WEBVTT 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:13.880 Well, thank you so much for coming to this seminar. I hope you were really encouraged, that you've been really encouraged throughout the day by what Wayne said in the morning and I think particularly by what came out in that last seminar. 00:00:14.419 --> 00:00:23.980 It's funny how he said, is anything resonating? Am I pushing any buttons? I don't know whether he was thinking, we were sitting there thinking, no, not at all mate, not at all. 00:00:23.980 --> 00:00:34.340 But I hope it's been very both equipping for us as a church, encouraging for us as a church, but also quite maybe challenging and convicting as well about this whole area of prayer. 00:00:35.460 --> 00:00:39.799 So let me just lay out what it's going to be like in this session here. We've got about roughly an hour or something like that. 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:44.740 What we're going to do is I'm going to lay out a kind of vision for us for 10 minutes. 00:00:44.740 --> 00:00:53.780 We're going to then spend 20 minutes in groups looking at some verses from scripture together and then we're going to devote a good chunk of the end of our session. 00:00:53.780 --> 00:00:58.620 20 or so minutes to praying together, particularly for each other, which is the title of this seminar. 00:00:58.740 --> 00:01:01.679 So that's roughly where we're going, just to give you an outline. 00:01:01.760 --> 00:01:08.379 So hopefully we'll keep it quite broken up, we'll keep it moving and there'll be opportunities as well for dialogue and we'll get things on the board. 00:01:08.460 --> 00:01:11.520 Does that sound okay? Yeah? Excellent. 00:01:13.020 --> 00:01:15.280 Really funny, just before we start, this has been in my mind all week. 00:01:15.379 --> 00:01:20.640 We're trying to teach, I'm fascinated, so in the last session we'll hear what the kids have been learning all day, which I'm fascinated about. 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:25.879 But we're trying to work on forgiveness, right? 00:01:25.980 --> 00:01:29.140 And for our hearts as much as theirs, but trying to work on forgiveness. 00:01:29.299 --> 00:01:34.560 So they're best of friends one minute, Chloe and Grace, and then they just fall out the next and it's drama and everything's going on. 00:01:35.159 --> 00:01:39.120 Trying to use the naughty step, it's been used all the time, so we go on to sit in the naughty step. 00:01:39.219 --> 00:01:42.740 And then we're trying to get them together again and say, right, who needs to say sorry? 00:01:43.099 --> 00:01:45.939 So one of them says sorry, and the other one needs to say, I forgive you. 00:01:45.939 --> 00:01:46.920 So they say, I forgive you. 00:01:46.980 --> 00:01:55.200 And both of you, all of us need to say sorry to God, because that's who we've first and foremost sinned against, before we sinned against one another. 00:01:56.359 --> 00:02:02.400 So I'm fascinated, when Wayne was saying earlier about when we pray, it's so often we pray to somebody who we can't see. 00:02:03.340 --> 00:02:04.439 We've got that side of it. 00:02:04.479 --> 00:02:08.719 I'm fascinated, because I said to Chloe the other day, I said, Chloe, say sorry to God. 00:02:09.159 --> 00:02:11.780 So my head made complete sense what I meant by that. 00:02:11.780 --> 00:02:15.039 And I thought, goodness, what does she understand by saying sorry to God? 00:02:15.080 --> 00:02:18.099 So all she did, she went, sorry God. 00:02:19.460 --> 00:02:20.780 And I thought, oh, that's really interesting. 00:02:20.900 --> 00:02:22.379 I wonder how you've processed that. 00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:27.180 Anyway, so I'm fascinated to learn what they've been learning about prayer, the children, when they come back in. 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:31.199 So I hope today's been encouraging for you. 00:02:31.259 --> 00:02:32.979 Let me just pray and then we'll get into this together, okay? 00:02:33.740 --> 00:02:35.080 Heavenly Father, we love you. 00:02:36.020 --> 00:02:40.099 And we just want to declare at the start of this session that you are God in heaven and we are on earth. 