Jacob's Wrestling and our Prayers (SS Open Forum)

The point: Ensure questions proposed in the open forum are for general edification.

Martin uses Paul's designation of Epaphroditus as 'brother' to illustrate the deep, supernatural bonds created by God's grace, transcending ethnic and cultural barriers.

It's amazing, is it not, to meet those whom we have never met in the flesh before and in 30 seconds sense that there are bonds deeper than even the ties that knit us by common bloodlines to our own earthly brothers and sisters. And I guess my mind is particularly filled with that thought in the light of the exposition of the next hour in which Paul refers to Epaphroditus supremely as his brother. And the amazing thing that's involved in that designation from a proud, narrow-minded, bigoted Jew who would have spat at the very name Epaphroditus, a Gentile dog named after a heathen goddess,

0:03 - 0:47 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: George poses a question about the common teaching that prayer should not be seen as 'getting God in a hammerlock,' asking how this reconciles with Jacob's wrestling with the angel…

George's question uses the analogy of 'getting God in a hammerlock' to describe a common, derogatory view of prayer as coercing God, which the sermon then explores in light of Jacob's wrestling.

Now, George? George's question. My question is that the term is used frequently in public teaching and preaching that we must not regard prayer as some kind of a spiritual exercise in which we get God in a hammerlock. That is, we get his arm locked behind and we twist him up until God says, Uncle, and gives us what we ask.

6:43 - 7:05 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin affirms the reality of Jacob's fear and wrestling, then explores God's apparent reluctance as a test, drawing parallels to Jesus' interactions with the Syrophoenician woman…

David uses Jesus' initial reluctance to heal the Syrophoenician woman's daughter as an example of God testing and drawing out faith, similar to Jacob's wrestling.

All right, the Syrophoenician woman, give us just the smattering of the details of that.

15:25 - 15:30 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin affirms the reality of Jacob's fear and wrestling, then explores God's apparent reluctance as a test, drawing parallels to Jesus' interactions with the Syrophoenician woman…

Martin cites Jesus making 'as though he would go further' on the road to Emmaus as another instance of God testing or drawing out desire before revealing Himself.

Can you think of another incident in which it says our Lord made as though he would leave them? Past Bible.

16:02 - 16:11 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The class provides examples: Daniel praying for the end of captivity (Jeremiah's prophecy), the persistent friend (Luke 11), Elijah praying for rain (God's promise), and Christ's…

Pastor Dixon uses Daniel's fervent prayer for the end of the 70-year Babylonian captivity, despite God's prophecy through Jeremiah, to illustrate praying for what God has already decreed.

Excellent illustration from Scripture. Daniel said that he understood from reading the prophecy of Jeremiah that the captivity in Babylon would last for 70 years or the captivity would last 70 years. And he said, understanding that, he said, I set myself to seek the Lord by prayer and fasting. Well, wait a minute.

20:51 - 21:13 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The class provides examples: Daniel praying for the end of captivity (Jeremiah's prophecy), the persistent friend (Luke 11), Elijah praying for rain (God's promise), and Christ's…

Jim references Luke 11:5-8, the parable of the friend who keeps knocking until he receives bread, to illustrate the necessity of importunity and persistence in prayer.

Luke 11 and verse 5. The Lord goes on from that parable

21:59 - 22:43 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The class provides examples: Daniel praying for the end of captivity (Jeremiah's prophecy), the persistent friend (Luke 11), Elijah praying for rain (God's promise), and Christ's…

Martin humorously recounts a proverb about blessing friends too early in the morning, connecting it to the friend's annoyance in the parable of the persistent friend.

Passage says, though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend. There's a verse in Proverbs that speaks about what happens to friends who holler too early in the morning and bless their brethren too early in the morning that it'd be counted a curse to him. You go by your friend's house at six in the morning and say, brother, I've been praying for you and I bless you in the name of the Lord. Well, that's a good way to destroy a friendship and the writer to Proverbs says that and there's a man sitting there whose face is red because I know when he passes a certain home in the mornin...

23:56 - 24:33 Read in full sermon

Driving home: What he received as the perfect man, he received as we receive those things. He received them in the posture of dependantness. He received them as he asked them of his Father.

John uses Elijah's prayer for rain after God promised it (1 Kings 18, James 5) as a clear Old Testament example of praying for a divinely purposed event.

