why pray?

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:14-21, ESV)

Today we start our forty days of prayer. We begin a journey of preparation of our hearts for the coming of Jesus. This is a step toward advent, which officially begins in a couple of weeks.

Interestingly enough the Celtic church has always held a forty day advent, just like a forty day lent. They recognised that Jesus incarnation is at least as important as his death and resurrection; some would argue more so. It is important because in Jesus’s incarnation, everything else was decided. The purpose of the incarnation was to bring reconciliation, which included but is not limited to Jesus’s death and resurrection. The life that Jesus lead is intricately linked with the death that Jesus died.

So we prepare for the incarnation, not just a celebration of Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem so long ago, but also his incarnation in each of us. After all, Paul tells us that the life we now have is none other than the life of Christ.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:1-7, ESV)

We were dead, but God has made us alive in Christ. Alive through his death and resurrection. So when Jesus calls us to pick up our cross and follow him, he is calling us to give up our own lives and live the life he lived.

Now, Paul writes this letter to the church in Ephesus, with which he was very familiar. Paul spent over two years there on his second missionary journey, teaching the people, proclaiming the gospel, and leading people into closer fellowship with God and one another.

In fact, Paul had such an impact in that community that those who sold statues of the Greek goddess Artemis began to lose money.

In Ephesus there was this temple to Artemis, who was the goddess of fertility and abundance. When you wanted success in your business, you gave an offering to Artemis. When you wanted an abundant harvest, you prayed before her statue in your home every morning and evening. When you wanted life to go well, you visited her temple and engaged with the prostitutes who served there.

The temple that existed in Ephesus was one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, and people from all over came to visit it. While they were there, they would purchase a little statue to take home with them, something like we would purchase as a souvenir. Well, Paul’s preaching had converted so many people that they were no longer buying these little statues. Demetrius got everyone riled up against Paul and the believers and led a riot into the theatre. They were there for over two hours crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

This theatre holds over 24,000 people.

Now Paul is in prison in Rome, and he is writing back to these people. He is hoping that they will be able to hold fast to the message that he gave them. He encourages them to continue to grow in their devotion to God and Jesus. And he prays for them.

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,” (Ephesians 3:14, ESV)

Paul is praying for them because of what God has done for them in Jesus.

“For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:18-22, ESV)

Paul prays for these people because God is at work in them. Paul is praying for them because of what God has done for him in Jesus.

“This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. ” (Ephesians 3:11-13, ESV)

Why does Paul pray?

Because he can.

He prays because in Jesus he now has boldness to approach the Father, and confidence that he will be heard. He prays because Jesus has made a way to the Father through his life, death, and resurrection. Paul prays because of Jesus.

The Heidelberg Catechism, in Lord’s Day 45 asks the question, “Why do Christians need to pray?”

This may seem like a strange question, one which we do not think about too much, but how we answer this question determines our prayer life.

“Q: Why do Christians need to pray?”

“A: Because prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us.”

Thankfulness is something God requires of us. How can you be required to give thanks? If someone forces you to say, “Thank-you” are you really grateful? Shouldn’t our thanks be open and not coerced?

For the past few weeks we have been trying to teach our one year old daughter, to say thank-you after she eats. Normally we all say a prayer of thanks after the meal, “Lord thank-you for this food and drink. Amen.” This, however, is a bit too difficult for her so we simply ask that she say “thank-you.”

This has got to be the hardest thing to do. For some reason she just refuses. She knows how to say it, because she does it sometimes, and she knows exactly what we want her to say, because she gets this goofy little grin on her face, but she simply refuses.

Teaching thanksgiving has got to be one of the most difficult things to do. It just does not seem to come naturally. It seems like the last thing we want to do when we get something from someone, is to say, “Thank-you.” However, in order to truly understand the nature of the gift, we have to say it. If we don’t then we do not acknowledge that it is a gift, and we can pretend that we earned it, or that we deserved it, or that it was our right to expect it.

But our salvation through Jesus is sheer gift, pure grace, and to refuse to say “thanks” is refusing to acknowledge that gift.

“Q: Why do Christians need to pray?

“A: Because prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness that God requires of us. And also because God gives his grace and Holy Spirit only to those who pray continually and groan inwardly, asking God for these gifts and thanking him for them.”

