April 18, 2021 Sunday Morning Service

I'm not that guy.

But we are in deep thinking about The Good the Bad and the Ugly and we've been doing that for the past few weeks, and we've been addressing. Parables that come from The Book of Luke. In fact in Luke's account. There are special parables in other words Parables that are not found in the other books of the Gospel accounts Matthew Mark and John do not record the ones that Luke has and so we're looking at a number of parables. From The Book of Luke specifically and we're looking at The Good the Bad and the Ugly that we can read about within those parables. But there's always a surprise ending to the way Loop tells the stories and so the good is not necessarily the good that we think would be good and the bed is not necessarily the the bad that we think would be bad. But we can all recognize the ugly within those stories. And so we'll be doing that. Once again this morning, coming from The Book of Luke chapter 11 where in God is compared to a Play man who has been bothered in his sleep. Someone comes to the door knocks on his door looking for help looking to feed his hunger and the man says I'm still sleeping my family still sleeping get out of here. So God is compared to that person to that individual and we'll be looking at in detail and just a little bit. But here we find Jesus pray. Jesus is praying. In fact, this is in the Book of Luke. There are nine prayers of Jesus alone. Seven of which are exclusive to the Book of Luke. You won't find those prayers in Matthew Mark and John but only a loop and so as we consider the prayer life of Jesus. Think of a story of a dad and a son who had gone out to breakfast early one day and they arrived at the diner in the diner was hopping there was people everywhere and when I sat down at the counter that realized it was too loud to hear themselves Pride so Dad leaned over to the sunny says here's what we'll do. We'll just have a silent.

And so Dad about his head and he began to pray the sun about his head and he began to pray. After a few seconds dad lifted up his head he saw that his son's head was still down in French. Few more seconds later. He said he sees a son head still down praying. What happened sometime in the sun lifted up his head and his dad said to the son. He said son. That was some wrong prayer that you won't be praying about it was how would I know? What's a silent prayer?

But it all begins that story that was full. By the way. Our brother Caden did a great job and reading always does a great job in Reading scripture. And we're thankful that he is able to do that so eloquently and and so we're thankful that he did and does read those for us. And yes, I was supposed to I like to give him some time to prepare but I sent him a text this morning at 9 a.m. But they deny that I sent it at 9 and said they received it at 9:30. So again, that puts me in a bad spot. So he didn't have as much time for prayer for the reading as he normally would so but we are thankful for is reading it on the spur of the moment. Do it all begins with Jesus pray and has the passage began it says and as he was praying. Not interested in seiples come to Jesus. Anderson Lord, teach us to pray So, what does that mean? They're growing up in Judaism. These young men have been to the temple, but I have been to the synagogues and thought they were groomed at the age of 12. to learn things about Judaism especially prayer now before they were Disciples of Jesus. They were Disciples of John. Running John's Ministry, we can read that John taught his disciples to pray. So now they're coming to Jesus and they're saying Lord would you teach us to pray? So it's not like they didn't know how to pray that her prayers all their lives. They were taught to pray in the synagogues and the temple by the rabbis John also taught them how to pray. But there's something about the prayer of Jesus that moved and that compelled them to say there's something different about the way he praised. And it's even different than the way John taught us to pray.

And what makes the difference as we see we find that when Jesus begins to pray. The emphasis of his prayers is not on himself.

How many of us when we pray? We Begin our prayers by saying dear Lord I want this I want that. I want that. I want this. I want this I want that. Can you do this for me and Mimi Mimi Mimi?

Jesus doesn't pray like that.

And so we'll take a look at that prayer in death, but we all have our inadequacies when it comes to our prayer life and other words. Sometimes we forget to pray. Sometimes we don't have a consistent prayer life and sometimes we don't even pray. Right sometimes there Seasons without prayer. But Jesus is an example for us and everything that we do in life in word and deed and actions in teaching and so it is with his prayer line. And so the point that the disciples are driving out here is not really good so much to teach him how to pray but to teach them to focus on God. In Jesus's prayer life in all its prayers. The focus is on God and God's will. Not at all. He's always praying that God will help others. That God will help the spread of the Gospel that God will help the church that he's going to build.

