WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.219 Hi everyone, can I let you into a secret? During this lockdown things have absolutely gone crazy here. 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:16.339 Mandy is just so organised and in fact we got to a point the other night where she even suggested that we start writing our Christmas cards. 00:00:17.359 --> 00:00:17.660 What? 00:00:20.140 --> 00:00:26.719 Christmas though is quite relevant really to our theme today because it's about adoration. 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:42.439 What is adoration? You know the dictionary defines it as deep love, respect, worship, veneration and at Christmas our churches are packed with people as we sing carols which are all about adoration. 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:55.879 Come let us adore him, Christ the King. You know nativities, shepherds coming to worship and adore, magi bringing symbolic gifts, stars, heavenly hosts filling the skies. 00:00:55.880 --> 00:01:05.120 It doesn't get much more adoration filled than that folks. You know God loves his son and we all get to join in. 00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:24.140 Maybe you've experienced a birth in your family or of a friend and you will know that people flock to come and see the baby and those that are watching, maybe you've been isolated, just can't wait to get that first visit in and have that first cuddle of the newborn. 00:01:24.140 --> 00:01:52.540 And we use terms like, ah isn't she or he adorable? And they are. Perhaps that's why our churches are full at Christmas because we relate so well to an adorable baby yet maybe not so much at Easter because it's more difficult to adore a person hung on a cross whose death and resurrection challenged and changes the world. 00:01:52.540 --> 00:02:22.520 That we so often don't want to change. 00:02:22.520 --> 00:02:23.520 To him. 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:42.760 To him. And that may be the resistance in prayer for some people because maybe we don't like the replies we get because it means that we have to change or listen or do something in our lifestyle that we don't want to change. 00:02:42.759 --> 00:02:51.719 Jesus gave us the opening line of the Lord's prayer. He knew what adoration was as he pointed to the Father. 00:02:52.459 --> 00:03:00.799 Jesus who would often leave a large crowd waiting and demanding his attention and he'd retreat to a quiet place to be with the Father. 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:01.800 You know, that's adoration. 00:03:01.800 --> 00:03:11.120 You know, I know that what that was like, maybe some of you do when you've had teenage kids, you know, and when it's often it's all on their terms and their timing. 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:22.039 And, you know, they would always come in at the most inopportune times, often about 11 o'clock at night and they'd sit on the end of your bed and they'd want to pour it all out to you and chat. 00:03:22.039 --> 00:03:31.019 And it was just special times as they told us all about what they wanted to talk about. 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:35.180 It was special, hugely timely, hugely tiring. 00:03:35.180 --> 00:03:41.280 But the mere fact that they had come and wanted to converse with us was very special. 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:49.020 The mere fact that you have come to God in prayer to chat things through is pretty awesome to him too. 00:03:49.540 --> 00:03:58.719 It's adoration. He delights in it as any parent would, especially if that conversation hasn't happened for a long time. 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:14.400 Perhaps that's what I enjoy as an adult parent, because the conversations I can have with my son and my daughter are really gritty, sparky at times, adult focus, but with a wealth of relationship that makes the conversation so special. 00:04:14.699 --> 00:04:18.860 And humour too. Adoration, you see, is about love. 00:04:18.860 --> 00:04:29.780 The humour is that I've phoned my son who lives far away and before I've even had a chance to say anything, he answers the phone and he said, 00:04:30.580 --> 00:04:33.540 Parents, computer helpline, how can I help you? 00:04:34.340 --> 00:04:37.860 You know, he knows how inept I am at technology. 00:04:39.180 --> 00:04:44.040 I suppose it's a bit like God really. He knows my need before I even ask it. 00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:51.500 And as we pray, our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, or whatever version we use each day, 00:04:51.800 --> 00:04:56.060 perhaps we need to pause at that moment of adoration, 00:04:57.160 --> 00:05:01.300 knowing that he knows our wants and our needs before we even speak, 00:05:01.300 --> 00:05:07.700 yet just savours the moment of our connection, our need of him, our desire to seek him, 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:13.020 to know that at the heart of this conversation is adoration and love. 00:05:14.040 --> 00:05:15.860 The psalmist says, 00:05:15.939 --> 00:05:18.900 I lift my eyes to the mountain, where does my help come from? 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:22.900 My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. 00:05:23.080 --> 00:05:29.400 Adoration is at the heart of this opening prayer and conversation with God. 00:05:29.399 --> 00:05:43.099 Like many of you, I watch the VE Day celebrations on the BBC and those wonderful surprise encounters as celebrities linked up with World War II veterans online. 00:05:43.100 --> 00:05:46.700 And the initial surprise from them is they would say things like, 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:50.600 I love your music or I love that film that you did. 00:05:50.920 --> 00:05:54.600 Our initial opening to our conversations with the Lord is, 00:05:54.920 --> 00:05:57.140 you are hallowed, you're greatly revealed. 00:05:57.300 --> 00:06:00.040 I love the way you do things. 