Date: 18 Sep 2001
Time: 15:01:06
Wow I can't believe there are no responses to this text (yet!). For all of those people who have been asking 'what can we do?' Here is a answer: Praying is a legitimate action to choose --and what do we pray for? For everyone, for all our leaders. Why? Because of God's great love for ALL humanity and from our willingness to live peacable and godly lives as God in Christ willed for us. Just a few preliminary thoughts on a text that offers us some direction and action, Low
Date: 18 Sep 2001
Time: 16:42:47
Yes, Low, it does seem to be peculiarly fitting after last week's events. HOMILETICs does talk about prayer, this week, but of course that was written months before recent events. I wonder what this lack of enthusiasm for this passage means? Probably just a preference for gospel lessons,but maybe is reflects our opinion about the efficacy of prayer just a bit? Just rambling. Max in NC
Date: 18 Sep 2001
Time: 18:40:37
I have to admit, I'm not thrilled with the sermonizability of the Gospel reading this week. Not sure where I'll go with this epistle either. Maybe a call to prayer: with the four types of prayers mentioned in the first verse. Any clarification from the greek about the "prayers" mentioned here? Thanks as always for your thought provoking conversation. Tom in NCNY
Date: 18 Sep 2001
Time: 21:17:04
For some insight into the four types of prayer mentioned, take a look at William Barclay. I know it is an old standby, but he has some interesting thoughts. I'm surprised too at the lack of response to this passage. I guess most indeed prefer the gospel, but there is a lot of richness apart from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. This passage in particular offers food for thought as a followup text from Sunday. If it's just a few of us, let's have at it! Craig in Maine
Date: 18 Sep 2001
Time: 22:01:08
I'm using the 1 Timothy passage, but only to support Jeremiah. I'll be expressing the need to recover our ability to lament, and there is so much now that is lamentable. 1 Timothy will help me, in that it is instruction to a pastor on how to worship, particularly focusing on prayer. The universal message of the pericope will support Jeremiah, in that we need to lament, not only what has happened in NY, DC, and PA, but what's going on all over the world. Why has it come to this? MTSOfan
Date: 19 Sep 2001
Time: 08:25:08
How about reading this passage, making a few comments on the necessity and power of prayer and spend the rest of the "sermon time" praying for our leaders? Any litanies or prayers to share here? John near Pitts.
Date: 19 Sep 2001
Time: 10:53:52
Do you think it is the "for everyone" part that may be dampening enthusiasm for this text? SS in PA
Date: 19 Sep 2001
Time: 12:00:32
It seems to me that this is a call for us to practice what we preach in praying for everyone. Each of us must throw ourselves upon the will of God in our praying even as Jesus did in Gethsemane as we read in Matt. 26. "not my will but thy will be done." Yes, God wants us to pray for "everyone" even those we don't really feel like praying for. Such as bin Laden and other terrorists. Too often we don't even pray for our families. How many of our families are broken - love lost - hurting - painful - not forgiving. Pray for those that you don't even like - "not my will but thy will." Okie(not Muskogee)
Date: 19 Sep 2001
Time: 13:37:27
I don't know about others, but I am late even getting this far this week...there has been so much to do. I will use this passage with Jeremiah, titling my sermon, "The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same." We are expereincign greta change in many ways as a result of this tragedy, but we are not the first to suffer tragedy and change. In the midst of it all, our God is changeless-always faithful--always loving--even when God grieves for us and with us. Suggested hymns: Great is Thy Faithfulness, It is Well With My Soul, Balm in Gilead... Rev Janet in CNY
Date: 19 Sep 2001
Time: 15:42:29
Jesus gaiven as a ransom, sounds like hostage alnguage. Sometimes I believe faith is held hostage by so many things, folks and maybe even the flag. We so easily pick up the flag, why not pick up the cross? Jesus gave himself up for us, on a cross, for everyone. Everyone is a big group, not too exclusive. So many folks accept and take on the pain of suffering so easily, might we take on more? Suffering, endurance, the end faith and hope. I sense we need to shift from rubble to heaven, from smoke to the 'holy smoke' of prayers, and see beyond now to promise. PMinKS
Date: 19 Sep 2001
Time: 18:02:50