00:02:40.099 --> 00:02:44.419 Father, that we grow tired and we are feeble and we grow weary. 00:02:44.579 --> 00:02:48.319 But Father, thank you that you are the one who is so far above the things of the earth. 00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:51.359 Father, there is no shadow of change due to you. 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:56.419 And so, Lord, we fix our eyes on you today, the one who is the giver and sustainer of all things. 00:02:56.519 --> 00:02:58.180 So, Father, would you be with us now by your spirit? 00:02:58.519 --> 00:02:59.639 I pray that he would come. 00:02:59.639 --> 00:03:05.299 And as we look at your word, that he would encourage our hearts by it. 00:03:05.379 --> 00:03:06.779 He would help us understand it. 00:03:06.859 --> 00:03:11.799 And, Father, that we would grasp something more of, not of our greatness, but of your greatness today. 00:03:12.239 --> 00:03:13.939 So, Father, come and be with us now, we ask. 00:03:14.079 --> 00:03:17.659 Father, thank you that you hear us because we pray confidently in Jesus' name. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:18.279 Amen. 00:03:18.279 --> 00:03:18.399 Amen. 00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:19.400 Amen. 00:03:20.300 --> 00:03:26.379 So, as we begin, let me just tell you, as I've been reflecting over the last few weeks in preparation for this, 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:32.200 I don't know about you, but the battle that I find in my heart every single day as I come to think about, 00:03:32.300 --> 00:03:37.099 not just prayer, but as I come to think about our lives as a community together, 00:03:37.099 --> 00:03:43.379 as I think about meeting God's people during the week, interacting with each other during the week, 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:46.340 coming to a Sunday service, all these things we do together. 00:03:46.340 --> 00:03:50.200 And I find so often in my heart, it's a real battle. 00:03:51.259 --> 00:03:53.020 Here's the battle that goes on in my heart. 00:03:53.580 --> 00:03:57.319 There's two ways that I find it hard. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:01.780 There's two things that I so often go through in my head, two mindsets. 00:04:01.920 --> 00:04:03.000 Here's the first mindset. 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:07.759 And the first mindset is I think about my interaction with believers. 00:04:08.180 --> 00:04:12.360 The first mindset is how can these people serve me? 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:14.560 So I think about my life. 00:04:14.640 --> 00:04:15.819 Will I go to a small group tonight? 00:04:15.819 --> 00:04:18.000 I hope I get something out of it, because if I don't, I'm not going to go. 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:20.300 I think, will the music be good on Sunday? 00:04:20.360 --> 00:04:21.980 Because if it's not, I'm not really that fussed. 00:04:22.019 --> 00:04:22.899 Will the preacher be good? 00:04:22.980 --> 00:04:23.540 If it's not me. 00:04:24.839 --> 00:04:26.819 Is it something I want to go to? 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:27.879 Will the coffee be nice? 00:04:28.199 --> 00:04:29.300 Will people say hello to me? 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:30.159 Will I be encouraged? 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:32.959 Because if I'm not quite sure, I want to go. 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:36.039 I find that a constant battle in my heart all the time. 00:04:36.519 --> 00:04:37.159 All the time. 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:39.100 Second mindset. 00:04:39.100 --> 00:04:42.160 How can I serve these people? 00:04:43.720 --> 00:04:45.680 So who can I build up today? 00:04:46.460 --> 00:04:47.620 Who can I love today? 00:04:48.180 --> 00:04:51.340 Who can I go out my way to tell them that I love? 00:04:51.879 --> 00:04:54.000 Who can I go out my way to encourage and build up? 00:04:54.040 --> 00:04:57.500 How can I use my gift to encourage and build up these people? 