Give Us Today Our Daily Bread (A Sample Prayer for the Lord's Followers, 6)

You may have had noticed that none of the petitions mentioned so far are concerned with the disciple's personal needs. They are all God-ward in focus: God's name, God's kingdom and God's will. So our prayers should not be motivated by self-centeredness but by a desire to exalt God.

"Give us today our daily bread"-- this is the first petition focused on the disciple's personal need.Yet even this request must be grounded upon the desire to glorify God. We want to feed our body that it might have the energy, strength and vitality to advance causes that are related to the first three petitions:

• the cause of hollowing God's name
• the cause of expanding his kingdom
• the cause of fulfilling God's will

We can understand this better if we have a correct view of the human body:

1. Since God is the Creator of all, every human body belongs to him (Psalm 24:1-2)
2. God's ownership of the human body has a richer sense among us Christians because we have been bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
3. The human body must be used to glorify God (1 Corinthians 6:20; Colossians 1:16)

If these three principles are clear in our minds, then it will be easy for us to see that taking care of the human body must have a God-centered focus. There are just so many shallow reasons to be health conscious like having the abs to impress the girls or having the curves to attract the boys. The only reason that matters is so that we can have the strength and vitality to serve God.

This petition also reminds us that our very survival depends on God. The word "bread" here is symbolic of all our physical needs. These are necessities, not luxuries: food, shelter, clothing, and for the sick, medication. And if ever we have so much in life to cover these needs, let us not forget that these blessings are from the Lord's hand (Deuteronomy 8:17-18).

Your Will Be Done (A Sample Prayer for the Lord's Followers, 5)

In a world where selfishness reigns, praying for the Lord's will to be done is radical. The knees bow before the Sovereign ruler and the heart submits it's wills and desires to Him who knows what's best. Let us learn this discipline from someone who actually prayed "Your will be done."

Clothed in the frailties of human flesh, he was then thinking about the horrors and pains of his impending crucifixion, plus the experience bearing the weight of sin when he himself is sinless. So he prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." (Luke 22:42). For our lives to be consistent with this petition...

• We must prioritize God's will over life's necessities (John 4:34)
• We must strive to do whatever is pleasing to the Father (John 5:30 and 8:29)
• We must be obedient to God even if it means suffering for him and dying for him (Philippians 2:8)

"On earth as it is in heaven"
In heaven, there is no rebellion. In heaven, all the angels obey. So we long for the same thing to be true on earth when men submit to God's will without reservation.

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Your Kingdom Come (A Sample Prayer for the Lord's Followers, 4)

We just know there is something terribly wrong in this world. There is pain, sickness, suffering, poverty, calamity, crime, injustice, deception, wars, and many other things. Man has proposed different solutions: education, change in government, economic reforms, etc., yet all these had apparently failed.The petition "Your kingdom come" comes from a heart that longs for the end of all the wrong things in this world.

In a sense, God has always ruled. He owns this planet and all it's inhabitants are his subjects (Psalm 24:1). Yet there is also a sense in which darkness reigns (1 John 5:19). The good news is the rule of the evil one will not last forever. It will be cut short (Rev. 11:15).

The early church went through some of the toughest times in history. So one of it's prayers was "Marana tha" (Our Lord,come!; 1 Corinthians 16:22b). The petitions "Marana tha" and "Your kingdom come" are very similar, for both are expressions of the longing for all the wrong things to end upon the return of the Messiah. I fear that the modern church has become too comfortable in this present world that it no longer prays these prayers with as much earnestness as they did in the early church. We could only say these petitions with sincerity if we are putting our hopes on the the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior (Titus 2:13). We look forward to the day when all earthly miseries end. No more death. No more grief. No more crying. No more pain (Rev. 21:4).

Professor Charles L. Quarles puts it this way:

"Praying for the coming kingdom prevents the disciple from being so focused on this present life that he neglects to prepare for the next. Praying for the coming kingdom empowers him to live selflessly now with the awareness that enormous reward awaits Him in the future. Praying for the coming kingdom reminds the believer that God’s work is not finished and that the best is yet to come."¹

^FOOTNOTE
1. Sermon On The Mount: Restoring Christ's Message to the Modern Church (B&H Academic)

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Hallowed Be Thy Name (A Sample Prayer for the Lord's Followers, 3)

When Israel was just an infant nation, God gave them a document written on two tablets of stone. This document was the foundational law of the new nation that is to be known as one belonging to God. It is best known as the Ten Commandments¹ . One of it's articles is this: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exo. 20:7)

It has long been ignored by men in the modern world. God's name is mentioned in the most disrespectful, even blasphemous was in television, movies, music and the society  in general. Not so the  ancient Jews. They took the command seriously, so serious that when they read Sciptures and come across the name YHWH, they would not say it. They would instead substitute “Adonai” (Lord God). Somehow in the progression of time, they inserted the vowels of Adonai into the consonants of YHWH. This tradition of being careful about the Lord's name has been carried over into English translations of the Bible. For instance in Psalm 110:1, YHWH was not actually used. In it's place is “LORD” in all caps.

However, the Jews missed this: honoring the name of the Lord is not simply ascribing sacredness to it's letters,  or to how it is said. It is honoring God for who he is.

UNDERSTANDING WHAT HALLOWING HIS NAME MEANS

1. Understand that God's name is holy.
”Hallow” is an archaic English word which means “to regard as holy”. When people refer to such things as “holy week”, they mean it is no ordinary week. They also refer to the bible as a “holy book” and they mean that it is a sacred book unlike the other books. Therefore, to hollow God's name is to regard him as the One and Only and that there is no one like him.

