Instructions from Jesus

SLIDE 1-2 TLC: open house February 24, 11:30 - 6:30

A few weeks ago we started a break from our study of the Psalms and started a series on prayer. I mentioned in the first two lessons that if there is a secret to having a strong prayer life it is found in understanding our relationship to God. In the Model Prayer, found in Matthew 6 of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructs us to pray to God as our Father. SLIDE 3

Matthew 6:9 This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”

SLIDE 4 However, this was not the first time in the sermon that Jesus referred to God as our father. He did so three times in chapter 5. In Matthew 6, Jesus calls God our Father twelve times, five of them before he gets to the Model Prayer. And he does so two more times in chapter 7. If you’re doing the math, Jesus called God our Father seventeen times in that sermon and almost fifty times in the gospel of Matthew. What would you think Jesus is trying to tell us? We should come to God knowing that he is our Father and we are his children. God loves us as parents love their children and just as parents desire a relationship with their children, God desires a relationship with us. We develop that relationship in our pray time.

In the last lesson we looked at how Jesus prayed. I made six observations: SLIDE 5

First, Jesus prayed scriptural prayers — he quoted scripture in his prayers

Second Jesus prayed long prayers — it wasn't unusual for Jesus to pray for an hour or all night

Third, Jesus prayed warfare prayers — Jesus took his needs to God

Fourth, Jesus prayed thankful prayers — Jesus thanked God for the things he had done

Fifth, Jesus prayed in song — he sang scripture

Sixth, Jesus prayed with his last breath — his last recorded words on the cross were a prayer to his heavenly Father

SLIDE 6 Tonight I want to look again at some instructions Jesus gave for how to pray. If we want to have strong prayer lives like Jesus, we should follow the instructions he gave on prayer because his instructions are always practical.

SLIDE 7 1) Pray in faith.

Matthew 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.

Faith is important. Just praying is an act of faith. However, Jesus is not teaching a “name it, claim it” theology. Jesus is not saying that all you need to do is believe and it will happen. Some have taken this so far as to say that if you’re sick it’s because you don’t have enough faith to get better.

The religious leaders said something similar to Jesus when he was on the cross. They said if he really was the Messiah, God’s anointed, then why was God allowing him to suffer like this? They just couldn’t see how both could be true. Jesus could be the Messiah and suffer and die on a cross. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asked that God would prevent him from going to the cross. Did Jesus not believe God could do it? Of course he did. Jesus didn’t die on the cross because he lacked faith in God’s ability. Jesus had faith and trusted in the will of his Father. As a result, he yielded to it. Likewise, someone can have faith and not be healed. If you can “make” God do something simply be believing, you’re greater than God.

So, what is Jesus talking about when he says we will receive whatever we ask for if we only have faith? Faith means believing that God exists, that he hears our prayers, and that he will answer. And like Jesus, faith is trusting in God’s will for our lives even when we don’t understand it.

SLIDE 8 2) Pray succinctly.

Matthew 6:7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

Do you have anyone in your family that you dread to have pray before the meal? You’re ready to eat dinner but you’re afraid it could be time for breakfast before they finish.

That’s not really what Jesus was talking about. As I mentioned last week and reminded you of earlier, Jesus prayed long prayers. He prayed for at least an hour in the Garden of Gethsemane and we’re told that on at least one occasion he prayed all night. Jesus prayed long prayers. What Jesus is talking about is praying long prayers so that others will be impressed or so that God will be impressed.

Does anyone think it’s impossible to impress God with wordy prayers? There must have been some because Jesus addressed the subject here in the Sermon on the Mount. They acted like they would be rewarded by God by the number of words in their prayers. That’s not the way it works. It’s good to spend time with God in prayer but not so we can impress him. We need words, but not ones we think will impress him.

A preacher described the best prayer one of his kids ever prayed. His son was little, it was bedtime, and he wanted to say the prayer before going to sleep. So, his dad let him. Here’s the prayer: “Jesus, you rock! Amen!” I think that brought more glory to God than a hundred fancy ten dollar words. When you pray, keep it simple.

SLIDE 9 3) Pray in God’s will.

John 16:23-24 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

Jesus taught us to pray in his name. To pray in Jesus’ name isn’t to say “In Jesus’ name” at the end of a prayer, but to pray according to his authority and according to God’s will. First, we pray in Jesus authority. Illustrating the lessons Jesus gives about praying in his name, Jon Courson told this story:

Short on cash, I decide to cash a check at Valley Bank in California. As I hand the teller my check, however, she says, “This check is out of state. We can’t cash it.” “Look at the name on the top,” I say. And as she does, she quickly apologizes and cashes my check immediately. It’s great—but it has nothing to do with me. You see, my dad is President of Valley Bank, so I am treated well because of his name. So, too, when I approach the Father in heaven, I don’t come saying, “Did You see how long I prayed last week, Father? Fourteen hours logged in, eighteen chapters read, twenty-two verses memorized. On that basis, I come to You with these requests, and I’m sure You’ll give them to me.” No, I come simply on the authority of the name I’ve been given to use: Jesus’ name.

