Embracing God's Plan Through Prayer in the Middle Voice
Summary
In his sermon titled "Prayer in the Middle Voice," Pastor Larry Andrews explores the concept of prayer from a unique perspective, intertwining the Christmas narrative with a deeper understanding of our role in communication with God. Pastor Andrews begins by expressing gratitude for the children and volunteers in the church, emphasizing the importance of worshiping Jesus. He leads the congregation in prayer, seeking a fresh perspective to see Jesus in the Word. Although the study on the Lord's Prayer has concluded, Andrews continues to delve into the topic of prayer, introducing the idea of prayer within the context of the Christmas story.
Andrews acknowledges the unseen efforts of individuals like Ben, the media director, and promotes resources on prayer, including books by Pete Gregg and Tyler Staten. He references Eugene Peterson's statement that Jesus prayed in the middle voice, a concept he promises to unpack for the congregation.
The sermon highlights the shepherds' response to the birth of Jesus, their haste to witness the event, and their subsequent sharing of the news. Andrews invites all to come to Jesus, regardless of their burdens, and to spread the word of His birth. He also touches on the tradition of setting up manger scenes at home during Christmas.
Andrews discusses the role of humanity in God's plan, citing biblical examples of individuals like Moses, David, and the prophets who partnered with God to accomplish His will. He encourages the congregation to actively participate in God's plan through prayer, aligning their agenda with His.
The church's direction is also addressed, with Andrews revealing a decision not to build a $20 million megachurch but to focus on being a relational, community-oriented church. He shares the church's growth strategy, which includes launching new churches once attendance reaches a certain number.
Andrews emphasizes the importance of waiting and listening for God's guidance, suggesting that God's instructions often challenge us to step out of our comfort zones. He encourages the congregation to respond with the same willingness as Mary, who accepted God's plan despite its seeming impossibility.
The sermon concludes with Andrews sharing a personal story about swimming with the current, using it as a metaphor for embracing God's plan. He invites the congregation to pray in the middle voice, actively participating in what God is doing, and to attend the upcoming Christmas Eve service, where significant announcements about the church's future will be made.
Key Takeaways:
- Pastor Larry Andrews highlights the significance of the middle voice in prayer, which is not about initiating our own plans but actively participating in what God is already doing. This perspective shifts our focus from self-centered requests to seeking alignment with God's will and purposes. By praying in the middle voice, we become co-laborers with God, embracing our role in His grand narrative. [27:44]
- The concept of the middle voice in prayer is exemplified by Mary's response to the angel Gabriel. Her willingness to accept God's plan, despite its challenges, serves as a model for our own prayer lives. When we pray like Mary, we express our trust in God's sovereignty and our readiness to be used by Him, regardless of our understanding or comfort. [42:57]
- Pastor Andrews encourages the congregation to consider their daily lives as the backdrop for God's divine interruptions. Just as Mary was going about her ordinary day when she was called into God's extraordinary plan, we too should be open to God's calling at any moment, even amidst mundane activities. This readiness transforms our everyday experiences into opportunities for divine encounters. [40:44]
- The sermon emphasizes the importance of recognizing God as the initiator and leader in prayer. By adopting Mary's declaration, "I am the Lord's servant," we position ourselves as participants in God's work. This posture of humility and willingness to serve is essential for aligning our prayers with God's kingdom agenda. [54:15]
- Andrews shares a personal anecdote about whitewater rafting to illustrate the concept of stepping into the supernatural through prayer. By praying in the middle voice, we acknowledge our dependence on God's power to accomplish tasks beyond our natural abilities. This type of prayer empowers us to face challenges with courage and trust in God's provision. [45:17]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Luke 1:26-38 (NIV)
> In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
2. John 5:19 (NIV)
> Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
3. John 12:49 (NIV)
> For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.
#### Observation Questions
1. What was Mary's initial reaction to the angel Gabriel's greeting and message? (Luke 1:29-30)
2. How does Jesus describe His relationship with the Father in John 5:19?
3. What does Jesus say about the source of His words in John 12:49?
4. According to Pastor Larry Andrews, what is the "middle voice" in prayer, and how does it differ from the active and passive voices? [28:57]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is Mary's response to the angel Gabriel considered an example of praying in the middle voice? [45:31]
