Jesus, Our Greatest Promise

There are two things about this message that capture my heart. The one is the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Here is a bit of info about how the priest hood was structured, with reference to source material for those interested:

Luke 1:8 -- The number 18,000 emerges from information in the Letter to Aristeas 95, which notes that about 750 priests were a part of each of the 24 divisions of the priesthood. So 24 times 750 is 18,000. On the 24 divisions in the priesthood, see 1 Chron 24:7-18. Zechariah belongs to the eighth division of Abijah (Luke 1:5). Details of how the daily offering proceeded are in m. Yoma 2:2-4 and m. Tamid 6—7. This offering took place at 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. each day. Given the nature of the crowd, most scholars believe an evening offering is in view here (Josephus Antiquities 14.4 .3 §65; m. Pesaµim 5:1).
(from IVP New Testament Commentary Series © 1992-2004. All rights reserved.)

Just think about how long Zach and Liz may have been praying for a son, and the fact that they were no doubt simply praying for a child, for their own fulfillment, and not really thinking about how their child might be used of God to further the kingdom. They receive an answer, and one that far surpassed their request. Wow, what an awesome God.

One point I learn from this is the one I make in this sermon--the answers to our individual prayers are somehow linked with the bigger things God is doing to build his kingdom here on earth. Remember in the Lord's prayer, daily bread and thy kingdom come are connected.

So this leads me to a second thing to contemplate--why are some of our prayers not answered--or I should say, why do we get "no" as an answer to some, maybe most, of our prayers.

This past spring while attending a seminar in Chicago, I had the very unique privilege of hearing renowned teacher and writer, Dallas Willard, speak on the topic of spiritual formation. In the course of that talk, he said, sort of in passing, this: "The really good thing about prayer is that God does not answer most of them!" That sort of set me back on my can a bit.

In this sermon I quote James 4:3 where it says, "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." If our motives are wrong when we pray, and we are not really looking out for the Kingdom but rather concerned for ourselves, then it is a good thing that God says 'no."

Here is a decent read by David Wilkerson in which he discusses six reasons why prayers are not answered.
http://www.tscpulpitseries.org/english/undated/tssixrea.html

I would add one more reason to Wilkerson's six, based on 1 Peter 3:7. If our relationship at home, particularly spousal, is not solid, I should expect a negative impact on my relationship with God and in the area of effective prayer. That verse says this: "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers."


Thanks for digging deeper