Another Lesson On Prayer Series

Judea

Lesson: Another Lesson on Prayer

Luke 11:1-13

1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

After watching Jesus pray, one of His disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray. It was the custom of our Lord to get alone to pray. One of His disciples must have overheard Him pray, and now had a desire to pray like Christ prayed. The disciple is not just asking how to pray.

The Lord had given the Sermon on the Mount, and at that time He gave them what we call the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13) which outlined how one should pray. This disciple is not asking for a technique, a system, an art form, or a ritual to follow. It’s not a matter of how to do it, but he wanted to pray like Christ prayed.

In answer to their request, the Lord gives them this. I do not believe He intended it to become the prayer I hear so often in public services. Prayer is not to be unnatural, instead it should be spontaneous and personal, like a son talks to his father. God the Father knows me and I do not think He wants me to put on airs, assume an unnatural voice and use flowery language. I think He wants me to talk like Tom Lowe, and I don’t think He wants me to get “wordy” either.

Jesus began by saying “When ye pray”; He assumed His disciples would pray. Jesus taught His disciples to pray to their “Father.” The Jews used a formal word for Father, but Jesus taught His disciples to use the ordinary intimate term that children used in addressing their father. We are never to forget that we are addressing our holy and all-powerful creator, so Jesus adds “Hallowed be thy name.” God’s name refers to His character, His reputation, His Person and nature. God’s name is holy. When we pray to our Heavenly Father, let us never forget that out Heavenly Father is also holy God.

Then Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come.” Jesus was supremely concerned about the kingdom of God. The term “kingdom” means “kingly rule” and it refers to God’s reign in the lives of people. God’s reign is present wherever Christ the King rules in human lives. To pray for the coming of God’s kingdom, then is to pray that people accept Christ as Lord. To pray for the coming of the kingdom is also to pray that God’s will prevails in society.

But that will not happen until Jesus returns; therefore, part of what it means to pray for the kingdom is to pray for the return of our Lord.

Jesus also taught us to pray that God will supply our daily needs. “Give us day by day our daily bread” expresses that thought. “Bread” represents all the material essentials of life. Don’t we pray more often for luxuries than for our daily needs? And we pray for things that are way out in the future.

Such praying forgets that the essence of faith is to rely on God’s gracious provision for each day’s needs as that day arrives. We must learn to live and pray in this kind of faith.

Jesus also told us to pray for the forgiveness of our sins. We must always come before God with a deep feeling of unworthiness because of our sins. Jesus coupled this instruction with another—that we also forgive others who sin against us. We forgive others because we have experienced the wonder of God’s grace.

Then Jesus taught His disciples to pray that God would protect them from temptation. I think that He wanted us to pray to be delivered from any trial that would overwhelm us or lead us to sin. We are to pray that God would keep us from yielding to temptation.

Finally, if Jesus, John the Baptist, and the Twelve all needed to pray, how much more do we need to pray! We must put God’s concerns first, because prayer is based on sonship, not friendship.

5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;