00:04:57.500 --> 00:05:00.420 So that's the battle that's in my heart every single day. 00:05:00.600 --> 00:05:01.740 Those two mindsets. 00:05:02.339 --> 00:05:04.500 Now here's three questions for you as we kick off. 00:05:05.240 --> 00:05:08.000 Firstly, which one is it easier for us to think like? 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:12.040 Rhetorical question, okay. 00:05:12.699 --> 00:05:13.480 Second one. 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:18.699 As followers of Jesus, disciples of him, how does he call us to think? 00:05:18.779 --> 00:05:20.600 Which mindset does he call us to have? 00:05:22.300 --> 00:05:24.139 And third question, this is not rhetoric. 00:05:24.139 --> 00:05:28.379 Which community would you rather be part of? 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:31.699 What mindset do we want to characterize our community? 00:05:32.939 --> 00:05:33.379 Answer? 00:05:35.300 --> 00:05:35.959 Second one. 00:05:36.680 --> 00:05:39.539 So as we begin this session, turn your Bibles to Philippians 2. 00:05:43.019 --> 00:05:48.560 Because I find the more I get into scripture, the more I start really digging into it 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:51.519 and asking the Holy Spirit to come and help me understand what's going on here. 00:05:51.519 --> 00:05:55.839 I find myself getting under the skin of some of these letters. 00:05:56.560 --> 00:06:01.399 And I find churches just like ours going through the same battle. 00:06:02.180 --> 00:06:05.000 So here is Paul writing to this church in Philippi. 00:06:06.359 --> 00:06:08.519 What it seems they are going well. 00:06:09.079 --> 00:06:12.120 Paul is encouraged by the partnership that they have in the gospel. 00:06:12.120 --> 00:06:17.420 So at a time when not many people were standing with Paul, they have stood with him. 00:06:18.680 --> 00:06:21.480 They are going well, it seems. 00:06:22.120 --> 00:06:25.459 But Paul knows that these people have hearts just like his. 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:27.699 Feeble, broken. 00:06:28.840 --> 00:06:32.340 So often deceived by the things of the world. 00:06:33.180 --> 00:06:33.699 Messy. 00:06:33.699 --> 00:06:38.060 And what he does in this chapter is that he goes after their hearts. 00:06:38.599 --> 00:06:39.920 And he goes after their minds. 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:41.180 In fact, it's really interesting. 00:06:41.319 --> 00:06:45.479 If you turn to chapter 4, you see that there's two prominent people in the church, 00:06:45.579 --> 00:06:49.079 Judea and Syntyche, who have fallen out and they're not getting on. 00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:52.079 And Paul goes, so there's clearly stuff going on in the background of this church. 00:06:52.659 --> 00:06:56.319 But if this church is going to continue to grow, they need to have the mind of Christ. 00:06:56.319 --> 00:07:01.939 So this is what Paul does in chapter 2, is he almost grabs them by the ear corporately 00:07:01.939 --> 00:07:04.540 and he drags them to the foot of the cross. 00:07:05.819 --> 00:07:08.300 And he puts them at the foot of the cross and he says, 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:12.740 as you consider Christ, as you consider who he is and what he's done, 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:19.219 how can you behave like you're behaving in your corporate lives together? 00:07:19.459 --> 00:07:22.000 Now, let me just read these verses and you'll see what I mean by this. 00:07:22.039 --> 00:07:23.600 This is chapter Philippians 2. 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:27.340 Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, 00:07:27.939 --> 00:07:31.700 any comfort from his love, any common sharing in the spirit, 00:07:31.800 --> 00:07:36.980 of any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded. 00:07:38.300 --> 00:07:42.020 Having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 00:07:42.780 --> 00:07:45.260 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. 00:07:45.379 --> 00:07:50.660 Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves. 00:07:50.660 --> 00:07:57.400 Not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interests of the others. 