2. Understand that one's name may either refer to your honorable standing or to your shameful reputation.

In 1 Sam. 18:30, it was reported that among the nation's war heroes, it was David who behaved most wisely so “his name became highly esteemed.”. John Macarthur remarks: "The fact that his name was esteemed meant he himself was esteemed. When we say that someone has a good name, we mean there is something about his character worthy of our praise."²  This good name should be highly desired by men “ A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (Prov. 22:1)

When applied to God's name, it makes people trust in him once they understand his excellence: "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:10)

3. Understand that the opposite of hallowing God's name is to profane it.

Charles Quarles wrote: "Honoring God’s name as holy is the opposite of profaning God’s name”^{3 .}

The following verses confirm Quarles' statement:

• "Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. (Lev.18:21)
• "Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. (Lev.19:12)
• “They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name.” (Amos 2:7)

And so there is a great deal of inconsistency on our part if we pray “hallowed be thy name” while at the same time we live a life of profanity.

4. The Lord's zeal for the honor of his name is precisely the reason why blesses us.

Take a look at these verses:

• For the sake of his name, he leads and guides (Psalm 31:3)
• For the sake of his name, he delivers and forgives sin (Psalm 79:9)
• For the sake of his name, he dispenses mercy to sinners (Jeremiah 14:20-21)

And so this should encourage us that as long as we seek to honor God's name, God will also see to it that we will be blessed.

FOOTNOTES:

1. R.C. Sproul, The Prayer of the Lord (Reformation Trust Publishing)

2. John Macarthur, Alone With God (Victor Books)

3. Charles Quarles, Sermon on the Mount: Restoring Christ's Message to the Modern Church (B&H Academic)

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We Call Upon "Our Father" (A Sample Prayer for the Lord's Followers, 2)

We call upon our Father in heaven. Addressing God this way was a new thing in the ears of Jesus' Jewish hearers. Though there are several Old Testament texts where "father" is mentioned in relation to God, they were only analogies NOT direct addresses.  A typical Jewish prayer that time would be filled with much acknowledgment of God's great character and attributes like his omnipotence, lordship, glory, etc., but calling upon God as Father was uncharacteristic to a Jewish faithful. It might have even sounded familiar and presumptuous to Jesus' opponents. But it surely sounded personal and gracious to his followers  (see D.A. Carson, EBC 1st edition)

Believers are children of God by adoption (John 1:12). We should never think of God as someone inaccessible. He delights in hearing us because we have this special relationship with him. Being a good Father, he knows how to give good gifts to his children (Matthew 7:11). For these reasons, we too should find delight in having an intimate relationship with our Father in heaven.

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Introduction: A Sample Prayer for the Lord's Followers (Matthew 6:9-15)

He had  just instructed his disciple on how NOT to pray:

• they should not pray for public display with the intent of gaining approval from men (Matt. 6:5)
• they should not use meaningless and repeatitive words in praying. (Matt.6:7)

What follows is an instruction on how his followers should pray (Matt.6:9-15). "This, then, is how you should pray:" Jesus begins this teaching.

What others do is they memorize this prayer and this is what they repetitively recite when they pray. Of course there is benefit to our souls when we memorize this just like the benefits we get when we memorize other portions of Scripture. But even a beneficial thing may become worthless if we just recite these things outside the Lord's intent. When our Lord said, "This, then, is how you should pray", his intention was to give us an epitome of a good prayer so that we might learn how to express what is in our hearts and thus please the Lord who hears us.


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Huwag Maging Artista (Mateo 6:1-18)

Sa paggawa ng mabuti, tumitibay ang ating katiyakan na tayo nga ay mga anak ng Diyos (1 Juan 2:29). Sa pamamagitan rin ng paggawa ng mabuti, ating naluluwalhati ang ating Ama sa langit (Mateo 5:14-16). Ganyan kahalaga ang paggawa ng mabuti.

Para sa mga Hudyo, may tatlong pangunahing gawain ang isang taong matuwid ⁱ:

• a. pagbibigay sa mga kapus-palad
• b. pananalangin
• c. pag-aayuno

Bagamat duda ako na ang mga ito nga ang dapat na ibilang bilang mga “pangunahing gawain”, sapat naman ang datos sa bibliya na ang mga ito nga ay mga gawaing inaasahang makita sa mga taong nagmamahal sa Diyos.

Ang problemang tinugunan ni Hesus sa mga talatang ating sinusulyapan ay ang palagiang pagnanais ng tao na maitaas ang kanyang sarili. Madalas na ang layunin sa paggawa ng mabuti ay hindi na ang pagluluwalhati sa Diyos kundi ang sila ay palakpakan ng mga nanonood.

Noong sinabi ni Hesus sa Mateo 6:1, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people...” , ang pandiwa na ginamit na isinalin bilang “Beware” o “Be careful” ay isang present imperative. Ang utos ay pagbabantay o pagmamatyag ng walang tigil o pahinga. Ayon kay Charles Quarles:

”The grammatical form implies that the disciple must continually and consciously avoid making a show of acts of righteousness since the temptation to seek personal aggrandizement is ever present.”ⁱⁱ

Samakatuwid, likas sa makasalanang tao ang humanap lagi ng kanyang maipagmamalaki at ipagmamayabang. Kailangang bantayan ang ating sarili sa tuwi-tuwina sapagkat naririyan lagi ang pagnanais ng laman na magmapuri sa sarili.

