Luke 11:1. Example & Request.

Introduction

At the end of Luke 10, we saw in the example of Mary how we should listen to God—unhurried, undistracted, humbled before Him, a disciple learning from his or her Lord.

At the beginning of Luke 11, we will begin to explore how we should speak to God.

Luke 11:1- 13 is Jesus’ instruction on prayer.

[READING]

Luke 11:1–13 NASB95

1 It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” 2 And He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 3 ‘Give us each day our daily bread. 4 ‘And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’ ” 5 Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 8 “I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. 11 “Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 “Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? 13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

[PRAYER]

The heart of this passage is Jesus’ lessons on prayer, which includes...

…the model prayer in vv. 2-4.

…a lesson on perseverance in prayer in vv. 5-10.

…and a lesson on praying to our good Father in vv. 11-13.

But before the heart of this passage, we have the introduction to it in v. 1, which reads again...

Luke 11:1 NASB95

1 It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”

The heart of this passage is the heart of this passage, but it springs from what we read here in v. 1—the example of Jesus in prayer and the request of the disciples, “Lord, teach us to pray...”

I think this is where we must begin.

What was it about the praying of Jesus that caused His disciples to say, “Lord, teach us to pray”?

What is it about the praying of Jesus that should cause us to say the same?

In this sermon, we are going to look at the praying of Jesus throughout the gospels and then consider this question, “Do we really want to learn to pray?”

Major Ideas

The Example of Jesus (Lk. 11:1)

Luke 11:1 NASB95

1 It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”

[Exp] From the end of v. 1 we might think that it was jealousy that prompted the disciples of Jesus to makes this request. John the Baptist taught his disciples to pray; did the disciples of Jesus feel like they were missing out on something? Yes! But it wasn’t the praying that John the Baptist taught his disciples. It was the praying of Jesus that caused them to request, “Lord, teach us to pray...” Let’s not move too quickly past the beginning words of v. 1, “It happened that while Jesus was praying...”

Have you ever wondered how incredible it would have been to see Jesus restore a blind man’s sight or make a paralyzed man walk again?

Have you ever thought how incomprehensible it would have been to see Jesus walk on the sea or raise Lazarus from the dead?

Have we ever considered how miraculous it would have been just to listen to Jesus pray?

We can listen to Him pray. We have many of His prayers recorded in Scripture. What can we learn as we listen in? What can we learn from His example?

From Jesus, we learn that prayer is communion.

Luke 5:16 says...

Luke 5:16 NASB95

16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.

Jesus was often doing this. He was often slipping away to pray.

Matthew 14:23 NASB95

23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.

Mark 6:46 NASB95

46 After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.

Jesus was often leaving people to go commune with His Father.

[App] I intentionally use the word “commune” here because prayer is not just talking to God. It is intimate, heart-poured-out communication with God.

I talk to my neighbors. I pour out my heart to my wife. There is a difference in the intimacy level. Prayer is not just another word for talking to God. It’s communion with God. It’s intimate, heart-felt, and deep.

Because it was for Jesus, He was compelled to pray and devoted to it.

We have often heard that we need to be committed to prayer and disciplined for prayer, but if our experience with prayer was a true communion with our heavenly Father, we would not need so much commitment and discipline. We would actually be compelled to pray (pulled to it) and devoted to it as Jesus was.

Don’t waste your quarantine. You have ample time to pray like Jesus. You have ample time to slip away and commune with the Father.

From Jesus, we learn that prayer is continual.

Jesus was not only slipped away to pray; He prayed all the time.

He prayed before the heavens were opened at His baptism (Lk. 3:21). He prayed before His transfiguration (Lk. 9:28- 36). He prayed early in the morning (Mk. 1:35) and late at night (Lk. 6:12). He prayed before meals and miracles (Mk. 6:41). He prayed in private (Mt. 14:23) and in public (Mt. 11:25-26).

He even prayed on the cross.

Luke 23:34 NASB95

34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

Matthew 27:46 NASB95

46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Luke 23:46 NASB95

46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.

[App] All the time is the right time for prayer. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 we are told to pray without ceasing. That wasn’t the Apostle Paul’s idea. He learned it from his Lord, Jesus.

Have you learned it?

Have you learned to pray before, during, and after your meals?

Have you learned to give thanks to God for a drink of cold water?

Have you learned pray for those you call, text, or email? For visitors after they’ve left or even before they leave?

Have you learned to ask God to prepare you for the day ahead and to thank Him for the day that was?

Have you learned to rise early to pray? To stay up late to pray?

Have you learned to give thanks in the moment you are thankful?

Have you learned to ask for wisdom the moment you are confused?