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:02.400 I adore you. 00:06:04.720 --> 00:06:09.680 I don't know whether you've been on one of these answer things where you're waiting to speak to somebody. 00:06:09.780 --> 00:06:14.160 It seems to get even longer at the moment, but God doesn't keep us waiting. 00:06:14.980 --> 00:06:21.879 He doesn't make us press two and then gives us another list of options or he'll phone you back when he's free. 00:06:21.879 --> 00:06:33.659 No, you know, you adore the moment, the opportunity to be able to converse with the one who we adore anywhere, anytime, 24-7. 00:06:34.800 --> 00:06:36.319 But here's the question. 00:06:37.639 --> 00:06:40.860 How do I adore God when things aren't going so well? 00:06:41.899 --> 00:06:47.279 You know, maybe when there's disappointments or when I'm just really at the end of my tether, 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:53.839 when the opening to the Lord's Prayer seems irrelevant, when all I want to do is get to the list of my wants. 00:06:56.199 --> 00:07:00.719 I suppose my question is, who did we cry out to? 00:07:01.959 --> 00:07:08.579 Who did you run to when you fell as a child or when you were first dumped in your first teenage relationship? 00:07:09.139 --> 00:07:11.000 Who did you go to? 00:07:11.000 --> 00:07:19.240 You go to the one where love is abundant and open arms and ears are ready to listen and comfort. 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:21.899 You see, that's adoration. 00:07:24.100 --> 00:07:26.800 You know, God is pleased when we go to him. 00:07:27.100 --> 00:07:29.079 The one who made heaven and earth. 00:07:29.240 --> 00:07:34.180 I love Graham Kendrick's line where he said, 00:07:34.620 --> 00:07:37.000 hands that flung stars into space. 00:07:37.060 --> 00:07:37.899 I love that line. 00:07:38.899 --> 00:07:39.980 Pure adoration. 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:45.639 In our reading, Peter and John are released from detention. 00:07:46.300 --> 00:07:47.600 Who knows what they've endured? 00:07:47.720 --> 00:07:53.379 But in the midst of this persecution and possibility of imminent arrest and death, 00:07:53.740 --> 00:07:58.800 they point to the awesomeness of God and to Jesus in his resurrection. 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:02.759 Filled with the Holy Spirit, the place is shaken. 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:06.620 They point to the awesomeness of God. 00:08:06.620 --> 00:08:14.379 I guess that makes me ask whether I am praying in faith or just out of politeness. 00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:17.519 Pete Gregg says in his book, 00:08:17.620 --> 00:08:25.360 I'd rather have a little faith in a great big unshakable God than a great big unshakable faith 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:28.680 and a little God unworthy of the title. 00:08:28.680 --> 00:08:36.940 So what does adoration look like for you as you pray from today onwards? 00:08:36.940 --> 00:08:41.140 Maybe we'll seek a new perspective. 00:08:41.139 --> 00:08:45.379 Perhaps for you prayer is a new adventure. 00:08:45.740 --> 00:08:53.519 And the awesomeness of God can't help but adoration just pour out as you pray. 00:08:53.620 --> 00:08:54.960 It seems too small a word. 00:08:54.960 --> 00:09:00.100 Perhaps our prayer life has grown stale. 00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:06.840 And adoration and awesomeness doesn't have the same fire that it used to have. 00:09:06.940 --> 00:09:09.100 Perhaps prayer is a knee-jerk reaction. 00:09:09.900 --> 00:09:13.180 When things go wrong, you know, you throw one up to the big man 00:09:13.180 --> 00:09:16.840 or you phone your clergy and ask if we'd say one for you. 00:09:16.840 --> 00:09:22.340 Maybe your prayer life got stuck on the rails of tradition 00:09:22.340 --> 00:09:25.399 and it's the same old repetitive prayer. 00:09:26.019 --> 00:09:28.980 Get it said, get it done, move on with the day. 00:09:28.980 --> 00:09:38.840 Or perhaps just maybe adoration will seep so deep into our souls through this series 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:44.420 that we can't help but pour out our praise and prayer 24-7 00:09:44.419 --> 00:09:49.079 in the things we encounter, knowing that with him all is well. 00:09:50.699 --> 00:09:56.299 Maybe this series will refresh our sense of him in our adoration. 00:09:59.439 --> 00:10:05.159 The Book of Common Prayer says, and this was written, you know, in the 1600s 00:10:05.159 --> 00:10:08.639 and what a time of turmoil that was in the church in this country. 00:10:08.639 --> 00:10:15.460 And it says, adoration is the lifting up of the heart and mind to God, 00:10:16.600 --> 00:10:20.419 asking nothing but to enjoy God's presence. 00:10:20.699 --> 00:10:24.980 What a wonderful picture of prayer and adoration that is. 00:10:26.500 --> 00:10:32.500 So whether you're sat listening to this with others, 00:10:32.659 --> 00:10:35.340 whether you're watching an amazing sunset, 00:10:35.340 --> 00:10:40.200 whether you're watching a starry sky, come with me, please. 00:10:41.580 --> 00:10:43.120 And millions of others today, 00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:49.420 as we enter into a relational conversation with the creator of it all, 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:53.660 who not only knows that I adore him, 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:59.120 but the comfort we feel in knowing that whatever we pray, 00:10:59.500 --> 00:11:02.920 whatever we have done, whatever we are about to share with him, 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:05.360 that he adores us to, 00:11:06.360 --> 00:11:09.659 because you and I are a child of God. 00:11:11.179 --> 00:11:14.179 So this day, we pray, Lord, 00:11:15.019 --> 00:11:17.439 to simply say that we adore you 00:11:17.439 --> 00:11:20.339 and we lift up our heart and mind to you, 00:11:20.439 --> 00:11:25.079 asking nothing but to enjoy your presence with us. 00:11:26.439 --> 00:11:27.000 Amen. 00:11:28.199 --> 00:11:28.679 Amen.