We pray, not only to thank God for what he has already done, but to beg him to continue his work in us.

Look at Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians.

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” (Ephesians 3:16-17a, NIV)

So that Christ may dwell in their hearts?

Who is Paul writing this letter to again?

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 1:1, NIV)

Paul is writing to believers. So doesn’t Christ already dwell in their hearts? How could Paul pray that they may be strengthened so that Christ could dwell in their hearts?

The Greek word translated “dwell” here is κατοικέω. This is a combination of the word οικέω, which means to live, build, or inhabit, and the preposition κατά, which gives the sense of motion down against, toward, or into. Paul is saying there is more to being a Christian than simply praying the “sinner’s prayer” and being saved. Being a Christian is about the life of Christ being more and more obvious in your life. Being a Christian is about Jesus coming to live down in our hearts.

This is about God building a place to live within us.

Our next door neighbour recently sold her house and moved, and we will have new neighbours moving in shortly. When they move in, they will begin to do things to the house to make it theirs. They may do some small things, like move the flowers around in the beds, trim the trees, and hang some pictures. They may do some bigger things like paint the rooms and rebuild the back deck. They may even do some major renovations, like tear down a few walls or build an addition on the back of the house. Whatever they do, they will be changing the house to make it a place to live in.

They will be changing the house to a home.

Naturally, when Jesus moves into our hearts he does not find the house in good repair. If we are truly honest with ourselves we have to realise that without God we are pretty hopeless. When we pray we have to be willing to be open and honest about our situation. No point in trying to put on a good show and pretend like everything is good.

The Catechism puts it this way.

“Q: How does God want us to pray so that he will listen to us?”

“A: First, we must pray from the heart to no other than the one true God, who has revealed himself in his Word, asking for everything he has commanded us to ask for.”

Basically, we need to be sincere. No spouting off meaningless phrases. If you don’t mean it, don’t say it.

“Second, we must acknowledge our need and misery, hiding nothing, and humble ourselves in his majestic presence.”

It is only in a true acknowledgement of who we are apart from Christ can we even begin to understand who we are with Christ. This is why Paul prays that the Ephesians would be able to not only have Christ dwell more fully within them, but also that they would realise just how awesome it is that Christ lives in them.

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17b-19, NIV)

Being rooted and established in love, I pray that you would be able to grasp just how wide, and long, and high, and deep, is the love of Christ. A love that surpasses knowledge. Paul prays that they would not only be rooted and established in the love of Christ, but also filled with it. Filled with the measure of all the fullness of God.

With that, Paul bursts into praise.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. ” (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV)

After Paul writes this letter, he sends it off with someone to bring it to Ephesus and read it to the believers as they gather together. There they sit in someone’s home, or some other place, listening to this prayer that Paul prays over them. Sitting in a city overshadowed with a temple to Artemis, who people claim is the source of all goodness, who people claim gives fertility, success, enjoyment to life.

They hear these words of Paul saying, “No, success and goodness, and life, do not come from Artemis. This all comes from God. A God who has reconciled you to himself and one another. A God who can do so much more than we could ever ask or imagine. A God whose power is at work within us. A God who gives us comfort in the assurance that we belong to Christ. A God who has done incredible things for us, and will do so much more.

Why do we pray?

Because we can.

As the Catechism puts it.

“Third, we must rest on this unshakeable foundation: even though we do not deserve it, God will surely listen to our prayer because of Christ our Lord. That is what he promised us in his Word.”

The question is not really “Why pray?” but rather “Why not?”

If we have an all powerful Father, who desperately wants to have a relationship with us. If we have the assurance that through Christ we have been reconciled to the Father. If God can, and will, respond to our prayers; then why not?

Not only can God do all that we ask, but he can do more. Not only can God do more than we ask, he can do immeasurably more. Not only can God do immeasurably more than we can ask, he can do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine.

May you, over the next forty days, give yourselves in prayer to God.

May you experience the closeness that comes from developing a relationship with him.

