WEBVTT 00:00:00.440 --> 00:00:04.940 Lord, may the words of my mouth and meditation of all our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:15.160 our strength and our Redeemer. Amen. And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. 00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:22.179 Matthew 6 starts with Jesus having some strong teaching, and this is some strong teaching 00:00:22.179 --> 00:00:27.440 because it formed part of the teaching, as we've read before, Matthew 5 for the Sermon 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:32.760 on the Mount. And here Jesus is teaching his people, teaching those that have come. Jesus 00:00:32.760 --> 00:00:41.780 was himself a Jew and was passing comment on what he observed and what he was seeing, 00:00:41.780 --> 00:00:48.079 as people were wanting to go into a deeper, deeper relationship with the Lord. It was very open, 00:00:48.540 --> 00:00:54.159 it was with people worshipping together. And Jesus is then saying, but be careful not to practice 00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:59.699 your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. Because if you do, you will have no reward 00:00:59.699 --> 00:01:04.280 from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets as the 00:01:04.280 --> 00:01:09.879 hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets to be honoured by others. Truly, I tell you, they 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:20.879 have received their reward in full. Ouch! That's tough teaching. That must have been radical to hear. 00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:26.159 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 00:01:26.359 --> 00:01:31.359 so that you may be giving in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, 00:01:31.739 --> 00:01:38.579 will reward you. It's all about this relationship thing that we're exploring this morning. 00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:44.759 You know, they have been with Jesus, his disciples, they have seen glimpses of that deep, 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:50.099 deep relationship he has with the Father. And they want to mirror that. They want more. 00:01:50.099 --> 00:01:56.339 So they are asking, Lord, what is this all about? Because we're hearing your teaching, 00:01:56.500 --> 00:02:01.579 we're seeing it. Would you show us more and more? And I sense that Jesus is responding to the 00:02:01.579 --> 00:02:08.879 disciples' desire and hunger to grow deeper and deeper in their apprenticeship to him. 00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:17.519 After all, they asked him, Lord, teach us to pray. Lord, would you show us? Would you show us what 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:23.820 this thing is that you have? This relationship you have? Because we want that as well. We want that 00:02:23.820 --> 00:02:31.800 deeper relationship. And Jesus is laying down some sound advice that prayer isn't about grand outward 00:02:31.800 --> 00:02:43.520 gestures. Look at me. Look how clever my prayer language is. But that deep, deep, heartfelt engagement 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:51.500 with the Father heart of God. As Jesus was modelling to them so often. It's about relationship. We all know 00:02:51.500 --> 00:02:56.900 what our relationships are like with people. We know whether it's a genuine relationship. We know 00:02:56.900 --> 00:03:02.460 whether it's just a one-sided relationship where maybe we're having to give and the other person is 00:03:02.460 --> 00:03:09.180 taking. But this is a relationship that Jesus wants to model that is a shared relationship with the 00:03:09.180 --> 00:03:15.700 Father. What a great gift that was. And what a great gift that is to each and every one of us. 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:21.260 You know, I always find it interesting on those occasions where somebody who you know really well, 00:03:21.580 --> 00:03:26.760 you know, you're chatting along to them every day, you know them, whatever. And it gets to that prayer 00:03:26.760 --> 00:03:33.280 time and their voice changes. They go all posh when they talk to God. Have you noticed that? 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:41.060 You know, it's sort of, oh Lord. Oh, I beseech thee, Lord, that you, you know, you're thinking, hang on. 00:03:42.060 --> 00:03:46.620 Wouldn't my friends think I was a bit weird if suddenly I started changing my voice? You know, 00:03:46.659 --> 00:03:50.259 when I talk to you on the street, oh yeah, oh Lord, it's great to see you today. 00:03:53.099 --> 00:03:59.819 It's interesting, isn't it? There are stories of this is all about relationship and a real 00:03:59.819 --> 00:04:05.780 relationship that the disciples had seen in Jesus. And they said, yeah, we want some of that too. 00:04:07.180 --> 00:04:12.459 The old story goes of a lovely Pentecostal Christian lady who was living next door to an atheist. 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:17.659 And she'd go out into a garden and quite rightly, prayer was part of her every day. 00:04:18.300 --> 00:04:22.279 And she would say, and she would give thanks to the Lord for things. Just, she would say, 00:04:22.420 --> 00:04:27.159 praise the Lord, praise the Lord. So as she goes out into a garden, she thought, 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:33.580 what a marvellous day, Lord. Praise the Lord. Whereupon her atheist neighbour would shout over, 00:04:33.980 --> 00:04:41.320 ha, there is no God. And they had quite this loving relationship, as friendships do, but 00:04:41.320 --> 00:04:46.340 she went out one day and she was being really honest with the Lord and she was praying in her garden, 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:52.260 just as she did out there. She's saying, Lord, you know, it's a tough week. And I'm just not going 00:04:52.259 --> 00:04:57.579 to stretch this week, the finances. You know, Lord, I really need some groceries. But Lord, 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:04.899 I praise you. Praise the Lord. Next morning she wakes up and there on her doorstep are groceries. 00:05:06.379 --> 00:05:11.759 And she goes out and she's quite emotional and says, thank you, Lord. Praise the Lord. Whereupon 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:19.399 the atheist neighbour jumps out and says, ha, I bought you those groceries. There is no God. 00:05:19.399 --> 00:05:27.159 And she smiles at her neighbour and says, oh Lord, not only did my atheist neighbour hear my prayer, 00:05:27.679 --> 00:05:32.699 but also Satan brought my groceries. Praise the Lord. 00:05:35.779 --> 00:05:43.419 The thing is, in our relationship as Jesus talks about prayer, this morning as we go in deeper into 00:05:43.419 --> 00:05:49.139 scripture, we experience a God who develops and wants to develop a deep relationship with us. 00:05:49.399 --> 00:05:59.439 But a relationship that is built on trust, commitment, love, grace, all that Jesus has for us 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:06.779 that we so often take for granted. Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near. 00:06:07.779 --> 00:06:15.899 While he is near, 24-7. That relationship that is ongoing. And as lovely as much as it is that we 00:06:15.899 --> 00:06:23.859 we gather here, this is a relationship that we take with us and we have brought with us. I remember once 00:06:23.859 --> 00:06:31.159 just down here in the early days of coming together as an ecumenical partnership and there was a 00:06:31.159 --> 00:06:37.819 lady who had visited us from elsewhere and she said, I got nothing out of worship today. 00:06:37.819 --> 00:06:44.680 And I said, what did you bring? And it isn't what you take, it's what you bring in a relationship. 00:06:45.459 --> 00:06:50.939 This is the thing in our relationship with God. It's not only what we take, but what we bring 00:06:50.939 --> 00:06:56.939 to him. And when you read on in Matthew here, the disciples wanted to know how to pray. 00:06:56.939 --> 00:07:06.579 And so in the words, Jesus shows us how to pray in the way that millions know as the Lord's Prayer. 00:07:07.379 --> 00:07:15.060 And have used and have treasured and have used in so many settings. The construction of the Lord's Prayer 00:07:15.060 --> 00:07:23.000 is a piece of genius. It has to because it comes from the Lord. But Jesus gave this to his disciples 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:31.879 and to us because if you want to know how to pray, pray as Jesus taught us. But before we get to pray, 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:39.480 Jesus is talking to us in the scripture, I believe, about getting our hearts right. When you come to 00:07:39.480 --> 00:07:45.399 prayer, it's about getting your heart right in honesty and openness in a relationship with Jesus. Jesus was 00:07:45.399 --> 00:07:54.979 very perceptive. I love modern day observational comedians. Because modern observational comedians 00:07:54.979 --> 00:08:02.239 say the things that we see in everyday life and relate them so well that we laugh at them. 00:08:02.939 --> 00:08:06.779 I personally find it more and more as I'm becoming like Victor Maldry. 00:08:06.779 --> 00:08:14.119 I'm finding it more and more as I laugh at these observational comments who point out things and 00:08:14.119 --> 00:08:22.719 I'm thinking, oh my goodness, that's me. And so Jesus is pointing out very much as we recognize 00:08:22.719 --> 00:08:30.699 the situations that we relate to that Jesus knows all about and connects with us and so can connect 00:08:30.699 --> 00:08:37.899 with us and appreciate. And Jesus commented on what many people were seeing in this scripture. 00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:47.179 Take care, says Jesus, about your motives when you come to pray. You know, when you come to pray, 00:08:47.259 --> 00:08:54.000 if you're just doing it to get noticed, that's probably not the right motive. If you're doing it to get 00:08:54.000 --> 00:09:00.240 recognition for something or seeking in your heart to be really clever, that's probably not the right 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:09.960 prayer posture to come in. To be seen for what you do rather than what you do behind the scenes. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:18.680 Jesus is just pointing out maybe to them what is clearly obvious to them within the culture. 00:09:20.419 --> 00:09:26.960 I often see pictures in the local press of people handing over a check and there's some really, 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:33.920 really worthy causes and praise God for that as well. Again, for those things, but you look behind, 00:09:34.040 --> 00:09:38.120 that's fine, but I always think for those things, be careful what your motives are. 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:45.560 You know, are your motives to be seen or are they not to be seen? Think about that. Jesus is saying to 00:09:45.560 --> 00:09:51.019 them, if you're getting lots of kudos from being seen to give, then you've probably been rewarded already. 00:09:51.019 --> 00:09:57.740 This is very clear in the scripture this morning of what we're exploring and what we're examining. And 00:09:57.740 --> 00:10:03.679 Jesus said, again, reinforces this. And when you pray, don't pray like they do publicly on the street 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:09.899 corners. And, you know, in the synagogues with all the trumpets and the chanting and the razzmatazz 00:10:09.899 --> 00:10:18.139 that goes with it, it's like you're giving. It's not showtime. Jesus is just pointing out a warning 00:10:18.139 --> 00:10:23.720 and an obvious thing. When you pray, make it personal, make it relational, make it honest, 00:10:24.039 --> 00:10:29.059 real, have an honest conversation, an honest conversation with Jesus, like we had in that 00:10:29.059 --> 00:10:34.460 Lord's Prayer. Be honest. Maybe there's a line that comes out and you think, I need to dwell on that, 00:10:34.679 --> 00:10:40.120 and really go in and be honest with Jesus. Have an honest conversation. And when Jesus says, 00:10:40.299 --> 00:10:45.779 go off into your room, he's making a radical point to those that were listening within the culture. 00:10:45.779 --> 00:10:49.919 He's not saying, do away with public prayer. He's not saying that at all. 00:10:51.480 --> 00:10:58.860 He's saying, you can have a personal relationship with the Father wherever you are. You don't have 00:10:58.860 --> 00:11:07.399 to be tied to ritual to get in contact with the Father. Pray 24-7. That's what his disciples saw. 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:13.399 That's what they were experiencing. That's what they wanted more and more from him. How do you do this, 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:18.439 Jesus? You know, when you just drop everything and you just go off, what's that all about? 00:11:19.319 --> 00:11:24.459 Because there's like people here waiting for you to talk, but you just disappear and go off. 00:11:25.720 --> 00:11:31.439 And Jesus is saying, that's really important for me, because we all need that time out in our day 00:11:31.439 --> 00:11:38.399 with the Father. He's being radical. He's making a point. For the Jews were saying the daily Shema, 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:44.120 it had to be said daily. Three passages of Scripture recited. And then in the evening, 00:11:44.199 --> 00:11:49.980 I think there's the Shem and Ezra, I'm sure. That was another group of prayers that had to be said. 00:11:50.319 --> 00:11:56.740 And they are lovely. I'm sure they are wonderful prayers. And where Jesus was making an observation 00:11:56.740 --> 00:12:04.080 and commenting is because, I guess, when we just rattle through those things, 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:12.680 and they have to be done, where's the relationship? Where's the relationship when you just feel as 00:12:12.680 --> 00:12:18.480 though you have to do those things? It was maybe more about routine than relationship. And when prayer 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:26.039 becomes more about routine than relationship, Jesus is saying, no. Wash your heart. 