00:07:58.500 --> 00:08:01.400 In relationships with one another, do you see it? 00:08:01.420 --> 00:08:02.360 Their corporate life together. 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:06.320 Have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. 00:08:07.960 --> 00:08:13.360 And these wonderful verses here, which many commentators reckon were an early church hymn. 00:08:13.879 --> 00:08:15.140 And you can see exactly why. 00:08:15.139 --> 00:08:17.979 Christ Jesus, who being in the very nature of God, 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:22.860 did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage. 00:08:23.500 --> 00:08:25.319 Rather, he made himself nothing. 00:08:26.539 --> 00:08:30.379 By taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, 00:08:30.479 --> 00:08:32.759 and being found in appearance as a man, 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:34.559 he humbled himself. 00:08:35.299 --> 00:08:37.340 By becoming obedient to death, 00:08:38.139 --> 00:08:39.460 even death on a cross. 00:08:39.460 --> 00:08:43.900 Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place, 00:08:43.900 --> 00:08:47.000 and gave him the name that is above every name, 00:08:47.560 --> 00:08:50.920 that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. 00:08:51.620 --> 00:08:54.540 In heaven and on earth, and under the earth, 00:08:54.580 --> 00:08:58.379 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, 00:08:59.180 --> 00:09:01.759 to the glory of God the Father. 00:09:03.040 --> 00:09:04.460 So Paul drags them to the cross, 00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:06.200 says consider Christ, 00:09:06.200 --> 00:09:09.160 and have the same mindset as Christ. 00:09:09.620 --> 00:09:10.240 That's what he's saying. 00:09:11.140 --> 00:09:12.360 Have the same mindset as Christ. 00:09:12.440 --> 00:09:14.259 And we cannot fathom, I don't think, 00:09:14.740 --> 00:09:17.040 just how low Christ stooped. 00:09:17.800 --> 00:09:20.300 To come into our human mess, 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:24.259 and if he had lived in pomp as a king, 00:09:24.340 --> 00:09:26.480 that would almost have been humiliating enough for him. 00:09:27.160 --> 00:09:29.920 But to stoop so low that he would go to the cross 00:09:29.920 --> 00:09:31.320 to deal with our sin, 00:09:32.280 --> 00:09:33.780 being humiliated, you see? 00:09:34.780 --> 00:09:36.040 Beed into death on the cross, 00:09:36.200 --> 00:09:39.900 in service for his church, his people. 00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:43.420 That is to be your mindset, says Paul, 00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:45.560 with one another. 00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:49.860 And one of the ways that we can practically put this into practice 00:09:49.860 --> 00:09:53.540 is by how we pray for one another. 00:09:54.440 --> 00:09:56.440 I think that's where we maybe come on to the topic for today, 00:09:56.520 --> 00:09:58.060 how we pray for one another. 00:09:58.759 --> 00:09:59.400 So what we're going to do, 00:09:59.460 --> 00:10:00.780 just in the time that we have remaining, 00:10:00.920 --> 00:10:02.060 is we're going to look at some of the, 00:10:02.700 --> 00:10:04.759 there are tons of prayers in the Bible, 00:10:04.759 --> 00:10:05.720 but just because of time, 00:10:05.779 --> 00:10:07.960 we're just going to focus on Paul's prayers 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:09.279 as we find them in the New Testament. 00:10:09.379 --> 00:10:10.480 So I've scribbled some of them down. 00:10:11.620 --> 00:10:15.399 But Paul is anxious that people know that he is praying for them. 00:10:15.539 --> 00:10:16.279 And as you read it, 00:10:16.360 --> 00:10:18.860 you understand how Paul's got a real pastor's heart. 00:10:18.919 --> 00:10:19.980 He just loves people. 00:10:20.259 --> 00:10:21.100 He loves people. 