Sermon for 12/17/06

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Sermon for 12/17/06
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ADVENT: Waiting, Preparing… without giving up

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AMEN

Main Theme: We hate to wait. But often God asks us to wait, even while storms rage around us. This requires patience and trust – a gift from God. There is a tendency however to quit and give up, or to try and manufacture our own answer, usually because we do not know what to do while we are waiting. We are to 1) Pray, 2) Study, and 3) Continue our service to God; our divine work. We are not to wait ‘for’ God, we are to wait ‘upon’ God – asking what we can do to serve Him. Some times we will find that God is actually waiting for us to grow, change, repent, or give something up before He can bless us. But the benefits of trusting in Him and waiting are worthy it! It brings strength, help, and spiritual stamina.

1) HATE TO WAIT! It is ironic that I can sit in a boat from dawn to dusk waiting for a fish to bite, but for the rest of my life – I confess: I hate to wait! I don’t understand why I have to sit for so long in the doctor’s or dentist’s waiting room. And my blood boils while waiting in crawling traffic! I admit to being a product of a fast-food and micro-wave culture. I detest standing in checkout lines at the store – so I leave all the shopping to my wife! The line at the post office depresses me! Why, I wonder, does my drive-up bank teller and the drivers ahead of me have to exchange 72 different reasons as to why they think it’s been raining so much lately? Can anyone relate to what I am saying? We often hate to wait.

2) RELIGIOUS WAITING! That’s why most independent churches don’t even mess with Advent – they want to sing celebrative Christmas Hymns NOW – they don’t want to wait! Yet we Lutherans voluntarily place ourselves in “the waiting game” every year; remembering that the Israelites waited for hundreds of years for the Messiah’s coming. We build “religious waiting” into our calendar – intentionally re-living the sometimes anxious and often painful experience of waiting.

3) GOD ASKS US TO WAIT! Someone must think it’s important to learn how to wait! Especially since God often asks us to wait! Face it, we pray for help with our financial woes, and yet the answer seems forever in coming. We pray for relief from a host of bodily ailments, and yet the solution does not automatically appear. We pray for a new job, but no one immediately responds to our résumé. Young couples often pray for a baby, and yet the pregnancy tests keep coming back negative. Lonely people pray for a mate, yet cupid’s arrows never seem to hit the mark. We pray for our unchurched loved ones, and yet time passes and they still seem no closer to accepting God. So many requests sent heavenward, so few immediate answers! Is God is sleeping on the job, or ignoring us, or mad at us? But no, the Spirit tells us, the Father has heard our cry, but many times God asks us to wait.

4) MANUFACTURE! It’s strange how the “call to wait” can affect us. We want to believe God answers prayer – and yet, the lack of an immediate answer can cause us to start doubting. We believe God wants to bless us, but the storms are raging around us now, and we need help now! So there is the strong temptation to manufacture an answer ourselves! We tend to do what Abraham did in the Old Testament when God seemed to be taking too long. Promised a Son, the years had passed, old age arrived, and yet Sarah had not conceived. So instead of waiting on God, Abraham takes the matter into his own hands and seeks heirs by sleeping with Sarah’s handmaiden named Hagar. Does it solve Abraham’s problem’s? NO! It causes more problems than it solves!The author of the book “Fresh Faith” says, “The hardest part of faith is often simply to wait. And the trouble is, if we don’t then we start to fix the problem ourselves – and it makes matters worse. We complicate the situation to the point that where it takes God longer to fix it than if we had quietly waited for His working in the first place.” Fact is: God often calls for us to wait. But it is a mistake for us to impatiently attempt to manufacture the answer ourselves!

5) QUIT! The 2nd temptation is to simply quit! …to give up! We put our hands in our pockets, begin to stew in self-pity, and we let the light go out! We read the bumper sticker “Don’t give up. It took Noah six months to find a parking place.” And yet, we’re not always inspired, nor apply the lesson to our lives. That’s why the Holy Spirit is here today to remind us that just because we are called to wait, does not mean God has abandoned us… Matthew 28:20 proclaims Christ’s trustworthy promise, “I am with you, to the end of the age!” Therefore, since God will provide, He says (Matt. 6:31-33) “Therefore do not worry, …but strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness... and all these things will be given to you as well.” When we stay focused on our problem, we’re tempted to quit. Instead we’re to focus on the divine problem solver, not the problem! We are “to strive for the kingdom of God and His righteousness” and NOT give up or quit.

6) FORFEITED MIRACLES? Think about it: how many Biblical miracles came only after a period of obedient waiting? God could have cured Naaman of his leprosy immediately, but chose instead to tell Him to go and dip in the Jordan River 7 times. What if Naaman had dipped six times and quit? During a devastating drought, Elijah prayed for rain 7 times before the first little cloud showed up. What if He had quit after only 6 prayers? The Israelites were told to march around Jericho 7 times before the walls came tumbling down. But had they tired at 6 and quit… what would that reveal about their trust in God to lead them? How many of the miracles God wants to give us, are forfeited because we give up too soon?