And he doesn't say Lord, please. Please don't let me have to die. You never praised that. He came close to it on the cross before before going to the Cross. He's praying in the garden. What's sweat dropping down like blood dripping off his body? any size father What does cup pass for me but then he stops and says. Not my will your will another words? Yeah, I know. I have to go to the cross.

And I fear it. But I'm going to go through with it because that is your will for me. You know we sing that song he could have called Ten Thousand Angels know he couldn't. No, he couldn't. Because he was devoted to God and his will. He was going to that cross. Yes, it is. Yes in a sense. He could have called Ten Thousand Angels but his heart was directed ever toward Heaven and the only way for him to reach having successfully was to do the father's will and he knew that he had to suffer. He knew he had to die in order to be successful.

That he saw the joy set before him.

He counted it as Joy To Die For You think about that? That's why we come here every Lord's Day. Every Sunday every first day of the week would come here because we remember our our friend in our brother. Who said dog I love you, and I'm going to die for you. I don't have anyone. That is ever said that to me and I don't even know if I had anyone in my life that even has that sort of inclination to say I'll lay down my life for you. Boy, is that takes some courage and Jesus was about courage. He's our example. These are examples for courage. So we look and sometimes we can stare death in the face. But we ought to bear in mind the face of Jesus as we do so, you know sometime.

And I remember in that movie that Paul was in prison with the rest of those Christians. An outside that prison that can hear the Roar of the Lions remember there were going to unleash the lines upon the Christians now, this is fanciful. I get it we can't read about this in the Bible that we can read about it and secular history. It's so when we read the thoughts of that account into that movie, we see Paul talking to the Christians and it can only imagine what was going through their minds because as soon as I stepped out into the arena that Coliseum those lines are going to tear them apart. Unless unless they said Christ is not my king. Caesar is Alaska right now, it's Jesus unless they renounce everything that they never believed in. But they wouldn't do that. It's all in the movie Paul goes and turns to this little boy and he says it's only going to hurt for a moment.

That's what that is 4 many for many of us. It's going to hurt for a moment. So we all hope and pray that we died in her sleep right before that. I'm not going past where I can't see my feet any longer. Alright, I want to see what you wanted by me. Okay, and I don't want to die in Jaws mouth. Right? I've seen that movie you have to and that just doesn't look too Pleasant to me. so be my luck that I will die. But that Jesus is our example and everything to death. It doesn't bother us because there's a better place that we're going based upon the promises of Jesus and we stand on those promises. We live on those promises. We make those promises a part of our lives. How do you say well I might be too simple. can the blood of Jesus Christ cleanse every stained and every sin you can you got to believe it because it will so he's playing and it looking at Jesus Mercedes something about him. Why is he so close to God? How is it that he is so focused upon God. because when he prays he honors God. and it's

There's a model prayer and if you remember you can say it the way you remembered it, but let's say it together Our Father in heaven Hallowed be your name.

Right off the bat. Who is he praying to his father? What's he saying about his father? You are great. Your name? your Authority Everything that makes you the God and Father of Creation in all this world you are to be hollowed you are to be revered. And that's what really our worship is about prayer is worship. And when you come to God you're bowing down before the Creator In Worship. And how do you approach God? How do you approach your father? Who is so magnificent? So Graceful. He says your kingdom come. Well in our situation the kingdom has come Jesus has established his church his kingdom the Bible tells us that we have been conveyed or translated into the kingdom of his dear son 1st Corinthians chapter 4 chapter 15 verse 24 tells us that when Jesus comes back again, he's going to deliver the kingdom back to the father show. The kingdom has been established. It's the church. It's the people And Jesus talks planning about the kingdom. It is 3-year Ministry and he says that all those who are followers of me. They are part of the Kingdom part of the church. Your will be done whatever you have asked men to do. Whatever you have provided the world to do. That's your will your will be done whether people know about your will or not your will be done. Where on Earth? As it is in heaven. Yeah, the Holy Angels. They're doing God's will in heaven. And we're doing God's will hopefully on Earth give us day by day our daily bread. Now. Think about this. He says give us our bread Our Daily Bread. So he's talking about the necessities of life is not just talking about bread on her own but that stands as a representative of the basic necessities of life bread the fundamentals. And he says give us this day our daily bread. Now, he doesn't mean the bread going to fall from the sky. You got to do something to get the bread over and over again. We find scriptures that says pray for wisdom. Does that mean I can just sit back after I prayed for wisdom and think that God is going to let it drop from the sky. No, he says let the word of Christ dwell in your heart. Richly. That's how you attained wisdom. You got to do something. so everything that says God gives he doesn't get it automatically, but does give it upon faithful obedience to his will So he says and forgive us our sins.

