Sermon September 8, 2024
Teach us to Pray
Since so many people are reluctant to lead us in prayer, I thought I
would do a sermon on how to pray. I am by no means an expert and
have had many difficulties praying myself and also with others. But
first a little background about me.
In 1995 our church decided to institute the Stephen Ministers Program.
This was Jeff’s idea to help him minister to members who were going
through difficult times after losing someone, going through a divorce,
going through an illness, being home bound or lonely OR any other
numerous requests. Stephen Ministers were to meet with people who
requested someone to come on a weekly basis. Throughout the year
we had 4 people who were willing to go and be trained as Stephen
Leaders. Adam Battles went to Washington, DC, Liz Demerest went to
Florida, Jeff went to Pittsburg, and I went to Seattle. We all went for a
week’s intense training to become Stephen Leaders and returned to
train others in the congregation to become Stephen ministers. Liz was
the referrals coordinator matching people, known as care receivers
who were requesting a Stephen Minister who were known as care
givers. Adam was in charge of supervision who helped Stephen
Ministers if they had problems with care receivers. Everything was
confidential and no names were ever spoken. Jeff knew the
congregation and encouraged people to ask for a Stephen Minister
and oversaw the whole program. Since I was a teacher, they naturally
assumed I was qualified to teach anything and I taught the year long
training for those who wanted to be a Stephen Ministers. There are 26
different topics which are included in the training.
Two of the most important sessions taught people how to listen. Over
the years, I also had the honor and privilege to being with numerous
care receivers every week after week, month after month and year
after year. I’m sure if you ask anyone who had been a Stephen
Minister, it was one of the most rewarding experiences to be with those
people sharing their concerns. You developed a friendship and
became a confidant to your care receivers and they told you everything
knowing that you would never divulge anything that was said.
In 2000, Jeff was in the pulpit sharing joys and concerns and he
said Irma Wanser was very ill and did not have long to live. If we
wanted to see her, we should go this week. I didn’t know if she had a
Stephen Minister but I thought I should go because I didn’t think many
other people would volunteer. I was even a little scared because I was
afraid of saying the wrong thing. As a Stephen Minister, visiting with
my care receivers and praying with them was easy. After visiting them
for weeks or months, and listening to them about their concerns I knew
what they wanted to pray for. But Irma was not my care receiver and I
didn’t know her thoughts or her heart. Then I remembered what Jeff
had said at one of my training sessions on prayer. He said, I usually
ask the person what they would like to pray for”. I went and Irma and I
had a nice visit and I asked if she wanted to pray and what she wanted
to pray for. Now since Irma was not my care receiver, I can share this
with you. Irma asked me to pray for her husband ,Don. She was
afraid he would be lost without her. She asked me to pray for her
daughter, Diane. Irma was always Diane’s advocate. Jeff was so right-
just ask what they want to pray for. For forty years, Jeff has been
teaching us how to pray. Every week he would get up and ask us if we
have any joys or concerns. He never had a script but just asked and
we shared our joys and concerns.
Haven’t you ever marveled at Jeff when he asked for our joys and
concerns and the youngest in the congregration have asked him to
pray for a lost pet or for their mom’s birthday. Jeff has been teaching
each one of us how to pray for forty years. In fact, at Jeff’s retirement
party, one of my favorite memories for his memory book was his gift at
teaching us to pray. On September 5, 2000, Irma died and at her
funeral one of her hymns was “Here I am Lord.” That was, I believe ,
the first time we ever sang that song in this church. I think it was one
of Irma’s favorites from her Methodist days.
In Matthew 6: 6 Jesus said that when you pray, go away by
yourself, all alone and shut the door behind you and pray to your
Father secretly, and your Father, who knows your secrets, will
reward you.
Sometimes you might think you don’t have a spiritual gift of prayer.
But of all the spiritual gifts listed in the Bible, prayer isn’t one of them.
Maybe that is because God wants each of us to pray faithfully, so that
we can see WHAT ONLY He can do. Prayer is meant to be sincere
and from the heart. So use that time to talk to GOD and pray for others
each day.
Now as I said, I was the educator for Stephen Ministers. Since there is
no instruction in the Bible, as a help in learning how to pray, there is an
acronym that anyone can use. Being a math teacher, I’m really good
with formulas and acronym so this was right up my alley. The Acronym
is ACTS like the book of ACTS. This is just a guide to organize your
thoughts and requests. ACTS stands for Adoration, Confession,
Thanksgiving, and Supplication. This acronym was first published in a
periodical ” The Continent” in 1883.
Number 1: A stands for Adoration. “Our Father who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be your name” is how Jesus started his prayer when his
disciples asked him to teach them to pray. Our Father, Our Redemer,
Our Creator, Our Friend. Psalm 100:5 The Lord is good. His mercy
is everylasting. However, you want to name God. Acknowledge that
he is the Creator and Giver of all.
Number 2: C stands for Confession. We have all confessed our sins
when we did Confession of sins. God already knows what we have
done wrong and by confessing our sins we acknowledge and admit our
shortcomings.
In Psalm32: 3-5 it says, Before I confessed my sins, my bones felt
limp, and I groaned all day long. Night and day your hand
weighed heavily on me, and my strength was gone as in the
summer heat. So, I confessed my sins to you, I said, “I’ll tell the
Lord each one of my sins.” Then You forgave me and took away
my guilt.
As a parent just think of the times your children have done something
wrong or hurt a sibling. We have often told one sibling to just say
you’re sorry. Hasn’t that taken a load off your mind. We’ve told God
that we are sorry and have asked for forgiveness. And agree that we
need Jesus to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Number 3: T stands for Thanksgiving. Here we can rejoice in our joys.
For the beautiful day, our milestones, our family, our friends.
In 1 st Thessalonians 5:18 it says, “in everything give thanks; for
this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus”.
This does not mean to give thanks for only the good things but in
everything give thanks!!! the bad as well. Give thanks for God being
with us during trying times. Give thanks for patience for waiting for
unanswered prayers. Thanking God in everything gets the focus off of
us and what we’ve been given and puts the focus back on God, the
ultimate giver.
Number 4. S is for Supplication or making requests.
In Philippians 4:6-7, we are told “Don’t worry about anything;
instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t
forget to thank him for his answers.
In John 15:7 Jesus said If you remain in me and my words remain
in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you.
In today’s scripture lesson in Romans 8: 26 it said “In certain ways
we are weak, but the Spirit is here to help us. For example, when
we don’t know what to pray for, the Spirit prays for us in ways
that cannot be put into words
Now we might not always agree with God’s purpose for us and his
answers to our prayers. We might have to wait awhile to get an
answer. Think of Simon and Anna who were in the temple when Mary
and Joseph came to offer sacrifices for purification. Simon was very
old and had been told that he would not die until he had seen the
Messiah. Anna had been a widow for 84 years, never leaving the
temple, worshiping God and finally seen the Messiah. Sometimes we
have to wait for our answered prayers.
In Matthew 7:7-8 Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will
find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who
asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door
will be opened for everyone who knocks
Twice I have heard Elizabeth say in her sermons that she feels selfish
asking God for things when there are so many other people who have
pressing needs. But in
Hebrews 4:16 So whenever we are in need, we should come
bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be
treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.
So the acronym ACTS ensures us that we are praising God for who He
is, confessing our sins to lessen the burdens on us, thanking God for
everything that he is doing in our lives and finally asking Him for what
we want and need. When praying with someone or for someone,
FIRST LISTEN to what they want us to pray for. Remember Jeff’s
example for Forty years he has asked us what do we want to pray for,
So Tell God what are your joys and your concerns.
Let it be so, Amen and Amen
by Gerda Krogslund