7) FAITH! Friends, it’s easy to claim that we have faith. But if we’re going to “walk the walk”, and not just “talk the talk”, then “waiting” is often a necessary exercise and test to see if we truly believe that God will provide for us! Faith in God is easy when answers to prayer come quickly to us! But the true test of our faith doesn’t come until we have to wait for the answers. Fact is, the longer we wait without quitting, the more our faith is strengthened! Remember, God’s primary concern is in the development of a loving and growing relationship between us and Him. And just as muscles must be exercised to develop strength, so God often delays His blessings in order to exercise, test, and refine our faith muscles. God always has a purpose for our waiting; and a stronger faith makes the wait worth while!

8) NECESSARY! Years ago, when I was only in my 30’s - Boeing laid 60,000 of us off. So I turned the biggest disaster in my life… over to God. I had babies, a mortgage, and bills to pay… lots of questions, but no answers. My future vocational goals were now as clear as mud. With no experience in “waiting patiently” for the Lord’s answers, I did NOT start off well. No sooner had I ended my prayer, than I began to worry again because God’s answer did not arrive in the afternoon mail. Waiting seemed… wrong. Waiting for God seemed like laziness! Waiting felt like you were going to sleep when you should be “doing something!” Waiting seemed to me like I was abandoning any effort to fix the problem. Anyone else ever feel that way? It was years before God answered that prayer and opened my eyes to His will for my vocation. Maybe every disastrous attempt to fix it myself slowed down the process, or maybe God needed me to spend several more years growing in His Word, but in hindsight I see waiting was necessary. Going to the seminary prematurely would have been completely in vain! I needed to be humbled and strengthened through the exercise of waiting. I’m still learning to trust and believe Christ is working it all out. It took time to realize that waiting is necessary!

9) WHAT TO DO? There is another reason we struggle with waiting; we don’t know what to do while waiting! I’m reminded of the Apostles, who, after the resurrection, spent time with Jesus until He ascended into heaven. He’d given them their mission – to go make disciples – but were told NOT to start until they had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:4-5 tells us “While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. ‘This’, he said, ‘is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’” Apparently we’re not the only ones called to wait! But notice, they didn’t sit around watching Oprah on TV, or playing solitaire; they knew what to do while they waited.

10) PRAY! First, 1) they prayed! Acts 1: 14 tells us - “All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer…” Why is it good to pray while we wait? Because prayer puts us face to face with God, and prayer empowers us to hear God. A scholar once said, “The trouble with nearly every body who prays is that they say ‘Amen” and run away before God has a chance to reply. Listening to God is far more important than giving Him your ideas.” When you pray, do you include silence to listen for God’s voice? Prayer brings us closer and empowers us to listen.

11) A PLAN! And we listen because God has a great plan for our lives. God promised, (Jeremiah 29:11) “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Of course we need to hear his plans for us, and prayer is one of the major ways we listen to His will for our lives. When the time is right, when we are ready, He will call us into action. I wonder how many times we sit there in our lives waiting and waiting and waiting because we think God isn’t ready, when in actuality it is us who are not listening to His plan through prayer? Waiting in prayer brings us face to face with God, His plan, and gives us opportunities to listen!

12) KEEP PRAYING! Now be careful, because it’s tempting to pray and expect God to fulfill every wish. But He is not our genie in a magic lamp. We’re designed to serve and lean on Him! And prayer shows that we trust in God’s loving hands and that “all things will work together for our good.” (Romans 8:28) We need to keep praying! While we wait for a loved one to come to Jesus… keep praying! While we suffer from a health problem in which there seems no reprieve… keep praying! When you’ve lost your way and your life is full of more questions than you have answers… keep praying. God’s heart is gladdened when you pray to Him while waiting – because it shows we are placing all our concerns into His hands in trust and faith! While we wait, we make God smile when we keep praying!

13) STUDY! The Apostle’s also did more than just pray. 2) They studied! This is indicated in Acts (1:16-20) when Peter begins a bible study on why Judas betrayed the Lord - “‘Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled,’ …‘For it is written in the book of Psalms…” Their time of study looked back at prophecy and began to help them understand Judas’ betrayal. They turned to scripture to make sense of it all. Do we? How ironic that when our struggles leave us with a million questions, we can pray for an answer – but often never seem to find it. And yet God has provided the answers in the living Word we call scripture, but we resist going there! We can’t seem to put life together because we refuse to study the instructions. Like all those parents who try unsuccessfully to assemble bikes and complicated toys for Christmas until they finally pick up and read the instructions. Sometimes we blame God for all the waiting – when He is actually waiting on us to find the answers in the Word. Are you in a bible study, or small group, or Sunday school class? If not, you may waiting unnecessarily for a solution already given in the Word. John Wycliffe once said, “To be ignorant of the Scriptures is to be ignorant of God!” Whereas Jesus wants you know Him intimately! So while you wait – study God’s Word!

