Luke 11:1-13
Notes
Transcript
read the text
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.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “ ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’ ” 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. 9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Pray
Introduction
Introduction
The Theme:
Jesus is God and King
God has a plan
We are in The Travel Narrative (9:51 - 19:27) Jesus’ Journey to Jerusalem
Today we are going to spend our entire time talking about prayer
In the United States studies show that 55% of adults pray on a daily basis. While church attendance has declined, the interest in prayer has increased.
Prayer is almost woven into our human experience:
Illustration: When I was 9 or 10 years old my Uncle took me and my friends hiking. We got separated from my Uncle for about 15 minutes and started to panic. In the midst of tears and anxiety someone suggested “We should pray”. But in the place where we were standing there was dense overgrowth. We were under a large bush mixed with vines. One of the boys suggested we climb a small berm, and get into a clearing so God could hear us better. As we entered the clearing my Uncle appeared from the other side.
Outline of the Text + cross-reference
The model prayer (vs. 1-4)
The parable of the reluctant neighbor (vs. 5-8) (cf. , )
The parable of the Father who gives What His Child Needs (vs. 9-13)
Break the Equilibrium
Break the Equilibrium
Many people doubt that prayer matters or is of any value
.... and they identify supposed discrepancies.
Two Theological, One Anecdotal
The Sovereignty of God
The fact that God is free and able to do all that he wills; that he reigns over all creation and that his will is the final cause of all things. This is often expressed in the language of kingship.”
9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,
Isaiah 46
9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’
Some look at the sovereignty of God and estimate a discrepancy between sovereignty and prayer.
The omniscience of God
“God’s infinite knowledge and understanding of things past, present, and future.”
4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Some look at the omniscience of God and find prayer pointless because God already knows what we need.
Why pray if God already knows what is going on?
Anecdotal: The personal experience
I’ve prayed and nothing has happened… for years.
Illustration: We all should be able to identify times where we prayed
In addition to these three apparent discrepancies… Our world is incredibly busy, loud and skeptical. These things are at war with the concept of prayer.
Let’s go back to the text to verse one “Lord teach us to pray...”
IF ANY PRAYER WORKED THEN THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR LEARNING TO PRAY
Prayer must have a place in our walk with God
Prayer is built into God’s sovereign plan. The work God wants to do is accomplished through the prayer of saints.
Jesus prayed often
16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
Jesus repeatedly told his disciples to pray
But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Matth
Matthew 5:44
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
Matthew
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
Prayer is ubiquitous in scripture, and is stored in containers in heaven
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.
Genesis
Pray then like this…
Revelation
8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.
“So I say to you ask…, seek…, knock…”
What about all of my prayers that have gone unanswered?
You may be praying amiss
Manner of prayer, wrong attitude, arrogant, self-willed
3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly”
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly”Show-boating - “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.Lack of faith -
Objective of the prayer, understanding and praying for God’s will to be doneLuke 11:2 “your will be done”
Timing of the prayer - We need to be patient God wants us to keep asking with persistence
Show-boating -
13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
Show-boating - “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.Lack of faith -
Objective of the prayer, understanding and praying for God’s will to be doneLuke 11:2 “your will be done”
Timing of the prayer - We need to be patient God wants us to keep asking with persistence
James 5:
James 5
Lack of faith -
Objective of the prayer, understanding and praying for God’s will to be doneLuke 11:2 “your will be done”
Timing of the prayer - We need to be patient God wants us to keep asking with persistence
Lack of faith -
Objective of the prayer, understanding and praying for God’s will to be done
Luke 11:2 “your will be done”
Timing of the prayer - We need to be patient
God wants us to keep asking with persistence
Jesus inaugurated our prayer life. We can pray because of Jesus. He has championed our ability to pray!
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Experience the Gospel
Experience the Gospel
The most important prayer that we each can pray is “Lord, I entrust myself to you. Save me from my sin.”
Even when we are unfaithful to pray or filled with doubt, the gospel reminds us that we are forgivenDon’t condemn yourself or let Satan condemn you for your lack of prayer. Don’t feel defeated
Prayer is communication with God and the gospel informs us that we are deeply loved
The point of this text is to draw you out and encourage your prayer life = “how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask” Let this passage encourage you, not condemn you
While prayer is a human action sanctioned by heaven, the gospel reminds us that it is God who does the true work
There is no grounds for boasting in answered prayer
Conclusion
Conclusion