2. How does Jesus' statement in John 5:19 reflect the concept of the middle voice in prayer?
3. What does it mean for believers to align their prayers with God's will, as exemplified by Jesus in John 12:49?
4. Pastor Andrews mentioned that praying in the middle voice involves actively participating in God's plan. How does this perspective change the way we approach prayer? [31:25]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you prayed in the active voice, asking God to bless your plans. How might you reframe that prayer to align more with the middle voice? [29:43]
2. Mary accepted God's plan despite its challenges. What is a difficult situation in your life where you need to trust God's plan and say, "I am the Lord's servant"? [45:31]
3. Pastor Andrews emphasized the importance of waiting and listening for God's guidance. How can you create space in your daily routine to wait and listen for God's direction? [55:28]
4. Consider a mundane activity in your daily life. How can you be open to God's calling and transform that activity into an opportunity for a divine encounter? [40:44]
5. Pastor Andrews shared a personal story about swimming with the current as a metaphor for embracing God's plan. What is one area of your life where you need to stop fighting the current and start swimming with it? [50:34]
6. How can you actively participate in God's plan within your church community, especially considering the church's focus on being relational and community-oriented? [01:08:46]
7. Think about a specific challenge or task that seems beyond your natural abilities. How can praying in the middle voice empower you to face this challenge with courage and trust in God's provision? [47:12]
Devotional
Day 1: Active Participation in Divine Work
Prayer is not merely about presenting requests but engaging with God's ongoing work. It involves a shift from self-driven desires to a collaborative effort with the divine, where one's personal agenda becomes intertwined with God's larger purpose. This active participation is a call to join God in the unfolding of His plan for the world. [27:44]
James 2:22 - "You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did."
Reflection: How can you align your daily actions with God's purposes, moving beyond prayer as a wish list to prayer as partnership?
Day 2: Embracing God's Call with Trust
Accepting God's call, like Mary did, requires a deep trust in His sovereignty and a readiness to be used for His purposes. It is a surrender to the divine narrative that may disrupt our plans but ultimately leads to a greater fulfillment in our spiritual journey. This trust is the foundation of a prayer life that seeks to serve rather than be served. [42:57]
Luke 1:38 - "I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her."
Reflection: When faced with God's unexpected plans, how can you cultivate a heart of trust and willingness like Mary?
Day 3: Openness to Divine Interruptions
Life's ordinary moments are ripe for God's extraordinary interventions. Being open to divine interruptions means recognizing that God can call us into His plan at any time, turning our daily routines into opportunities for His work. This openness transforms our perspective, allowing us to see the sacred in the mundane. [40:44]
Esther 4:14 - "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?"
Reflection: Can you identify a recent 'ordinary' moment that could be an opportunity for you to serve or honor God?
Day 4: Humility in God's Service
Declaring ourselves as the Lord's servants positions us to receive His guidance and participate in His work. This posture of humility is essential for aligning our prayers with God's kingdom agenda, recognizing that we are not the initiators but the instruments through which His will is accomplished. [54:15]
Micah 6:8 - "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
Reflection: In what ways can you adopt a posture of humility and service in your prayer life and daily interactions?
Day 5: Courage in the Current of God's Plan
Praying in the middle voice acknowledges our reliance on God's strength to navigate challenges beyond our capabilities. Like swimming with the current, it requires courage to trust in God's provision and step into the supernatural flow of His plan. This prayerful courage empowers us to face life's rapids with faith. [45:17]
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Reflection: What is one area where you feel weak and in need of God's strength? How can you step into the current of His plan for you in this area?
Quotes
"If it sounds weird, if it sounds hard, if it sounds scary, if it seems impossible, then we'll just know that that's probably you talking to us. Show us what you would have us to do and empower us to do it so that we can be part of your plan." [01:04:45] (Download)
"The voice of Mary. The voice of Jesus saying, Father, I'm not asking you to bless my plans. I'm asking you to show me where I fit into yours. And I'm asking you to ask me. And I'm answering in advance. I'm saying, yes." [01:00:13] (Download)
"God, I can't believe that in your incredible plan to redeem this planet and to rescue a fallen humanity, for some reason you've chosen to include us." [01:04:00] (Download)
"Praying in the middle voice means surrender. The plans that you had. And it means submission. And it means laying down your plans and your stuff and transforming your life and your activities and your time and everything you have to being part of God's activity." [53:16] (Download)
"Mary responded, I'm the Lord's servant. May everything you've said about me come true. I'm the Lord's servant. May everything you've said about me come true." [44:33] (Download)
"God is calling us to actively participate in bringing His kingdom. He's calling us to actively participate in executing His will." [37:44] (Download)
"Your agenda is my agenda, right? And I just need to know what you're up to, and I need to know how I can participate, because I am ready to say yes." [40:00] (Download)
"We want to grow in worship. We want to grow in prayer. We want to grow in understanding. We want to grow in compassion. We want to support other ministries. We want to launch other people into other ministries that are outside this church." [01:09:24] (Download)
"It's really saying, God, I want to be what I was created to be. I want to be an active participant in your good plan. And I want to really experience you as a father and as a partner and as my leader and as my power and as my source." [54:15] (Download)
"Mary is praying like humanity was designed to pray. In the middle voice, it's not my will. It's yours. It's already happening. I just want to be part of it. It's not my kingdom that's coming. It's yours. How can I be part of bringing it here?" [46:08] (Download)
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