If my people ... shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face...

Limavady Independent Methodist Church

Sunday 8 November 2020

1 Peter 2 verses 6 - 10

Text: "If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7 verse 14

This is a mighty challenge to the politicians, the medical service, the British Army but most importantly to you and to me as God's people.  This verse comes in the context of a response to Solomon's plea.  He had built a house for God, he dedicated it with sacrifices then he lifted up his voice to God and asked "if the people turn against you, turn into sin and if they call out to you will you hear and answer them?"  The challenge comes back from God with the little word as a start - "if".  God's people are a varied people.  God has a confidence in his people.  Peter described them as a "peculiar" people.  They are a special redeemed people.  God calls them 'my people'.  That includes you if you have accepted Christ as your own and personal Saviour.  Was there a day when you realised Christ died for you sins and you were forgiven by God himself?  What a privileged people we are.  We are so diverse - young, old, rich and poor, some born into famour families, dignatories and monarchs.  When Jesus sent out the 70 he gave them power over demons and spirits.  They came back rejoicing.  The Lord said to them "rejoice not ... but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10 verse 20)  Think of the city of Philippi.  Lydia, a seller of purple who set everything aside to come to the place of prayer on the Sabbath day.  On the other side we see the cold hearted jailer who beat Paul and Silas and then threw them into the darkest cell in the prison.  When the earthquake came that man changed.  He became a child of God.  He washed and bathed their wounds, brought them into his house and set food before them.  Or think of Nicodemus the ruler of the Pharisees or Joseph of Arimathea.  When the challenge came they all stepped up to the mark.  Lydia said to Paul and Silas "if you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there." (Acts 16 verse 15)  The Philippian jailer did not take Paul and Silas to the authorities but rather brought them into his own home.  Nicodemus didn't care about his religious leaders at the end of Jesus' life when he used his own ointments on Jesus' body.  Joseph of Arimathea was a faithful disciples but didn't take his stand to the last day when Jesus' own disciples had deserted him.  He went in and asked Pilate for the body of Jesus and buried it in his own tomb.  The challenge came to them and they all stepped up to the mark.  Are we going to do the same today?  Will we nail our colours to the mast today?  "If my people".  King George VI called for a national day of prayer when the battle was going against the allied forces.  Dunkirk looked like ending in disaster.  The people flocked to their churches to pray on that particular occasion in response to the cry from the King.  3 mighty miracles happened as a result.  There was the miracle on the ground - Hitler stopped the advance on the ground forces that day.  There was a miracle in the air - a storm came up that prevented Hitler's airforce getting off the ground.  There was a miracle on the sea around Dunkirk.  Further out there was a storm in the waters but around Dunkirk it was like a lake.  Such a mighty miracle happened that Dunkirk became the turning point in the war.  King George faced up to the challenge and called on the name of the Lord.  Are we going to be challenged today?  Will we allow the Lord to challenge us?  Will we ask for a miracle for ourselves today?

The people of God should be a vigilant people.  In these days of pandemic we are called to wash our hands, wear a mask and keep our distance.  As children of God we are called to be 'sober and vigilant'.  Why?  "because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour."  Spiritually speaking God is asking us to be watchful today.  we have an adversary today, he wants to bring us down.  The Galatian church had false teachers who came in after Paul left.  They taught the people that they had to become a Jew to be a follower of Christ.  Paul said he was amazed that they so quickly fell away.  Paul told them what they had been listening to was a 'perverted gospel'.  They needed vigilance.  David was not vigilant when he saw Bathsheba.  He had to have her then he put her husband to death.  Demas was not vigilant when he preached with Paul as a fellow worker but when he got his eyes on the world around him he departed from the faith.  You and I need to be vigilant today as the people of God.  Ephesians 6 tells us to "put on the whole armour of God'.  

We should be a visionary people.  We should see the need of people around us.  "If you turn from your wicked ways then I will hear."  Remember the disciples and multitudes who gathered on the hillside one day.  The day began to wear away and the people had a long journey back to their own homes.  The disciples also realised the people needed food to take them back to their villages.  They felt they would faint on the way.  They worked out that even 200 pennies would not be sufficient to feed every one of the people gathered that day.  They brought the Lord into the situation.  Is there a need in your home that perhaps needs the Lord to be brought into it?  "Where there is no vision the people perish."  Wouldn't it be awful if the people around us were lost for all eternity because we didn't step up?  The Roman Centurion in scripture had a servant who lay at the point of death.  He spoke to the Lord about it.  He wanted the Lord to speak the word and he would be healed.  The Lord said he would go and see the servant but the centurion said "I am not worthy that you should come under my roof."  It is one thing to come to church but another thing to get a vision, to see men and women going out into a lost eternity for ever.  Do we ever pray about the situations we are facing every day?  That is our responsibility today.  We cannot stay in the shadows anymore.  

We should also be a vocal people.  God wants to hear your voice today.  Perhaps he is challenging you to accept Christ for salvation.  Will you trust him?  He has paid the debt of your sins, opened up the door of heaven for you.  "sanctify the Lord in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekeness and fear." (1 Peter 3 verse 15)

We can also be a victorious people.  The battle is over, the victory is ours.  Will you allow God to challenge you today?  Lydia had only opened her door and allowed the 2 men to come into her home.  The Philippian jailer could only wash the wounds of God's servant.  Mary took her alabaster box to anoint Jesus' body.  She took the opportunity given to her.  There is an opportunity to serve the Lord just for you - will you take it?