(Lent Midweek 4 is still in process.) Wednesday of Lent 5 Prayer As an Act of Repentance In the Ash Wednesday Gospel (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21), Jesus told us to do certain good works—certain acts of repentance—secretly, and He used prayer as an example: When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Matthew 6:6). Not all prayer is secret. In addition to public worship (Acts 2:42), prayer is also a matter of pastoral care. That is why James said in tonight’s reading, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church”—and the word “elder” in the New Testament refers to the pastor. “Is anyone among you sick? Call the pastor. He will pray with you.” Whether public or private; whether you yourself pray or whether you call upon the pastor to assist you in prayer: either way, prayer never fails to exert its divine power for you, if only you will allow it. James says, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power.” Stated another way, prayer is an act of repentance. Prayer an act of surrendering your obstinance and breaking your own will so that the good and gracious will of God will may be done. There is only one power in the universe strong enough to break the human will, so that God’s will may be done. That one power is the divine Word, which the Lord our God has spoken into the darkness of our hearts, so that there may be light (2 Corinthians 4:6). At your Baptism, the Sunrise of Christ’s righteousness shined upon you, giving you the light of life and calling you out of the darkness of death (Luke 1:78-79). At every hearing of the Word, as at every Holy Communion, Christ Jesus pours into you anew, renewing you in His forgiveness of your sins and in His righteousness of faith for all who believe (Romans 3:22). Simply stated: • When James speaks about “the prayer of a righteous person,” he speaking about you and your prayers. • When James describes you as righteous, he is speaking about what Christ Jesus your Lord has done for you. • When James speaks about the great power of your prayers, he includes the powerful effect that your prayers exert upon you. (The verb ενεργεω is in the middle voice, reflecting back on oneself.) Prayer is an act of repentance. Jesus repeatedly said in the Ash Wednesday Gospel that, when you perform your acts of repentance—your secret good works—“your Father who sees in secret will reward YOU” (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18). Your Father will repay you. You gain a return on your investment. We already know that God does not reward your good works with forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Those things come only from Jesus and they are a free gift! James nevertheless wants you to know that your prayers will reward you. Here is one example of how it happens that “The prayer of a righteous person has great power”; that your prayers have great power for you: • First, prayer begins with the Word of God. In the same way that a baby learns to pray by imitating his mother and father, you and I likewise learn the language of prayer by imitating the Words of God. Remember how Jesus taught the Lord’s Prayer by saying, “Pray like this” (Matthew 6:9) and “Say these Words” (cf. Luke 11:2). Jesus wants you to know that you pray your best and most powerful prayers when you bring your words into alignment with His Words. Use the psalms; use the use the Lord’s Prayer; use ANY passage of the Scriptures. What is prayer? Prayer is really just a matter of allowing the Words of God to run once again through your brain and out of your mouth. • What happens next when you pray—especially when you pray in secret? The Words of your prayer come out of your lips, they turn 270 degrees, and then those Words enter your ears. Perhaps we could even say that your private prayers are an act of preaching the Word of God to yourself. • When what happens when divine Word of your prayer enters your ears? God goes to work. Repentance and faith get created. The fiery darts of the evil one meet their match (Ephesians 6:16-18).The Light of Christ shines once again in the darkness (John 1:5). The Word of God exerts its miracle-producing power for you (1 Thessalonians 2:13). “The prayer of a righteous person has great power” because when you pray, o God’s name and hone once again become more important than your name and your honor. o Your kingdoms fall so that God’s kingdom may come. o Your will gets broken so that God’s will may be done in you and through you. o You learn again that daily bread comes from the “Father of the lights” (James 1:17) and your self-reliance transforms into trust in God. o You gain divine power—such as the amazing, miraculous power to forgive the sins of those who sin against you. o God’s Word builds a greater wall against your temptations; and o Assures you yet again that no evil shall ever befall you. You are God’s righteous ones, and God has sworn that He will never allow His righteous ones to fall (Psalm 37:17, 55:22). What is the greatest and most powerful effect of your prayers, ye righteous ones? Your prayers have the effect of chasing you to Jesus, who alone is righteous. Jesus is the confidence of your prayers; Jesus is the certainty that you are heard by your Father in heaven; Jesus is the one who prays more effectively than you and always for you, as it is written, “we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ the Righteous One” (1 John 2:1). Why is it such good news for both of us, that “We have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ the Righteous One”? Because “The prayer of a righteous one has great power.”
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