Ang mga Artista 
Sa aking napiling pamagat na “Huwag Maging Artista”, wala akong intensyong hubaran ng dangal ang mga taong ganito ang propesyon. Ako man ay nanonood ng ilan sa kanilang mga obra at napapahanga rin sa husay ng ilang mga artista sa kanilang sining.

Ang pamagat ay hango sa salitang Griyego na hupokrites na isinalin sa wikang Ingles bilang “hypocrites” (verses 2, 5 and 16). Ang salitang ito ay orihinal na tumutukoy sa mga artistang nagtatanghal sa entablado sa mga teatro.ⁱⁱⁱ Sa isa namang Greek lexicon, ang depinisyon sa salitang ito ay “one who pretends to be other than he really is"^iv Ganun naman talaga ang mahuhusay na artista: kahit maginhawa ka sa totoong buhay, napapaluha mo ang mga tao kapag nakikita nila ang iyong paghihikahos sa telebisyon; kahit ikaw ay may problemang dinadaanan, napapahalakhak mo ang mga manonood; o mabait ka naman sa totoong buhay pero nasusuklam sa iyo ang mga tao sa iyong pagganap bilang kontra-bida. Sa Kalye-serye ng Eat Bulaga, ang mga gumaganap na lola ni Yaya Dub ay mga lalake!!! 

Ganyan ang mga mahuhusay na artista. Kapanipaniwala at epektibo sa kanilang pagganap. Ang pag-arte ay isang talentong kahanga-hanga sa entablado, telebisyon at sine. Pero ang kakayahang ito ay nagiging masama kung gagamitin upang magmukhang banal sa paningin ng mga tao, tumanggap ng mga papuri at palakpak, at hindi na ang kaluguran ng Diyos ang layunin. 

Ang Logical na Istruktura ng Leksyon^v 
Sa bawat gawaing tinalakay, pare-pareho ang lohikal na istrukturang ginamit ng ating Panginoon.

1. Babala na huwag gumawa ng mabuti sa layuning ikaw ay mapapurihan ng mga tao. (pagbibigay limos 6:2a/ pananalangin 6:5a/ pag-aayuno 6:16a)

2. Sa mga hindi makikinig sa babala, makukuha nila ang gusto nila ("papuri ng mga tao"), pero hanggang doon na lang yun (pagbibigay limos 6:2b/ pananalangin 6:5b/ pag-aayuno 6:16b)

3. Ang bilin na gawin ang kabutihan ng palihim (pagbibigay limos 6:3/ pananalangin 6:6/ pag-aayuno 6:17-18) 
  4. Ang katiyakan na ang Ama na nakakita ng palihim na kabutihan ay magbibigay gantimpala (pagbibigay limos 6:4/ pananalangin 6:6b/ pag-aayuno 6:18) 

Paano Magbigay sa mga Nangangailangan (Mateo 6:2-4)

Ang pagtulong sa mga nangangailangan ay isang gawain na dapat gampanan ng sinumang may pananampalataya sa Diyos (Deuteronomy 15:7-11, Leviticus 19:9-10, Matthew 25:34-40). May mga ipinangako pa ngang mga pagpapala at gantimpala sa mga tumutupad nito (Deuteronomy 15:10, Proverbs 19:17, 1 Timothy 6:18-19). Ngunit meron rin namang mga gumagawa nito na hindi kinalulugdan ng Diyos. Sila yung mga nagbibigay sa layuning sila ay mapansin at parangalan ng mga tao. Hindi kaluwalhatian ng Diyos ang kanilang hangad kundi ang pagtingala sa kanila ng lipunan.

Paano sila magbigay? Inaanunsyo nila ang kanilang pagbibigay sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatunog sa trumpeta. Iba-iba ang opinyon ng mga nasangguni kong iskolar tungkol dito:

1. May mga nagsasabi na ito ay literal na pagpapatugtog ng trumpeta.
2. May mga nagsasabi na ito ay isang sisidlan na hugis trumpeta kung saan inihuhulog ang mga alay na salapi.
3. May mga nagsasabi na ito ay hyperbole lamang na ginamit ni Hesus upang ilarawan ang mga taong papansin sa pagbibigay

Ang aking puso ay may pagkiling sa pangatlo: ito ay hyperbole lamang na ginamit ni Hesus pang ilarawan ang mga taong papansin sa pagbibigay. Paliwanag ni Craig Keener:

 “Although some scholars have argued that people actually blew trumpets during giving in the synagogues, Jesus probably simply uses rhetorical exaggeration to reinforce his point, as when picturing the Pharisees who swallow a camel whole but strain out a mere gnat (23:24)”^vi

Para sa mga taong ganun magbigay, natanggap na nila ang kanilang gantimpala (“they have received their reward in full”). Ang salitang Griyego na isinalin bilang “in full” ay apechousin na nangangahulugang "to receive something in full, with the implication that all that is due has been paid"^vii . Ibig sabihin, nakuha na nila ang gusto nila: ang sila ay parangalan ng mga tao. Ngunit hanggang doon na lang yun. Wala na silang matatanggap pa na parangal mula sa langit.

