1. Paul Starts Praying

Is Prayer Worth It?

When you pray, what do you hope the outcome is? Maybe you’re praying for something specific, or about something that is happening soon. When you do, what do you hope happens next? Prayer is an interesting part of the Christian walk because regardless of what happens regarding what you prayed for, prayer is still worth doing. In the New Testament epistles, we are given some great examples of prayer, both how to do it and its purpose. And more often than not, the Bible isn’t too concerned with the outcome of prayer. Instead, Scripture points us towards the fruit of being a prayerful person, or, in other words, what comes out of a prayer filled life.

In this series, we’ll use the epistles to help us better understand how and why we pray. Whether or not what you pray for ends up how you wanted, it is worth to be a person who can’t help but pray.

1. Paul Starts Praying

Verse: Acts 9:1-22 (cf. Phil 3:1-11; Isaiah 59:1-2)

Big Idea:

Introduction

ICEQ | Tell me about a time you asked for something, but got something better.

Series Summary

When you pray, what do you hope the outcome is? More often than not, the Bible isn’t too concerned with the outcome of prayer. Instead, Scripture points us towards the fruit of being a prayerful person, or, in other words, what comes out of a prayer filled life.

In this series, we’ll use the epistles to help us better understand how and why we pray. Whether or not what you pray for ends up how you wanted, it is worth to be a person who can’t help but pray.

Where We’re Going

Tonight, we’re going to break the ice on this study and set the scene to understand prayer better.

Paul through his letters to the churches tells us most of what we understand prayer to be. To help us understand his approach to prayer, let’s look at the moment of his life where he starts praying.

Introductory Questions

Before we get to Paul and his story, let’s talk about prayer together.

Q | What is prayer? How often should we pray? How long should a prayer be?

Q | What should we expect to happen when we pray?

White Board Time (~4 Minutes)

Q | What kinds of things should we pray for?

Q | What “elements” should a prayer have?

Q | Who are examples in the Bible of people who prayed?

Q | How are prayers answered?

Paint A Picture of Prayer

Getting Into The Text(s)

Over the coming weeks, we’re going to use the epistles to help us re-think how prayer works. And Paul is instrumental in a large majority of the letters to the churches. So to help us think about prayer, let’s look back at when Paul became a Christian.

Read Acts 9:1–2 “But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Think About It | Paul thinks he’s doing the right thing.

Q | Put yourself in his shoes, why does he think this is right?

He’s so devoted to God, that he is going all out. Giving God everything.

Q | What kinds of all out things might we do?

 Read Acts 9:3–9 “Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”

You Remember It | Jesus calls Paul out for completely missing the mark.

Q | How does it feel to find out you were wrong?

Paul was going to Damascus on a mission. And… he does go to Damascus, but the outcome is different than he originally thought.

Read Acts 9:10–12 “Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.””

Did You Catch That? | Paul was

Small details in Scripture aren’t small, when you consider how much isn’t said.

Maybe Paul had prayed before. But something about his prayers this time are… different.

Sometimes for Jews, prayer was a declaration. God, I have done everything you asked, have favor on me.

Other times, it was protective. God, I am about about to do something, bless me.

Sometimes when it comes to prayer, we can spend so much time on the thing that we’re asking for that we forget that asking for things is not why we pray.

In Philippians 3, Paul puts it this way (we’ll explore this together in a couple weeks). Paul says, when it comes to evidence of faith in God:

If there was anything worth having, I had it.

If there was anything worth doing, I did it.

If there was anything worth knowing, I knew it.

All of that is worthless in comparison to knowing Christ Jesus his Lord.

Conclusion

Prayer is worth doing not because you get something out of it, but because your life depends on it.

1 Thessalonians 5:16–19 ESV

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.

Q | Why does Paul say you should pray?

Two to three sentence re-statement of the conclusion statement.

What should we walk away from these readings having understood?

How does it fit into our series?

How can we contemplate this throughout the week?