14) WORK! So the Apostle’s prayed, studied, and they 3) Worked! That is, they continued their service to God! For instance, with Judas out of the picture, there was a little matter of replacing him. And so they called the new church’s first council meeting and studied the requirements for “being an apostle” and selected a replacement. (Acts 1:21-26) “So one of the men who have accompanied us throughout the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us… one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.’ So they proposed two, …Then they prayed, …and they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.” Apparently, just because God has called you to wait, we are not excused from our responsibility to do what needs to be done now. During my premature mid-life crisis, God shook me from my depression to remind me that while I waited, I was not excused from being a loving father, husband, and neighbor. Waiting on God’s future blessings does not give us license for complacency to not do the work He has called us to in the present.

15) WAIT “FOR” OR “UPON”! Friends, the Bible doesn’t ask us to wait “for” the Lord; like customers waiting for our dinner at a restaurant, with arms crossed, impatiently tapping our feet, wondering when God is gonna produce. Many of us are waiting the wrong way. The Bible calls us to wait “upon” the Lord, which is more the attitude of a “waiter” or “waitress” who asks God, “How may I serve you?” or “May I take your order?” Sadly, the “waiting” that often occurs, is God waiting on us to search ourselves and perhaps remove something that is stopping us from receiving His blessings. There might be a sin, an unholy attitude that is in our way. There could be a fear… or a doubt, that is holding us from the promise of God. Rather than sit around wondering “what’s wrong with God” that we have to experience this uncomfortable delay – we might ask, “Lord, what would you have me do? How might I please you? Show me what needs to be transformed?” These are the questions to ask while we wait. We’re not to wait for the Lord, but upon Him, seeking ways to serve Him and be more Christ-like each and every day!

16) RENEW STRENGTH! Friends, the benefits of waiting upon the Lord are great! Isaiah tells us, (40:31) “…those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” The Lord wants you to know – the Father’s timing is perfect. He doesn’t rush – He’s never in a hurry. As 1^st Corinthians 13 tells us “Love is patient”. And He sends His Spirit to us now that we may not be in hurry either, but have hearts full of patient love. He wants us to trust in Him, and patiently let Him exercise our faith, often through waiting. And He wants you and I to know that God is working it all out! And no, waiting is not sitting around doing nothing. In fact, He is here to empower you to pray more, study the Scriptures faithfully, and devote yourself to serving Him while you wait. In this season of Advent, of waiting and preparing for His coming, your Savior is here now to renew the strength of those who wait upon the Lord!

PRAISE GOD!

AMEN!

Sermon/Confessional Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we confess that we do not take enough to you in prayer, and when we do, we are impatient when it comes to waiting for your answer. Forgive us when we try to manufacture our own answer, or give up and quit. Forgive us for not trusting that you are working the problem and have everything under control. We open our hearts and ask that you would come in and create within us the patience we need to wait faithfully upon you.

Lord, too often while we wait, we do not know what to do. Forgive us for staying focused on our problems and not you. Forgive us for not spending our time as the Apostles did, praying, studying, and serving you. Empower us not to wait “for” you, but “upon” you. And awaken us to those situations in which you are actually waiting on us - to repent, or grow, and be transformed before you can bless us. Teach us Lord to wait with confidence, trusting more and more in you to provide what we need.

And now Lord, although you know us better than we know ourselves, listen as we share in a moment of silence, those other parts of our lives that need to be forgiven, washed clean, healed, and recommitted to you! (made anew.)

(Silence)

Lord, you hear our cries, and you compassionately answer – in your time, the right time, so that all things are for own good. We praise your name for the greatest answer that came to us in a manager. Help us to wait assured that there is a reason for all delayed blessings, and fill us with the peace that frees us to pray, study, and serve you according to your loving will. In Jesus Name We Pray. AMEN

Assurance of Forgiveness:

Friends, listen to the good news: The Lord who answers all prayers in the perfect way and perfect time, …that Lord has mercifully heard your confession and eagerly forgives you all your sins. Go now, and remember: don’t quit, don’t try to solve your problems yourself, turn it all over to the Lord! Then wait patiently; praying, studying, and serving Him until His blessing come. And in doing so, your strength will be renewed! Praise God! AMEN

Opening prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we enter this sanctuary during this busy time of the year, some of us celebrating the festive Christmas season, ands some of struggling to find joy in the midst of a still broken world. But you draw us here, because whether we are on the mountain top, or in a dark valley – you have what we need. And you hear and answer our prayers. You forgive sins, and you heal our spiritual, mental, and physical wounds. You come to us and lovingly provide for us the things we need, though we are not worthy. You come to us and offer to bear our burdens, just when we think we can go no further. You come to us and give us true purpose, instead of empty busyness. You come to us and encourage us with words of love, when everyone around us ignores or tears us down. When we think we cannot go on any further, you come to us and renew our strength as we wait patiently for your countless blessings. We praise you this morning because in your Son, you came to us, and still come to us, as unconditional love. Help us to embrace your blessings this morning, your life-giving Word, and the Holy Spirit that comes and brings us hope, faith, and love! This morning, may our praise, worship, and communion glorify you, and make you smile. Take our hearts and teach them to beat as one with you! It is in your precious Name we Pray! AMEN!

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