Jon had no authority but his dad did. As a result, he didn’t have any trouble getting his check cashed.

Second, we pray according to his will. We are real good at letting God know our will. We don’t do as good asking God to show us his will. But, that’s what Jesus did. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed for his Father’s will to be done. SLIDE 10

Luke 22:42 Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.

SLIDE 11 When we go to God we are not seeking to have our will but his will done in our lives. And isn’t that what we should want. God knows so much more than we do about how things should and what will work best.

SLIDE 12 4) Pray humbly.

Luke 18:9-14 9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

This short story teaches a big truth. Jesus doesn’t give the two men names, but Mark Driscoll does. He likes to call them Religious Ricky and Larry the Loser. The two men go to the temple to pray. Religious Ricky stands up and out loud prays, telling God how good he is and thanking God that’s he’s better than everybody else. He’s especially thankful that he better than Larry the Loser. Because of his guilt and shame, Larry the Loser, on the other hand, can’t even look up. He knows that he’s wrecked his life. He made mistakes and wasn’t going to ignore them or make excuses for them. He honestly and humbly prays, “God, I’m a sinner. I have wrecked my life. I’m asking for mercy.” Which man left the temple in a right relationship with God? Larry the Loser.

The point Jesus makes is that people who look down on others are not spending enough time looking up to God. Looking up to God will keep us from looking down on others. When you look up to God you’re not worried about someone else’s problems because you’re so aware of your own. It’s not that we shouldn’t pray for others, but we shouldn’t pray about others. We need to start with our own shortcomings. We need to pray humbly.

SLIDE 13 5) Pray fervently.

Luke 18:1-8 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

This parable has less to do with the manner of prayer — begging — than with how we are to pray in faith. The widow went to see the judge hoping he would help her get justice but he wasn’t interested in helping her. He finally helped her not because he was interested in doing what was right, but because he was tired of hearing her ask for help. God want’s to see justice done. He wants to help us. If a corrupt judge will attend the pleas of a poor widow for whom he has no concern, how much more will God be moved by the cries of his people.

I read about a woman the women’s ministry at her church. She was single and didn’t get married for the first time till she was in her 80s. That’s praying and not giving up. Her preacher joked that she got a wedding dress and a walker. The preacher says her testimony is, “I got married late, but at least my husband loves Jesus and loves me. And whatever time we’ve got together is good time.”

Therefore, Jesus instructs to ask and continue asking not because our continued asking will wear God out and he’ll grant it, but because our continued prayer demonstrates our faith in our God who hears and answers all prayers.

Jesus ends with a penetrating question about finding faith when he returns. Jesus was saying that continual prayer is evidence of faith. It’s proof that we believe God will answer. It is also the means of building faith until his return. Pray and don’t give up. It’s okay to keep asking.

SLIDE 14 6) Pray for sinners.

Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

We know that we are to ask God to forgive our sins, but Jesus tells us that we are to forgive those who have sinned against us. Not only that, Jesus ties the forgiveness of our sins to our forgiving others. We are to forgive others “so that” our heavenly Father will forgive our sins.

It sounds difficult, but we know Jesus practiced this and he did so in the most difficult of places. Jesus, hanging on the cross, asked God to forgive those responsible for putting him there. And then, he added a reason for doing so. Jesus claimed they didn’t really know what they were doing. If you’d asked the religious leaders when they convicted Jesus of blasphemy (a sin deserving of death) and handed him over to the Romans to be crucified if they thought they knew what they were doing they would have said yes. If you had asked the Roman guards who had been charged with beating Jesus and nailing him to the cross if they though they knew what they were doing they would have said yes. But that’s not what Jesus claimed. SLIDE 15

Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

SLIDE 16 Forgiving others is one of the most powerful things that you can possibly pray. Most of us know it can also be one of the most difficult. When you have been sinned against, when you are the victim, when others have intentionally hurt you, you have have two options: forgiveness or bitterness.

You’ll remember when Peter came to Jesus and asked, “How many times should I forgive someone who had sinned against me?” Then, Peter offered what he thought was an unreasonably high number: seven times! Can you imagine someone doing the same thing to you seven times and after each time asking for your forgiveness? The first time might be difficult but the third would be getting harder. By the fifth time you’re doubting their sincerity. What would you be thinking the seventh time they did it? Peter asks, if that enough times to forgive someone? And how did Jesus answer? No, seven times has barely gotten started. We are to forgive them seventy times seventy. Really, Jesus is saying we should not be counting how many times we forgive them. When we pray to forgive someone, we’re letting go of our right to hold them accountable and giving it to God with faith that God will deal rightly with them as he has dealt graciously with us. We are to forgive others even as God has forgiven us.

