The Three-fold Focus of Prayer.
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Intro: How many of us feel that we can articulate why we pray well? I know we generally think of prayer as the way we express to God our needs. How many of us if we were honest often don’t really know what to pray beyond, thanks for the food, I need or someone needs…(fill in the blank), and keep me safe. How many of us if we are honest don’t really pray much because we are bored with these things. If you find yourself in this situation, than you should be able to identify with the request found in today’s passage. Lord teach us to pray!
Background: The Gospel of Luke is unique in that it records for us more than any other of the gospels Jesus consistent prayer life. It seems Luke through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit noticed that Jesus prayed often publicly but also privately. In a subtle way Luke links for us the connection between important events and Prayer. In fact, there are around 20 times recorded in the Book of Luke where Jesus is either praying, teaching or commanding his follower to prayer.
Here are a few examples.
At His baptism...
21 When all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. As he was praying, heaven opened,
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.”
After serving and healing a large group of people
Luke 5:16 (CSB)
16 Yet he often withdrew to deserted places and prayed.
Before he chose his 12 disciples
Luke 6:12 (CSB)
12 During those days he went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God.
Before he revealed to his disciple his plan to Die and raise again.
18 While he was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
During the transfiguration
28 About eight days after this conversation, he took along Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.
29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.
The night he was arrested to be crucified he prayed for his disciples strength and for himself.
41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray,
So the question is why did Jesus’ disciples request He teach them top pray? Because they often saw Him praying and must have witnessed the benefit of it.
Luke records a concise version of the Lords Prayer. Then Jesus tells us a parable to better illustrate how we are to pray. Each section of the parable relates specifically to the model prayer. So in other words, the parable is to be understood not separate from the model prayer, but rather in the context of it.
1 He was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”
2 He said to them, “Whenever you pray, say, Father, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone in debt to us. And do not bring us into temptation.”
5 He also said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don’t have anything to offer him.’
7 Then he will answer from inside and say, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’
8 I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s shameless boldness, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
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, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish?
12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
It is important to note that Jesus uses the parable to argue from lesser to greater. He is not comparing the father to the undesirable characteristics of the people, but is rather arguing that if broken people will do these things how much more can we expect of a perfect God. We see this idea specifically in verse 13.
I. Prayer reveals and remind us of the character of God.
I. Prayer reveals and remind us of the character of God.
A. The Father is always accessible.
A. The Father is always accessible.
Luke 11:2 (CSB)
2 He said to them, “Whenever you pray...”
The term “Whenever you pray has the idea of “whatever time your pray.
B. The Heavenly Father is holy and we are not
B. The Heavenly Father is holy and we are not
The word “Holy means to be “separated from” God is separated from all of his creation.
He is separate in that He is unique. There is none like Him.
He is separate from his creation in that He is perfect.
C. The Heavenly Father forgives Sin.
C. The Heavenly Father forgives Sin.
- He is separated from us because of our sin, yet he forgives all those who will ask.
Now understanding that Jesus is arguing from lesser to greater lets look at the corresponding passage from the parable.
The Parable:
5 He also said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don’t have anything to offer him.’
7 Then he will answer from inside and say, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’
Notice that even though they are friends there is a limit to which a friend is willing to be inconvenienced.
But God is different.
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.
Application: As a sinner You have greater access to a holy God than you do a even close friend. We can access God whenever we pray.
In other words through prayer you always have access to God. You can have a greater relationship with the creator of the universe than you can with an earthly friend.
II. Prayer reveals and reminds us of the Will of God.
II. Prayer reveals and reminds us of the Will of God.
Luke 11:2 (CSB)
2 ...Your kingdom come.
A. It is the will of God that all mankind makes God’s kingdom the first priority.
Now for most people this is a scary proposition. What does this mean practically? How am I able to prioritize God’s kingdom in a world where I must work, take care of my family, and combat sin? How can I accomplish this? The answer is found in the prayer.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
Do you realize that it is the will of God for you to have what you need to accomplish the work of God? Whatever area of life, whatever position you find yourself in. It is the will of God to provide you with what you need to accomplish your assigned task.
But notice with me that if we ask from God to provide for what we need he provides it as we need it. The prayer does not say give us our yearly, monthly, or even weekly supply of bread but rather our daily bread.
We can find an O.T. parallel to this idea. Look at God’s command to the nation of Israel while in the wilderness.
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.
He gave them only what they needed to get through the day but it wasn’t like he gave them the bare minimum. He gave them as much as they could eat. In other words God was not just barely keeping them alive, he gave them their full supply.
In the same way, it is the will of God to fill your daily storeroom for whatever task he has assigned to you.
8 I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s shameless boldness, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
If even an annoyed friend will eventually give you what you need because you asked for it, Will not God do much better?
11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish?
12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
Application: It is the will of God for you to have what you need to accomplish the work of God.
Application: It is the will of God for you to have what you need to accomplish the work of God.
III. Prayer reveals and reminds us of the Promises of God.
III. Prayer reveals and reminds us of the Promises of God.
When we pray in the will of God by prioritizing his kingdom he give us a few precious promises.
10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
If you ask for what you need because you are seeking his kingdom first , you will have access to all that you need.
Sounds like we've heard this idea somewhere before doesn't it.
31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’
32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
So often it feels safer for us to live in a way that secures our own future outside of the plans of God. It feels safer to trust in our own ability than to wait and depend on God. But when we pray. I mean truly pray. I’m talking more than just thanking God for the food. But really praying.
Prayer involves the submission of our will to the greatness of God. Prayer is not so much about the words we say as it is the heart behind the words. When we truly pray we are choose to remind ourselves of God’s priorities, God’s character, and God’s promise. Prayer is more of posturing and alligning our will to his than it is simply asking for what we want and need.