Our Father and Friend

Luke 6:12 ESV

In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.

Q: What is the longest prayer you have ever prayed?

Here Jesus prays all night long. If He prayed all night long then He needed to pray all night.

Q: What can we learn from this instance of Jesus’ prayer?

Sometimes long prayers are necessary. Having a real relationship with God involves fervent, deep prayers.

Q: Does the length of the prayer matter? Yes/No

Q: What is the longest prayer you remember praying?

The prayer is often fit for the occasion but scripture tells us to pray without ceasing. Our author uses the story on p67 about praying according to the occasion and throughout the day.

Luke 5:16 ESV

But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

“pray without ceasing”

We learn from conversations Jesus had with God and then we learn from the instance when His apostle asked Him plainly to teach them.

Luke 6:12 ESV

In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.

Teach us to Pray

Q: What do we learn from Jesus about how to pray?

Prayer must permeate every aspect of our lives everyday. We need to go to God continually.

Luke 5:16 ESV

But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

Luke 11:1–4 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.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

Q: What are some of the things you see in this model prayer?

E.g. God’s Holiness, the concern we should have for the kingdom, our understanding of our dependence on God for our daily needs, our need to forgive others as God forgives us, our need for God’s help to overcome temptation.

But we also see in this prayer the depth of closeness, the Father child relationship we should have.

Talking to Our Friend

Luke 11:5–8 ESV

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, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 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’? 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.

Luke

Luke 11:5–6 ESV

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, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;

Luke 11:

Q: Have you ever had to call or ask a friend for something at an inconvenient time? Did they help you?

Jesus teaches here that we need to be persistent but that God is more loving and trustworthy than any friend. God does not mind being “bugged” by us.

But we need to understand God as a friend in one respect or way at least. But God is also...

Our Father in Heaven

Luke 11:11–13 ESV

What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 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!”

Q: Jesus compares our heavenly Father to an earthly Father but how is God different than even a loving earthly father?

God’s love for us is greater, His knowledge of what we need is greater, His understanding is greater.

The point is that we should not be afraid of asking God for what we need and what he wants for us.

Q: What is the difference between what we typically ask for and what Jesus says that God will give us in verse 13?

We ask for many Things that relate to our physical lives but Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit.

Our prayers need to flow out of our close relationship with God

Q: If our prayers flow out of a relationship with God how will they be different?

It reflects being at the throne room of God while also the intimacy of talking to a father and friend.

There is a closeness that goes beyond the ritual, impersonal, surface level things that may also be said.

Q: What has helped your conversations with God to be more powerful and meaningful?

Life and difficulty, blessings and overcoming, maturity and getting into scripture.