Deepening Our Relationship Through Communion and Prayer

Devotional

Day 1: Beholding the Cross: A Rescue Mission for Our Brokenness

The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is a profound act of love, undertaken with each of us in mind. It was not dependent on our perfection but was a rescue mission for our brokenness. This calls us to pause and truly behold the depth of His love and sacrifice, recognizing that it brings us wholeness and peace. As we reflect on this, we are reminded that Jesus' suffering was not in vain but was a deliberate act to bring us closer to God. His broken body and shed blood are symbols of the wholeness and peace we can experience through Him. [40:28]

"For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised." (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, ESV)

Reflection: What specific area of brokenness in your life do you need to bring to the cross today, trusting in Jesus' sacrifice to bring you peace and wholeness?

Day 2: Intimacy with the Father: Embracing a Relationship of Love and Trust

The Lord's Prayer begins with "Our Father," highlighting the intimate relationship we can have with God through Christ. This relationship is characterized by love, trust, and faithfulness, inviting us to see God not as distant or punitive but as a loving Father who desires closeness with us. This intimacy is not based on fear but on the assurance of His goodness and faithfulness. As we pray, we are invited to trust in His love and to approach Him with the confidence of a child coming to a loving parent. [51:10]

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him." (1 John 3:1, ESV)

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper sense of intimacy with God today, approaching Him as a loving Father rather than a distant figure?

Day 3: Honoring God's Name: Reflecting His Character in Our Lives

Our lives should reflect God's character, bringing honor to His name. This involves living in a way that represents Him well, understanding that our actions can influence how others perceive God. We are called to be His image bearers, committing to keep His name holy through our character and life. This means being mindful of how our words and actions align with His teachings and striving to live in a way that honors Him. [55:06]

"Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: In what specific ways can you reflect God's character in your interactions with others today, bringing honor to His name?

Day 4: Aligning with God's Kingdom: Seeking His Will on Earth

The prayer calls us to seek God's kingdom and will on earth as it is in heaven. This means aligning our desires with His, interceding for the brokenness around us, and committing our lives to His purposes. Our prayers and actions should reflect a heart centered on His kingdom. This involves being proactive in seeking ways to bring His love and justice into the world, and being open to His guidance in our daily lives. [59:45]

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific way you can align your desires with God's kingdom today, actively seeking His will in your life and community?

Day 5: The Power of Forgiveness: Extending Grace to Others

Forgiveness is a central theme in the Lord's Prayer, reminding us of the grace and mercy we have received from God. We are called to extend this forgiveness to others, recognizing that it shapes our prayers and lives. Holding onto unforgiveness can hinder our relationship with God and others, while forgiveness frees us to live fully in His love. This act of forgiving others is not just a command but a pathway to experiencing deeper freedom and peace in our own lives. [01:05:22]

"Bear with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." (Colossians 3:13, ESV)

Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we focused on the profound significance of communion and the Lord's Prayer, drawing from the scriptures to deepen our understanding and relationship with God. We began by reflecting on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, as depicted in John 16, where Jesus, in his suffering, still had us in mind. This act of love was not contingent on us having our lives perfectly together; rather, it was a rescue mission for our brokenness. As we partook in communion, we were reminded of the wholeness and peace that Jesus' broken body and shed blood bring to us. This is a call to behold Him, to remember and appreciate the depth of His sacrifice and the forgiveness it offers.

Transitioning to the Lord's Prayer, we explored its role as a guide for our prayers and lives. The prayer begins with acknowledging God as our Father, emphasizing the intimate relationship we can have with Him through Christ. This relationship is not one of fear or distance but of closeness and love, inviting us to trust in His goodness and faithfulness. We also discussed the importance of keeping God's name holy, recognizing that our lives should reflect His character and bring honor to His name.

The prayer further calls us to align our desires with God's kingdom, seeking His will on earth as it is in heaven. This involves interceding for the brokenness around us and committing our lives to His purposes. We are reminded of God's provision, trusting Him to meet our daily needs, and the necessity of forgiveness, both receiving it from God and extending it to others. Finally, we acknowledged the spiritual battle we face, seeking God's guidance and protection from temptation.

As we concluded, we were encouraged to examine our prayer lives and identify areas for growth. Whether it's trusting God as our provider, forgiving others, or centering our lives around His kingdom, we are called to deepen our relationship with Him and live out the truths of the Lord's Prayer.

