Healing Prayer

Posted on March 26, 2013 by David Nuottila

???????????????????????????????There is one thing that is fairly certain, we have all at one time or another asked people to keep us in their prayers. Another thing that is certain is that others have asked us to do the same. Praying for someone is an act of faith and love, an act that can be compared with no other. Asking God to give someone strength, provide peace, give comfort, and heal sickness is a good and proper thing to do. But even as you offer to pray for someone, or ask someone pray for you, have you ever wondered about the healing power of prayer?

Some who are curious may perhaps go down to Barnes and Noble or Books-a-Million and check out one of the many books written about prayer. If that isn’t your thing, you can read one of the many, many articles written on the subject. There are even articles suggesting that modern science is testing the power of prayer. But if you really are serious about studying the healing power of prayer, you need only to turn to Holy Scripture.

In the fifth chapter of James, the evangelist writes; “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” James 5:14-16

Our God is a compassionate God who heals people of their illness. God is one who forgives sins and brings health, wholeness and restoration. If it were not so, Jesus would not have called us to pray for one another. If it were not so, Jesus himself would not have prayed for the well-being of people in need. Even as he equipped and sent his disciples, Jesus certainly taught the power of prayer.

Jesus equipped and empowered his disciples to go into the world, proclaiming the nearness of Gods kingdom. He gave them power to cure people of their diseases, and to cast out unclean spirits. Jesus told them to take nothing with them; God would provide all they would need.  It is with the power Jesus gave them, and through faith that Jesus is Messiah and Lord that the disciples were able to do these things. It was not by their hands, but by the hand of God that were people healed. When they returned, they were amazed at the things they had done in Jesus’ name.

Jesus still gives this power. Jesus calls the Church to pray for one another in their times of need. With faith in Christ, Jesus calls bishops, pastors and the elders of the Church to lay hands on the sick and anoint them with oil. Jesus calls his people to depend on and know that the healing power of God works wonders in people’s lives. Sometimes God heals quickly. Sometimes God heals miraculously. But in all instances, God is compassionate and does heal his people. God, in his time and according to his purposes does bring about health and wholeness. God restores the life of those who call upon his name so they may live with him in his kingdom forever. Ultimately, our full physical healing awaits us in Heaven. But God calls us to have faith and pray as if we have received this healing even now.

In the midst of this Holy Week, Jesus calls the Church to pray. Pray for healing and restoration of those whom we love. Pray even for your enemies, that God brings them health and wholeness, healing their woundedness. Pray that God heals and restores broken relationships. And lastly, pray for healing in your own life; pray with faith and hope in such a way that you pray as if you have already received this blessing from God.

God will do these things, for this is the healing power of prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Forgive and Forget

Posted on March 22, 2013 by David Nuottila

DSC_0010Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”  Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21-22

An interesting question for today: Does forgiving mean forgetting? How difficult is it to truly forgive someone an offense against you if you are not willing to forget it? As the situation remains stuck in the far reaches of your memory, it is bound to pop up from time to time. With that, certainly there is opportunity for the pain and anger to return. If and when it does, is the forgiveness you’ve extended real?

Speaking for myself, I do strive to forgive those trespasses against me, just as I hope people are able to forgive me when I sin against them. Being in the forgiveness business (tongue in cheek), this is something I pray over time and time again. Yet, sometimes I struggle with living in the forgetting phase of forgiveness. Wounded pride, feelings of grief and anger and a little bit of distrust come welling to the surface of emotion as events open old wounds. I’m sure this is the same for most people. It’s really is hard to forget. Thankfully, we have a Savior who teaches us about forgiveness; we have a Lord who models this behavior.