For we have also forgiving everyone who is indebted to us who has sinned against us. And do not lead us into temptation, but Deliver Us from Evil and God knows what we'd anybody into temptation. It's a figure of speech you're saying don't let me get tempted. Don't let me fall prey to it.

Help me find a way to avoid it. That's what Paul says the 1st Corinthians chapter 13 and verse 10. He says and he will provide an escape for every temptation. And so you says Deliver Us from the evil one. The King James says from evil, but it's really the evil one the temperature. Deliver Us from him but we also have to take an active role. In being delivered from the evil one. We still have to obey his will to do so. And so we find here that Jesus is showing us how to prep destroy his disciples initially, but he's showing us how to pray. again when we pray Are Wiis asking God for everything? That's good for me. Are we praying for my mom and dad are we praying for my sons and daughters? Are we praying for the people in my life? Are we praying for the sick and infirm are we praying for the leaders of this country? Are we praying for the leaders of this world? Are we praying for the expansion of God's kingdom and are we praying to God saying Lord help me to be an example to everybody so that this glorifies you that's the point the prayers of Jesus was all about glorifying father. How does your prayer make God the Father great?

That's what the disciples noticed. They knew how to pray. But I didn't know how to pray like Jesus Jesus came along and said it's about focusing your attention. It's putting all the effort is on gum. That's how you stay god-centered. God-centered they wanted to know why Jesus. How do you keep your self centered on the phone? Here's how I do it. Look at the prayer.

Pray that God does great things in the work of the kingdom in the work of the church pray that Souls will be saved because primarily Jesus came to seek and save the Lost. He did not come to work miracles in my life or we work miracles in your life. He came to seek and save the lost. That's why I get so aggravated when people start talking about miracles in their life and yet they have never obey the will of God. Are you telling me that Christ is more concerned about working a miracle in your life then saving your soul. That just doesn't make sense.

The Miracles were only produced to confirm the message. Because they didn't have a book. They didn't have a Bible that they could turn to. And say well I know what you said, but that contradicts what it says here that we could do that today. They didn't have the New Testament that time in written form. The Bible tells us that they had a new testament in Earthen vessels that is through inspired many apostles and the prophets. The one they spoke. Well, that's when men began to write.

And those people were Guided by the Holy Spirit to make sure that the writing was accurate. And so they had the word of God or Ali. But here we find. That this was necessary for the unfolding of Revelation on Revelation ceased. So didn't the Miracles. The Bible tells us clearly in Mark chapter 16 verse 20, it says and wisdom accompanying signs confirming the word of God what company size miracles? notice accompanying accompany accompany accompanying easy for me to say accompanying signs confirming the word other words the Miracles weren't just out the produce something that would make you go. Wow. The Miracles accompanied the teaching the preaching in order for you to say you know, what? That guy is a person of God. He's a man of God. How do I know because he worked a miracle. And therefore if the miracle is true, his word is true. Not better believe it.

And so the Jews all understood that remember when Nicodemus came to Jesus by night you said rap about we know that no, man can do these things except God be with him. God was with those who were preachers and teachers of his will and order that it be taught accurately. I saw the whole point in this prayer is to draw attention to God who has given all of that give it all us all of us the spiritual sustenance to maintain us to build us up to give us an inheritance.

