Hello God
E.A. Johnston emphasizes that true access to God comes through heartfelt prayer to Jesus Christ, not through rituals or physical church buildings.
In this devotional sermon, E.A. Johnston reflects on the true nature of prayer and access to God, contrasting ritualistic practices with heartfelt communication through Jesus Christ. Drawing from personal experience and Scripture, Johnston encourages believers to seek God directly in their hearts rather than relying on physical buildings or intermediaries. This message invites listeners to deepen their prayer life and trust in Jesus as their mediator.
Full Transcript
Years ago, when I was in high school, my next-door neighbor was an old Catholic woman who occasionally would drive me to school. And on those occasions, when I was riding in her car, as she would drive by her Catholic church, she'd wave at the building and say, hello God, because she was taught that God lived in that building. And if you wanted to talk to Him, you had to enter that building and go into a cubicle where a priest sat, and you would then confess your sins to the priest, who would quietly listen and then tell you what your penance was.
In regard to the severity of your sins, he'd tell you to go say 10 Hail Marys or 10 Our Fathers, and you would leave the cubicle and go sit in the pew. And there, you would take out your little rosary chain with some beads and a cross on it, and you would hold the beads in your fingers as you rotated that chain around your hand, as you counted and recited your 10 Our Fathers and 10 Hail Marys, going round and round that little chain. And when you were done, you made the sign of the cross and left the church a clean person.
We must commend the Catholics for their reverence to God and duty in prayer. But a sinner doesn't need a human priest to act as an intermediary between us and God. We have a priest in heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ, who sits at the right hand of the Father and who hears our prayers.
And God doesn't hear so much because of our repetitions in prayer, but because of our desperation in prayer. And God doesn't live in a brick-and-mortar Catholic church building any more than He lives in a brick-and-mortar Baptist church building. God lives in our hearts, and we can access Him any time in prayer, simply by the name of His Son, Jesus.
Jesus told His disciples, And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. I think it was cute that the old lady said, Hello, God, every time she passed her church. At least she was acknowledging Him, but she didn't need half the way to get the church to talk to Him.
And we shouldn't be too critical on how others say their prayers because we need to examine our own prayer life and see if it measures up to God's standards. We could all use some improvement when it comes to prayer. Let us pray.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Personal anecdote about a Catholic neighbor's prayer practice
- Description of traditional Catholic confession and prayer rituals
- Respect for reverence but questioning ritual necessity
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II
- Jesus as our heavenly priest and mediator
- God hears prayers based on desperation, not repetition
- God's presence is in hearts, not buildings
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III
- Encouragement to pray directly to God through Jesus' name
- Jesus' promise to answer prayers for the Father's glory
- Call to self-examination of personal prayer life
Key Quotes
“A sinner doesn't need a human priest to act as an intermediary between us and God.” — E.A. Johnston
“God doesn't live in a brick-and-mortar Catholic church building any more than He lives in a brick-and-mortar Baptist church building.” — E.A. Johnston
“God lives in our hearts, and we can access Him any time in prayer, simply by the name of His Son, Jesus.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Pray sincerely and directly to God through Jesus Christ without relying on rituals.
- Remember that God's presence is within you, not confined to any building.
- Regularly examine and improve your prayer life to align with God's standards.