Lord, Teach Us To Pray

Lord, Teach us to Pray

Matthew 6:9-15

Intro.:

A. If you could ask Jesus to TEACH you anything about Serving Him, what would it be?

- To heal people

- To TEACH people like Jesus did.

- To confront people with the wisdom as Jesus did

- What about how to do Miracles

- How about raising someone from the dead?

- Leading people to be Totally Committed to the Gospel Cause, as Jesus led these 12 apostles and others.

Well, the Disciples were with Jesus and witnessed every part of His Ministry – the only thing recorded that they asked Jesus to Teach them, was…. TO PRAY!

Luke 11:1 – the Lord’s prayer in Luke records that Jesus’ lesson on prayer begins as the Disciples ask Jesus to Teach them to Pray.

They didn’t ask to be taught how to do miracles; or how to be better teachers; or better leaders, etc. They asked Jesus, TEACH US TO PRAY!

Some how they saw in Jesus that all that He did (miracles, teaching, leading, living, etc.) was connected to all those times recorded in Scripture where Jesus went off to PRAY!

B. Our Passage today is what is commonly called the Lord’s Prayer.

- This passage on Prayer, 6:1-18 is also part of chapters 5-7 that are known as the Sermon on the Mount.

The Sermon on the Mount is significant because it is a time when Jesus is teaching those who have made a commitment to follow Him, what it means to follow Him (e.g. How to be blessed or Happy, following Jesus is more than just obeying the letter of the law it is a heart and motive issue, Prayer, What we Treasure, Worrying vs’ Trust in the Lord; How we judge others, Producing Fruit in our lives, and how to build our lives firm and strong on the Rock – Christ).

So part of Following Jesus as Lord is to PRAY.

- We also see just prior to the Model of Prayer that Jesus teaches His Disciples, we learn about How Not To Pray!

Vs. 5-6; Prayer is not to be Performance – the hypocrites pray in the synagogues and streets to be seen by men.

Vs. 7-8; Prayer is not a magical Ritual – again, those who don’t really know the Lord, pray babbling, going on and on – thinking that if they just the right things or say often enough, God will answer. ILL> so many cults have ritualistic chants as prayers. Jesus teaches us this not real prayer.

C. So what is it that Jesus wants to TEACH US about REAL PRAYER?

Body:

A. Jesus teaches us that Prayer is something to Learn.

- Just as the Disciples ask Jesus to teach them to Prayer, Jesus by responding teaches us that we can learn to Pray.

- That is perhaps why, for a lot of people, who really love the Lord, prayer is not easy. There are times when our minds wonder. Times when we don’t know what to say in prayer. It sometimes doesn’t seem natural with everything else we have to do in our lives. Good news, when you feel like this, remember, Jesus wants us to know, Prayer is something to Learn.

- The truth that Prayer is something to Learn also reminds us that there is always room to GROW in the area of Prayer

B. Jesus teaches us to Pray as a Community.

- Together, as a Church body.

- Notice in this Model prayer Jesus always uses the 1st Person Plural: Our Father… Give US… Forgive US… as WE also have Forgiven OUR debtors… Lead US…Deliver US

- Now it is interesting that in Vs. 6 Jesus teaches the Disciples to go to their room to pray.

So I think that Jesus wants to teach us that Prayer is not only important in our Personal lives but also as a Community of His People.

C. Jesus teaches us that Our Prayers reflect our Relationship with God - vs. 9b

“Our Father…

- We learn Jesus’ desire for those who Pray would have an intimate relationship with God, as their heavenly Father.

- We learn that when we pray we are stating our relationship with God. Is He our Father – or do we just see Him as the “Big guy in the sky”; “The man upstairs” A dear old man,

- Over 70 of Jesus’ prayers begin with “Father.”

- It raises the Question: Are we in Relationship with God, thru faith in Jesus Christ or not?

- Arthur Pink said: “Our Father inspires confidence and love.

Jesus teaches us that our Prayers reflect our Relationship with God.

D. Jesus teaches us that our Prayers should reflect God’s Glory, vs. 9b-10

- God’s glory humbles us. Arthur Pink also said; “Our Father who art (or who is in) heaven (& Hallowed – or Holy is your name) should fill us with humility and awe.