We are at the Galley and Tavern this Sunday from 7:30pm. See you then lovely people.
A few years ago a sermon I preached as part of a series on prayer ended up being the most controversial thing I’d ever done. Its subject was the word “Amen”. So, I thought, let’s give it another try 🙂.
So let me start with a question: When you say “Amen” what do you mean? Take a few minutes to have a thing and, if possible, jot down a few thoughts.
The root of the word Amen is Aman.
And it means:
To be firm, to endure, to be faithful, to stand fast, to trust, to believe.
Aman, means to prop up or support.
It is soaked in the language we use of God: Faithful, permanence, Assurance, Sure, established, trust, verified (truthful), steadfast, Father, nurse, mother. It means something which will last and endure.
One of its other meanings, around truth, is a place where we can drive a tent peg. Think about a desert culture. Knowing where to drive the peg is essential.
When we say Amen, we call on these foundations to be present in the situation we are praying about. Or in the One in whom these qualities are found.
It speaks of faithful people who fulfil their obligations. So when we say Aman – it means we will follow through with what we’ve agreed.
It’s also used to describe God’s covenant-keeping – what He has done -faithfulness-and what He will do-trustworthiness; also in covenant: because of “the faithful God who has kept His covenant and faithfulness, those who love him keep it too”.
So when we Aman we highlight God’s faithful trustworthiness, and commit to the same!
A key passage for Aman is Genesis 15:4-6.
There is an interplay between God’s promise and Abram’s belief in God.
So Aman allows us to see that our Amen is possibly a bigger wider assent than just I agree. It sums up who God is, our belief in Him, and our agreement to bring things about.
In 2 Corinthians 1: 12-24 Paul explains that Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s yes and our Amen. This statement is in the middle of a passage where Paul is talking about his actions and integrity, not just about faith. It’s about Paul living out the gospel, not just knowing it.
Therefore, Amen is an incarnate word where our belief and knowledge loop with our action and integrity. There is not a divide between our knowledge and action – excarnate; instead, we are incarnate. Bodies indwelt with God’s spirit and doing his work.
In Amen we call upon God’s nature, our belief, our faith and our commitment to bring that into reality. Our commitment is practical and active, we commit to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with those we pray for.
When we look at Paul’s description of Jesus the Christ: We believe He did it; not just say he’d do it! So when we say Amen – we should be acknowledging who God is by nature – faithful, true, resolute…We are acknowledging our faith and belief in this and driving our peg into the surety of that truth and his covenant to be with us through Jesus…and committing to work to help bring that into reality, really into reality – here!
Prayers are manifestos of the kingdom where we reflect on who God is, who we are in God, who God is in situations, and then be in situations as God-followers.
We will face situations where the problem is too big for us, there is too much for us to handle – Prayer brings us into the covenant relationship with God incarnate – God with us. Standing shoulder to shoulder may not mean that we solve the problem, but step into it alongside people. We may face persecution, pain, and hardship. We may sit and listen, cry, comfort and cry out to God from depths of despair.
We may well step into and live in a faith gap where the only thing we can do is drive a tent peg into the place we know is sure and tie down our tent flaps for the storm.
Amen is all of this – We commit to God, our place in Him, and our role in bringing His kingdom here.
So Amen changes from “ I agree” to “Where do I sign up”, “Count me in regardless of the cost”, “I am with you”, and “Here I am LORD, use me”.
Amen?
Questions:
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever heard anyone pray for?
Has anyone been an answer to prayer for you?
Have you ever found it difficult to say “Amen” to something? Why?
If Amen/ Aman is to drive a tent peg into deeper truths and characteristics, what are those truths for you?
Do you agree with my assertion that Amen should be more than “I Agree”?
What challenges do we face as a community if we accept that Amen means we should step into situations rather than just posting our prayers off to God.
Photo by Jordan Allen Walters on Unsplash
I’ve been a member of BCFX for about 2 years. I love it. It’s home and hearth, welcome and challenge, ebb and flow.