Paano ang tamang paraan ng pagbibigay sa katuruan ni Hesus? Huwag ipaalam sa kaliwang kamay ang pagbibigay ng kanang kamay. Siyempre hindi literal ang kahulugan niyan. Muli, ito ay isang hyperbole. Ito ang nagkakaisang opinyon nina Charles Quarles at William Hendriksen:

“the image of keeping one’s acts of goodness secret even from oneself is a hyperbole meaning that the disciple must not give so that he can pat himself on the back or applaud his own goodness.” (Charles Quarles)^viii

“the expression probably refers to the fact that as much as possible a person must keep his voluntary contribution a secret not only to others but even to himself; that is, he should forget about it, instead of saying in his heart, “What a good man, woman, boy, girl, am I!” (William Hendriksen)^ix

Ang ating Ama sa langit ay nakakakita ng ating mga kabutihan na ginagawang palihim. May gantimpalang laan para sa atin. 

Paano Mag-ayuno (Matthew 6:16-18)
Ang orihinal na utos tungkol sa pag-aayuno (fasting) ay ibinigay kasama ng utos sa paggunita sa Day of Atonement ng mga Israelita. Higit sa pagkain at inumin ang saklaw nito. Ang utos ay deny yourselves (Leviticus 16:31; 23:27). Kaya naman may mas malawak na depinisyon (broader definition) ang pag-aayuno:

"... fasting... must not only be confined to the question of food and drink; fasting should really be made to include abstinence from anything which is legitimate in and of itself for the sake of some special spiritual purpose. There are many bodily functions which are right and normal and perfectly legitimate, but which for special peculiar reasons in certain circumstances should be controlled. That is fasting." (Martyn Lloyd-Jones)^x

"Traditionally this self-denial included abstaining from eating, drinking, sexual activity, washing, anointing, or putting on sandals." (Charles Quarles)^xi

Subalit ang pag-aayuno na saklaw ng kasalukuyang leksyon ay ang mas makitid na depinisyon (narrower definition) nito: "The act of total or partial abstinence from food for a limited period of time, usually undertaken for moral or religious reasons." (Robert D. Linder)^xii 

Kung tutuusin ay mayroon pang mas makitid na depinisyon. Ito ang depinisyong alok ni Donald Whitney: “a Christian’s voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes”. ^xiii Ang mga salitang sinalungguhitan diyan ay pawang mahalaga:

• Christian: hindi natin bibigyang pansin ang pag-aayuno sa ibang relihiyon tulad ng sa Islam at Jainism sapagkat wala namang ispirituwal na halaga ang mga ito.

• for spiritual purposes: hindi natin ibibilang ang mga nagha-hunger strike o nagpapapayat

• voluntary: hindi natin ituturing na pag-aayuno ang mga taong nagkataon lamang na wala talaga silang budget pambili ng pagkain o 'di kaya ay ang mga taong nagmamadali sa pagpasok sa trabaho at wala ng oras mag-almusal.

Ang pag-aayuno ay maaaring gawin ng kongregasyon (Acts 13:2). Maaari rin itong gawin ng isang indibiduwal (Matthew 4:2). Ang uri ng pag-aayuno na tinalakay dito ni Hesus ay ang personal na pag-aayuno ng mga indibiduwal.

Iba-iba rin ang mga biblikal na dahilan ng pag-aayuno:

• 1. bilang pagpapahayag ng pagluluksa (1 Samuel 31:13)

• 2. bilang pagpapakita ng pagsisisi (2 Samuel 12:15-23)

• 3. upang idulog sa Diyos ang isang seryosong suliranin (2 Chronicles 20:1-4)

Nakapulot ako ng pang-apat na biblikal na dahilan ng pag-aayuno mula kay Donald Whitney:

• 4. bilang pagpaparamdam natin sa Diyos ng ating pag-ibig at pagsamba sa kanya tulad ng isinabuhay ni Anna (Luke 2:36-37)

Paliwanag ni Whitney:

“Fasting can be an expression of finding your greatest pleasure and enjoyment in life from God. That’s the case when disciplining yourself to fast means that you love God more than food, that seeking Him is more important to you than eating. This honors God and is a means of worshiping Him as God. It means that your stomach isn’t your god as it is with some (Philippians 3:19). Instead it is God’s servant, and fasting proves it because you’re willing to sublimate its desires to those of the Spirit.”^xiv

Ngunit merong mga nag-aayuno na mga mapagkunwari. Hindi sila nag-aayos sa sarili at sinasadya nilang magmukhang malungkot sa layuning sila ay mapansin ng mga tao. Sila ay walang mapapalang anuman sa langit. Ang parangal sa kanila ng tao ang tanging babaunin nila sa kabilang buhay.

Sa aral ng Panginoong Hesus, ang mga nag-aayuno ay kailangang mag-ayos sa sarili. Lumabas at ngumiti sa mga tao. Huwag ipahalatang walang laman ang iyong sikmura. Hindi man alam ng mga tao ang iyong mga banal na gawain, meron ka namang Ama sa langit at siya ang magbibigay gantimpala sa iyo.

Meron ka bang alalahanin na lubhang seryoso at nangangailangan ka ng isang ekstra-ordinaryong pagkilos mula sa Panginoon? O 'di kaya nais mo lang magpahayag ng pag-ibig sa Diyos? Bagamat ang pag-aayuno ay hindi gaanong naipapangaral at nabibigyang atensyon sa mga iglesya ng Diyos ngayon, ang pamamaraang ito ng pakikipagpisan sa Panginoon ay nariyan pa rin at maaari nating gamitin. Tandaan lamang na ito ay ating gagawin hindi upang mapansin ng mga tao. Mayroon taong Ama na nagbabantay sa atin. Nakikita niya ang lahat ng kabutihang gawa mo kahit ito pa ay ginawang palihim. 