That's how Jesus Take Focus. That's how Jesus stay focused on his 3-year Ministry. That's how Jesus stayed focused on his way to the cross. That is how Jesus stay focused while he was hanging on the cross. Does he not quotes on 22? He quotes on 22. My God my God. Why have you forsaken me and we stop right there and we think all that's what he said in God must have for supper Jesus. That's not what happened because we have to read the next 20 some odd verses that follow Jesus knew that passage. It was what David wrote when David wrote that that's how David. What has wearied and David on both for us his thoughts from the very first thought we find that David says but you have heard me you are with me. And Jesus is pointing that out to the Jews. That's why those who were standing by spitting at him taking you still blasting him. And he's making it known know my father is with me. He has not abandoned me read the 22nd song. That's probably about all he could do to muster saying that out loud my God my God. Why have you forsaken me?

Calling attention to that fact. And so as we can serve. this bottle prayer I can process quote from the Super Bowl quarterback Tom Brady. Now. This guy's got it. All this guy is a good-looking guy. He's got a supermodel for a while as the guys worth about four hundred million dollars. His wife is worth close to a billion dollars. The men that what they don't have to worry about everything and yet this guy still plays and plays out of caliber. That's way up here and he's 42 years old. Now in football life that is ancient. Because when you are young man, you get a bruise that bruise goes away the next day when you turn in your forties and you get a bruise that hurts and it stays with you for a while. So recovery time from injury is a lot longer. But this guy has managed to do that. Look at what he says. He says, I mean maybe a lot of people would say. Hey man, this is what it is. I reached my goal my dream me I think God has got to be more than it's got to be more than this.

Now he mentions God. And he understands just got to be more than this. but notice he doesn't put God. With or attached to it's got to be more than this. There is more to this life. Come it is God. And our life is all about God. You say he's trying to think God. There's got to be more than me winning. All these Super Bowl titles in all these blessings that I have. Yes, there is it's doing God's will it's glorifying God brother and when we pray we need to glorify God. We need to make our God grant. We got to unlearn the things that we born in our prayer life because praying is about honoring him. Again, it's not about me. It's about him. It's about his will and his work. It's about others. We always say this during the Christmas season. It's about joy, and we use that acronym Joy Wright Jesus others and yourself. Well, that's the way it is and all of life. It's about Jesus first. It's about others second. And then when you get around to it if there's enough time pray for yourself. Pray for yourself. Remember the Lord knows what's in your heart. He knows before you even ask what you need in your life. But he wants you to acknowledge Him. And his great name we sing a song. As the deer panteth for the water so my soul Longs after the right have you ever said that in your prayer

That's what prayer is for. God is not a genie on a string. That one you were trouble boom you pull that string. Hey, help me out. It's a daily walk with god with the savior. petitioning him with things that make him look good on him with the prayer honor him with everything. That includes praying for others. So the disciples look at Jesus and they say we want that relationship that you have with the father. And we want to have that same relationship. with the father

But the point of it is that we can learn that. Jesus doesn't come along and say well, you know, I do it, but I don't think you can do it. So he offers them a suggestion here and he offers us that same suggested. He says hey. This is what you can do. Pray like this. That's why we call it the model prayer. It's not the Lord's Prayer. If you want to read The Lord's Prayer go home later this evening and read John chapter 17. That's the Lord's Prayer.

But this is the model for this is basically what Jesus saying. Use these words use these Concepts in your prayer. father God pray for others pray for the necessities of life. It's kind of like Matthew chapter 6 verse 33 well-known passage seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. So you follow the model prayer Jesus you pray the way Jesus prayed glorifying God. Asking God to use you. In expanding the kingdom to do that you what you can do to help God. We're going to pray for the necessities of life. Pray for others and their well-being that they too might find Jesus Christ and then all these things. Shall be added unto you.