Key Takeaways

1. Beholding the Cross: Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was a profound act of love, undertaken with each of us in mind. It was not dependent on our perfection but was a rescue mission for our brokenness. This calls us to pause and truly behold the depth of His love and sacrifice, recognizing that it brings us wholeness and peace. [40:28]
2. Intimacy with the Father: The Lord's Prayer begins with "Our Father," highlighting the intimate relationship we can have with God through Christ. This relationship is characterized by love, trust, and faithfulness, inviting us to see God not as distant or punitive but as a loving Father who desires closeness with us. [51:10]
3. Honoring God's Name: Our lives should reflect God's character, bringing honor to His name. This involves living in a way that represents Him well, understanding that our actions can influence how others perceive God. We are called to be His image bearers, committing to keep His name holy through our character and life. [55:06]
4. Aligning with God's Kingdom: The prayer calls us to seek God's kingdom and will on earth as it is in heaven. This means aligning our desires with His, interceding for the brokenness around us, and committing our lives to His purposes. Our prayers and actions should reflect a heart centered on His kingdom. [59:45]
5. The Power of Forgiveness: Forgiveness is a central theme in the Lord's Prayer, reminding us of the grace and mercy we have received from God. We are called to extend this forgiveness to others, recognizing that it shapes our prayers and lives. Holding onto unforgiveness can hinder our relationship with God and others, while forgiveness frees us to live fully in His love. [01:05:22]
** [65:22]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[40:28] - Beholding the Cross
[41:04] - Communion Reflection
[41:54] - Surrender at the Cross
[43:12] - Prayer for the Nation
[44:05] - Journey Through Luke
[45:34] - The Disciples' Request
[47:16] - Understanding Jewish Prayer
[48:42] - The Heart of Habitual Prayer
[49:49] - The Lord's Prayer as a Guide
[51:10] - Intimacy with the Father
[52:24] - Unity with the Father
[53:28] - Trusting in God's Love
[54:28] - Keeping God's Name Holy
[55:06] - Representing God Well
[57:38] - Honoring God's Name
[58:31] - Building God's Kingdom
[59:45] - Centering on God's Kingdom
[60:29] - Praying for God's Will
[61:29] - God as Our Provider
[62:28] - Trusting in God's Provision
[63:56] - The Challenge of Forgiveness
[65:22] - Forgiveness in Prayer
[67:16] - Spiritual Battle Awareness
[67:59] - Growing in Prayer
[68:46] - Keeping God's Name Holy
[69:44] - Trusting God as Provider
[70:20] - Applying the Word

Sermon Clips

1. "This morning I was praying about communion, and I usually ask the Lord if there's a specific verse or theme he wants me to hit on regarding communion, and this morning he brought me to John chapter 16. And it's when Jesus is on the cross, and his mom and some disciples are below, and he looks at his mother and he says, Mother, behold your son. And I wonder how many times we just stop and gaze our eyes upon the cross and what he actually did for us, because his mom at that moment, she saw the suffering. She saw the nails in his hands and the nails in his feet. She saw the agony and the pain that he was going through. She beheld him. And this morning I just want to pause for a minute. I want to ask you to behold him, to behold the sacrifice that he made for us." [00:39:07] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "He didn't wait for us to have our lives all put back together. Romans 5 .8 says that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He went on a rescue mission to rescue you, from the brokenness that we're in. And so today, Jesus, we behold you. We thank you for your body that you allowed to be broken for us, for our wholeness, for our peace. And today, Lord, as we take the bread, we remember you. We behold you as the body of Christ. Let's take the bread together this morning." [00:40:45] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We are continuing our journey through Luke. We have been going through the book of Luke since since January, and we are in chapter 11. We still have a ways to go, but it's so cool just to dig into the text every single day. And we're going to go through the book of Luke. We're going to go week and look at what the text is saying to us. And today we are on Luke chapter 11, verse 1 through 4. If you want to open there, we're also going to read Matthew chapter 6, 9 through 14, as both of those are accounts of the Lord's prayer in the text today." [00:44:25] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "I get the sense that, you know, as they saw the miracles that he did, as they saw the authority that he taught in, I believe that they connected that back to the times that he would get away to pray, the times that he might pray with them in public. I get a sense that they understood that there was a direct correlation between the ministry of Jesus and the prayer life of Jesus, so much so that they asked Jesus, would you teach us how to pray?" [00:45:45] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "And I believe that the Lord's prayer was probably something that Jesus also repeated often. And I believe that with the slightly different wording, as we see in Luke and Matthew, it was to help us understand that the idea of the prayer wasn't to pray it with the exact words over and over again, but to understand the heart of the prayer and to let it to be a guide for our prayers that shape them and that shape our lives. And that's your first point this morning. The Lord's prayer is filled with truth." [00:49:20] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "I think that how we see God, church, makes all the difference in the world in how we pray. There's some people today, they think that God is always out to get them. They think that God doesn't love them. They think that God is just waiting for them to make a mistake so that he can blast them with a bolt of lightning. How many of you guys think if that's how you view God, it's going to affect your prayer life?" [00:50:43] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "See, Jesus had an intimate relationship with the Father. And I love how in the prayer, Jesus doesn't say, my Father who is in heaven. He says, our Father who is in heaven. You see, he's trying to get... the disciples to understand that just as Jesus has a relationship with the Father, that because of what Jesus does for us on the cross, we can have the same relationship through Christ with the Father." [00:51:49] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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