00:10:21.179 --> 00:10:23.799 And so he wants them to understand more and more and more 00:10:23.799 --> 00:10:24.659 about who God is, 00:10:24.919 --> 00:10:25.580 who they are, 00:10:25.639 --> 00:10:26.679 and as we've been talking about earlier, 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:28.519 how much they need him. 00:10:29.340 --> 00:10:31.100 So what we're going to do is we're going to split into groups 00:10:31.100 --> 00:10:32.679 and we're going to look at these verses together. 00:10:33.220 --> 00:10:34.240 Can I grab one of them? 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:36.639 And I want you, 00:10:36.779 --> 00:10:37.360 in your groups, 00:10:37.439 --> 00:10:39.299 to pull out the heart of the prayer. 00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:39.939 Okay? 00:10:40.100 --> 00:10:41.399 The heart of Paul's prayer. 00:10:41.699 --> 00:10:43.639 There's four questions I've written on the sheet 00:10:43.639 --> 00:10:44.679 and you'll see what it means in a minute 00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:47.659 to help you maybe just do some digging work around it 00:10:47.659 --> 00:10:49.220 so you can get to that question, 00:10:49.319 --> 00:10:50.100 the heart of the prayer. 00:10:50.819 --> 00:10:52.460 The four things I like to alliterate. 00:10:52.539 --> 00:10:53.399 Okay, there's four C's. 00:10:54.299 --> 00:10:54.579 Context. 00:10:55.100 --> 00:10:56.539 So who's writing the prayer? 00:10:56.679 --> 00:10:57.059 It's Paul. 00:10:57.059 --> 00:10:58.239 Okay, you've got that one. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:10:59.759 Who's he writing to? 00:10:59.859 --> 00:11:01.000 Maybe what's going on there? 00:11:01.479 --> 00:11:02.819 What's the content of the prayer? 00:11:02.959 --> 00:11:05.559 So what's Paul praying for these Christians? 00:11:06.939 --> 00:11:08.659 What's the comfort in the prayer? 00:11:09.359 --> 00:11:12.699 So he gives them a real reassurance as he's praying for them. 00:11:12.719 --> 00:11:14.439 He tells them stuff about who this God is, 00:11:14.500 --> 00:11:15.099 who they worship. 00:11:15.539 --> 00:11:17.459 And there's some real comfort in what Paul says. 00:11:17.819 --> 00:11:18.799 And then what's the call? 00:11:18.959 --> 00:11:22.119 So what does Paul want these Christians to do with this prayer? 00:11:22.239 --> 00:11:23.839 Another way of thinking about that is if you were in, 00:11:24.419 --> 00:11:26.559 if you were the recipients of this letter, 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:31.719 how would you be encouraged to respond as you heard to how Paul is praying for you? 00:11:32.579 --> 00:11:33.919 And as we'll see in all of this, 00:11:34.059 --> 00:11:37.019 Paul's heart for people comes out in his prayers. 00:11:38.059 --> 00:11:39.959 So what I want you to do is maybe split into groups. 00:11:40.099 --> 00:11:40.919 I didn't do it. 00:11:41.059 --> 00:11:41.859 I had kind of found me there. 00:11:41.979 --> 00:11:43.659 Maybe five people. 00:11:44.479 --> 00:11:45.899 And you can go to the back and go somewhere else, 00:11:45.939 --> 00:11:46.939 and then we'll pray after this. 00:11:47.399 --> 00:11:48.000 But five people. 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:52.179 And then I want you to read those verses together in your groups. 00:11:52.700 --> 00:11:55.259 And then see if you can come up with answering those four things. 00:11:55.820 --> 00:11:57.220 And try and have a go at answering the question, 00:11:57.299 --> 00:12:00.100 what is the heart of the prayer that Paul is praying for? 00:12:00.179 --> 00:12:03.840 And I think you'll find this a very edifying and encouraging experience as you go through this, 00:12:03.899 --> 00:12:05.220 as I've found it in my preparation. 00:12:05.860 --> 00:12:06.620 So does that sound okay? 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:10.440 And we'll be thinking about how we can be best praying for one another, 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:12.960 and how we can bring this mind of Christ, 00:12:13.480 --> 00:12:15.259 about not serving us but serving others, 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:16.879 into our prayer lives for one another, 00:12:16.980 --> 00:12:18.519 and then we'll actually pray for one another. 00:12:18.620 --> 00:12:19.039 Is that sound okay? 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:19.139 Okay.