Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: Divine Petitions, Part 2

Theme: Examining the Prayer Life of Christ

Series: Grasping the Foundational Truths of Prayer

“During the days of Jesus' life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save Him from death, and He was Heard because of His reverent submission.”

(Hebrews 5:7)

The only prayers that are heard or answered yes to, are those that are offered up for the glory of God

Matthew Henry wrote: “The prayers and supplications that Christ offered up were joined with strong cries and tears, herein setting us an example not only to pray, but to be fervent and [ be urgently persistent] in prayer.”

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia tells us that prayer is “Communion with God, usually comprising of petition, adoration, praise, confession and thanksgiving.

The ultimate object of prayer in both Old and New Testament is not merely the good of the petitioner, but the honor of God’s Name.”

The only prayers that are heard or answered yes to, are those that are offered up for the glory of God.

Salvations are given when people pray that God will glorify Himself in the redeeming of a sinful soul.

I would propose to you that during the days of Jesus’ life on this earth, He prayed “Divine Petitions” that were for the honor of God, His Father.

Christians are to look to Him and say, “Lord teach me to pray.” (Luke 11:1)

Just what did Jesus pray for while He walked on this earth?

Prayers Prayed During His Ministry

The Scriptural accounts of the prayer life of Christ may be divided into four different groups.

We have already considered one group which was “Prayers Prayed at Critical Moments of Christ’s Life.”

The other groups are, “Prayers that Christ Prayed During His Ministry,” “Prayers at His Miracles,” and “Prayers that Christ Prayed for Others.”

Let us first start with “Prayers Prayed During His Ministry.”

Luke 5:16 says “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Mark 6:44 says, “After leaving them, He went up on the mountainside to pray.”

Both of these passages of Scripture follow the Biblical accounts of miracles performed by Jesus Christ.

In Luke Jesus heals a man from leprosy and in the Book of Mark, Jesus had just fed thousands from five loaves of bread and two fish.

In both of these passages of Scripture we read of Jesus’ habitual life of prayer, even during very busy times.

Great crowds would come to hear and to be healed of their illnesses.

Never has anyone done as much public good as Christ has done and we read clearly that Jesus made time for heartfelt prayer.

He prayed, though He had so much preaching, teaching, healing and training to do.

He was much in prayer, often in prayer and at times long in prayer.

He needed, desired and enjoyed fellowship with God His Father in prayer while on this earth.

Jesus set the example for us.

Thus, Christians need, should desire and enjoy the fellowship that comes with being with our Lord alone in prayer.

When Christians begin to be used of God in some powerful way they must be much more in prayer and at times long in prayer and most certainly alone with God in prayer.

When crowds begin to gather, the Holy Spirit will prompt Christians to seek places where they can get alone with God and pray.

This will protect them from distractions and ostentation.

These are two things that have destroyed many a child of God, brought disgrace upon many a ministry and brought Christ to public disgrace.

It is only good wisdom for Christians to order their affairs in a way that their public work with the Lord does not destroy quality prayer time.

Christians must do as Christ did, which was to get alone with God in prayer.

Jesus prayed at His miracles

Scripture records Christ praying after God had used Him greatly in ministry and at His miracles.

This is the third group in which Jesus’ prayers may be placed.

Jesus prayed at His miracles.

In Mark 6:41 we read of Jesus, “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks.”

Before the miracle of feeding the five thousand men, not counting women and children, our Lord prayed.

Jesus looking up to heaven and giving thanks shows us clearly that we should recognize that God is sovereign, the supplier of all good things.

God is the one who is able to provide for the needs of people in every realm of life.

Not only does this show the fitness and correctness of grace before meals, it shows forth that God is to be sought for the provision of food for the hungry.

Another time Jesus prayed before a miracle was in healing of a deaf and mute man, thus showing us that divine petition gets deliverance of bodily afflictions as God wills.

