Jesus, a Man of Prayer

Luke 11:1-13

Do not pray like the Pharisees: showy displays

Do not pray like the heathen: vain repetition

The model: (Luke 11:1-13)

• Simple

• Comprehensive

• Brief

He directed attention to the necessity of:

• Perseverance (Luke 11:1-13; 18:1-5)

• Harmony (Matthew 18:19)

• Strong faith (Matthew 21:22)

• Large expectation (John 16:23,24)

Lessons learned from the request, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

• Jesus practiced what we would call ‘family’ prayer (as the head of a household)

• Jesus practiced ‘private’ prayer (personal fellowship w/God His father)

• When the disciples heard Him pray, they were painfully conscious of their own incapacity

Provisions of Christ’s Prayer Lesson

• The desire for ideas

• The desire for words

• The desire for faith

The three possible answers to prayer

1. Yes

2. No

3. Wait

Major subdivisions

1. God’s glory

2. Man’s good

Addressed to ‘our Father’ – as members of a divine family

The Lord’s Prayer: A “lesson for children, for spiritual minors, for Christians in the crude stage of the divine life, afflicted with confusion of mind, dumbness, dejection, unable to pray for want of clear thought, apt words, and above all, of faith that knows how to wait in hope” (The Training of the Twelve, A.B. Bruce, p. 53).

The Lesson Illustrated

Parable: The intolerant neighbor: Keep praying…the answer’s coming

Parable: The heartless father: Even the worst parent does good things for a child

Christ’s case for the fulfillment of the apostle’s desires is based on:

1. Bold

a. Christ used ‘poor’ samples of mankind to make His point

b. The intolerant neighbor and the heartless father are below the ‘human average’ of standard virtue

2. Understanding

a. Sometimes we think of God in this way

b. Even if God is like these ‘lowly humans’ (which He is not), pray on…persevere

3. Wise

a. He does not attempt to show why sanctification is a gradual, slow process

b. He only tells them that they will not wait in vain

4. Logical

a. Argument #1: Hope in God, even in the darkest hour, when He appears indifferent to our cry, or positively unwilling to help – keep asking!

b. Argument #2: If God refused to hear His children’s prayers, or worse, if He mocked them by giving them something bearing a resemblance to the things asked for, only to cause bitter disappointment when the deception was discovered, then He is not only as bad as, but far worse than, even the most depraved of mankind.

Source: The Training of the Twelve, A.B. Bruce, pp. 52-68

Application

• All Christians should pray

• Prayer is based on reason

• God hears our prayers (even when there appears to be no answer)

• Our prayers can be simple, comprehensive and brief

• The possible answers to prayer

1. Yes

2. No

3. Wait