Maybe we don't have all these things added unto us because our prayer lives are so poor. James tells us about the proper way of praying, doesn't it? Pray without doubt pray without ceasing pray in the right way. We can't be asking Lord Make Me a Millionaire today Lord. Send me $20,000 today Lord. Please. Give me that Ferrari I've been looking at for the past 20 years. It's frivolous. And you know it and I know it and those things are going to fade away and as they say you can't take it with you when you go just junk. But your soul lives on forever. And so Jesus is focus is what is going to sustain your soul into eternity the spiritual things of life. None of that stuff really matters. But we make it so we make it our goal to have those things. And Jesus says that's just not the good way to go. That's all we need to pray with passion Psalm. 31:3 says for the sake of your name lead and guide me for the sake of your name use me. Leave me help me to help somebody. And that's not just in the manner of giving them food and water it would include that. But help them with their spiritual life. She's not all about me. It's about me helping others. That's the church. That's what the church is responsible to do. You know, we look in the Old Testament and we look in the New Testament and you don't necessarily read anything about Psychiatry or psychology. You'll read about psychologists. You don't read about Christians in the first century going to their shrink, right? What did they have?

one another one another and God one another in God, that's it. No, please don't get me wrong. There is a place where all of that medical necessity as it relates to psychology and psychiatry. But first and foremost, we need to rely upon each other in the church. Those disciplines they offer some good methods of doing things. But you know what most of Psychology today. Is not focused upon God at all. It's focused upon humanism. What in the end in the final analysis? It's making you a better person making you to be the best that you can be. Not necessarily having God in your life. And so a lot of these things come from Psychiatry and psychology and did you know the root word for psychology is the word Spirit soul.

Atheistic psychiatrist Psychiatry and psychology does not help the soul. It's contrary to the very meaning of Suki. Psych Absol spirit and so we need to help one another that's what the church is for. We need to pray to God. Yes. We have our own needs to pray for so don't misunderstand me you pray for God first glorify God you pray for others next they need to pray for your needs, but not before you do all of that. And then ask God to help you in your life. It may be emotional and maybe psychological. It may be Financial. It may be. That you're hoping that'll be enough chicken at taxes when you get there.

But you know what I'm talking about. We need to glorify God and give everything I have in passion in my prayer life to him doing good things not for me, but the honor God Lord help me to help this individual whether it be materially or spiritually but help me so that it glorifies you. That's what we're told what we're to be about. And here's another Point your prayer. And your prayer list reveals your hunger pains? Matthew Chapter 5 tells us we are to hunger and thirst for righteousness.

What are you hungry for in your prayers? Is it for you to be satisfied?

Or God be glorified and others helped the kingdom spread the gospel message accepted Soul saved.

Sony the hunger and thirst for God and remember just like Matthew chapter 6 verse 33 seek, first the kingdom of God and his right doing is right there and then all these things shall be added unto you but it's always God first. It's like when Jesus came preaching the kingdom he says this is how you're supposed to pray in My Kingdom, but we come to his kingdom. It's my will be done. I die will be done. We give it to him leave it to him. He knows far more and is far better and intelligent than URI. He knows what we need before we even ask it. Now we'll come back to this next week. We'll come back to chapter 11 beginning verses 5 and 8 next week. This wasn't meant to be apart. One part two sermon, but it will it is it turned out to be so we'll come back to this next week, but I want to understand glorify God and all that you say and all that you do and one way to glorify God Is by doing what he says and Jesus says he that believes and is baptized shall be so you can do that today. You can be assured of your salvation. You can be assured of knowing that you've been added to his church by him not by me or anyone else. You can know that your sins are forgiven.

And in doing so you can glorify God by doing what he says. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved shall be sick. You want to glorify God today do that? Perhaps you've done that, but you haven't been so devoted to God. Perhaps you've wandered away like the prodigal Raw prodigals. But Jesus says come back home. All you need to do is repent. Repent and you know what when you repent that is when you change your mind about things you're glorifying God your glory flying your father doing what he says do if you're subjected an imitation of Christ this morning want to come together as we stand.