I'm going to do some teaching on God's will this Sunday. This text, among others, makes it clear what God's will is: that all be saved and come to know truth. Our tv counterparts have said some terrible things about God's involvement in all of this, so I want to un-do some of that by proclaiming: God's will is not a mystery! God's will is v. 4 of this text. And though God's will can be temporarily thwarted by humanity's rejection of Christ's ways, God's will WILL ultimately be done. -DW in TX
Date: 20 Sep 2001
Time: 05:46:53
Rather than 'preaching' a single sermon, I am going to alter the normal order of service in this way: The Jeremiah reading will be followed by a duet of Balm in Gilead, followed by a meditation I've entitled: A Crying Shame. Then the Timothy reading will be followed by a meditation entitled: A Matter of Prayer. In the first meditation, I am going to explore the emotions we feel. It is important to acknowledge our responsibility for what happened - all of us. Someone asked me this week, "Why didn't God prevent all this from happening?" I replied, "Why didn't human beings prevent all this from happening." We live in an age where we are reluctant to accept responsibility for sin - corporate or personal. Jerry Falwell's remarks are misguided and wrong because he has missed the point. God's judgement is upon all of us because we are all sinners. But his grace abounds all the more. Jeremiah expresses the grief of those who realise the inevitability of God's judgement upon their lives because they have indeed sinned. In the Timothy reading, the church is called to pray. To pray for all because their is one God, one mediator, one sacrifice/ransom for all. We pray for all men and women - whatever race, colour, sex or creed - whether rich or poor - villain or saint. Why? Because God's desire and action towards humanity is one of salvation. From a Canadian in Scotland.
Date: 20 Sep 2001
Time: 17:12:40
Thanks...Canadian in Scotland. I have struggled with preaching this Sunday. Last Sunday I spent a good deal of time listening to the congregation. I asked them to tell me what they have heard; with their eyes, ears, and hearts. The comments were profound... obviously many of the responses had to do with searching; the ongoing search for loved ones, for victims, for terrorists, for answers, for direction... and Jesus talked about searching for the lost, that a Good Shepherd never stops searching. This Sunday, I'm still need to listen... and what I hear is fear; fear of the unknown, fear of the market , fear of flying, fear of recession, fear of war, fear of the draft, fear from doubts, fear from dangers, all tied together with a sense of hopelessness and helplessness. In the midst of it all, in the midst of the fears, what can we do? We can pray! Pray for peace, pray for understanding, pray for compassion, pray for tolerance (especially of those whose color of skin or language frighten us), pray for hope, pray for change, pray for changed hearts... and not just other's hearts but even our own. For who does prayer change? Yes, I believe it can and does change those we pray for... but it most certainly changes us and pray can and does lead to action, to doing, it can and does lead us from helplessness to help-ful-ness, from hopelessness to hope-filled living, from doubt and fear, to faith and confidence. "I urge that supplications, prayer, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone." 1 Timothy 2:1 Skypilot in MN
Date: 21 Sep 2001
Time: 10:12:10
I struggle with this passage because I feel like I often have preached about prayer - And now the question is - do we really believe that prayer can change the world? This week my husband has lamented that he couldn't find a flag anywhere - there is something so concrete about the flag and giving money and giving blood. But prayer is intangible and the results are so nebulous But that is our greatest weapon. Do we believe this? Still ruminating on Friday Margot
Date: 21 Sep 2001
Time: 10:20:35
I would encourage you to find a copy of Max Lucado's prayer that was printed in this Wednesday's, USA Today. Here's the url at heartlight: http://www.heartlight.org/prayerforthenation/articles/200109/20010918_pftn-again.html John near Pittsburgh
Date: 22 Sep 2001
Time: 18:19:12