May you experience the grace of God as he pours out his Spirit on you.

freedom and responsibility

The Corinthian Church was one of the most infamous churches in history. It was located in Corinth, which seemed to be the centre for all wickedness in the world. Corinth was located on a little land bridge that connects the Peloponnese peninsula and the Greek mainland. It controlled all the land trade north and south. It was also the main connection between the Adriatic Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean. Since this town controlled so much trade, it seemed to collect all the riff-raff from the rest of the world. It was also the administrative centre for the Roman province of Achaia. As a result it became the fashionable place for the elites to live. The culture within Corinth contained a wide range of religious cults. Part of the practices of these cults was to serve the meat which had been sacrificed to the idols in dining rooms directly below the inner sanctuary of the temple. This was the Corinthian equivalent to our going to a restaurant. It was common for the people to join together and celebrate a feast after a major sacrifice, and it was considered an honour to be invited to one of them. Many of the Corinthian converts were used to participating in these feasts. Some of this meat was also sold in the marketplace as common meat.

Do everything to the good of your neighbour.

These feasts did not happen everyday, yet sacrifices were performed everyday. This meat was sold in the marketplace as common meat. It was hard to distinguish between what was sacrificed to idols, and what was not. In the first bit of ch 10, Paul addresses the issue of the idol feasts. He tells the people that they are not to participate in them because then they are participating in idolatry. This left the question of the meat sold in the marketplace. Could they eat it or not?

Not only were these people eating meat sacrificed to idols in their own homes, but they attended gatherings at others homes, and ate the meat there. All the important people of the city went to these gatherings. Corinth was a rather young city. The old city was destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC. The new city was founded as a Roman colony in 44 BC.

Since there was no aristocracy, money was power.

It was these rich and powerful people who many times hosted these events. The Corinthians felt like big shots when they were invited to these gatherings. More often than not, the people who hosted the event were not Christian. They did not care if the meat they served was dedicated to idols. They were simply content to show off their wealth and finery to the guests. They would be sitting at a long table at one end of the room decked out in their finest apparel. Sometimes some of the Christians who did not think it was right to eat that meat where at the party. They would approach the other Christians and say, “Did you know this meat was dedicated to an idol? You guys are sinning by eating that meat. You should stop.” Those who thought they were free said, “I do not care what you think. I am free to do it, and if you were stronger in the faith, you would do it to.”

“I don’t care what you think, I am going to do it anyway.”

Some people I knew in college were like that. They used to go out to a party and have a little something to drink. They would usually not get drunk, but just enjoy some beers with friends. This was not bad, in and of itself, but there were some at the college who did not think that it was right to drink any kind of alcohol. There was this end of the year bash put on by a person who did not know the tensions between the groups. Well, the people who thought it was OK to drink took a keg along to the party. Those who thought it was wrong had arrived early and were hanging out, enjoying each other’s company. They all turned to look at the door as it swung open and a couple guys walked in with the keg. They stood there shocked. They went up to the Christians who thought it was all right to drink and said, “You should not drink, its not right. Please take the keg away.” But the others did not care, one of them took a long swig from his beer and went, “Ahh, now that’s tasty.” Those who thought drinking was wrong were deeply offended, and they ended up leaving the party.

Both groups were Christians, but they did not act in a Christian manner. Those who thought it was alright to drink had the wrong attitude. This is not the attitude which God tells us to have. God, through Paul, says, “Do everything to the good of your neighbour.”

There is nothing wrong with having a beer every now and then, but if there is someone who says to you, “It is wrong to do that.” or if it is something you cannot control, then you need to abstain from it. You are supposed to stop yourself from doing it for their sake, and for the sake of their conscience. If you do it, and you urge the other person to do it, then you are causing them to sin. If they think it is wrong, and they do it, then they sin.

If you cause them to do something they think is wrong, then you are causing them to sin.

When you do this, you place a stumbling block in front of them. It would be like taking one of those concrete dividers from the highway and placing it directly across their path. You make it that much more difficult for them to continue in their walk of faith. You hurt them, and cause them to stumble and perhaps even fall.

This passage deals with more than meat sacrificed to idols, or having a beer every now and then. It addresses more serious issues of separation in the church. It addresses people who do not take the concerns of others into proper consideration. If you have hurt your brother or sister in the faith, for whatever reason. If you have made it difficult for them to come here and worship with you. If you have caused them to stumble.

You are in the wrong.

There may not be a justified reason for them to be hurt, or to have difficultly worshipping with you, but if they do, then it is on your head. If you cause them to hate you because you refuse to address whatever issue is at hand, then you are the one responsible.