Jesus had compassion for sinners; he had love for those who spoke out against him. Even as sinners came to be with Jesus, he never held anything against them. Yes, he pointed out their sin, and he taught them a better way. Jesus had compassion for those who recognized their need for mercy, those who knew him as Lord, and then repented. He forgave them their sins, empowering them to go and sin no more. What’s more, Jesus even had compassion for those lost in their sin. We see this so vividly at the cross when Jesus prays for those crucifying him; “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

Today it is our turn. Following the example of Christ Jesus, we too are to forgive. Even as we hold one another accountable, we cannot forget that we too are sinners in need of God’s grace. In my estimation, forgiving and forgetting means that as we forgive those who wrong us in some way, we remember that we too have done wrong towards others. It means recognizing Jesus as Savior and Lord, coming to repentance begging God’s mercy. It means admitting that we are all broken in some way, and we need the power of God’s mercy through Jesus Christ in order to move past sin and to begin healing strained relationships. It’s certainly not easy to forgive. It’s even harder to forget. Remember, even as we ought to forget those sins against us, we also hope others forget the sins we commit against them.

As God’s people living in his grace, we are called to listen to the teaching of Jesus and learn a better way. We are called to forgive fully and completely. Only then we are able to put away the wounded pride, feelings of pain and anger, and start rebuilding broken trust. Jesus says we are to forgive those who sin against us completely and without reservation. He didn’t say it was going to be easy. But through the example Jesus set before us, the model of compassion and mercy, Christ shows us a better way. Forgive and forget. Live in the grace of God rather than the shadow of sin. For this is the way of the Lord.

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To Teach the Faith

Posted on March 20, 2013 by David Nuottila

313671_10151325205055280_2120163143_n[Jesus said] “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

Christians have come to know this passage as “The Great Commission.” The Church understands this text to be Christ’s missional command to proclaim the good news of God’s salvation so that all people might come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Christ calls the Church to four actions, go, make, baptize, and teach. It has been my experience that the Church does a pretty fair job at expressing the go, make, baptize formula. But what of the fourth? What happened to teaching all that Christ commanded?

As part of my Lenten study, I have enjoyed revisiting a book I bought a couple of years ago. The Didache: A Window on the Earliest Christians by Thomas O’Laughlin is a book which explores the teaching document produced by the apostles following Jesus’ ascension. The longer original title of The Didache (The Teaching) is The Lord’s Teaching to the Nations through the Twelve Apostles. This document is rich with insight as to how the early Church lived according to “…all that I have commanded you.” (Matt.28:20)

In the Didache, the apostles teach the Church according to two ways; the Way of Life and the Way of Death, pointing out the mighty differences between the two. Our apostolic teachers offer up guidance concerning how the Christian community lives and thrives with one another. Concerns addressed include Baptism, Eucharist, meals, relationships, morality, community service, and the list goes on. Keep in mind, this teaching comes from the apostles, who in turn are following the command of Christ that they heard first hand.

Considering the role the Church has in society today, I can’t help but feel that somehow we need to rediscover this valuable teaching handed down to us from the apostles. Our world is in a mess, and all too often when the Church speaks out its teaching is viewed as outdated, irrelevant and out of touch. Yet, the apostles in their teaching address so many of the issues which surround the breakdown of our families and communities; greed, infidelity, divorce, abortion, child neglect and so on.

As we struggle with proclaiming the gospel to a fallen and broken world, it is crucial that the Church is faithful in its teaching, and crucial that such teaching is according to that which was handed down to the disciples from our Lord Jesus. There is a reason the teaching of the Church is rejected by so many worldly people, the Church is not called to look like the world. Rather, the Church is called to reflect the love of God in Christ Jesus for the sake of the world.

Reflecting this love means following the way of life as modeled by Jesus himself. Loving God with all our heart, mind and strength, striving to keep his commandments, and loving our neighbor as Christ loves us. In our congregations, communities and families, the Church has the responsibility of equipping people to follow Jesus, choosing the way of life over the way of death. The Church has the responsibility for building up husbands, wives, children, families and communities. This can only happen when those willing to share their faith actually model the faith. It can only happen as Church leaders are willing study the teaching of the Church which is handed down, so that others may come to know the good things of God. Looking at the condition of our society today, I’d say we have our work cut out for us.

