psalm 19: 7-14

Here is a prayer to God asking for direction and affirming God’s place in both nurturing us and instructing us in right living.

⁷The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple;

⁸the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes;

⁹the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

¹⁰More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.

¹¹Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

¹²But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.

¹³Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Luke 11: 1-13

This is a wonderful example of Jesus’ teaching style. He gives an example to follow and then tells a story to illuminate our understanding of his message.

He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”²He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.³Give us each day our daily bread.⁴And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”⁵And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;⁶for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’⁷And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’⁸I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.⁹“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.¹⁰For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.¹¹Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish?¹²Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion?¹³If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

SERMON

Our model of prayer which we call The Lord’s Prayer is simple and so beautifully elegant it has become a liturgical prayer used throughout the world. But it was originally used as an example in Jesus’ teaching. There are many forms and styles of prayer but none so easy to remember and use than this gentle prayer of petition. In worship we are more likely to know prayers of confession, intercession and thanksgiving than petition. Petition is what we need from God. It is about laying our burdens down so we can pick up what God has called us to do. In that light let us look at The Lord’s Prayer as a model of communal prayer. Though it speak of many thing that we need as individuals:food, forgiveness and protection from evil forces. It speaks in the plural format. For in community we are stronger and healthier when we share what we need. So as you pray these very familar words be conscious of all those who pray with you.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

For individual prayer I believe we have to begin with the practice of breathing. The fine art of breathing the breath of God into our lives gives us a chance to exhale all that harms us. Breathe in the positive and exhale the negative. (take time to practice breathing deeply, holing your breath and then exhale slowly do this three times) Not how you feel after this practice.

Prayer and movement: In a sedentary life such as many of us live, prayer can be done by walking through the park or following a labyrinth path or dancing.

Studying God’s Word as prayer called Lectio Divina (Latin for divine reading) is a traditional Benedictine practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word.

Taking from our Luke passage to “… ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. The four stages of Lectio divina as taught by John of the Cross follow this admonition of Jesus: to Seek in reading and you will find in meditation; knock in prayer and it will be opened to you in contemplation.

Silence – “Be still and know that I am God.” Taking time to be quiet and listen to God speak to you. This is the most precious time of all. Quiet all the "grocier lists of things you want and problems you have. Be very still and just listen. Look at scripture from which this wisdom comes.

Psalm 46

¹God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

²Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; ³though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. ..

¹⁰“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” ¹¹The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

In our silence we can hear the voice of God. Amen.

In All Things Give Thanks

Scripture: I Thessalonians 5:15-23

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ February 3, 2013

with Celebration of our Lord’s Supper and sermon series on Prayer

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE

I Thessalonians 5:15-23

There are times in our lives when we want to do anything but give thanks. We are hurt and angry and we would rather see retribution fall on our enemies than forgiveness and love. Yet Paul says give thanks in all things. In fact he paints a beautiful picture of living in a community of love over flowing with thanksgiving.

¹⁵See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.

¹⁶Rejoice always,¹⁷pray without ceasing,¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit.²⁰Do not despise the words of prophets,²¹but test everything; hold fast to what is good;²²abstain from every form of evil.

²³May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

SERMON

On October 3, 1863, President Lincoln (in conjunction with Congress) made this Thanksgiving Proclamation:

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.[1]

From our own Book of Order, the elements for worship include a Great Prayer of Thanksgiving of which the gathered community of God offer thanksgiving for:

a. all that God has done through creation, redemption, and sanctification;

b. God’s working in the world and in the Church in spite of human sin;

c. the coming of the Kingdom of God.[2]

The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving or Eucharistic Prayer or Communion prayer is the prayer given by whoever presides at the table of our Lord. Often it has traditional liturgical parts incorporated in it such as; “Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.” This tradition of prayer has been passed down (with variations) through centuries of Christian worship; its origins are thought to be in the third century, although prayers of thanksgiving are found in the very beginning of the Bible.[3]

Giving thanks after you have survived a rough time or received great news is important but far easier than giving thanks in all circumstance. Here is where the rubber of faith meets the road of life. Can you pray "Thank you God," when everyone seems against you? Can you give thanks when you are filled with fear, anger or even hate? For Paul who walked a journey of suffering such testing brought him closer to God in prayer:

a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated.⁸Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me,⁹but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.¹⁰Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.[4]

The next time you suffer offer up this simple mantra:

Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord.

It will change you and bring you closer to God who is our strength. For us he was born, for us he died and on the night he was betrayed by a friend, he gave thanks. Amen.