SLIDE 17 7) Pray for your needs.

Matthew 7:7-8 7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

I think that there may be some who easily pray for others but have difficulty asking God to provide for themselves. Perhaps it seems selfish. We shouldn’t feel that way. God loves each of us. Jesus says God even knows our needs before we ask and that he is ready to provide. Every aspect of our lives needs God. Nothing in our lives works without God. Prayer then, is where we invite God in to every element and aspect of our lives. God tells us in his word that he is willing to meet practical needs.

If you’re a parent you know how many practical needs your children bring to you each day. They’re hungry or thirsty or tired. There’s always something. Don’t you want to provide for their needs? Because you love them you desire to provide for them. How much more does God love us? God is happy to receive our requests. Therefore, Jesus teaches to pray.

I’ll share this story I came across. Mark said his mother had some heart trouble. She had a blocked artery that was preventing proper blood flow. So, the doctor recommended surgery. But she really didn’t want to operated on. Mark said when he talked to his mother about it she said she was praying about it. When asked what she was praying, she said she was praying that God would provide a new artery so she wouldn’t need surgery. Before they took her back for surgery they did another scan to make sure her heart was strong enough for surgery. What they found was a new artery that was replacing the old. They now told her she didn’t need surgery. The doctor said she could explain it, but she could. She told him that God had done it. She had asked God to provide a new artery and he did.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote that we have not because don’t ask. Jesus is telling us to ask.

Matthew 7:7-8 7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Pray for your needs.

SLIDE 18 8) Lastly, pray for your burdens.

Matthew 11:28-30 28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

There is a legend that Jesus, in the carpenter shop in Galilee, made the best yokes in all of Galilee. The yoke was tailor-made to fit each ox. Above the door may have been a sign which read, “My yokes fit well.”

There is no indication that Jesus actually made yoke for oxen, but he did say he had a yoke for us and that it fits well.

If you are of average weight and height, here is what you will go through in an average twenty-four-hour period: Your heart will beat 103,689 times. Your blood will travel 168 million miles as your heart pumps approximately 4 ounces per beat. You will breathe 23,040 times, inhaling 438 cubic feet of air. Your stomach will take in three and a half pounds of food and 2.9 quarts of liquid. You will lose seven eighths of a pound of waste. If you are a man, you will speak 4,800 words, and if you are a woman, you will speak close to 7,000 words. You will move 750 muscles and exercise 7 million brain cells.

I don’t know about you, but I get tired just reading that list. It’s no wonder so many people feel overwhelmed and burdened.

Although it took place in the 1930s, it remains one of the most mystifying missing person cases in FBI files. After spending an evening eating out with friends, a forty-five-year-old New York judge hailed a taxi and was never seen or heard from again. The FBI immediately became involved. They suspected a kidnapping by someone who held a judicial grudge against him. But that didn’t seem to pan out. They then suspected Mafia activity because he was an outspoken enemy of the Mafia. But again, that led nowhere. To this day, there is only one clue that remains. When his wife returned to their apartment the evening her husband disappeared, there on the table was a check for a large sum of money made out to her and a note attached to it in her husband’s handwriting which simply said,

I am very, very tired. Love, Joe

The question remains—were those words merely a comment made at the end of a particularly trying day? Or was his note saying, “I’m tired; I’m fatigued; I’m weary; I give up”? To this day, we can’t be sure. For lack of further evidence, it is presently believed he rode off in a taxicab to an unknown destination where he took his own life because weariness had weighted his soul.

I think we always have burdens, but these last few years have seemed even more burdensome. Jesus tells us to bring our burdens to him. America has been the most medicated country in the world and it’s only gotten more so. We are burdened. People feel worn out, beat down, exhausted, and frustrated. So many people turn to alcohol or drugs to help with their concerns. But there is another answer. We need to take our burdens to Jesus. Jesus says that he will give us rest.

A guy asked his friend how he was doing. “I’m struggling. I’m burdened,” he said. “Well, how’s your prayer life?” “It’s really good. I’m talking to the Father all the time.” He replied, “Well, if you’re talking to the Father, why are you still burdened?” He then said, “You’re not praying, you’re complaining to God. It’s not prayer until you transfer the burden.”

We may pray a lot, but how often are we complaining? How many have a burden you need to turn over to the Father? Jesus says, come to me if you are burdened because he will give you rest.

Let’s pray.