00:12:26.740 --> 00:12:32.820 Have the relationship. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling, for they think they will be heard 00:12:32.820 --> 00:12:38.560 because of their many words. This was a social comment. Jesus, of all people, is the one to comment, 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:46.840 not for us to judge. He was making a comment on what he was seeing. And wanted Jesus, knew how to speak 00:12:46.840 --> 00:12:52.159 and hear the Father's voice. He knew how to make that connection. He knew that God wanted to have a 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:58.419 personal relationship with each and every one of us. But the formality, the robotic, the repetitive, 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:08.399 the institutional liturgy, maybe, for many of us, have got in the way. And that has certainly been my 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:14.879 experience in times in my life, where liturgy has been extremely helpful, but on occasions, 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:22.340 liturgy has got in the way. And maybe, like you, I've rushed my way through the Lord's Prayer 00:13:22.340 --> 00:13:28.059 on numerous occasions. We just run it out, don't we? We know it well. 00:13:30.539 --> 00:13:38.659 And yet, maybe we fail to pause in those places as we heard in that prayer there. Maybe to just hold 00:13:38.659 --> 00:13:43.679 on to a point and say, as I pause in the Lord's Prayer, this precious prayer that is given, 00:13:45.159 --> 00:13:51.659 what does this bit really mean to me? Where do you want me to pray into that? Where do you want me to 00:13:51.659 --> 00:13:57.699 be honest with you, Lord? Where do I really want to hear you? Where do I really want to connect with you 00:13:57.699 --> 00:14:06.120 in this? Where do I want the Holy Spirit to draw my attention to a particular point? 00:14:06.120 --> 00:14:12.879 I thought it was really interesting, at different points in the Lord's Prayer, where, you know, 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:18.919 where maybe we are facing temptation at times, to just dwell on that and say, Lord, where are I, 00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:25.360 where, you know, deliver me from this. Take me away, show me where I'm being tempted, show me where 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:31.440 this relationship, this beautiful relationship that we have, just point it out. I always value, 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:36.420 I always value a good friend. They always say, you know, a good friend that can tell you what 00:14:36.420 --> 00:14:42.980 nobody else can tell you, you know, those things that you can say, you know, and I think that's a 00:14:42.980 --> 00:14:49.140 great relationship with Jesus. I'm going to be totally honest with you, Clive. I'm going to be 00:14:49.140 --> 00:14:54.820 totally honest with you. This isn't good, is it? No, no, it's not. This isn't my finest hour, is it? No, 00:14:54.820 --> 00:15:01.920 it's not Clive. Okay, we're back on track, we're back on track. Is that okay? That's the relationship. 00:15:02.680 --> 00:15:08.220 And Jesus was saying to his disciples, it doesn't have to be about this, this is about personal 00:15:08.220 --> 00:15:14.680 relationship. So Jesus gives his followers this prayer. It's radical stuff. It's personal, concise, 00:15:14.679 --> 00:15:20.039 direct, intimate, challenging, as you would expect, our Father in heaven. 00:15:22.539 --> 00:15:30.579 There was a dear lady who I know who came to an eight o'clock communion, and it was great. 