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SERIES: STUDENTS OF PRAYER
TITLE: STUDY OF PRAYER
TEXT: LUKE 11:2-4
INTRO:
· We must first enroll in the School of
Prayer. There is one requirement: ask the question – Lord,
teach us to pray.
· Once we have become students of prayer,
Jesus begins to teach us what we need to know so that we may begin to pray in earnest.
· This prayer listed here could be
considered the BASICS OF
PRAYER.
· By no way, shape, or means, is this
supposed to be a prayer that is just said repetitiously day after day with no
thought or meaning.
· This basics of prayer is recorded both
here in Luke and in Matt 6:9-13 .
o
Matthew’s
comes from the Sermon on the Mount.
o
Luke’s
account comes sometime later and was taught in a much smaller setting.
o
But why are they not the same?
o
I
believe one reason is that God never intended Christian’s to repeat this pray
word-for-word every day.
o
It
is a “beginner’s guide,” if you would.
· McGee - In answer to their request the
Lord gives them this. I do not believe He intended it to become the prayer I
hear so often in public services.
o
It
is not to be a stilted form for public services, but a spontaneous, personal
prayer, like a son talks to his father.
o
God
the Father knows me and I do not
think He wants me to put on airs, assume an unnatural voice, and use flowery
language.
o
I
think He wants me to talk like Vernon McGee. Nor does He want me to be “wordy.”
I get so weary of “wordy” prayers—and I think God does also.[1]
· So, what are some of the basics of the
study of prayer we learn from Jesus?
I.
WE PRAY FOR GOD’S PRIORITY
a. Our Father which art in
heaven, Hallowed be thy name
b. #1
– Our Father – Who We Pray To
i.
Everything
has a beginning, and our prayers should begin with a focus on God.
ii.
These
two words help us to focus our spiritual gaze upon God and not other people,
problems, etc.
c. #2
– Which Art In Heaven – Where We Pray To
i.
Psalm 121:1–2 (KJV 1900)
1 I will lift up
mine eyes unto the hills,
From whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from
the LORD,
Which made heaven and earth.
ii.
You
help is not coming from the bank, your boss, or your buddies – but Heaven!
d. #3
– Hallowed Be Thy Name – Worshipping Who We Pray
To
i.
Hallowed = consecrate, honor as holy
ii.
We
worship God by respecting and revering His name as He deserves. We do this
through worship.
iii.
Too
often we look at prayer like a business transaction when it should be a time of
worship.
II.
WE PRAY FOR GOD’S PLAN
a. Thy kingdom come. Thy will
be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
b. #1
– Thy Kingdom come – The Prophecy of God’s Plan
i.
When
we, as believers, pray for the coming Kingdom, it is a reminder to us that in
all things God has a plan.
ii.
“This world is not my home, I’m just a
passing through.”
c. #2
– Thy Will Be Done, As In Heaven, So In Earth – The
People of God’s Plan
i.
This
phrase speaks to our submission to God.
ii.
If
we are not willing to be fully submitted to God’s plan for us here on this
earth, then we will never experience a full and meaningful prayer life.
III.
WE PRAY FOR GOD’S PROVISIONS
a. Give us day by day our
daily bead.
b. #1
- Give Us – Source Of Our Needs
i.
We
need to recognize that we are needy people – and we cannot provide any kind of
meaningful, lasting fulfillment.
1. EX: Job
ii.
Also
speaks to intercessory prayer – give US.
c. #2
- Day By Day – Schedule Of Our Needs
i.
We
are always looking for and worrying about tomorrow when we should be praying
for today.
d. #3
- Our Daily Bread – Substance Of Our Needs
i.
God
will provide all of our needs, when we need them.
ii.
We
often focus our wants and ignore those things that we truly need.
iii.
This
prayer refocuses us on God, who supplies to us all of our needs.
IV.
WE PRAY FOR GOD’S PARDON
a. And forgive us our sins;
for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us
b. #1
- And Forgive Us Our Sins – We Need To
Experience Forgiveness
i.
We
experience the forgiveness of God by 1st recognizing and admitting
our sin.
ii.
You
cannot be forgiven until you first repent of your sin.
iii.
And
this is a daily process.
c. #2
- For We Also Forgive Every One That Is Indebted To Us
– We Need To Express Forgiveness
i.
Our
willingness, or lack thereof, in forgiving others reveals the spiritual
condition of our heart.
ii.
In
this prayer, the assumption is made that if we are asking for God’s
forgiveness, then we have already forgiven those who have wronged us – BUT CAN WE MAKE THAT ASSUMPTION TODAY?
V.
WE PRAY FOR GOD’S PROTECTION
a. And lead us not into
temptation; but deliver us from evil.
b. #1
– And lead us not into temptation – Recognition
Of Our Nature To Sin
i.
After
spending time confessing our sin, it should always be evident to us that we
have a sin problem.
ii.
“Prone to wonder, Lord I feel it. Prone to
leave, the God I love.”
c. #2
- but deliver us from evil – Recognition Of Our
Need For Sanctification
i.
Sanctification
is an ongoing process in the believer’s life.
ii.
While
we will never be sinless on this side of eternity, sanctification is the
process of the lessening of sin’s stronghold in our life and the growing into
more Christ-likeness.
iii.
It
should always be our prayer to grow in grace and truth.
CLOSE: HOW IS YOUR PRAYER LIFE?
· One reason the disciples may have
asked now that they were alone was because they wanted some special “inside
secret” about prayer.
· But there is no secret – only the
basics.
· McGee - We do not need more preachers,
churches, or missionaries, but we do need more people who know how to pray.[2]
· As we have studied prayer in the
classroom of Jesus today – how does your prayer life stack up? Where are you
lacking? Where are you excelling?
· Let’s take the lesson we have learned
today and begin a renewed prayer life today.
[1]
McGee, J. V. (1991). Vol. 37: Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels
(Luke) (electronic ed.). Thru the Bible commentary (143–144). Nashville:
Thomas Nelson.
[2]
McGee, J. V. (1991). Vol. 37: Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels
(Luke) (electronic ed.). Thru the Bible commentary (144). Nashville: Thomas
Nelson.
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