The Divine Prayer Partner

Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Lord’s Prayer

A minister parked his car in a no-parking zone in a large city because he was short of time and couldn’t find a space with a meter. So he put a note under the windshield wiper that read: “I have circled the block ten times. If I don’t park here, I’ll miss my appointment. Forgive us our trespasses.”

When he returned, he found a citation from a police officer along with this note: “I’ve circled this block for ten years. If I don’t give you a ticket, I’ll lose my job. Lead us not into temptation.”

Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by the patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life. … through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised Prayer

PRAYER Communion with God, usually comprising petition, adoration, praise, confession, and thanksgiving. The ultimate object of prayer in both OT and NT is not merely the good of the petitioner but the honor of God’s name.

The Lord’s Prayer is given to us in two forms. The first, in terms of location, is found in as part of the Sermon on the Mount. In this version, it is part of Jesus’ sermonic teaching on the Kingdom of Heaven and our relationships with God as the King, with one another as fellow citizens of the Kingdom of God, and with the world as it exists in opposition to the Kingdom. The second, our Gospel text today, is the result of a question put to Jesus by a disciple, possibly not one of the 12, after Jesus had stopped praying. Given that the Scriptures show that Jesus prayed for long periods of time (), as well as for very brief moments (), we can see that the amount of time one spends in prayer is not the key component. In addition, the words of Our Lord in are most instructive and encouraging for those of us who feel that we can only pray properly when we have plenty of time and space to be uninterrupted for an hour or more:

Matthew 6:7–8 ESV

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

The importance of prayer in our Confessional Evangelical Christian life is evident for us in that Dr. Luther makes the Lord’s Prayer the 3rd Chief Part of his Small and Large Catechisms. Concerning it, Luther writes,

Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions Part 3: Prayer

1 We have now heard what we must do and believe, in what things the best and happiest life consists. Now follows the third part, how we ought to pray. 2 For we are in a situation where no person can perfectly keep the Ten Commandments, even though he has begun to believe. The devil with all his power, together with the world and our own flesh, resists our efforts. Therefore, nothing is more necessary than that we should continually turn towards God’s ear, call upon Him, and pray to Him. We must pray that He would give, preserve, and increase faith in us and the fulfillment of the Ten Commandments [2 Thessalonians 1:3]. We pray that He would remove everything that is in our way and that opposes us in these matters. 3 So that we might know what and how to pray, our Lord Christ has Himself taught us both the way and the words [Luke 11:1–4], as we shall see.

The Book of Concord Third Part: The Lord’s Prayer

[1] We have now heard what we are to do and believe. The best and most blessed life consists of these things. [2] Now follows the third part, how we are to pray. We are in such a situation that no one can keep the Ten Commandments perfectly, even though he or she has begun to believe. Besides, the devil, along with the world and our flesh, resists them with all his power. Consequently, nothing is so necessary as to call upon God incessantly and to drum into his ears our prayer that he may give, preserve, and increase in us faith and the fulfillment of the Ten Commandments and remove all that stands in our way and hinders us in this regard. [3] That we may know what and how to pray, however, our LORD Christ himself has taught us both the way and the words, as we shall see.

It is faith, not our works, that brings us into God’s presence in prayer, for as it is written,

It might not be easy, but it is simple. Prayer is not easy because it is based upon faith. In prayer we draw near to God, although as Paul told the Greeks in Athens,

Acts 17:26–28 ESV

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

It is faith, not our works, that brings us into God’s presence in prayer, for as it is written,

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Teaching on the generosity of God, James writes a cautionary note concerning the importance of faith, saying,

James 1:5–8 ESV

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

After answering the unnamed disciple’s request with the words which guide us in prayer even today, Jesus gives us a lesson on the faithfulness and responsiveness of God the Father. Even as we, with our limitations, know not to give bad things when our children ask for the necessities of earthly life, God, out of His unlimited love gives us what we need for Kingdom life.

Luke 11:9–13 ESV

And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 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!”

God knows our frame; He knows that we are dust, as Abraham exclaimed when interceding for Sodom for the sake of his nephew, Lot.

Genesis 18:27 ESV

Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.

He knows that we cannot live in His Kingdom without His aid. We confess this in the Small Catechism concerning sanctification in the 3rd Article of the Apostle’s Creed:

The Lord knows that we cannot live in His Kingdom without His presence. Our Small Catechism teaches, concerning sanctification in the 3rd Article of the Apostle’s Creed:

Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions The Third Article: Sanctification

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise up me and all the dead and will give eternal life to me and to all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true.

We believe, teach, and confess that, as a free gift, God gives to us the Holy Spirit when He baptizes us into Christ. If you came to Bible Study, you learned about that over the past three weeks.

2 Peter 1:3–4 ESV

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

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Confirm Your Calling and Election

The same Holy Spirit who calls you and seals you, who sanctifies you and keeps you, also enables you and empowers you to pray:

Romans 8:15 ESV

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Romans 8:26–27 ESV

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

If you see the Spirit as passively watching us struggle against Satan and the Old Adam, you are completely wrong!

Philippians 2:13 UBS4 w/Swanson

θεὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ἐνεργῶν ἐν ὑμῖν καὶ τὸ θέλειν καὶ τὸ ἐνεργεῖν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐδοκίας.

You are asking, and God is working. You are groaning, and God is working. You are praising, and God is working. You are repenting, and God is working. In whatever element of prayer you are engaged, God is working. However you say it, whatever you brought to the “sweet hour of prayer,” God is the one who is working both the willing and the doing on behalf of the good will of God.

Ask me how I know! I dare you!

How do you know Pastor?

Can I show you?

Yes/Amen!

Romans 8:27–30 ESV

And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

That’s the plan of God! That’s why your prayers are always heard, and always answered!

Romans 8:31–39 ESV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It just doesn’t matter! It doesn’t matter whether we look like we are on top of the world, or look like we are in the valley of the shadow of death. It doesn’t matter whether we appear to be the head or the tail. It doesn’t matter whether we appear to be rich or poor!

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 ESV

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

We don’t even look at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen

And so we pray. M.C. Hammer sang “That’s why we pray, just to make it today,” but that’s too small. Our prayers aren’t last desperate gasps after a shadow of a hope. Our prayers are the fruit of faith, the substance of that for which we hope, and are the proof of the matters which we do not see! We don't pray in order to make it; we pray because in Christ, we’ve got it made!

So let the peace of God that passes all understanding guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen!