A House of Prayer

A HOUSE OF PRAYER Matthew 21:12-16

Prayer Message Series January 29, 2017 Pastor Nathan J. Thompson

The story is well-known. Jesus enters into the temple courtyards; he sees them filled with people buying and selling; with money changers and merchants selling animals and birds for sacrifices. Jesus is so infuriated by all this mayhem that he goes and turns over these tables; he literally chases the merchants away.

Jesus then quoted from the prophet Jeremiah by proclaiming these words, “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.” Words that are often quoted even today when we may think of some activities (bazaars; fund raisers; dinners) that have become way too sacred in some churches.

However what does Jesus really mean by referring to his house (his church) as being a house of prayer? Does that simply mean that nothing should be sold in a church; or is there something deeper than this? Therefore I will focus this morning on some ways I believe Jesus calls us at Messiah to be his house of prayer.

These past years there has sometimes been some national attention on whether there should be prayer in the public schools. There are those who have some really strong feelings on both sides of this issue. For me I have never been very concerned about this debate since I believe that prayer (faith matters) are meant primarily to be taught in our homes and churches.

This means I am not as concerned about prayer in the public schools as I am about the often lack of prayer (lack of learning about prayer) that there is in churches today. Truth is if those of us who claim to believe in Jesus actually took prayer seriously; if we actually trained and helped people to use prayer in their homes and daily lives; we would then better understand the importance of the separation of church and state in our country.

God calls each of us to claim his love in our hearts by faith; to grow each day in our trust and discipleship for Jesus; to learn to pray many times each day to our Savior and friend. The great good news is that each one of us can pray anytime; any place; at school; work; in public.

Prayer is God’s gift to each of us who believe; to his church. Yet again I am deeply concerned that prayer in Christ’s church (in the community of believers) is often lacking the power (possibilities) of what God intended. We easily forget/neglect this gift.

In other words how often do we conduct meetings in the church where we neglect to pray? How often do we make plans for the future (plan activities) and fail to ask God for his guidance? How often do we talk with someone who is sick (hurting) and not offer to pray with them in their need?

It is pretty sad how we in the church (with the whole Biblical history and testimony to the power of prayer) so often forget to put this gift into practice. It is pretty sad how our prayers as a church have often merely been liturgical prayers written out on a page; something used simply as a formality. It is pretty sad how we as church members often neglect to pray very much during the week (sometimes never) for the church and for Christ’s mission.

It’s like the person I heard of who was riding on a charter bus on some snowy mountain roads. As the bus was sliding off the road into the ditch a person said, “Perhaps we should pray.” Yet as the bus came to a stop another person replied, “Oh, it’s not that bad.”

Perhaps the reason we forget to pray is because we think prayer is only for extra serious; extra tragic situations. God however calls us to pray without ceasing. He calls us to pray in the good times and the bad times. He calls his church (his church family) to be a house of prayer.

Another area I am concerned about the church being a house of prayer is whether we actually take prayer seriously; whether we truly allow our actions to match our words? Do we simply say the words or are we truly asking God to change us; to renew us; to make us people who live according to his will?

One of the places of course this has been most evident in the church today is in the area of conflict—anger between members; congregation divisions; nasty gossip. There is barely any church in existence that has not faced hurt feelings; misunderstandings; power struggles; each side claiming they are totally right.

Truth is that the church of Jesus Christ is definitley made up of sinful people like you/me; therefore conflict is inevitable. However it is the fallout which results that is often the most troubling. Jesus himself acknowledged that conflicts will happen; yet he is also the one who called his children to find mutual healing; forgiveness; reconciliation together.

Jesus focused on this in many places such as Matthew 5:43ff, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”

Jesus also said in Matthew 5:24ff that “if you are offering your gift at the altar and remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to that person, then come and offer your gift.”

The truth is that God doesn’t accept our worship (our prayers) if we are in conflict; if we are carrying anger for another. 1 John 4 states, “For if we do not love a fellow believer, whom we have seen, we cannot love God whom we have not seen.”

Now I know we live in a time when we all want to protect our pride; a time when it is easier to run away from people (issues) we disagree with; a time when we find it easier to form into cliques (groups); to associate with only those people who agree exactly with us.

Jesus’ call however is to pray for one another; to pray especially those who may have hurt us the most. The amazing thing of course (as I’m sure many of you have found) is that when I truly and honestly pray for another I am the one who is changed the most. When I am praying in my anger/hurt God shows me that I need to be the first to forgive. The power of praying diligently for others who have hurt us (those we are angry with) is that our defenses are broken down. We start seeing people from God’s perspective; not simply our own. We then are more understanding and caring of what others are going through. We are more open to healing; to agreeing to disagree; to putting the past behind us; to finding healing.

Sometimes this prayer for healing may show us our need to receive counseling (cognitive therapy); prayer should actually motivate us to want to heal those things in us that push our buttons; those things in us which enable this kind of conflict.

However when relationships need to be divided; when two people can no longer be friends hurts can still be healed through the love of Jesus; we can still forgive that person. Granted we still may not like this person—yet we will no harm; revenge; ill will toward that person.

The church as a house of prayer should be a center for healing; for forgiveness; for new life. As our focus is on Jesus (on his mission) it is then that our personal wants (selfish behaviors) are replaced with a unity in Jesus. Christ's plan and purpose is far greater than me/us.

A final area I am concerned about our church being a house of prayer is in our reliance and trust in God’s miraculous power. Quite often today churches lose sight of God’s power; they thereby aren’t willing to set forth much of a vision for Christ. Lots of church leaders are simply relying on their own expertise; thereby they are greatly limiting what God can do.

I believe it was the evangelist Dwight Moody who told the story of the time he went to preach at a church in another city. Upon walking around this church facility the pastor asked Dr. Moody if he would like to see their power center? Being a good sport he thought he was going to see the boiler (electrical) room.

However when the pastor opened the door to this room what he saw was amazing. There in this room were 300 people on their knees in prayer. “This,” said the pastor, “is the power center for our mission and everything we do in this church.”

The truly amazing thing today is what God is doing in certain churches. There are congregations in many places that are moving ahead in many unbelievable ways. Some are taking on massive mission projects; some are growing in their outreach to others; some are adding unbelievable buildings; some are taking steps of faith that are beyond human imagination.

Yet the one constant thing you hear and see in most everyone of these dynamic and prevailing churches is their reliance on prayer. Prayer that is not just their staff (or a few leaders) but hundreds and even thousands of people—families; small groups; youth and children; individuals. Prayer is an amazing power center that can bring forth miracles.

My deepest prayer (passion) is that Messiah will more and more become a house of prayer; that all our meetings will begin in prayer; that conflicts and hurts will find healing and forgiveness; that prayer will be the power source as we join together in Christ’s mission.

Jesus prayed that his church may be a house of prayer. Let us learn and grow in our faith and trust in Jesus so that God will use each one of us as prayer-warriors for him.