Some of this sermon is taken from another sermon in my files, perhaps written by Rev. William Weedon.
“Fang dein Werk mit Jesu an.” For non-German speakers, that’s the first line of a familiar hymn in Lutheran Service Book: “With the Lord begin your task”. The literal translation is actually, “Begin your work with Jesus”. Benedictine monks call daily prayer, “Opus Dei”. For non-Latin speakers, that means “work of God”. We all know we should pray. The problem is that we don’t pray as often as Scripture bids us. Saint Paul says pray without ceasing. I certainly don’t live up to that standard. We usually come to God only when we’re in trouble.
Jesus tells His disciples, and you and I, about prayer in today’s portion of John chapter sixteen. Jesus is well aware of our reluctance to pray. Our problem isn’t about technique. Our problem is one of trust. Prayer arises out of a relationship of trust, out of knowing God as our beloved Father and ourselves as His beloved children. When we live in that relationship, prayer blossoms forth like spring flowers. We talk to God as children talk to their parents.
Children frequently interrupt adult conversations to tell us something. I get frustrated sometimes, but Becky patiently stops what she is saying and focuses all her attention on what one of our children tell her. I’m still learning to acquire that level of patience. What helps me is knowing that none of us should think that we are interrupting our heavenly Father when we talk to Him about the burdens we carry or the joys we receive.
Remember that when Jesus speaks these words to His disciples, He is hours away from His suffering and death. He is not going to be with His disciples in the same way He was on that night. Nevertheless, His presence abides with them and among them. The Father will still be with them, even through the dark days ahead. He’s simply waiting for them to process this and talk to Him. He’s still waiting for many of us to process this because, like the disciples in the upper room that night, we’re still struggling with Jesus being with us and yet not before us.
Perhaps that’s why the disciples were bold enough to ask for Jesus to teach them how to pray. The disciples never asked Jesus how to perform miracles or how to preach in parables. They did ask Him to teach them how to pray. Jesus prayed like no one before Him. He spoke to the Father in the complete assurance of the Father’s acceptance and love. He spoke to Him not as to some hidden deity, but as a lovingly present parent.
Prayer is talking to God as His much loved child in the middle of your work day, as you’re driving the car, as you’re washing the dishes, as you’re riding the tractor, as you’re eating a meal, and as you’re lying down to sleep or waking up from sleep. Prayer is this way when you realize He is with you wherever you go and whatever you are doing. Prayer is the confession that you live in the presence of the loving and gracious heavenly Father.
Jesus says that all conversation to the Father is made in Jesus’ name. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. The joy that is in the name of Jesus is that we have a confident access to His Father as our Father. He is the only-begotten Son of the Father. He invites us into relationship with the Father. He calls us His brothers and His sisters. He makes us coheirs with Him — all that is His, He gives to us.
When our prayer is anchored in the name of Jesus, we speak to the Father with absolute confidence and boldness. We know that He loves us, that He hears us, and that He answers us for sure. Our sureness is based on the fact that Jesus has brought us into this relationship with His Father and has told us to make ourselves at home.
So we do! Families in homes have family rituals. You do particular routines every day, every week, and every month. Children learn from those routines. Luther’s Small Catechism teaches us to remember that we are God’s children by speaking the name that made us God’s children in our Baptism, by retracing the sign of the holy cross by which we were redeemed, and then talk to Him when we wake up and receive a new day of grace from His loving hand. If you don’t know what to say, see Lutheran Service Book page 327. Luther’s suggestion for morning and evening prayer are there, as well as a blessing before and after meals. There is no more important family ritual, whether at home or in church, than conversation with our heavenly Father in prayer.
Fullness of joy is ours when we remember who we are: children of the heavenly Father who take God up on His invitation to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children so that with all boldness and confidence we may as Him as dear children ask their dear Father. “Fang dein Werk mit Jesu an!”
Media Vita In Morte Sumus 