Teach Us To Pray

Luke 11:1-13

Deliver UsAs a teacher, I've overheard a lot of interesting things from my students. For instance, when Andrew—age 5 and very much into computers—was saying the Lord's Prayer, he did well till near the end when he said, "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from e-mail." Gusty Chartrand, "Kids of the Kingdom," Today's Christian (July/August 2003), p. 15

God Knows My Name – Jeff LowellMy 4-year-old son Jonathan was trying to learn the Lord's Prayer. He learned by listening at church each Sunday.On one Sunday as we were praying the Lord's Prayer, he could be heard above all the others, praying, "Our Father who art in Heaven, I know you know my name." Jeff Newton, Lowell, Indiana

Jesus gives a paradigm for prayer in our text this morningI do not believe Jesus taught this to be a word for word prayer repeated by all disciplesThe focus of this teaching has more to do with attitude than with the actual wordsJesus teaches us to pray with confidence

A Paradigm for Prayer (vv. 1-4)Jesus was praying & one of the disciples asked HimLord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples

Jesus says: When you pray, say:Father, God the Father is the focus of Jesus’ prayersJesus does teach elsewhere to pray in His name, but He directs us to pray to our Heavenly Father

Hallowed be your namePraise, adoration reverence are the beginning point for our prayers

Your kingdom comeSubmission & acknowledgement that the focus of all creation/history is God HimselfIt is signing on to His agenda over our own

Give us each day our daily breadSupplication for our daily needs But our needs follow His will

And forgive us sins,Confession – an acknowledgement that we need His forgiveness, because our sins are against Him first and foremostThis is the greatest of our daily needs

For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to usForgiving – an acknowledgement that we need to extend forgiveness as well as seek forgivenessThis is not optional – see Matthew 6:14-15

And lead us not into temptationAn acknowledgement of God’s sovereigntyGod does not tempt anyone – see James 1:13We are dependent on God’s leading, protection and provisionIt is a request to lead us away from temptation

Why the difference from Matthew? Is one inaccurate?The difference can be attributed to the fact that Jesus would have taught many different people to pray at different timesRemember Luke is writing a researched account of Jesus’ lifeHe is recording eye witness accounts

It is intentional because there are no magic words or incantationsPrayer is about intimacy and

communion with God, not ritualJesus was giving a pattern for prayer, not a specific prayer intended for repetitionEach of these elements of prayer are exercised from the heart by faith

Try This Simple Pattern – ACTS

A = AdorationC = ConfessionT = ThanksgivingS = Supplication

The Attitude of Prayer– Two Illustrations calling for confidenceGod is not stingy or reluctant (vv. 5-10)If you go to a friend for help in the middle of the night will they answer the door?You need to borrow some food for unexpected companyYour friend says to go away because they are already in bed for the night and the door is locked

Your friend will get up because you keep ringing the door bell, even though he does not want toHe will give you what you want because of your persistence

Jesus says it is very different with His FatherAsk of the Father, and He will give

to youSeek the Father, and He will be foundKnock on the Father’s Door, and He will open the door and let you in

The Father does not need to be manipulated or pesteredHe gives freely and generouslyHe only gives what is best for you, so sometimes He gives you something other than what you ask for (Better)He hears the first time you ask, so you can have confidence that He is working on it – patience is necessary for His perfect timing

God gives generously (vv. 11-13)Jesus assumes the answer is “No”If a child asks his father for a fish, will his father give him a snake instead?If a child asks his father for an egg, will his father give him a scorpion instead?If you 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?

The Father freely and generously gives that which is most valuable and useful – His own Holy SpiritRegenerationConvictionEternal lifeUnderstandingGuidanceSpiritual GiftsPowerHe provides for all our needs – Spiritual, physical & emotional

Therefore: Pray with confidenceOur Confidence in Christ – Ravi ZachariasFaith is confidence in the person of Jesus Christ and in his power, so that even when his power does not serve my end, my confidence in him remains because of who he is. Ravi Zacharias, Jesus Among Other Gods (Thomas Nelson, 2002), p. 58