I am surprised more folks are not using this passage Sunday, as it seems so appropriate. Prayer is certainly showing up in unexpected places lately, as the whole country seems to be suddenly hungry for God's blessing. "God Bless America" seems to have become the new national anthem. Last week, I drew from a fellow preacher in Tenn., looking at some of the "bad answers" folks are coming up with to the inevitable questions of "why did this happen," "where was God?" etc. My goal was to start the conversation, dispell some twisted thinking, and offer comfort to those who have lost friends or family (we are commuting distance from NYC). But I am very concerned about our country's gung-ho, "let's get 'em" mentality, which seems less about justice than about vengeance. There is a lynch-mob feel to this, and I fear for innocent neighbors who are afraid to leave their homes, because of the color of their skin or difference in customs and clothing. So a reminder that there is probably nothing more important for us to do right now than to PRAY, and to pray for all, and that God desires ALL to be saved and to know truth, seems particularly timely. My plan Sunday following the reading of this scripture and a brief introduction, is to invite comments, reactions feelings about recent events from my congregation. Then I will invite all to pray as the Spirit moves...after a person prays, they will conclude with, "Lord, in your Mercy..." to which the congregation will respond, "hear our prayer." [note: I will have all children under 9 go to the children's wing for age appropriate activities.] My prayers are with you all as we seek God's wisdom during this challenging time. May we be truth-seekers and truth-tellers, useful to God in gathering and caring for the flock...rev j in jersey
Date: 22 Sep 2001
Time: 18:26:09
>We so easily pick up the flag, why not pick up the cross?< Thanks, PMinKS. I have had an aversion to the outbreak of God Bless America on all the church signs. God is blessing all who mourn, and this mourning is a lot more widespread than our shores. Just as we wouldn't say God Bless NY but not SC, let's not draw any lines around just us guys with that pretty flag. kbc in sc
Date: 22 Sep 2001
Time: 20:55:10
I don't know if ahy of you will read this before tomorrow morning. I couldn't get to it sooner although I had decided to go with Timothy as of Wednesday following our Bible Study. Indeed, this is a most necessary time to "pray for everyone". I was interested in some comments re: "ransom for all." In the Contemporary English Bible, it is translated: "...he gave himself to rescue all of us." I like that, especially as we continue to consider the ongoing events that affect us all. Blessings for tomorrow. Rev. Tim, South Central Ontario, Canada
Date: 23 Sep 2001
Time: 07:42:56
Undoubtedly, this is two late for anyone, but I have been so busy, this is the first change I have to read my favorite site! I am preaching on this text...and I am using it along with the Jeremiah text. I am "hearing" in the lament how many of us feel..and commenting that it is tempting to jump from the situation that made Jeremiah lament into our own, as did Falwell and Pat Robertson this week. But I am cautioning against that...on theological grounds. IN the case of Jeremiah, the nation and the called out people were one and the same...in our situation, the nation and the called out people are distinct...so if Falwell and Robertson want to be damning anything, to be theologically consistent, they need to be yelling at the church..not the nation. In Jeremiahs' day, the two were confounded and there is no way to unconfound them. But we deal with our own confounding...we are confounded because we are both Christian, and Americans...and what we are called to do as Americans may be a bit different from what we are called to do as Christians. Then I look at the Timothy passage which tells what we as Christians are called to do. I point out, as I go through the passage how being American might call upon us to react differently than what Paul is instructing Timothy for the church at Ephesus. For example, while being American might call upon us to pray for our miliary leaders and support them, being Christian calls on us to also pray earnestly for the well being of Bin Laden. Ouch! Being American might call upon us to bomb areas where innocent people could be killed. Being Christian calls upon us to pray that the terrorists and Bin Laden be saved...because that is what is pleasing to God. It was a difficult sermon to write, as who wants to hear that now? But I think that the sooner we unconfound the two different calls that we live under, the better. Although I applaud the feeling of unity in this country at this time, it all too easily can turn into "blind" patriotism, and we all know what that did to the German people a little while ago. Well, no one will probably read this...but at 4 in the morning I felt like writing it to see if I still had the guts to preach it this morning... Jude in Wash