Do you pray? How do you pray? How are you supposed to pray? Are you persistent in prayer?

As followers of Jesus, we are supposed to pray. In Luke 11:1-13 Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, saying “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.” (Luke 11:1-2, ESV). It is not if you pray, but when you pray. Prayer is assumed for the believer.

We are supposed to pray to God as our Father. We are supposed to ask God for his kingdom to come, for what we need, for forgiveness of sin, for forgiveness of others, and to be led away from temptation. (Luke 11:2-4, ESV).

We can approach God in prayer as a friend who cares about us and our needs and who will meet our needs when we come to him.

Jesus said this about prayer: “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:9-13, ESV).

How many things are you juggling in life? How many plates do you have spinning? Are you anxious and troubled over many things? If you had to choose just one thing, what would it be and why? What is the one thing that is necessary in your life?

We are very busy people. We all have many different responsibilities and facets to our lives. We live full and hurried lives where we juggle many different elements of family, work, relationships, hobbies, finances, managing the different aspects of our days, weeks, months, and years. We have a lot going on. We are anxious and troubled about many things.

Many things are our reality, but only one thing is essential and necessary. Many things call for our attention, but only one thing is really worthy of all our attention and affection.

Distraction and business is easy work, bur simplicity and focus require difficult work.

Such was the case with two sisters, Martha and Mary, in the time of Jesus’ ministry. Martha was busy and distracted from Jesus by serving and conducting many tasks with great anxiety and trouble, while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to his teaching. Mary put herself in the position of a disciple of Jesus, sitting at his feet and listening and learning, while Martha was filled with bitterness and resentment which grew from tasks of ritualistic obligation and a darkened heart of approval seeking, rather than a humble heart of selfless service.

Luke’s gospel account tells us, “Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:38-42, ESV).

Who does God send out to do the work he has given us to do? Why does God send us out? How does God send us out? What are some of the challenges of being sent out to do God’s kingdom work?

God sends all of his followers to do his work. God sends us out because the work is plentiful and the workers are few. God sends us out to do his work and to be a part of what he is doing in his kingdom work the world.

As followers of Jesus, God calls each of us into his harvest field as laborers. We experience God’s presence and blessings as God uses us and we bear witness to the power of God and to the presence of God as he uses us for his purposes and kingdom work.

The Gospel of Luke tells us, “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’” (Luke 10:1-2, ESV).

What is true religion? What is true life? What is God calling each of us to?

God is calling each of us to salvation and to life everlasting. When we lose our lives for God’s sake, we find our life in him.

True religion and true life begins with denying ourselves, taking up our sufferings, and following Jesus.

As Jesus said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24, ESV).

When we lose our lives for the sake of Jesus, we find our true life in Jesus.

May we find true religion in the salvation Jesus offers as we take up our cross and follow him and as we find our true life hidden in him.

A Collect for the Second Sunday after Pentecost, or the First Sunday after Trinity (Proper 7): “Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).

Is God ever alone? What relationships does God have? What is God’s relationships like?

God has never been alone. God is always in a loving and reciprocal and interdependent relationship with himself, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is always selflessly and sacrificially deferring to himself in an outpouring of love as he glorifies himself in perfect loving relationship.

God’s Spirit guides us into every truth as he reveals himself to us in love. God reveals himself in love and invites us into this loving relationship of God.

Jesus promised, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-15, ESV).

Do you need help? What kind of help do you need? Do you have all the help you need? Are you willing to ask for the help you need? Are you aware of the help God has given you through his Holy Spirit?

We all need help at some point in our lives. Sometimes we are aware of the help we need and other times we are not aware of the help we need. Many of us struggle to ask for help when we are overwhelmed or in need.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus promised, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:15-17, ESV).

What does it mean to keep your word? What does it mean to keep God’s word? Can we keep our word without keeping God’s word as followers of Jesus?

We are each called to keep God’s word in obedience to him as followers of Jesus. We are to be doers of the word and not hearers only.

The book of James tells us, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22, NKJV).

When we keep the word of God we are true to God and true to ourselves. When we obey God, we live in integrity with God and with ourselves.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21, ESV).

Why does God call us to love one another? How does God call us to love one another? Who are we supposed to love? In what ways are we to love one another?

God calls us to love our brothers and sisters. We are called to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Love is a high call, as old as the laws of God given to Moses in the days of the Israelites’ wandering in the wilderness.