 

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Makarios

Posted on March 18, 2013 by David Nuottila

???????????????????????????????“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5:3

It would be hard to imagine the poor feeling blessed. It is even more difficult to imagine the poor being happy about their condition. The word used by Matthew in the Beatitudes of Jesus which is translated “blessed” is actually the Greek word for “happy.” “Makarios,” that is “Happy are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.” Luke, who also lifts up the teaching of Jesus with the Beatitudes, expresses this happiness only concerning the poor. Mathew takes it step further, he ads “in spirit.” With the addition of these two words, perhaps Matthew is reminding the people of God that there is really more to poverty than simply having little in the way of money or possessions.

As we read the beatitude concerning the poor (in spirit) it is so easy to focus on the deficiencies of others. Surely Jesus must have been speaking about people who are lacking in some way…right? Or could it be that Jesus also had a deeper, more profound teaching that we sometimes overlook? Can there be more to being “poor in spirit?” Perhaps being poor in spirit could also include those who, even as they have sufficient means, identify themselves with the neediest among us. Perhaps by being “poor in spirit” they align themselves with the community of the poor in order to help meet the needs of the impoverished.

With the election of Pope Francis, we certainly can see in him, someone who is happy to help meet the needs of the poor. As Pope Francis is ever mindful of the needs of the poor, he models the behavior for the Church of being “poor” in spirit. Rich and filled with the Spirit of God, the newly elected pope serves as a model of Christ like behavior regarding the poor. It isn’t a new concept for him, and neither is it a new concept for the Church as a whole.

Several years ago, I was blessed to pastor a congregation of God’s people who also modeled the behavior of Christ. My friends at St. Barnabas Lutheran Church in Charleston, SC have taken upon themselves the mission of feeding the hungry and caring for the needs of their community. Even as most have sufficient means, one could say these people of God are “poor” in spirit. There are weekly food gatherings, monthly distributions, clothing is offered and there are also partnerships with the local school. It was a joy to be among them as pastor, and through their discipleship to the poor I have learned much concerning the attitude of being poor in spirit.

Being “poor” in spirit means becoming a part of the community of Christ which addresses the needs of others regardless of circumstance. Being “poor” in spirit means humbly realizing that everyone, rich and poor, is totally dependent on God for daily bread. The call to the church, therefore, is to remember that God is the provider of all that we need, all that we have. He calls us to care for those with little so that all people may realize the abundance of living in God’s kingdom.

Happy are those who are poor in spirit. Happy are they who see the needs of others and respond with the love of God in Christ Jesus. Blessed are they who have the hope and assurance of eternal life in God’s kingdom, as they participate in the present reality of God’s mission and ministry for the sake of their neighbor.

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Falling at the Feet of Jesus

Posted on March 16, 2013 by David Nuottila

And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Luke 7:37-38

Have you felt such desire to be near Jesus? Do you desire this nearness when you are ashamed of your sins, or when you feel isolation and loneliness? How about when you feel angry at someone, or you feel hurt or betrayed? What would it take for us to fall at the feet of Jesus?

For liturgically minded Christians, the season of Lent brings with it opportunity for such reflection. As we consider Christ’s journey to the cross, we also consider why the cross was necessary. It is because of human disobedience to God that Jesus gave his life as the atoning sacrifice for sin. This is no secret to faithful Christians; it doesn’t come to us as a surprise. Our need for God’s grace grows each and every day.

No matter how broken, no matter how shameful, there is nothing that the love of God in Christ Jesus cannot forgive. The great difficulty with forgiveness lies with the sinner who can’t find their way to Christ. The proud Pharisee in the text above thought more of his status than that of the woman who bore her sins to Christ and sought God’s grace.

Today, too many “churchgoers” are quick to point out the sins of the many yet fail to see the seriousness of their own disobedience. The truth is, we all depend on God’s mercy, and we all are in need of His grace. Our sin is no less shameful than that of another. We are so quick to decry the behavior of others, perhaps doing so relieves us from the burden of admitting our own fault. Still, the fact remains that we need Christ as much as the woman who cried at Jesus’ feet.

Understanding the example of such a woman, can we imagine what it would take for us to fall at the feet of our Lord? Are we really that much more faithful than her? Are we really so much better? She showed much love for Jesus and Jesus forgave her much. Where are we in this story? What is our place at the table? What does it take for us to fall at Jesus’ feet?

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