Jesus’ Model of Prayer
JCC 03.01.10 pm Session 2
Luke 11:1-4
Teach us to pray
Their request is, "Lord, teach us to pray; give us a rule or model by which to pray, and put the words into our mouths.’’
It is Jesus Christ alone that can teach us
By his word and Spirit, he show us prayer
"Lord, teach me what it is to pray
Lord, excite and quicken me to do it
Lord, direct me what to pray for
Lord, give me grace and ability to pray effectively, that I may serve You adequately in prayer
Lord, teach me to pray in proper words
Give me a mouth and wisdom in prayer that I may speak as I should and teach me what I shall say.’’
Jesus never intended us to use repetitive words
He gives a pattern for prayer, and only a pattern
There is a pattern or model for house, but each one differs from another
62 words total in this model
We can use too many words
Matt 6 the same model given 2 years earlier, two sentences longer
For thine is the kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever amen
The fact that He repeats it here shows how important it is
The fact that He does not repeat it the exact same way as in Matthew shows that it was not to be used as a precise ritual or magic formula for prayer
Just offer up a few sentences
Not hours
You are not talking to impress others
Quote: To know how to speak to God is more than knowing how to speak to man. Not power with men, but power with God is the first thing." (Murray)
It’s not for everyone else’s benefit
Just share simply and honestly the struggles or requests you have
Or are you communicating a message to others in your prayers?
Some use prayer to say what they want to say to someone, but giving it a ‘God agrees with me’ attitude
Some use prayer as a preaching platform
I’m sure we’ve all heard prayers that are mini sermons in themselves
Discipline yourself and look to the father when you’re praying
Ask yourself, ‘is, what I’m going to say out loud beneficial to the church and is it what God want me to pray?’
Repeating is out and many words is out
He spoke against it
Matt 6:7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words
Not repetitive, but along these lines
We call it the Lord’s Prayer, but it wasn’t His prayer
It’s not ‘the Lord’s prayer’; he has never sinned, so he wouldn’t say forgive me my sins
The prayer is also said in the plural, not singular
Prayer belongs among the people of God
Jesus assumed that His people would be praying together
It’s a model for the church to use corporately
It is just a model, a framework or scaffolding for us to build on
If it’s coming from your heart, then use it, but otherwise it’s just a model and not a ‘set in stone’ prayer
Repeating things don’t mean it’s right
Ecclesiastes 5:2: God is in heaven, and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few.
How many times have you heard praying and you want to just say ‘amen’ to shut them up?
We all can repeat like a parrot, but it’s not our heart words
Who says we have to close our eyes, fold our hands etc?
We can call him father, if we are believers ABBA
Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
The Spirit teaches us in prayer to come to God as a Father, with a holy humble confidence
Gal 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"
Heaven, a real place where His throne is
Praying before the throne
If you have a relationship do you realise you can enter the throne room of Heaven itself?
The adoption is common both to Jews and Gentiles
The Jews call him Abba in their language
The Greeks call him pateµr in their language
Because in Christ Jesus there is neither Greek nor Jew
His Name is a most holy thing
Come to the Father, through Jesus, by the Holy Spirit
1. Thy kingdom come
We’re saying, You rule Lord
He sent the disciples out saying tell them the kingdom is here, and it shall be in you
The same is true today
How can we use this as a model?
What does Jesus want us to learn from this?
Jesus gave us clues:
Pray for labourers...
Go into all the world...
Go heal the sick, cast out demons
‘I want your Kingdom to be revealed in us your people Lord’
God’s aim is to see people in the kingdom
2. Thy will be done
How is his will done in heaven?
God speaks, everyone listens
The ancient Jews used to say: "He prays not at all, in whose prayers there is no mention of the kingdom of God."
God says do this, the angels do it and so should we
If He tells us to go to the right, we go, no matter what the cost
We need to know what God’s will is and do it
If we don’t know, then ask Him
Listen to what He says
God’s will is already done in heaven
On earth as it is in heaven
We as God’s sons know what our Father wants because his word is clear through Jesus
There isn’t anything else we need to know because Jesus shed a light on everything for us
This prayer demonstrates that God’s interests should be first
It is His name, His kingdom, and His will that are chief concern
Our needs are addressed secondarily
Prayer isn’t a tool to get what we want from God
It is a method to get God’s will accomplished in us and all around us
Some see the Trinity in these requests
The Father is the source of all holiness
Jesus brings the kingdom of God to us
The Holy Spirit accomplishes God’s will in us and among us
3. Give us this day, daily bread
Sustenance, don’t overlook the basic necessities
What do you need?
Counting on him to supply your needs
But he uses people to fulfil those needs
Don’t worry about tomorrow
Seek first the kingdom of God and all things will be added
Here is the model
4. Forgive our sins as we forgive
Confess daily
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
Confession agrees with Him it’s wrong
What I said was wrong, what I did was wrong etc
Don’t justify why you did wrong
Again on a daily basis
David was caught out with Bathsheba
But he came to the point of confession
Ps 51:10 create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me
It’s all about our attitude first to God, then to the church, then to the outsider
We also should forgive others
Daily, no matter how big etc
If people can’t do that it’s rebellion
Your sins won’t be forgiven if you don’t
It doesn’t matter what you’re saying about me or doing to me
If you know people are sinning, go straight to them
We don’t like confrontation, but it must be done
You may not forget, that’s not what it says, you just forgive
The Devil brings things up
He is an accuser and he wants us all falling out with each other
Daily forgive over and over until its gone
Will you, or not?
5. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one
We are prone to wonder
Ask him to keep us from situations
Keep us away from things
Persistence
Stubbornness is a sin
Determination is needed to get through this life
We must be aware of the devil’s schemes and devices
But look who the prayer is asking when talking about leading into temptation; God
God doesn’t tempt us with evil, but he allows the Devil to test us to see what character we are.
