Redeemer Central

Prayer 05 - Q&A

Prayer is simply the medium through which we communicate and commune with God. The practice of prayer is learning to set aside dedicated time to intentionally be with God, in order to become like him and partner with him in the world.

In Prayer part 4 David Armstrong explores the fourth stage of prayer: being with God. There comes a point in our spiritual journey when prayer goes beyond words to simple loving presence, or what the ancient Christians called “union” with God. This type of prayer has come to be called “contemplation,” based on 2 Corinthians 3v18. To contemplate is to look, to gaze upon the beauty of God, receiving his love pouring out toward you in Christ and by the Spirit, and then giving your love back in return.

Part of the Practicing the Way Series. For info and resources on this series go to redeemercentral.com/ptw

Prayer 04 - Being With God

Prayer is simply the medium through which we communicate and commune with God. The practice of prayer is learning to set aside dedicated time to intentionally be with God, in order to become like him and partner with him in the world.

In Prayer part 4 David Armstrong explores the fourth stage of prayer: being with God. There comes a point in our spiritual journey when prayer goes beyond words to simple loving presence, or what the ancient Christians called “union” with God. This type of prayer has come to be called “contemplation,” based on 2 Corinthians 3v18. To contemplate is to look, to gaze upon the beauty of God, receiving his love pouring out toward you in Christ and by the Spirit, and then giving your love back in return.

Part of the Practicing the Way Series. For info and resources on this series go to redeemercentral.com/ptw

Prayer 03 - Listening to God

Prayer is simply the medium through which we communicate and commune with God. The practice of prayer is learning to set aside dedicated time to intentionally be with God, in order to become like him and partner with him in the world.

In Prayer part 3 John Herron helps us understand that prayer is not just when we talk but when we listen to hear his voice. As Jesus said in John 10v27, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” This is a Spirit-generated desire in the heart of a disciple of Jesus.

Part of the Practicing the Way Series. For info and resources on this series go to redeemercentral.com/ptw

Prayer 02 - Talking with God

Prayer is simply the medium through which we communicate and commune with God. The practice of prayer is learning to set aside dedicated time to intentionally be with God, in order to become like him and partner with him in the world.

In Prayer part 2 Stephanie Wilson helps us begin to learn how to talk with God. Praying pre-made prayers is a beautiful way to pray. It’s where we start our prayer journey, and it’s a place we revisit all through our lives. But at some point in our life of prayer, we desire to pray our own words to God — to share what’s on our mind, our heart. Our pain, our joy, our hopes and fears. We can’t help but desire to interact with God in a more authentic, personalised way.

Part of the Practicing the Way Series. For info and resources on this series go to redeemercentral.com/ptw

Prayer 01 - Talking to God

Prayer is simply the medium through which we communicate and commune with God. The practice of prayer is learning to set aside dedicated time to intentionally be with God, in order to become like him and partner with him in the world.

In Prayer part 1 David Armstrong explores the first stage of prayer: talking to God. When the disciples asked Jesus, “Teach us to pray,” in Luke 11, Jesus replied, “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name...’” He gave them a pre-made prayer, or what some call a liturgy, to pray to God.

One of the single most important tasks of discipleship to Jesus is starting, habituating, and fine-tuning a daily prayer rhythm. So we start our four-week journey simply, by praying pre-made prayers to God.

Part of the Practicing the Way Series. For info and resources on this series go to redeemercentral.com/ptw

***

Note: This recording begins with a prayer captured during our time of sung worship. The sermon begins at 6min30secs.

David Armstrong finishes our Advent series looking at this season as a divine invitation and divine interruption.

Note: This recording begins with a prayer led by Ian Ryans for Israel-Palestine, amid all the conflict and violence taking place there.

Scott Witherick brings a reflection on the season for our Advent series

Glen Mitchell begins our Advent series

Sabbath 04 - Worship

In Sabbath Part 4 we look at how sabbath isn’t just a day to stop, rest, and throw a feast in community — it’s a holy day set apart and dedicated to God himself.

For many Western Christians, Sunday has become what Eugene Peterson called a “bastard Sabbath”–the illegitimate offspring of the Sabbath and a secular day off. Whether you practice Sabbath on Sundays, Saturdays, or another day of the week, it’s essential to remember God commands us to “remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy.” To keep it “holy” means to sanctify it, set it apart, and dedicate it to God for his special purposes. Sabbath isn’t just a day to sleep in, relax, and do whatever brings you joy (it is, but it’s more): it’s a day to worship. To reorient your entire life back to its center in God. In our final week of Sabbath, we elevate the Sabbath from a restful, joyful day off to a holy day of worship and delight in God himself.

***Note: Due to a last-minute change of circumstances we used the teaching resource from Practicing the Way, delivered by John Mark Comer.***

Part of the Practicing the Way series. For info and resources on this series go to redeemercentral.com/ptw

Sabbath 03 - Delight

Sabbath is a day of rest by which we cultivate a spirit of restfulness in all of our life.

In Sabbath part 3 John Herron looks at the third movement of Sabbath– delight. Jesus himself said plainly, “In this world, you will have trouble,” but he also said his desire for his disciples was “that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full.” Sorrow is inevitable in this life, but joy is not. In the Way of Jesus, joy is a gift, but it’s one that must be chosen and cultivated, day after day, as an act of apprenticeship to our joyful God.

Previous generations often thought of the Sabbath as a somber, serious day full of religious duty and legalistic rules. Today, many people think of it as a day to chill, relax, or sleep. Both generations miss the essential truth – the Sabbath is designed by God as a day to give yourself fully to delight in God’s world, in your life in it, and ultimately in God himself.

Part of the Practicing the Way Series. For info and resources on this series go to redeemercentral.com/ptw