Jesus puts it this way.

” “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:21-24, ESV)

We all have a duty to the other person’s conscience. We do not necessarily have to alter our conception of what is right and wrong. My friends did not have to begin to think that drinking was wrong, but they did have to change their behaviour. They should not have drunk in front of those who thought it was wrong. We are supposed to make sure that we do not do things which are against the conscience of those around us. We are to do everything for the good of our neighbour.

In this passage Paul seems to anticipate an objection when he says, “For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?” Paul tells them, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” The Corinthians were not glorifying God by causing divisions in the church. They were not glorifying God by causing their brother to sin. They were not glorifying God, because they are being a bad example to those outside the church.

By eating the meat sacrificed to idols in front of their brother or sister, they are not exhibiting a Christian attitude and they are being a stumbling block to their brother or sister, but they are also being a stumbling block to others who might wish to come to Christ. The Corinthians were not to be a stumbling block to either Jew or Greek, those outside the church, nor to the church. They were to follow Paul in this.

Now, when people began to add things to the gospel message, Paul stood up and took his stance. He would not circumcise Titus, because some people were saying he had to be circumcised to be saved (Gal 2:3). But at another time, Paul had Timothy circumcised before his second missionary journey, just to avoid dissension with the Jews he would be visiting (Ac 16:1-3). Paul stressed over and over and over again that the Gentiles should not be required to follow Jewish customs. But he never once said that it was wrong for Jews to practice their old customs, so long as they did not begin to trust in them and their customs did not cause division and dissension in the church.

Paul told the Corinthians that they were allowed to eat of the meat in the marketplace, without asking any questions because “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” They were allowed to eat food which was dedicated to idols, because the idols were nothing and Satan could not hurt them through the food. As long as they ate the food with thanksgiving in their hearts to the gift God had given them, then they had nothing to worry about. If they were doing it to the glory of God, then it was allowed. The problem was, causing your brother or sister to stumble was not to the glory of God.

Giving your brother or sister a boost in faith, is to the glory of God. Saving someone for Christ is to the glory of God. Paul wants the church to be a good witness of God’s love and of Christ’s sacrifice. He wants us to be a stepping stone, not a stumbling block. Instead of placing a big concrete barrier in the path of a fellow believer or someone seeking Christ, he wants us to place a stone over the creek of difficulty that person may be facing. If they have come to a rough spot in their walk of faith. If they had come to a wide and deep stream which they were scared to cross, Paul is telling us to help them across the stream, not make them fall in.

If my friends from college had not brought a keg along to the party, or if they had brought some non-alcoholic beverage along, then they would have been imitating this type of service. They would have respected the other person’s conscience and their actions would have been to the glory of God. They could have shown God’s love and encouraged their brothers and sisters in Christ and any non-Christians at the party.

They could have been a blessing to the others there.

God gives us the ability to be shining lights to others, be they Christian or not. As Paul says, “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” (2 Cor 4:15). When we lead people to Christ, we add to the glory of God. When we live in harmony with each other, we add to the glory of God. When we love each other, and bear one another’s burdens, we add to the glory of God. When we serve one another, we add to the glory of God.

When we live our lives, making sure that we are not causing others to stumble and fall, then we live lives which bring honour and glory to God’s name.

live inside out

“While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you. “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.” One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.” As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.” (Luke 11:37-54, ESV)

Jesus is on his way up to Jerusalem. Here he has been teaching and rebuking the crowd that has been following him. Just before the passage we read we see Jesus calling those who follow him evil because they seek for a sign, they seek for something supernatural, they seek for something that will shock, awe, and amaze them.

But Jesus says that no such sign is coming, but that the people will be held to account for not responding to the one who is in their midst.

“When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. ” (Luke 11:29-32, ESV)

While he is speaking a Pharisee invites him to dine with him. As they walk into his home, Jesus passes right by the stone jars waiting at the entrance to the home and does not wash. These jars held water which was ceremonially clean, and was meant to be used to ceremonially wash your hands before and during the meal. The person would go up to the jar, hold his hands out with his palms up, and a servant would pour water over them with it coming down at least to the person’s wrists. Then you would take your other fist and rub your palm to cleanse it. Then turing your hands over and down the servant would again pour water over them, flushing the water from your wrists down over your fingertips. This made your hands ceremonially clean. For some reason Jesus refuses to participate in this ritual. Luke does not tell us why Jesus refuses, but it caused the Pharisee to be amazed.

