Luke 11:1-13: The Disciple's Prayer
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
https://www.npr.org/2023/07/05/1186003765/roller-coaster-upside-down-wisconsin-fireball - Another reason why I hate roller coasters!
You often feel like life is upside down. The result of the fall! Living in a broken world where sin and despair reign - life isn’t what it’s supposed to be.
BUT - God has made a way - Jesus is HIS way - He is making things right - restoring what God intended - a relationship with us.
A relationship in which we can experience communion with God - a relationship in which we can come before God and pour out our hearts to Him.
Luke 11:1-13 - Jesus teaches His disciples to pray. Prayer is HOW we regularly experience communion with God. What we know about prayer: Prayer is powerful. You’ve heard countless stories of how God works through praying people. You’ve probably experienced that in your own life. Prayer is necessary. You simply will not grow in intimacy with God if you do not choose to spend time with God. Prayer expresses our dependency on God and helps us to see that’s He’s making this upside down world right side up.
We know prayer is powerful and necessary. We also know that prayer is a struggle. Not many of us would say, “My prayer life is awesome.” We also feel guilty for our prayerlessness.
I don’t want you to feel guilty for your prayerlessness. God knows the struggle.
Two truths from this passage to help you pray more effectively.
Your Heavenly Father wants you to pray boldly.
Your Heavenly Father wants you to pray boldly.
vs. 1 - “Lord teach us to pray.” A subtle theme in Luke = the prayer life of Jesus. Jesus pulls away to pray often. The disciples see Him pray, and they obviously see the affects of His prayer. “Teach us to pray....” John the Baptist taught his disciples how to pray. Now, Jesus’ disciples want their rabbi to teach them how to pray.
The Lord’s Prayer - NOT a prayer given to memorize and recite at weddings and funerals. Rather, a prayer to show us how to approach our God.
Differences between Matthew and Luke - we’re more familiar with Matthew’s prayer. The words are a bit different, but the content is the same. Likely that Jesus taught this prayer to His disciples on multiple occasions. In Matthew, context is sermon on mount - teaching a large crowd. In Luke - on the road to Jerusalem with His disciples.
Context makes sense - Luke 9-10 - discipleship. Luke 11:1-13 - how a disciple prays. Therefore, the Disciple’s Prayer is a better title than the Lord’s Prayer.
We’re overly familiar with this prayer - we fail to realize how BOLD this prayer is.
Address God as Father - It STARTS bold - Address God as Father? Note: Not Creator, Not Lord, Not King… All CORRECT descriptions of God, but we’re invited to know Him as Father. Father is Jesus’ most common way to refer to God - over sixty times in the synoptics and 100 times in John’s Gospel. In OT - God addressed as Father only 14 times - See Exodus 4:22-23 - Deliverance - Fathers rescue... Our Father has delivered us in Christ - In Christ, we know God as our good Father. We can address God as the Father who loves us (Romans 8:15-17). We’re HIS children. Not everyone can address God as Father because not everyone is adopted into His family, but if you are a follower of Jesus, God is YOUR Father.
Honor God as Holy - the Disciple’s prayer is vertical before it’s horizontal. When you pray, focus your attention on how great God is. (OT saints knew about holiness of God.) He’s your Father, but He’s not like any other father on this earth. He’s eternal, infinite, perfectly loving, gracious and kind. He’s proven His love for us by sending His Son to die in our place. When we pray the RIGHT way to start is WORSHIP rather than SELF-ABSORPTION (There’s none like God - our attitude, “There’s none like me.” Long for God’s name to be honored as holy throughout the world (now/not yet). Not, “God, fix everything for me now,” but, “God, there is none like you. You are holy.”
Long for God’s rule - Kingdom come? Kingdom a big deal in the Gospels (and entire Bible for that matter). Kingdom of God = God’s rule among His people. Matthew: “You’re will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Or, “May no one stand against you. May everyone submit to your rule.” Imagine what this world would be like if that was reality. Now/Not Yet dimension of this petition. Help us to submit to your rule today, but also a longing for the day when Christ returns and God will rule once and for all. Jesus teaching us to pray with right perspective: “God, I want you to rule over every area of my life because you are a good and holy Father.” Rule in my family, the people I love, my country, etc.
Trust God to provide- vertical then horizontal - this petition about our needs - our Father cares about and provides for our most menial needs - even the bread we eat. BUT when you start with praying for God’s rule in your life it affects how you view your needs. “God, give me what I need to live out your will - sustain me… whatever that looks like.”
Ask God for forgiveness - Follower of Jesus, sin does not affect your standing before God - you are positionally forgiven, but it does affect your fellowship with God. You need ongoing forgiveness, and God gives it (1 John 1:9). When you come before your holy Father, you acknowledge your sins, you ask for forgiveness. You ask God to help you overcome sin because you want to be holy like your Father is holy. AND, when you’ve been forgiven much, you forgive much.