00:15:31.500 --> 00:15:38.819 It was Book of Common Prayer, eight o'clock in the morning, and for her, the Book of Common Prayer 00:15:38.820 --> 00:15:46.040 was God's Word for her revealed. I'm sure she thought Jesus really did speak in that language 00:15:46.040 --> 00:15:52.820 as well. Almighty and most merciful God, for those only in gifts that cometh, that thy faithful people 00:15:52.820 --> 00:15:59.840 do unto thee true and laudable service. Grant, we beseech thee, that we may so faithfully serve thee 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:06.660 in this life, that we may fall not, and thereby attain thy heavenly promises through the merits of 00:16:06.659 --> 00:16:13.899 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. My goodness, did she know her Book of Common Prayer? And in fact, 00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:23.519 this was with this particular lady. She would correct me if I got one syllable wrong. And in fact, 00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:29.759 if I happened to get my collects in a twist, or my litany didn't match my proper prefaces, 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:40.080 I think she knew the book better than Cramnod did. And yet one day, and she would haul me up at the door 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:45.379 on the way out and tell me where I'd got it wrong or where I hadn't paused. My goodness, did she know 00:16:45.379 --> 00:16:51.899 her Book of Common Prayer? But one day, there was an empty seat, and there was an empty seat in the church 00:16:51.899 --> 00:17:01.039 where she always sat every morning at eight o'clock. And I was so worried because I'd missed my debrief that 00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:10.240 morning at the door. I genuinely missed my debrief. And so worried was I that I gave her a call. I found 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:16.019 out from a neighbour that she'd been taken into hospital. I went that afternoon, as a dutiful cure it 00:17:16.019 --> 00:17:23.859 does, taking my little box with the sacrament with me. And as I arrived, there was desperation in her 00:17:23.859 --> 00:17:31.460 voice. And she said to me, I'm glad you've come. Have you brought the sacrament? Have you brought communion? 00:17:32.379 --> 00:17:41.480 And I said, I have. I have. And tears welled up in her eyes. And she said, if I miss my sacrament, 00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:51.940 I won't go to heaven. And I heard the sobbing, not of an 83-year-old lady, I heard the sobbing of a child. 00:17:53.799 --> 00:18:02.720 One who had lived her life with this notion that had been drummed into her for years and years by tradition 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:09.980 and maybe even a lack of grace, that she believed the only way she could have a relationship with Jesus 00:18:09.980 --> 00:18:18.259 was to go through a ritual once a week at an eight o'clock morning to appease a God who lived on the altar 00:18:18.259 --> 00:18:25.660 and not in a personal relationship with her. And she believed that somehow that God would reject her 00:18:25.660 --> 00:18:33.740 if she didn't go through this ritual every week. That she had missed somewhere along the lines 00:18:33.740 --> 00:18:41.759 this God of love and grace of everything that she had learned and everything that she'd been saying 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:49.380 for so long. She knew the words, but she didn't know actually what they meant for her personally, 00:18:50.740 --> 00:18:54.559 for her personal life and for her salvation. 00:18:54.559 --> 00:19:02.899 We spent that afternoon and many subsequent afternoons, it was like peeling layers of an onion 00:19:02.899 --> 00:19:12.119 with many tears, going away through the years of religious ritualistic tradition that had prevented her 00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:20.079 from meeting with Jesus as her friend, her gentle shepherd, as her saviour, and the one who gave his life 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:26.079 for her in love and mercy. And in fact, she said, I've been saying this liturgy for years, Clive, 00:19:27.379 --> 00:19:32.740 but I still don't have a clue what the Lamb of God meant, but I was too afraid to ask. 00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:42.859 I watched her at 83 years of age grow deeply spiritually in love with Jesus, week by week by week. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:46.500 I saw her for the first time she came forward for prayer ministry. 00:19:46.500 --> 00:19:51.259 I saw her for the time that she came and renewed her life and gave her life to Christ. 00:19:51.960 --> 00:19:56.700 I saw her when she became so in tune with prayer in her daily walk with God, 00:19:57.099 --> 00:20:00.880 that she became one of the prayer ministry team praying with and for others. 