The Lord's Prayer

Introduction:

Every good teacher, rabbi, and Master would hand-pick their disciples. One didn't just become a disciple. The Master chose him to carry on the teaching and training he would invest in ensuring that the teaching would continue.

2 Timothy 2:2 ESV

2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

A disciple is not a spectator but an imitator of the Master.

As a church, we have adopted the phrase: "Teach Us." What we mean by that is we want to sit at the feet of Jesus, our Master, and learn to imitate what He does and carry on the legacy of who he is.

So the first question you have to ask yourself is:

Am I a true disciple of Christ, or am I just a spectator?

Do you intend to learn from the Master to become like Him?

Will you become the Master that others can imitate and follow?

I fear we have become spectators of His goodness and not imitators of His righteousness. So, how do we change that? How do we move from the spectator's seat to the feet of Jesus?

My granddaughter, Taya, is 17 months and is just beginning to talk. She watches everything we do and tries to do it herself. She forms sounds by watching how we move our mouths to make them and then tries to imitate them. To become a disciple of Christ is to become a little child and begin to learn again.

What does the Master say? Say that.

What does the Master do? Do that.

What does the Master think? Think like that.‌

What are the habits of the Master? Imitate that.

We will begin this journey of sitting at the feet of Jesus alongside the chosen disciples of Christ in

Luke 11

. Let's all stand in reverence for the reading of God's word.

Luke 11:1–13 ESV

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And 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 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” 5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 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!”

There are 3 things we need to learn from Jesus this morning:

Teach us to pray

Teach us how to pray

Teach us to pray with expectation

Teach Us to Pray

Luke 11:1 ESV

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”

The Observation:

Jesus had intimate moments with God, His Father.

The Prayers of Jesus were different than what they learned in the temple or from the priest on the street corners.

It seemed more personal and meaningful; more like a conversation than an act of worship.

The disciples recognized that this type of prayer was missing from their lives.

The Request:

Teach us to pray.

Have you ever asked the Lord to teach you to pray?

Have you ever learned how to have intimate moments with the Father?

Have you ever felt the intercessory groanings of the Holy Spirit on your behalf?

Romans 8:26–27 ESV

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Learning to pray starts with a humility to ask.

This was a normal request. Disciples want to learn from their masters.

It is the responsibility of the disciple to seek out the wisdom of the master.

Teach Us How to Pray

Luke 11:2–4 ESV

2 And 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 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

1. Pray directly to your heavenly Father

We have direct access to the Father through Jesus Christ

Hebrews 4:16 ESV

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus is the only mediator between God and man

2. Pray in expectation of the God’s Kingdom

God is focused on his kingdom

Our Prayer to join God in his focus

3. Pray for Provisions

Matthew 6:7–8 ESV

7 “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. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

4. Pray for a heart of forgiveness

Matthew 6:14–15 ESV

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

5. Pray for protection.

Luke 11:4b (KJV)

4 ...And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Teach Us to Pray in Expectation

Luke 11:9–10 ESV

9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

You don’t have if you don’t ask.

Ask in the name of Christ.

John 14:13 ESV

13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

It must be in the reputation of Christ. Would Christ ask for what you are asking for?

Ask for God’s glory and not your own.

James 4:3 ESV

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Seek the kingdom and you will find.

Matthew 6:31–33 ESV

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Knock and the Door will open

Jesus is the door.

John 10:9 ESV

9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

The Holy Spirit is all you need.

Luke 11:13 ESV

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!”