Sometimes a successful group prayer time depends on asking a good question.  We met on a Tuesday prior to Easter and used a simple guide for getting our prayers of thanksgiving started:

“What are your ten favorite things about Easter?”

We took a few minutes to make our lists, then described the items.  Some had family traditions, some mentioned the coming of spring, and some cited Bible events.  No matter what the list, the joy came out in the descriptions and in the following prayer time.

This was a church group, but I think you could probably ask the same question in a secular group (probably without prayer).  Certainly in December, people are not generally upset about “What is your preferred Christmas tradition?”  Perhaps a question about best Easter activity would lead to sharing the gospel.

My friend Peeter led the devotion time at our meeting the other night. His guidance for our prayer time is contained in the three directions at the end of his talk.  The mini-sermon walked us through Biblical supports for his contention that God’s goodness, generosity, and dependability are evident, praiseworthy, and a wonderful source for our prayers.

 

The Word “Impossible”

Words are an interesting thing to focus on. I never cease to be amazed at them. Especially when one enters the milieu of our church. The constant refrain is that we have to “nuance” words. We have to be careful and precise with the language. Far be it for one to use a word, for instance, “schlub” without further clarification. There’s context, regional meaning, and precision for the word to have any final meaning to it. I looked up the word “word” in the dictionary, knowing that they couldn’t use “word” in its definition – “It’s a sound or combination of sounds that has a meaning and is spoken or written”.

“Sounds that have a meaning”. What if I used the word “Jaws”? Most guys might think of Ron Jaworski, the football commentator whose nickname is “Jaws”. Most women will once again wonder which planet men came from. However, if you lived near the seacoast in the summer of 1975 as I did and someone suggested going to the ocean for a swim, the one word reply was “Jaws”. Sometimes one simply had to hum a bar or two of John William’s ominous music from the movie and a better idea quickly surfaced.

Christmas? For children the word instantly means presents – for adults, it means debt to one degree or another.

55 degrees? For us today, this promise of warmth is a faint hope of maybe, possibly coming some day in the not too distant future – Lord willing. On the other hand, while outside a few weeks ago in Florida two people shouted to me, “You’re not actually taking a walk, are you?” “Sure“, I replied, “Where I come from, 55 degrees is called air-conditioning!”

There’s a word that I’ve thought a lot about these past several months – it’s the word “impossible”. I don’t know about you but “impossible” has always been an ominous word to me. I can feel the stormy gray clouds descending when I hear that word. When was the last time you heard a person say, “I’m impossibly happy with my life right now!” And then they burst out singing the old Steve Martin tune, “It’s impossible to put a Cadillac up your nose”. I suspect it’s been awhile.

God has given to our church family some more than perplexing, yea, perhaps even “impossible” providences this past year. Many brethren have privately shared with others their groans, sometimes mingled with tears. The prayer list has been filled to overflowing —

– the same married couple once again are being dragged into court, to talk about money that doesn’t exist and to pay people with money that they‘ve never had.

– how our government works on the macro level is an eye-rolling mystery, how it works on the micro level to loved ones here is the sort of mystery that dwells in the nether lands.

– I sometimes catch the eyes of those who, like me, must tend to their elderly parents. My glazed, weary eyes are mirrored in theirs. We don’t need to say much, we knowingly nod at each other.

– it would be impossible not to think about our present circumstances and money – and money — it would however be possible to think overmuch about it.

– and one particular family situation defines the word “impossible” as few other things can. It simply has not been possible to navigate through this merely with innate ability or willpower. It has been “impossible” – in the best sense of that word.

All of these situations position the word “impossible” next to human beings who have always been told “everything is possible – if you’re smart enough, work hard enough, think good thoughts“, etc. etc. ad nauseum. It’s a sobering moment when we have to say, “This is impossible!”. Sooooo, what are we to do when that word experientially resonates within us?

“Impossible”- I looked the word up in a concordance and by and large it confirmed my ominous feeling for the word. Here are 3 verses that have storm clouds surrounding them –

Hebrews 10:4 – “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

Hebrews 11:6 – “And without faith it is impossible to please Him…”

And Hebrews 6:4 has one of the most ominous “impossibles” in the entire Bible –  “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit…to restore them again to repentance…”

Fortunately, far less ominous are the words of Matthew 19:26 and its parallel texts: “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Hebrews 6 has the word “impossible“ in it also. The writer speaks in this book of the superiority of Christ over the prophets, the angels, Moses, and Aaron. The writer of Hebrews has taken to the nth degree the “my Dad’s better, bigger, stronger, and smarter than your Dad” argument.