Yes, John and then over to you, Ken. A very clear example from the Old Testament and then buttressed by a New Testament reference. Remember for over three years there had been no rain, the heavens had been shut up, there was one who said,

25:08 - 25:52 Read in full sermon

Driving home: What he received as the perfect man, he received as we receive those things. He received them in the posture of dependantness. He received them as he asked them of his Father.

Arlene references John 17, Christ's prayer for the very things He was commissioned to do, as the supreme example of prayerfulness and dependence, even for the Son of God.

Yes, Arlene? Christ himself, our blessed Lord himself, again as one has said, subjected himself to the law of his own kingdom which is Psalm 2, ask of me and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession. And Arlene has made reference to John 17 where the very things that our Lord was commissioned to do as the appointed mediator of sinners, he pleads with God for those things to come to pass. So even our Lord, and we see this particularly

27:21 - 28:06 Read in full sermon

The point: Make the supply of basic temporal needs a matter of regular prayer, as taught in the Lord's Prayer.

Dean references Luke 18:1-8, the parable of the persistent widow and the unrighteous judge, to illustrate that persistent prayer can move even an unwilling authority, and how much more a loving God.

Alright. Alright. In Luke 18 we have a similar passage. The focal point of emphasis is a bit different but the principle is nonetheless the same.

28:48 - 29:02 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin challenges the assumption that God always supplies all temporal needs, citing examples like Christ's hunger, Lazarus, and Paul's numerous deprivations, including hunger and…

Pastor Clark points out that Jesus was hungry when He came to the fig tree, showing that even the Lord experienced hunger not necessarily by voluntary fasting.

And there was none. All right. There's at least all right. Good point, Pastor Clark has made.

32:29 - 32:35 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin challenges the assumption that God always supplies all temporal needs, citing examples like Christ's hunger, Lazarus, and Paul's numerous deprivations, including hunger and…

Rich references the incident where Elisha had to perform a miracle to make poisoned food edible, illustrating that even eminent servants of God faced food scarcity.

Yes. Rich? All right. They had that poisoned food and Elijah had to perform a miracle to make it edible.

33:02 - 33:24 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin challenges the assumption that God always supplies all temporal needs, citing examples like Christ's hunger, Lazarus, and Paul's numerous deprivations, including hunger and…

Paul references Luke 16, the story of Lazarus, a righteous man who lived and possibly died in abject poverty and hunger, as a clear example of God's people experiencing deprivation.

All right. All right. Lazarus and the rich man. Luke 16.

33:27 - 33:31 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that God comforts us in affliction so that we may be able to comfort others, and that His glory is magnified in difficult circumstances.

Martin shares a testimony of a 28-year-old girl with spina bifida, confined to a stroller, who glorifies God for her life and salvation, illustrating that God's glory is magnified in affliction, not just in perfect health.

who's only about so tall and she's strapped into what is really it looks like a baby stroller and she had spina bifida and two years ago she was brought to the knowledge of Christ and she gives her testimony thanking God that no one thought it their duty to let her die when she was born with spina bifida and then she went on to say how grateful she was that she could speak of the goodness of God 28 year old girl about so big and you talk about God being glorified and the triumph of grace in the midst of an unusually difficult circumstance that magnifies

41:26 - 42:11 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Therefore I will withhold the good of healing in order to secure the good of your humility my grace can take a physically weak man and make him powerful in the spirit but I resist the proud my grace will not work in a pr…

Martin uses the analogy of parents denying their children what they think is essential for happiness, but which the parents know is not in their best interest, to explain how God defines 'good' for His children.

there is no lack no want no being short changed to those that fear him young lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not lack any food any money no shall not lack any good thing now there to me is the heart of what is said who determines what is the highest good for God's children his children or God yes you're a parent are you not now who determines the highest good for your children your children or you have you ever denied them

45:40 - 46:25 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Therefore I will withhold the good of healing in order to secure the good of your humility my grace can take a physically weak man and make him powerful in the spirit but I resist the proud my grace will not work in a pr…

Martin references Paul's three prayers for the removal of his thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12) and God's response, 'My grace is sufficient,' to illustrate that God may withhold physical healing for a higher spiritual good like humility.

what they thought was absolutely essential for their happiness but you knew was not in their best interest have you many times have we not and in our folly often as children we ask God for that which we're absolutely convinced is essential for our good 2nd Corinthians 12 Paul said for this cause I sought the Lord three times apparently referring to three intensive periods of prayer probably prayer joined with fasting because Paul said I cannot accomplish my ministry with this affliction Lord it is inconsistent with my good as a servant of Christ and until God broke through with a differing per...

46:25 - 47:10 Read in full sermon