Discipleship Seen in Prayer

Introduction

What is Christianity? We come to church regularly, but what does it mean to be a follower of Jesus?

Jesus’ teaching on prayer presupposes a proper understanding of the character and nature of God.

From Berakoth 28b (Babylonian Talmud): The initial was Rabbi Gamaliel's claim that "every day a man should say the 18 benedictions." GEMARA. To what do these eighteen benedictions correspond? R. Hillel the son of Samuel b. Nahmani said: To the eighteen times that David mentioned the Divine Name in the Psalm, Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye sons of might.15 R. Joseph said: To the eighteen times the Divine Name is mentioned in the Shema'. R. Tanhum said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi: To the eighteen vertebrae in the spinal column. R. Tanhum also said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi: In saying the Tefillah one should bow down [at the appropriate places] until all the vertebrae in the spinal column are loosened. 'Ulla says: Until an issar16 of flesh is visible opposite his heart.17 R. Hanina said: If he simply bows his head, he need do no more. Said Raba: This is only if it hurts him [to stoop] and he shows that he would like to bow down.

From Berakoth 28b (Babylonian Talmud): The initial was Rabbi Gamaliel's claim that "every day a man should say the 18 benedictions."

Jesus did not teach ritual. He taught prayer that flows out of a proper understanding of our relationship with God and our desire for God to cause His kingdom to come.

GEMARA. To what do these eighteen benedictions correspond? R. Hillel the son of Samuel b. Nahmani said: To the eighteen times that David mentioned the Divine Name in the Psalm, Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye sons of might.15 R. Joseph said: To the eighteen times the Divine Name is mentioned in the Shema'. R. Tanhum said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi: To the eighteen vertebrae in the spinal column.

Notice how this indicates the transformed focus of our lives. No longer do we live as mere inhabitants of this earth. We want to live in a kingdom that God rules and one wherein His name is held holy and honored.

R. Tanhum also said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi: In saying the Tefillah one should bow down [at the appropriate places] until all the vertebrae in the spinal column are loosened. 'Ulla says: Until an issar16 of flesh is visible opposite his heart.17 R. Hanina said: If he simply bows his head, he need do no more. Said Raba: This is only if it hurts him [to stoop] and he shows that he would like to bow down.

We can breakdown the prayer as follows:

Acknowledgement of God’s fatherhood.

A request for God’ s name to be sanctified.

A request for God’s kingdom to come.

A request for the food we need to survive today.

A request for forgiveness of sins.

A request for God to protect us from Satan’s tests.