Paano manalangin (Matthew 6:5-6) 
Gustong-gusto nating maglaan ng oras upang makasama ang mga mahal natin sa buhay. Hindi nga ba't 'yan din ang dahilan kung bakit naghihinagpis tayo sa pagpanaw ng isang taong mahalaga sa atin. Sa sandaling naputol na ang kanyang paghinga, alam mong hindi mo na siya makakausap; hindi mo na rin maririnig ang kanyang tinig. Nagluluksa tayo dahil alam nating hindi na natin sila makakaniig sa kasalukuyang buhay. 

May mga tao na gusto nating makasama; mga taong itinuturing nating mahalaga sa buhay natin. Kung gayon, hindi ba't dapat ay sabik din tayong makausap at makaniig ang Diyos? Hindi ba't nararapat lamang na ang Diyos ang pinakamamahal ng ating puso? "Ang umiibig sa kanyang ama o ina nang higit sa akin ay hindi karapat-dapat sa akin. Ang umiibig sa kanyang anak nang higit sa akin ay hindi karapat-dapat sa akin" (Mateo 10:37).

Sa panalangin, nakakapisan natin ang ating Manlilikha (Acts 17:26b), Tagapangalaga (1 Peter 5:7), Tagapagligtas/Manunubos (Isaiah 43:11), Manananggol (Proverbs 23:10-11) at Kaibigan (John 15:15). Sa anumang relasyon, mahalaga ang komunikasyon. Ipinapahayag ng Diyos ang kanyang kalooban sa atin sa pamamagitan ng Bibliya. Naipapahayag naman natin ang ating saloobin sa pamamagitan ng pananalangin.

Ngunit gaya ng iba pang mga mabubuting gawain, ito ay maaaring mawalang saysay dahil sa maruming motibo. Ang motibo ng maraming tao noon sa panahon ni Hesus at maging sa ating kapanahunan ay hindi ang pakikipagniig sa Diyos kundi magpa-impress sa mga tao. Pinuna ni Hesus ang gawain ng marami sa panahong iyon sapagkat sinasadya nilang tumayo at manalangin sa mga lugar kung saan maraming tao. Makukuha nga nila ang nais nila: papuri ng mga tao, subalit hanggang doon na lang yun. Wala na silang maaasahang gantimpala pa buhat sa langit.

Salungat sa pamamaraang ito, ang dapat na panalangin ayon kay Hesus ay dinadala sa isang lugar (Marcos 1:35-36) na walang ibang makakaalam kundi ikaw. Ang Diyos na nakakakita ng mga lihim na bagay ang siyang magbibigay gantimpala. Hindi nito minamasama ang lahat ng pampublikong pananalangin (Acts 4:24). Ang punto ay ano ba ang motibo sa pananalangin? Ito ba ay para ikaw ay hangaan ng mga tao sa iyong “kabanalan”?

Kailan at saan ka nakakapanalangin? Sa piling lang ba ng isang grupo tulad ng konggregasyon o isang bible study group? Isa sa mga sukatan nga ispirituwal na kalusugan ay ang pagkakatugma ng kanyang public prayer life at private prayer life. Ika nga ni D. A. Carson: 

 “The person who prays more in public than in private reveals that he is less interested in God's approval than in human praise. Not piety but a reputation for piety is his concern.”^xv

Ang ating audience

Sa mga artista, paramihan ng audience ang laban. Pataasan ng ratings ang mga istasyon ng TV. Sa mga mananampalataya, iisang audience lang ang mahalaga; siya ay ang ating Ama na nakaluklok sa kanyang walang hanggang trono at nanonood sa atin mula sa langit.

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FOOTNOTES

i the three chief acts of Jewish piety: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting (C.G. Montefiore and H. Loewe, A Rabbinic Anthology). Cited by D. A. Carson in EBC, 1^st edition

ii Charles Quarles, Sermon on the Mount: Restoring Christ's Message to the Modern Church

iii Craig Keener, Matthew (IVP New Testament Commentary)

iv J.P Louw and Eugene Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains

v H.D. Betz, "Eine judenchristliche Kult-Didache in Matthaus 6:1-18; cited by D.A. Carson in EBC, 1^st edition

vi Craig Keener, Matthew (IVP New Testament Commentary)

vii J.P Louw and Eugene Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains

viii Charles Quarles, Sermon on the Mount: Restoring Christ's Message to the Modern Church

ix William Hendriksen, Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (NTC)

x Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount

xi Charles Quarles, Sermon on the Mount: Restoring Christ's Message to the Modern Church

xii Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 1^st edition (Walter Elwell, editor)

xiii Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

xiv Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

xv D. A. Carson, Matthew in Expositor's Bible Commentary, 1^st edition

Ang Simpatya ng Ating Pari sa Langit

 Hebrews 4:14-16

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (NIV 1984)

"Huwag kayong tatalikod!" 'Yan ang pangunahing bilin ng manunulat para sa mga orihinal na tumanggap ng liham na ito. Mangyari kasi, matindi ang pag-uusig laban sa kanila kaya naman malakas ang hatak ng tukso na sila'y bumalik na lamang sa dati nilang relihiyong Judaismo.

Isa sa mga argumento ng manunulat upang hikayatin silang manatili sa Kristiyanismo ay ang paghahambing sa pagkapari ni Hesus sa pagkapari ng mga naglilingkod sa templo ng Judaismo.

Nasaan ang mga pari ng Judaismo? Nasa ibabaw ng lupa.
Nasaan ang punong pari ng Kristiyanismo? Nasa langit.

