Teach us to Pray - Part 1
Teach Us to Pray • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
A vital part of the very life of Jesus that we see all over the scriptures, is his life of prayer.
We have not much written about his early life (even though it makes sense within a jewish context), we don’t even know how he looks, cos it wasn’t of much importance, we don’t know his favourite food, maybe fish and bread, but much were not of so much importance to talk about, but one thing that the scriptures captures for us repeatedly was HIS LIFE OF PRAYER.
1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
It is quite important to see what is happening right in this verse that they came to him, and said “Teach us to pray”. Meaning, prayer can be taught.
Now, also, they would say, “as John also taught his disciples”.
Notice something quite interesting here is the term “disciple”.
μαθητής (mathētēs). n. masc. disciple, learner. Used of a person who follows after and seeks to learn from another.
Hence, they followed him everywhere, hence, they saw him pray. It wasn’t just taught, there is also the art of prayer, that comes via observation.
It is very important to know then, that a common practice of discipleship is being taught “HOW” to pray. There is a precept (teaching) and example to the life of prayer.
Notice also, “As He was praying in a certain place” — Meaning, they saw it, and knew he had to teach them to pray.
So, the example of Prayer is something to observe, and not only theological. There is a lifestyle to it to learn, and then, we learn to pray that way.
So, we can do a bit of a trace, of Jesus’ life and see HOW he prayed and find in them, the pattern to prayer.
Jesus’ life of Prayer
Jesus’ life of Prayer
The earliest record we have of him was at the very Jordan river to be baptized by John;
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,
John came, preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Now, as that is not our focus, but it is important, to consider it, as it will reveal Jesus at same Baptism of John.
21 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Notice what he was doing at the baptism of John, “while He prayed, the heaven was opened”.
At the baptism at John, what we find with Jesus was He was praying. Not necessarily were we told a prayer point, but yet, we find him praying.
He was sinless, so it wasn’t like he came there, praying for forgiveness of sins, yet, he prayed at the baptism, and the heaven was opened.
Consistently, in other account of his life, we find the pattern of prayer with Jesus, and his life.
12 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 13 Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.” 15 However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. 16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
As his fame went everywhere, what we find him do was to withdraw into the wilderness and prayed.
Notice, one thing he didn’t negelate when it would to be a time of ministry success, or everything going well, was to stop praying, “he withdrew to pray”, so far, we still do not have any form of prayer point, yet, he withdrew to pray.
So, one thing we can find in his life here, was he prayed long, and also prayed irrespective of ministry success.
12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:
Now, this is a significant one, because, he went out to the mountain to pray, and what he did was to continue all night in prayer to God.
This was a significant pattern we are noticing here, he prayed all night long to God. This would be at least 12 hours, why is that? Because of the Jewish calendar of 6pm as night and 6am as day. So “all night” indicate if not 12 hours, very lengthy time of prayer.
And in verse 13, he chose twelve and also named apostles.
A lesson from Jesus here is, Lenthy prayer was done before making a decision.
You will see in Mark, also recording something similar for us to notice, Mark 1:35-39
35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. 37 When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” 39 And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.
Notice something that seems to surround his life, this lengthy time of prayer, repeatedly, and in verse 36-39, they were looking for him, and he just seem to know what to do next, “let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth”.
31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
He made it an habit to pray for others also. In that their faith should not fail, here, we do see a prayer point, but previously we do not, but what was consistent was, he still prayed.
Look also at John 17:6-9
6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. 9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.
He here again, about to round up his ministry on earth and be crucified, spent time with the father, praying for his disciples to be kept.
verse 20-21 also;
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
He also prayed consistently here, for those who will believe in him, through their word.
and also lastly,
39 Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. 40 When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
This was him going to die, and before that, he fell on his knees, and prayed to keep himself in the father’s will. (We will examine all these more).
But a general thing you will find in the very life of Jesus was this consistent life of prayer! Baptism, before he started ministry (40 days), When he did quite some miracles (He prayed), in making any decision (He also spent time praying), and also, He spent time praying for others, and then, he prayed to keep himself in the father’s will.
Meaning something, there is quite a lifestyle to prayer, that can be lengthy.
Jesus & The Father Hearing
Jesus & The Father Hearing
Now, when you consider a statement made by Jesus, it will change our mindset totally about his lifestyle of prayer that was quite long.
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”
Now, notice what he said here in verse 42; “And I know that You always hear Me”. Now, this is a very vital thing to note, that Jesus’ life of prayer or lengthy prayer wasn’t because this was what “made” God hear him, the father always heared him. Hence, he wasn’t praying long, so that God would hear him, The father always heard! Yet, that wasn’t a reason not to pray long, or to pray at all.
So, when we debate on things such as “should I pray long or not” etc, it quickly becomes a problem because at the back of our minds, we are associating length of prayer to answered prayers. Maybe not really, for example in the life of Jesus.
50 But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. 51 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 52 But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?”
Meaning that right here, we see something, that Jesus just said that even though it was proper for the scriptures to be fulfilled, he could have prayed and the Father would provide for him legions of angels and he would have been delievered. So, the Father always heard him.
So, the coversation therefore, wasn’t about I have asked once, then that is it on that matter, no, not really. We should ask, if Jesus wasn’t praying long and seeing the length as the reason for answered prayers, why then did he pray long?
I think the question to ask is, why did he fellowship with the father long? This indeed changes the view of prayer. It is first of all fellowship with the father. Do you see how conversational the prayers were? He would often fellowship with the father.
Instruction
Instruction
Now, in same Matthew 26:36-46, we find Jesus with his disciples, where, he took them to with him, as he was about to be betrayed.
Now, most people have taken this prayer here, and turned it into a model for all prayers. But let’s leave that for today, what we are learning here, is a pattern in prayer, its precept and example.
Notice, in verse 36; he said “Sit here while I go and pray over there”,
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.”
In verse 40-41, I know we often quote this when we are talking about our own spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, but then, What Jesus said we should do in that situation is what we make this excuse for.
What Jesus said here so as not to fall into temptation, was to Watch and Pray, but then, we make exactly this excuse for not praying, hence, a lifestyle of prayer, keeps me from falling into temptation.
Go to verse 40-41
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Now, he said “Could you not watch with me one hour” — This is a good pattern, Jesus wanted them, to pray with him, for an hour. To watch with him!
This I believe is a pattern for us. To spend at least an hour daily, just praying.
Like Jesus, does it have to be with a prayer point? No. It doesn’t have to be about the problems, doesn’t mean you can’t pray about your problems, but it doesn’t have to be about it.
In us seeing them with Jesus, what he asked in teaching them prayer, was to watch and pray for at least an hour with him.
This is directly our lifestyle of prayer.
The precept and example of prayer, is that, we find Prayer with Jesus, often long, often lengthy, and here, he said, “can’t you watch with me for an hour?” giving us an expectation.
This is a good goal for anyone. You see, there shouldn’t be with you, a desire to not pray long and often.
When are you dedicating in a day to pray?
If you can do all other things for long, why is prayer an exception? We find a pattern to pray, and that pattern is long, at least an hour.