In the Book of Leviticus, the law given to Moses tells us, “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:17-18, ESV).

God calls us to the high calling of love. When the world is filled with hate, God calls us to love and to reason. When others are seeking revenge and are holding grudges, God calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35, ESV).

How do we know God loves us? How do we know God is with us? How do we know God is caring for us? How does God love us? How is God with us? How does God care for us?

We can know God loves us, is with us, and is caring for us because God is a good shepherd. God loves us like a shepherd loves his sheep. God is with us like a shepherd is with his sheep. God cares for us like a shepherd cares for their sheep.

In the days of the wilderness wanderings when God was leading his people into the promised land, Moses, a good shepherd of the sheep and of the Israelite people, gave his leadership over to another good shepherd leader, Joshua.

“Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, ‘Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” (Numbers 27:15-17, ESV).

God desired to love his people, to be with his people, and to care for his people, like a good shepherd loves his sheep, like a good shepherd is with his sheep, and like a good shepherd cares for his sheep.

Do you remember how you came to know Jesus? Do you remember who led you to know and receive Jesus? Who was the first person to pray for you and to help you to know Jesus?

As followers of Jesus, each of us have a testimony of how we came to know Jesus.

The Apostle Paul, formally Saul, came to know the risen Lord as he encountered him on the road to Damascus. God blinded Saul for three days and gave him a vision that a man named Ananias would come and lay hands on him in prayer.

God spoke to Ananias and asked him to lay hands on Saul and pray for him. The Book of Acts tells “There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ He answered, ‘Here I am, Lord.’” (Acts 9:10).

Ananias obeyed God and prayed for Saul and baptized him, even though he did not understand why God was asking him to do this, even when it seemed dangerous to do so, and even when it seemed far-fetched and out of the ordinary.

The Book of the Acts of the Apostles tells us, “Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.” (Acts 9:17-19, ESV).

What are your insecurities and doubts? Do you struggle with security and belief in your relationship with Jesus? Do insecurities and doubts rob you of the life God intends for you?

We all experience insecurities and doubts at some point in our lives and in our relationships, especially in our relationship with Jesus. We have insecurities and doubts in our faith that rob us of the life and peace God intends for us to have.

In John’s gospel account, John tells us that he is writing so that people would believe and have life in Jesus. John writes, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31, ESV).

John writes these powerful verses after the account of Thomas’ insecurities and doubts which were swirling around in his head about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Thomas was being robbed of joy and life in the face of his insecurities and doubts. Thomas said, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” (John 20:25, ESV).

Jesus responded to Thomas with compassion and grace as he met Thomas in the upper room and calmed his insecurities and gave strength and confidence to his faith. Jesus invited Thomas to believe and to receive the secure and faith-filled life that he had for Thomas. “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:26-28, ESV).

Are you a renter or an owner? How do you see your role in this world? Are you a steward or a lord? Do you pay your dues?

As followers of Jesus, we are stewards of God’s resources and we are stewards of God’s kingdom in the world. We are tenants. We are servants. Each of us are renters, not owners of God’s creation. And we are called to give God his due as his servants.

In the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, in Luke 20:9-19, we see tenants who do not want to meet their obligations as tenants, but they want ownership and they want to strip the vineyard from the vineyard owner.

Luke tells us Jesus told this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed” (Luke 20:9-10).

Like these tenants, we are called to give the proceeds of our fruitfulness to the vineyard owner—God, but we do not always submit to God in obedience, and we do not always give God what is due to him. We want the benefits and the ownership without the service and without the responsibility.

Is your life marked by the resurrection life of Jesus? Have you experienced Jesus’ resurrection life and power in your own life? Do you marvel at what has happened concerning the resurrection of Jesus?

The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. The resurrection life of Jesus is astounding and has marvelous and wonderful implications for our lives and for this broken world.

Luke’s Gospel account tells us, “On the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” (Luke 24:1-3, ESV).

Jesus defeated death by dying on a cross for us and rising from the dead, rising from the grave, on the third day,  thereby defeating death and giving life to all who receive Jesus.

What makes Good Friday good? What did Jesus’ death on a cross accomplish? What is the work of the cross and the crucifixion of Jesus and what does it mean that this work is finished?

Good Friday is good for us, because it was not good for Jesus, as Jesus died the death we deserve. Good Friday is good because Jesus has offered himself as the perfect sacrifice. Jesus has finished the forgiving work of sin by being the perfect sacrifice, by giving us his perfect record, and by giving us his resurrection life through his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension.

Jesus’ death on the cross finished the work of forgiveness of sin, once and for all, and for all time, for everyone who receives Jesus as their perfect sacrifice for their sin.

In John’s gospel account, John tells us, “After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), ‘I thirst.’ A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:28-30, ESV).

Jesus gave up his sinless life and gave up his spirit in his death so that we could have his resurrection life instead of our sin and death.

Do you find it difficult or easy to do the things Jesus has done for you? Is it possible and attainable to do what Jesus has commanded you to do? What help and assistance do you need to do what Jesus has called you to do?

Jesus not only taught his disciples how to live and to serve in this world, Jesus also modeled what we are supposed to do to live for him and to serve him. Jesus also died on a cross and rose from the grave because we cannot do what he has commanded us to do and we cannot do what he has modeled for us to accomplish.

At the Passover meal with his disciples, Jesus, the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, gave the mandate to wash one another’s feet, only after he had modeled for his disciples what he was asking them to do by actually washing their feet, even Judas the betrayer and Peter who would deny Jesus.

John’s gospel account tells us, “When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” (John 13:12-15, ESV).

Why did Jesus come into the city of Jerusalem before the Passover Feast? What message was Jesus sending to his disciples, what message was Jesus sending to the crowds, and what message was Jesus sending to the religious leaders? What did Jesus accomplish at the triumphal entry at his final Passover feast?

Jesus came into the city humbly but triumphantly. Jesus came into the city to send a clear message about who he is. Jesus was coming into the city with humility, riding a donkey. Jesus was coming into the city as Solomon came into the city, riding on a humble colt, an animal of peace (1 Kings 1:32–35, ESV).

By coming into the city in this way, Jesus was sending a message of peace. By coming into the city riding on a donkey, Jesus was identifying himself as the King of Israel. Jesus was identifying himself as the Son of David. Jesus was identifying himself as and as the Messiah, as prophesied by the Prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 9:9-10, ESV).

At the triumphal entry of Jesus into the temple complex, “They brought a colt to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’” (Luke 19:35-38, ESV).

What is a prodigal? How are we prodigals? What is God’s posture towards prodigals?

A prodigal is a wasteful and wayward person, who has left God their father for sinful, extravagant, selfish, and self-serving living.

God loves the prodigal despite of their sinful, wasteful, and wayward ways.

In Luke 15, we see the parables of the lost things, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost sons, expressing God’s desire to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10).

The loving father in the parable of the prodigals says to the older brother, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:31-32, ESV).

How fruitful is your life? Are there areas of your life that are barren? Are there places where you need to cultivate the ground to bear fruit in your spiritual life?

God desires for each of his followers to produce fruit and to live fruitful lives.

Without cultivating and fertilizing the metaphorical ground around the tree that is our spiritual lives, we can become barren and we will not bear fruit.

In Luke’s gospel account, Jesus told a parable of the bare fig tree, saying, “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’” (Luke 13:6-9, ESV).

Without cultivating fertile ground, we will not produce the fruitfulness God desires in our lives.

How narrow is the way to everlasting life and to the kingdom of God? Do you know the way to God’s life for you and do you know the way to God’s kingdom? Are you prepared to enter the narrow way?

The doorway to the kingdom of God and his life for us is available, but it is specific and it is narrow and it is time sensitive.

God seeks to know us and for each of us to respond to him in relationship. By God’s grace, we are called to the difficult task of entering the narrow way in God’s timeframe.

Luke’s Gospel account tells us, “Jesus went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?’ And [Jesus] said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’” (Luke 13:22-27, ESV).

What are the temptations we face in our lives? Is God able to relate to our temptations? Are we able to resist the evil and the temptations we face on a daily basis?

Our world and our lives are filled with temptations of all kinds. No matter what temptations we experience, God is acquainted with every temptation and every evil we face in this world. Because Jesus has faced evil and temptation face-to-face, and has resisted, we can resist the devil and the temptations we encounter in the world and in our lives.

The Gospel of Luke tells us, “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.” (Luke 4:1-2, ESV).

Jesus encountered the devil and his temptations and he prevailed by the power of the Holy Spirit who led him there in the wilderness.