The first word of verse 1 of Hebrews 6 is – “Therefore” The “therefore” is closely linked to the previous chapter – 5:11,12 – “About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,…” Then 6:1 says – “Therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity…“ The writer has given some warning exhortations that speak of man’s sinful weakness. “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to wander from the God I love“. Now he gives some words of encouragement, some good news.

In verses 9-11 of Hebrews 6 – “Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,” – the writer hastens to make a rather anti-super-staggering statement. Every word is meant to encourage the impossibly staggering saint – “beloved – better things that belong to salvation – your work and your love shown for His name – as you still do”. And all of this is based on and because of verse 10 – “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work…” To quote Raymond Brown – “If God’s righteous justice is such that man’s spiritual rebellion must not be ignored, then it is equally true that in the light of that same justice man’s devoted service will not be overlooked.”

(Our 3-part outline is taken from the Hebrews Commentary by Raymond Brown – The Bible Speaks Today Series – New Testament Editor – John Stott)

Point #1 – God’s goodness to His children – God doesn’t overlook anything, no matter how staggering the labors, how weak the love, and how frail the faith is, when it’s done in His name. As Pastor Kevin once said from the pulpit, there is a filial relationship that a Christian can have with God, we can actually please Him, if only we would avail ourselves of this privilege.

Point 2 – How many times has a person said, “I’m with you bro – you and me against the world – call me if you need me – bro – I swear I’m good.” I wish I could see the full version of the Allstate Insurance commercial – the good hands people. When a claim is filed, it’s palms up all the way “Huh? Who? What?” Or as I recently heard a person say, “How can I trust this person now when they’ve failed me in the past?” The writer goes on in  verses 13-15 of Hebrews 6 with more hopeful words – “For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.”  How could Abraham believe this back then? How can a saint believe this today? The answer‘s simple – “God swore by Himself”.  There’s nothing greater.

Point #2 – Can I call it strong encouragement #2? – God is generous – He couldn’t and didn’t fail Abraham. Abraham waited patiently and received the promise – against all hopeless and impossible odds. Or as Romans 4:18 says, “In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations…“ God swore by Himself – His oath is based on His holy and righteous character. He’s unassailable, therefore, His generosity is sure and yea and amen.

But then the writer does an amazing thing – he turns this ominous word “impossible” entirely on its head – the storm clouds are lifted – the gray skies instantly give way to sunshine – and the word “impossible” now is accompanied with the Hallelujah chorus from the Messiah.

 Verses 17-20 of Hebrews 6 – “ So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

Hebrew 6:18 – “so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.”

Strong encouragement # 3 – God is dependable – there’s a “double blessing” here – there’s an unchangeable promise with an unchangeable oath, a “built-in redundancy“ as one writer calls it. And to put the word “impossible” next to the character of our infinite, eternal, unchanging, almighty God, specifically the veracity of His word! Oh for a thousand tongues to sing our great Redeemers’ praise! What’s our response to be? We can flee for refuge – we have strong encouragement to hold fast with hope – we have a sure and steadfast anchor for our souls – and it’s because Jesus has been our forerunner, our scouting party on our behalf, our high priest forever and forever. For us Gentiles, this is strong encouragement – what must the first century Jew have thought and felt?

To serve the people of God here has always been a matter of serious joy. Perhaps some of these “impossible” things has added an element of fear for me. Not a cringing fear that stupefies, but this is God’s church and His people, and as one writer wryly states – “when you’re working with God, if you’re not scared, you’re brain-dead.”  I’ve thought a lot about the word “impossible” these past several months. My near fatal flaw is that I attach my name to that word all too much. The writer of Hebrews, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, not surprisingly got it right. His “impossible” is attached to God, who is now glorified and magnified above every other name.

I love to hear brethren pray “in the strong name of Jesus”. Because of Him we have the privilege of partaking of “strong encouragements”.

Strong encouragement #1 – God’s goodness to His children – He doesn’t overlook anything of His children’s lives – sparrows and hairs and debts and impossible providences are all under His care.

Strong encouragement #2 – God is generous – He couldn’t fail to bless Abraham – and He will not fail us.

Strong encouragement# 3 – God is dependable – it’s impossible for God to fail – ever!

 

Suggested 3-part prayer:

1. Thank God for His past, present, and therefore future goodness to us, His chosen people.
2. Thank God for His past, present, and future generosity to us, His chosen people.
3. And yes, you guessed it, thank God for His past, present, and future dependability to us, His chosen people.