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:06.680 It wasn't just in Jesus' day that people didn't connect with the one that had come to save them, 00:20:08.279 --> 00:20:13.740 that had stepped out and found a deeper, deeper relationship with Jesus beyond that which she knew. 00:20:13.740 --> 00:20:22.519 And the prayer that Jesus gave us in response to that, into what he had seen and what he had observed 00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:26.920 in this reading this morning is saying, I believe, to each and every one of us, 00:20:27.019 --> 00:20:33.019 encouraging us and empowering us and challenging us to go deeper into relationship with him. 00:20:33.259 --> 00:20:35.079 Don't let anything get in the way. 00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:37.240 If it helps, it helps. 00:20:37.380 --> 00:20:38.799 If it doesn't, it doesn't. 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:42.240 Get into a deeper relationship with Jesus. 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:49.180 To give some space in the prayer that he gave for us for him to speak. 00:20:49.500 --> 00:20:53.319 To listen, to hear, to respond. 00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:55.720 To say, you're hallowed be your name. 00:20:55.859 --> 00:20:59.759 To put him in the right place in every moment of every day. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:01.799 Hallowed be your name. 00:21:01.799 --> 00:21:03.819 Your kingdom come. 00:21:03.819 --> 00:21:05.200 To be bold in prayer. 00:21:05.319 --> 00:21:08.980 To be expectant of seeing what Jesus is doing in our every day. 00:21:09.859 --> 00:21:11.200 To see him at work. 00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:15.599 To seek his kingdom, not just in gathered prayer on a Sunday, 00:21:16.119 --> 00:21:19.359 but to seek his kingdom in our every day. 00:21:20.639 --> 00:21:22.059 To seek his will. 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:23.419 Your will be done, Lord. 00:21:23.500 --> 00:21:24.480 Not Clive's will. 00:21:24.919 --> 00:21:26.019 Your will be done. 00:21:27.980 --> 00:21:30.200 A new openness, a new honesty with God. 00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:31.580 And you know the prayer. 00:21:31.940 --> 00:21:32.840 We know the prayer. 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:33.660 It's a gift. 00:21:33.880 --> 00:21:35.299 It's a gift for us to give. 00:21:35.539 --> 00:21:38.680 But more importantly, it's a gift for us to share with other people. 00:21:39.660 --> 00:21:40.840 And if people are struggling, 00:21:41.420 --> 00:21:43.880 and even if you don't know what to pray at the time, 00:21:44.299 --> 00:21:45.940 say, can I pray the Lord's Prayer with you? 00:21:46.920 --> 00:21:47.680 We know it. 00:21:48.120 --> 00:21:49.340 And others will join in. 00:21:50.420 --> 00:21:52.180 No wonder six or seven years ago, 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:55.259 when the Church of England sought to encourage a relationship 00:21:55.259 --> 00:21:58.259 to pray this prayer, the Lord's Prayer, 00:21:58.259 --> 00:22:01.420 that several cinemas refused to screen it. 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:06.640 They refused to screen the Lord's Prayer. 00:22:07.700 --> 00:22:10.019 Perhaps they realize more than we do, 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:13.799 the power it has to influence and change people's lives for good. 00:22:15.099 --> 00:22:18.160 Lives when we pray the way that Jesus did, 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:19.599 and Jesus does. 00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:24.480 Pete Gregg says in his book, Dirty Glory, 00:22:25.619 --> 00:22:29.579 of course there are times to be intentional in prayer, 00:22:29.699 --> 00:22:32.059 to petition the Father for provision, 00:22:32.319 --> 00:22:34.980 to quiet, for help, to ask for advice. 00:22:36.500 --> 00:22:39.279 But if we only ever make demands of God, 00:22:39.819 --> 00:22:42.480 we will gradually reduce our relationship with him 00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:44.859 to a self-interested wish list 00:22:44.859 --> 00:22:49.279 instead of that relationship that we're called to have with him. 00:22:50.459 --> 00:22:53.279 I pray this morning that each and every one of us 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:55.319 will go out and share the good news 00:22:55.319 --> 00:22:58.059 and would share the good news for ourselves 00:22:58.059 --> 00:23:02.539 as we go deeper and deeper and deeper in relationship 00:23:02.539 --> 00:23:04.139 as his disciples. 00:23:06.819 --> 00:23:07.299 Amen. 00:23:07.299 --> 00:23:07.440 Amen. 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:37.420 Thank you.