Have you learned to confess the moment you have sinned?

Have you learned that prayer is to be continual?

From Jesus, we learn that prayer is courage.

In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus repeatedly prayed...

Luke 22:42 NASB95

42 saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

Anguished at the prospect of becoming sin on the cross and experiencing an interruption in what had eternally been perfect intimacy with the Father, Jesus prayed. What did He pray for?

In His humility, even though He knew there wasn’t, He prayed for another way—another way to redeem sinners other than His becoming sin on the cross—another way that wouldn’t require the Father to turn His face away as He paid the price for our sins through His own death.

But there was no other way, so what did Jesus pray? He prayed for the courage to obey, “…yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

[App] It takes courage to obey God, to follow His will rather than our own will. It takes courage to obey Him rather than follow the way of the world, which is following the way of Satan.

If we lack the courage to obey, it is likely because we lack the courage to pray.

We should learn to pray over aspect of our lives what Jesus prayed over His, “…not My will, but Yours bed done.”

From Jesus, we learn that prayer is comfort.

John 17 is a whole chapter of Jesus praying. He prays for His present disciples and future disciples. He prays that they (and we) would glorify God, be unified, be filled with joy, be sanctified, be faithful as those sent out to spread the Good News in Jesus, and that we would know the love of God.

Right before this prayer, Jesus told the disciples about His death and resurrection. They were grieved.

Right after this prayer, Judas betrayed Jesus and He was arrested, tried, and crucified.

Any sustaining comfort the disciples had during all that was because Jesus prayed for them.

[App] If you belong to Jesus—if you’ve given your heart to Him; if you’ve committed to following Him; if you’ve placed your faith and trust in Him as the sacrifice that paid the price for your sin and brought you back to God—then Jesus still prays for you.

Romans 8:34 NASB95

34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

Hebrews 7:25 NASB95

25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

These are challenging times, but following Jesus is always challenging. We draw comfort from our own praying; how much more so knowing that Jesus prays for us?

There’s more that could be said about the praying of Jesus. He prays for the glory of God (Jn. 12:27-28), for the good of others (Jn. 11:41-42), and depends on prayer for guidance on the way (Mk. 1:35ff). He warned against praying for show (Mt. 6:5-6), against meaningless repetition (Mt. 6:7), and comforts us with the assurance that the Father knows what we need even before we ask (Mt. 6:8).

But let’s turn our attention for a moment to the request of the disciples.

The Request of the Disciples (Lk. 11:1)

Luke 11:1 NASB95

1 It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”

This is the starting place for our own prayer life. Having marveled at the praying of Jesus, we make our request, “Lord, teach us to pray...”

There is a confession in this prayer. When we say, “Lord, teach us to pray,” we confess that we do not know how to pray as we ought.

There is humility in this prayer. When we say, “Lord, teach us to pray,” we sit like Mary at His feet and wait for His instruction.

There is expectation in this prayer. When we say, “Lord, teach us to pray,” we have no doubt that He will and that our praying will be richer for it.

[Illus] The Baptist minister and theologian, Andrew Fuller was at a conference when the person next to him was asked to pray. With embarrassment, he whispered to Fuller, “I do not know how to go on.” That is, the man didn’t know how to pray or what to pray about.

Andrew Fuller whispered back, “Tell the Lord so.”

No one else heard the conversation, but the man, taking Fuller’s advice, began to confess to the Lord that he didn’t know how to pray as he ought. He then begged God to be taught how to pray. And then he proceeded on with a wonderful prayer.

Confession. Humility. Expectation.

This must be the heart’s condition in prayer before we can learn properly from the model prayer Jesus gives us.

Is it yours?

Conclusion

You know, this sermon is an introduction to Jesus on prayer, but it’s also an invitation—it’s an invitation for you to give yourself to prayer as Jesus teaches us to pray.

Perhaps you’ve been a Christian for a long time and you think, “I know all I need to know about prayer.” As we continue to study through Luke 11:1-13, I’m asking you to take all you think you know about prayer and examine it against what Jesus teaches us here.

If what you know about praying matches with what Jesus teaches here, great! But if what you’re doing or not doing in prayer doesn’t match with what Jesus teaches, then let go of it, and pray in the way that Jesus teaches us here.

Perhaps though you’re not a Christian and you’re wondering how to begin in your relationship with Jesus. Well, for most of us it began with prayer. We confessed our sins, acknowledged that He is the Lord who died as our sacrifice and rose to make us right with God. And He saved us. I expect that He’ll do the same for you if you call on Him.

Because Jesus has opened the way, “let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith… let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need,” (Heb. 10:19-22; 4:16).