"... we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,
Jesus the Son of God... "

Sinu-sino ang mga pari ng Judaismo? Mga taong mortal.
Sino ang punong pari ng Kristiyanismo? Ang Anak ng Diyos.

"... we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,
Jesus the Son of God... " (Hebrews 4:14)

Sa pagkakasulat ng talata 15, tila lumalabas na tumutugon ang manunulat sa isang pagtutol o di kaya ay inuunahan na niya ang isang posibleng pagtutol sa kanyang itinuturo. Komentaryo ni Homer Kent, Jr., "The negative way in which this statement is introduced suggests that rebuttal is being made to an objection."¹ At ang pagtutol na ito ay sa punto ng simpatya. Ano yung simpatya? Ito yung nakaka-relate ka sa nararamdaman ng kapwa mo. Kayong mga mapuputi, malamang ay wala kayong simpatya sa mga taong maiitim na pinipintasan ay inaalaska. Diyan ako lamang sa inyo, nakakasimpatya ako sa kanila.

Ang pagtutol ay ganito:

    "Kung siya ay nasa langit at kami ay nasa lupa, hindi kaya mas maigi na ang lalapitan naming mga pari ay ang mga kapwa namin taga-lupa? Sila ang makakasimpatya sila sa amin."
     "Kung siya ay Anak ng Diyos at kami ay mga tao lamang, hindi kaya mas maigi na ang lalapitan naming mga pari ay ang mga kapwa namin mga tao rin? Sila ang makakasimpatya sila sa amin."

Heto ang sagot ng manunulat sa pagtutol na iyan: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin." (v.15)

Ang punto ng manunulat, si Hesus bagamat siya ay Impeccable, ibig sabihin bilang Diyos ay hindi siya nagkakasala, ang pinagdaanan niyang mga tukso ay mga tunay na tukso. Ang mga tagumpay niya laban sa kasalanan ay pinaghirapan at pinagsikapan. Komentaryo ni Leon Morris:"... though Jesus did not sin, we must not infer that life was easy for him. His sinlessness was, at least in part, an earned sinlessness as he gained victory after victory in the constant battle with temptation that life in this world entails."² Mas matindi pa nga ang mga pinagdaanan niya kasi tayo, konting effort lang ni Satanas, bumibigay na tayo sa kasalanan samantalang siya, hindi bumibigay. Ibig sabihin, todo-effort si Satanas sa pagtukso sa kanya. Dahil naranasan niya ang hirap ng pakikipagtunggali laban sa kasalanan, nakakasimpatya siya sa ating mga kahinaan.

Mahirap bang magpakabanal sa mga oras na...
    ... ikaw ay gutom at walang maisaing? Dinaanan ni Hesus 'yan at nanatiling banal (Mateo 4:2)
    ... ikaw ay mawalan ng mahal sa buhay? Dinaanan ni Hesus 'yan at nanatiling banal (Juan 11:33-36)
    ... ikaw ay traydorin, ipagkanulo o iwanan ng mga kaibigan? Dinaanan ni Hesus 'yan at nanatiling banal (Mateo 26:14-16; Luke 22:60; Marcos 14:50)
    ... ikaw ay pagbintangan ng kasinungalingan at pagkaitan ng katarungan? Dinaanan ni Hesus 'yan at nanatiling banal (Mateo 26:60)

At dahil marunong makisimpatya sa atin ang ating pari sa langit, ito ang pinagagawa ng manunulat sa atin: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. " (4:16 a)

Sa ilalim ng matandang tipan, ang "high priest" ang nag-iisang tao na maaaring lumapit sa presensya ng Diyos. Subalit sa bagong tipan, lahat ng mananampalataya ay may kalayaang lumapit sa kanya.

Sa ilalim ng matandang tipan, nakakalapit lamang ang high priest minsan sa isang taon tuwing Day of Atonement.  Subalit sa bagong tipan, malaya tayong lumapit sa Diyos anumang oras.

Idagdag mo pa diyan ang katotohanang ang mga sinaunang hari ay hindi basta-basta maaaring lapitan. Maging ang Reynang si Esther ay nakipagsapalaran nang lumapit siya sa asawa niyang hari na hindi naman siya ipinapatawag. Subalit dahil sa ating pari sa langit, malaya tayong lumapit sa ating hari. Ang trono ng Diyos para sa ating mga mananampalataya ay hindi "throne of judgment" kundi "throne of grace". Ang matatanggap natin ay grasya at habag.

"Pero hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko sa aking paglapit sa kanya." Nakakapagpagaan ng loob na tayo ay sinasabihan na lumapit ng may "confidence". At ayon pa nga sa isang pang iskolar, ito raw ay maaaring isalin bilang "bold frankness"³; malaya tayong maging honest sa kung ano pakiramdam natin at kung ano ang saloobin natin. Siyempre hindi ito nangangahulugan na tayo ay lalapit sa kanya nang walang kalakip na paggalang at pagsamba. Diyos pa rin siya na dapat sambahin. Pero ito ang tiyak, hindi niya kamumuhian ang sinumang lumalapit sa kanya nang may pagpapakumbaba (Awit 51:17)

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 NOTES:

1 Homer A. Kent, Jr., The Epistle to the Hebrews, p.91

2 Leon Morris, Hebrews (EBC)

3 William Lane, Hebrews (WBC). Cited in George's Guthrie's Hebrews (NIVAC)

Enter In

Petra

Abominable Prayers

A sick man cries for divine healing through a graven image.

