Discipleship: Dependent In Prayer

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). The priority of Prayer (vs 1).

(2). The Pattern for Prayer (vs 2-4).

(3). The Persistence in Prayer (vs 5-8).

(4). The Promises for Prayer (vs 9-13).

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• If you are a fan of Disney ad Pixar movies, then keep an eye out for “A113”

• Because it is everywhere!

• e.g., It’s Andy’s mom’s license plate number in Toy Story.

• e.g., It’s a door number in Monsters University.

• e.g., It’s the courtroom number in Up.

• e.g., It’s the camera model number in Finding Nemo.

• e.g., It’s on a rat’s ear tag in Ratatouille.

• e.g., And it’s the train number in Cars … to name just a few.

Question: What does it mean?

Answer:

• “A113” was a classroom number at the California Institute of the Arts.

• So, when it appears in a movie, it is a kind of calling card,

• Telling you that a CalArts graduate was involved with the animation.

• And it’s not just in animated films.

• The trademark number even appears in live action films,

• e.g., like the Hunger Games and Mission Impossible.

• “A113” has been described as a digital calling card or a cinematic fingerprint,

• It’s a message to the public is simple, ‘a CalArts graduate was involved here!’

• TRANSITION:

• Christian what is your calling card?

• What is your fingerprint, your message to the public?

• When they look at you and your life, what do they see?

• In verse 1 the disciples of Jesus mention the disciples of John the Baptist.

• And in our studies, we are completing a series called, ‘discipleship.’

• So, we need to ask what is a disciple? If I am supposed to be one!”

Ill:

• Someone contrasted disciple with a pupil or student.

• And there is a big difference.

• Students learn from whatever topic the teacher teaches.

• That is the passing on of information from one person to another.

• But that is not Christianity!

• The Christian life is more than receiving knowledge,

• A disciple learns in order to be like their Master.

• In other words, it is an attitude of learning to apply our knowledge

• Following Jesus means we seek to be imitators of him,

• And not just data gathers who know all about him.

• TRANSITION: One way we can learn from Jesus is regarding prayer,

• That is the focus of our study today.

(1). The Priority of Prayer (vs 1).

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples”.

Question:

• (The John mentioned in verse 1 is John the Baptist)

• Now, what do you think of when someone mentions John the Baptist?

Answer:

• His habitat (surroundings not the shop)

• Raised in the solitude and loneliness of the desert.

• His clothes: He wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist.

• This was not a fashion statement; but in the desert this was all that was available.

• His food: He ate locusts and wild honey.

• Once again this was not some sort of special diet, he simply ate what he could find.

• His message: he had a unique style (ill: fire & brimstone):

• Quote: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath!”

• His unusual practice: He is known throughout history as John the Baptist.

• Not because he founded a denomination but because he baptised Jewish people (shock!)

• His death: Beheaded at the whim of a young teenage girl aided on by her mother.

• His death was sordid & violent, the very opposite of the man himself.

Now John the baptiser is one of my favourite Bible characters:

• I have a folder at home full of sermons on John the baptiser.

• But I have not got one entitled; “The prayer life of John the baptiser!”

• In fact, you will strain your brain, to link JTB and prayer,

• Apart from here in Luke chapter 11.

• Now JTB obviously prayed,

• So much so that the disciples of Jesus took note of the fact,

• That John taught his disciples to pray, and they felt they were missing out on something.

Ill:

• Don’t forget John was a "miracle baby," filled with the Holy Spirit before he was born,

• And yet……………………… he had to pray.

• He was privileged, his job was unique, to publicly introduce Jesus the Messiah to Israel,

• And yet……………………… he had to pray.

• Jesus said that “John was the greatest of all the prophets” (Luke chapter 7 verse 28),