Notice it is Jesus’s refusal to participate in the rituals that amazed the Pharisee, not the other things Jesus did.

Jesus gets frustrated and he unloads on this poor Pharisee.

“And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.” (Luke 11:39-41, ESV)

The rigorous following of external rituals does not bring you closer to God. When the rituals themselves become the goal then you have missed something important. Jesus gets mad at the Pharisee here because the Pharisee is focussed on the wrong thing, he is focussed on behaviour when he should be focussing on his character.

What is inside is more important than what is outside, because if our hearts are changed they our behaviour will be as well.

We need to live inside out.

Doing the right thing is not enough.

““But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.” (Luke 11:42-43, ESV)

Sometimes when we read this passage we think that Jesus is cursing the Pharisees and teachers of the law. In his statements he is enacting some kind of judgement on them. This is not really the case. This is more of a recognition of something that already exists.

This is an announcement, not really a pronouncement.

Jesus is basically saying, “How horrible it is for you, Pharisees, because you trust in your own religiosity and not in God.”

“Woe to you! [How horrible it is for you!] For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”” (Luke 11:44, ESV)

You think you are clean, you give the outward appearance of life, but really you are like an unmarked grave. The thriving green grass on the surface hides the death and rottenness within.

“One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! [How horrible it is for you lawyers also!] For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.” (Luke 11:45-46, ESV)

And you guys, you heap up all these traditions on people which makes it virtually impossible to see God through the rules but you find ways to get around them yourselves.

“Woe to you! [How horrible it is for you!] For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs.” (Luke 11:47-48, ESV)

You pretend to honour the prophets and those sent by God by building momuments and memorials, but really you are building their tombs. You lock them away so that their message does not get out.

“Woe to you lawyers! [How horrible it is for you lawyers!] For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”” (Luke 11:52, ESV)

In condemning the Pharisees and teachers of the law, Jesus joins the prophets who often rail against a false sense of security which develops because of a ritualistic religiosity.

God doesn’t want the ritual alone, the ritual was supposed to point them to something else.

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?” (Isaiah 58:6-8, ESV)

Following God is not about the ritual, its about living in the presence and power of God. It is not primarily about coming to church twice on Sunday. It is not primarily about refraining from work on Sunday. It is not primarily about giving money to the church or other charity. Following God is about developing a closer relationship with him. It is about having the Holy Spirit come and live within our hearts to make us into new people. It is about coming to love the things God loves.

Following God is about learning to let go of our own efforts and allowing God to move us. It is about receiving the new life that God offers us in Jesus.

When we let God work through us. When his desires become our desires, when his loves become our loves, when we begin to break away from the attempt at our own holiness and allow God to change us then God’s glory shines through us.

“Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.” (Isaiah 58:8-10, ESV)

When we realise that the kingdom of God is not for those who think they have earned it, but realise that it is a gift for those who know there is no reason for them to be blessed.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3, ESV)

In Luke 14 Jesus told a parable about the kingdom as a man who made a great feast.

“A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’” (Luke 14:16-24, ESV)

Jesus is angry with the Pharisees and teachers of the law because they are obscuring who God is with their rules and rituals. If the favour of God rests on those who have made the right kind of confession, who do all the right things. If God blesses those who work hard and keep their noses clean, then God gives us what we earn.

But this is not the God revealed to us in the scriptures. The gospel announcement is that God is love and that he loves us so much that he sent his son to die for us. The gospel is that the people that God takes into his feast, are those who are not worthy, those who understand that there is no reason for them to be present.

The people God calls to this table are those who understand

Before this table it does not matter how much money we have in our bank accounts. Before this table it does not matter how many children we have had or not had. It does not matter how good we think we have things together, or how bad things are starting to fall apart.

Here we all express our need for someone else.

Here we kneel before God’s grace.

Here we accept God’s love.

This table is the preview of the feast that awaits us in the Kingdom of God. A kingdom which Jesus says is for the poor in spirit.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3, ESV)

How horrible it is for those who think they have everything in order, because they are really missing out.

How good it is for those who understand they have nothing without God, because then God gives them what they need.