A rapper thanks God for the platinum sales of his album filled with pornographic lyrics.

A young professing Christian girl prays for an unbeliever to marry her.

A pastor asks for God's blessing upon a same-sex couple.

"To ask for anything contrary to His will is not prayer,

but rank rebellion."

~ A.W. Pink

The Attributes of God

GUEST POST: A Life of Prayer

by Sheryll O. Yap

Her preferred introduction: 

"Sheryll is a Young Adults Ministry volunteer of Soli Deo Gloria Christian Ministries in Davao City. She is also a government worker  in her non-spare time"

Photo Credit: Homemaker in Progress

A Life Prayer
April 7,2007

The Lord taught me to pray:
"Lord whatever may happen to me,
may I never forget
who You are in my life."

When He lifts me up before the eyes of men
When His favor makes me a blessing to others
And I am tempted to take the credit for myself,
I remember who He is in my life,
That apart from Him I am nothing,
Then my pride is crushed
and am humbled before Him.

When I am afraid and want to run away
When terror seem to eat me up
And I cannot move..
I remember who He is in my life
and I am calmed
For the Lord is my refuge
I shall not be shaken.

When I am discouraged and bowed down
And laid low in the dust because of my sins,
When I feel most unworthy to serve Him
Especially before the eyes of men
I remember who He is in my life
And I am renewed--
For the Lord chose me not because I was good
But only because of His mercy and grace.

When I feel so weary and long to depart
When the struggle I have to face
Seem to come up over me
I remember who He is in my life
And I am restored.
For it is He who gives me wisdom
and the strength to move on.

Lord, who are You in my life?
You have become everything to me
Ever since the time
when you showed me Your love
You have made me treasure it above all
...above all pain
...above all tears
...above all sorrows
...above all joys
...above everything.

For when I see the Son I tremble
Not with terror but with awe
I wonder how You could include me
When You hung upon that tree.
Who am I that You should love me?
Who am I that I should be spared?
You don't need me, O God,
You don't need me.
And yet You have loved me
And cared for me as Your own.

How I long for the day
When Your purpose for my life
Will be accomplished
When the mission You have assigned
For me is done.
For it is then, I know,
You shall take me to be with You
To make me finally see
the God of my life.
On that blessed day with the saints
I shall say before You:

"Thank You, O God, for always reminding me
Who You really are in our lives."

Amen and amen.

Ang Talinghaga ng Kaibigang Nangangailangan

See part 1 Here

Hating-gabi, at palibhasa'y buwan ng Enero, malamig ang simoy ng hangin. Kaya naman mahimbing na natutulog sina Mang Panchito, Aling Chichay, at kanilang anim na mga supling. Nagsisiksikan man sila sa munting kubong iyon, masarap pa ring matulog sa ibabaw ng banig na nakalatag sa kawayang sahig.

Biglang may bumasag sa katahimikan ng gabi. "Kumpare! kumpare!" tawag ng isang tao mula sa labas ng kubo. Kahit hirap na hirap si Mang Panchito sa pagdilat ng kanyang mga mata, nakilala pa rin niya ang pamilyar na tinig na tumatagos sa dingding. Ang tinig na iyon ay sa kaibigan niyang si Mang Dolphy.

"Pahingi naman ng dalawang gatang ng bigas o kahit kaning-lamig. Sapagkat habang ako'y natutulog nang mahimbing kagaya mo, ginising ako ni Kumpareng Cachupoy. Naglalakbay siya patungo sa ika-pitong burol at minarapat niyang sa tahanan ko magpalipas ng gabi. Hiyan-hiya ako dahil wala man lang akong maihain sa kanya. Tulungan mo naman ako, Pare!" ika ni Mang Dolphy.

May bahid ng galit ang tugon ni Mang Panchito, "Huwag mo akong gambalain! Wala akong maibibigay sa iyo. Heto nga't malalim na ang gabi at nagpapahinga na ako sampu ng aking pamilya."

Ngunit hindi natinag si Mang Dolphy. Sa tindi ng kanyang pangangailangan ay nagpakapal ng mukha at hindi tumigil sa pangungulit. Sa wakas ay sumuko si Mang Panchito. Hindi siya nakatiis kaya't siya'y bumangon. Iniabot niya kay Mang Dolphy hindi lamang ang kaning-lamig kundi pati ang isang lata ng sardinas at dalawang piraso ng saging.

At iyon ay kanyang ginawa hindi sa ngalan ng Pagkakaibigan kundi sa ngalan ng Tulog.

Kaya't sinasabi ko sa inyo: humingi kayo at kayo'y bibigyan; humanap kayo at makakasumpong; kumatok at kayo'y pagbubuksan.

Kayong mga ama na naririto: kung hihingi ba ang inyong anak ng ulam, bibigyan ba ninyo ng ahas? Kung siya'y hihingi ng lugaw, susubuan ba ninyo ng buhangin? Kung gayon na kayong mga masasama ay nagkakaloob ng mga bagay na mabubuti sa inyong mga anak, eh 'di higit pang tutugunan ng Mabuting Ama sa langit ang inyong mga pangangailangan. Hindi lamang mga bagay na pansamantala ang ibibigay Niya, kundi pati ang Banal na Espiritu na siyang bukal ng ginhawa't kapanatagan.

The Parable of the Persistent Friend

About half a decade ago, Pastor Onofre Malazo, Jr. of Guiding Light Christian Church (Dagupan) picked a handful of church members and assembled a class. Week after week, he patiently taught them lessons on bible interpretation, church history, Biblical Greek, various subjects of theology (Trinity, inerrancy, etc) and some contemporary theological trends (pragmatism, easy believism) etc.