Ask God for help - You know you are prone to sin, and you exactly where you are weak. You ask God to help you resist sin in those areas where you are weak. God doesn’t tempt - we’re tempted because of our own desires (James 1:13), but God does protect us when we ask.
This is a BOLD prayer - “Father, let your Kingdom come in my life, let your will be done, in my life, align me to your Kingdom purpose.”
Persistence in Walmart against the odds… They don’t care for me… BUT God does.
Your heavenly Father wants you to pray persistently.
Your heavenly Father wants you to pray persistently.
vs. 5-8 - Sounds like a menial need in the story, but remember hospitality was prized. The request: “Help me to do the right thing. Help me be hospitable.” Note: NOT just help me BUT help me to do something honorable.
The point: A true friend will do anything for a friend - even get up at midnight to meet a simple need if the friend is persistent enough.
You’ve done this. You’ve gone to someone who you know loves you, and you’ve persisted. “I need your help...”
God is far greater and far more compassionate than even your truest friend - because there’s no midnight with God. You’re not going to wake Him up in the middle of the night with your requests. He’s ready to hear your prayers whenever you call on Him.
come back to vs. 9-10 - Vs. 11-13 - You can persist with God with confidence that He will answer, and with confidence that He’s a good father who knows how to give you good things. As sinful parents, we know how to bless our children. How much more does our perfect Father who knows everything about you and who knows what’s best for you know how to answer your prayers?
vs. 9-10 - Keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking - present tense imperative verbs - ongoing, persistent prayer. Ask, seek, knock - Order of verbs implies not giving up - Keep on coming before God knowing He’s going to answer.
vs. 9-10 NOT a prosperity Gospel prayer - not ask and He will give you a raise, a Lexus, etc. Note the context. In Matthew - these verses come right after the Sermon on the Mount. Sermon on the Mount = what life in the Kingdom looks like. Come away from sermon knowing you can’t do what Jesus requires in the Sermon on the Mount… Jesus says, “Ask, seek, and knock.” Ask Him to help you live out His will. Same thing in Luke’s Gospel. These verses come at the end of a long section on following Jesus, and Jesus just taught us to pray, “Your Kingdom come...” We often resist God’s Kingdom rule in our lives. Ask, seek, and knock. Or, persistently ask God to help you to live out His will. That’s a prayer we need to pray, and that’s a prayer that God will answer!
The Disciple’s Prayer is teaching us to pray with a longing for God to accomplish His will in our lives. Jesus teaching us to pray for a heart that is submissive to God’s will.
Prayer is not coming before God and asking Him to fulfill your selfish desires. It’s asking God to fulfill His desires in your life.
So where do we begin if we want to start struggling prayer and we want to begin enjoying prayer?
Start trusting - (GOSPEL) - Start trusting that God wants a relationship with you. Trust Jesus - that Jesus died and rose again for you so you might have a relationship with Him. Start by repenting of your sins and giving your life to the ONE who desires a relationship with you.
Start small - Don’t feel guilty if you’re not praying an hour a day. Start with a few minutes and actually use the Lord’s prayer as a model for your own time with the Lord. (E.g., You are holy - God I worship you for your greatness. Thank you for allowing me to experience your greatness. Then move on to God’s Kingdom - “Help me to live under your rule today. Help me to constantly see you want what’s best for me, etc.”) BUT… you have to start… Don’t measure the effectiveness of your prayers by the length but by the consistency. The more consistent you become, the more you’ll want to make time.
Start big - Our prayers are too small - “God help me pass the test, God help me be nice to my spouse, etc.” Those prayers aren’t wrong per say, but pray bigger. The Disciple’s Prayer is a BIG prayer - “Lord change me. Change the way I view every aspect of life. Change the way I live my life. Help me to live every moment of every day under your rule and for your glory.” That’s a BIG prayer.
Start responding - Specifically, responding to God’s Word. Pray with an open Bible. Why? Because God speaks to us through His Word. As you read the Bible, read it prayerfully. E.g., Luke 10:38-42 - last week’s passage. “Lord help me to desire to sit at your feet. Help me when I am distracted to bring my focus back to you.” That’s actually praying the petition, “Your Kingdom come… Your will be done in my life.”
Start intercessing - Pray for others the petition of the Lord’s prayer. E.g., “God, help my children to see you as holy. Help my children to know that your Kingdom is worth living for, etc.”
Start accepting - Accept God’s will. He always knows what’s best. 2 Cor. 12:8 - Three times Paul prayed for God to remove his thorn in the flesh - but that wasn’t God’s will. 2 Cor. 12:9: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.’” God’s will for you may be different than your will, but the more you persistently come before the Father, the more you will see your will align with His will.
Two responses to this message: 1. Trust Jesus for salvation. 2. Start to use the disciple’s prayer as a model to more regularly and faithfully come before God in prayer.