Ablaze Church Sermon Podcast (Audio)

We all need to continually learn the lessons of prayer. One day the disciples of Jesus asked Him, “Teach us to pray.” Jesus responded to the request of the disciples with the words that are almost universally familiar, starting with “Our Father.” This prayer significantly addresses God in the most touching and familiar of terms, “Father.”

“What is Prayer?” That question has been answered in a lot of ways from the simple “Conversation with God,” to more theologically nuanced complex descriptions that try to say everything and end up saying nothing. Yes, it is conversation with God, and behind that, it’s all about a relationship. Conversations don’t happen in a vacuum, but flow out of relationships. God’s Word tells us to come with confidence to the throne of grace, to relate to Almighty God as our loving Father, to come through the name of Jesus. We are told that we will there find grace and help in all time of need.

There is hope for the church. Sure, the outward institutions can sometimes be threatened. Maybe that’s even a good thing. But the real Church that vigorously responds to the Word of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, will grow and flourish until Jesus comes again.

For more infomration or to supper Rev. Dr. Tiews and his family go to https://lcms.org/tiews

Is there hope for the Church? For nearly 2,000 years the Church has been in existence in fulfillment of the words of Jesus. The church has the powerful media of Word and Sacrament, through which God supernaturally creates and builds faith. As we remain faithful to God’s plan, purposes and power, and in prayer seek wisdom on how to carry out our mission, we can be strong and healthy. God has spoken future history about His Church which overcomes all devices to derail it, and He grants us a glimpse of hope for the Church Universal, Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

People can find themselves stuck in a spot they can’t seem to break free from. It doesn’t have to be drugs, alcohol, sadness, physical disabilities, or relational dysfunctions, though these are typical ways people can feel like they are prisoners. Every day seems to bring another element of stress rushing at us to demotivate and inhibit, extending a prison sentence. Can there be hope when we’re there? Focus on the promises of God. They are promises of deliverance. When all seems helpless and we’re without hope, we look to the promises of God and are now Prisoners of Hope, in a protective fortress where sun shines on the cloudiest of days.

The world offers much but delivers little. False hopes can be attractive. They may temporarily entertain but do not sustain. They may give pleasure but are devoid of permanent purpose. Saint Paul wrote to recent converts in ancient Ephesus about what their life was like before Christ, “having no HOPE and without God in the world.”

The Great News of Jesus is that we have an evidence-based ground for hope. Maybe not everything in our circumstances will change for the better, but our hearts and minds can change through Jesus Christ so that we can more confidently face the future. In addition, we are given a Hope of Glory, which is “Christ in you,” said Saint Paul. This hope is eternal, founded on the fact that through what Jesus has done for us on the cross and by his resurrection, we will share the glory of heaven with him.

Before us, spiritually vigorous people invested a huge amount of spiritual capital to form Christian families, build and populate churches, and maintain a high public moral integrity. Internal weakening of America’s moral fiber is happening through secularization of our society, huge decreases in attendance at houses of worship, removal of Christian voices and values from the public square, unashamed vulgarity and obscenity in the media, political corruption and polarization, and frightening violence. There is hope. But the solution is spiritual, not political . Jesus Christ is still on the throne, and we need not waste time or emotional resource in anxiety over the direction of our society. But, spend time and effort in prayer. There is hope for America if we allow yourselves to be used as channels of that hope.

The Bible is a book full of conflict. Cain killed his brother Abel. Joseph’s brothers plotted to kill him and, instead, sold him as a slave. The Bible is a bloody book, with murders, wars, revenge and deep bitterness. The Bible not only reveals God, it reveals humankind and at the deepest level informs us about the core of the problem: sin. God did not take the attitude, “Just let them fight it out.” Jesus came to the rescue to clean up the bloody mess with his purifying precious blood. Placing trust in him transforms the self-centered ego toward the perfect life of Jesus Christ.

A Bible gives us examples of father failures as well as effective fathers who paved the way for

the succeeding generations. Joshua’s famous statement “but as for me and my house, we will

serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14) gives a eautiful example of a dad’s spiritual leadership and influence. We need more Joshuas in the world today.