Lately, from the mixed pile of garbage and precious things in my room, I recovered a three-page homework which I prepared for that class.

One of the earliest books we studied page by page in that class was Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart's How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. In the chapter on parables, Fee translates the Parable of the Good Samaritan into our own context. He retells it in modern points of reference in an attempt to give the contemporary audience the same emotions that the original hearers experienced. In Fee's version, the counterpart of the half dead man is a stranded family, a bishop for the priest and a Kiwanis Club president for the Levite.

Pastor Malazo asked each member of the class to choose a parable translate in in our own context the way Fee did.

My chosen parable is the one found in Luke 11:5-8 Some call it  The Parable of the Persistent Friend.
For this post, I will include only the exegetical portion of the homework I prepared. I shall post the contemporary retelling of the  parable for the next blog entry.

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The Parable of the Persistent Friend

"Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, `Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

"Then the one inside answers, `Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs." (Luke 11:5-8 NIV)

Friend A and Friend B are neighbors. One midnight, while Friend A is in deep slumber with his wife and children in an overcrowded single-room house¹, Friend B knocks at the door and with a sense of urgency he calls, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him (11:5-6).

In fairness to Friend b, he was the first one who was disturbed. Friend C is on a journey and he visits Friend B on the worst possible time. Is there no inn around? Is he on a cost cutting measure? Or does he simply miss his friend badly? I don't know.

In the ancient east, "hospitality is a sacred duty"². Alfred Edersheim says "Israel was always distinguished for hospitality" not only in the Bible but also in the Rabbinical tradition³.

Friend B is not asking for much-- just three loaves of bread; a simple meal for an unexpected visitor. It was not unusual for homes way back then to run out of bread. The poor operates under a subsistence economy-- that is they live under the barest means to sustain life. Furthermore, Barclay points out that "only enough for the day's needs was baked because, if it was kept and became stale, no one would wish to eat it."⁴

Friend A responds. The door is still locked but his voice passes through it. The first words that came out of his mouth were "DON"T BOTHER ME !!!"

Yet Friend B did not give up. He kept on shamelessly pounding the door. Finally he succeeds. "Though he will not get up and give him bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs." (11:8)

The Greek word translated as "boldness" is "anaideia. Joseph Thayer defines it as "shamelessness" and "impudence" ⁵.

In other words, Friend A gave NOT in the name of friendship but in the name of sleep. He gave NOT out of compassion but out of irritation for Friend B's "annoying persistence"⁶.

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The Parable's Intended Response

First, what is not intended in the text: The parable is not saying that our prayers will be answered by annoying God or irritating him. No one could twist the arm of God. The point of the parable is explained in the verses that follow (v.9-13)

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Our Lord wants us to be bold and persistent in prayer because of the goodness of the Father. The most generous persons, even the best dads in the world are sinners. If sinners give upon request, how much more will the Father, who is perfectly holy-- untainted by sin, will give good gifts to His children. We should not give up praying because the Father will not withold the things beneficial to us. He is willing to give not just the temporal things we need, but even the Holy Spirit, the source of all comfort.

 footnotes:

1. Howard Vos, New Illustrated Bible Manners and Customs
2. William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible
3. Alfred Edersheim, Sketches of Jewish Social Life
4. Barclay, ibid
5. Joseph Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
6. John Macarthur, GTY broadcast 702 DZAS

Aanhin Mo ang "Answered Prayer" kung Nakasimangot naman ang Diyos?

Psalm 106:15: "So he gave them what they asked for,
but sent a wasting disease upon them."

Which do you prefer: a prayer denied or a prayer answered?

Surely, we want God to grant our requests. We want to receive the things that we are longing for. Hindi matino para sa isang tao ang humingi pero ayaw namang tumanggap. We ask because we want to receive.

Ngayo’y baguhin natin ang tanong. Alin ang gusto ninyo: Ipagkait ng Diyos ang ating hinihiling- pero nakangiti siya sa atin o ibigay ng Diyos ang gusto natin pero nakasimangot naman siya?

Minsan ay nagreklamo ang mga Israelita: “Hay! Abo ba natan ‘to? Wala man lang karne… Buti pa sa Ehipto, may isda… may pipino… may milon. May sibuyas… may bawang…pero Ngayon puros manna… manna… manna… Sawang-sawa na kami. Bumalik na lang tayo sa Ehipto”

Ano ang tugon ng Panginoon? Ibinigay niya ang layaw ng kanilang puso. Umihip ang hangin at dala nito maraming karne, karne ng pugo. Abot hanggang baywang, pulot lang ng pulot. Malamang ay sasabihin ng iba: "Aba, answered prayer!"

Subalit sa galit ng Diyos, ang kasunod ng karne ay isang salot at marami ang namatay. Bakit, ang sabi sa verse 13, “they forgot his works” and “they did not wait for his counsel”. They did not honor him as holy. They think of God as untrustworthy. Their belly is more important than God. They craved for meat… they craved for fish… they craved for cucumbers, melons, onions and garlic… May gana sa pagkain, pero walang gana sa Diyos.

Brethren, what does it profit a man if he gains the desires of his heart yet forfeits the pleasure of God? Let us honor Him. Let us wait for his counsel. Let us trust and obey. By His perfect wisdom, He knows what to give. And He knows what to withhold.

Let us keep on asking, but let us remember that we should seek the Giver, not the gifts.

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