Mark 7:32, 34 says; “…some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk and they begged Him to place His hand on the man.

He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh, said ‘Ephpharha! which means opened!’”

Our text says with a deep sigh (stenaco) meaning here to be a silent prayer offered up with a heartfelt groan.

Dr. Walter Wessell put it this way, “...sighing that accompanied the concealed communion of Jesus with the Father.”

Jesus was not sighing here because of the difficulty in working the miracle or obtaining power from God to perform it.

Rather He was touched by human infirmity and was sympathetic with the affliction of the man.

From that communion came forth a single spoken Word meaning to be opened (dianoigo).

As it is used here it means “To open the ears, eyes, understanding, and spiritual heart.”

(Zodhiates Word Studies) In other words, this miracle was performed for the purpose of bringing a physical release accompanied by spiritual understanding of the heart for spiritual things.

Christ speaks here as one who has authority and power.

Our Lord had such power in prayer because of His heartfelt compassion and the communion He had with His Father through prayer.

I am personally convinced that it is possible for Christians to obtain such a prayer life with the Lord that they can receive such compassion for the physically afflicted.

When led by the Holy Spirit, they can pray with inward groaning, which enables them to pray forth words of healing.

Another time when Jesus’ prayers which brought forth a miracle was at the raising of Lazarus.

John 11:1 says, “...Jesus looked up and said ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard Me.’”

Often we read of Jesus looking up or making some expression that shows clearly that His heart and mind were focused toward heaven, toward His Father.

The secret to receiving miracles is not lifting of the eyes or hands, but the heartfelt prayer which is ascended upward to God.

In raising of Lazarus, Christ was looking beyond the grave, overlooking the difficulties at hand and fixing His eyes upon the Father who loved Him.

Christians must look beyond their circumstances, set all affections upon their God who loves them, and enter into His presence through Christ who purchased them with His blood.

Our Lord addresses God with such great assurance and confidence, “...I thank you that you have heard Me.” (John 11:41) The Greek word for “heard” (akauso) here means, “...To hear so as to grant what is spoken.”

Jesus who was to defeat death just after the Passover, speaks forth His authority over death and raises Lazarus from the dead.

Christ sets forth an example for us.

First, in prayer we are to call to God our Father and draw close to Him with humble reverence and yet with a holy boldness.

The best way to do this is to understand what it means to abide in Christ.

“Abide” (meinette) means “...to remain in or with someone, to be and remain united with him, one with him in heart, mind and will.”

It is then Christians can have full fellowship with God and pray Holy Spirit led prayers.

Second, in our prayers we must praise Him.

Going to the mercy seat thankfully, acknowledging Him for former mercies received.

Pray for miracles that will cause people to see and believe in Christ and that glorify God.

That is why Jesus said in His prayer, “Father, I thank you that you have heard Me.

I knew that you always hear Me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent Me.” (John 11:41-42) Matthew Henry in his exposition of John 11:41 wrote; “First, Christ speaks of this miracle as answer to prayer.

Secondly, Christ is assured that His prayer was answered, therefore, He professes.”

As Christ honors and has faith in prayer, so should Christians.

Merril C. Tenney gives us this understanding: “He thanked God for already answering.

So great was Jesus’ faith in the Father that He knew that the miracle was necessary to His mission, therefore it was as good as done when He prayed.”

The faith that Christ was standing on was the fact that Lazarus was going to be raised from the dead.

We know that Christ knew His mission regarding Lazarus before He even went to Bethany.

Jesus said to His disciples when He heard that Lazarus was sick, “This sickness will not end in death.

No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

(John 11:4) He most certainly understood from communion with His Father in prayer what His task was.

He clearly told His disciples that “Lazarus is dead.”

(John 11:14) and He said, “I am going to wake him up.”

(John 11:11)

H. R. Reynalds writes; “This is the true mystery and meaning of prayer.

[Jesus’] words confess the Divine eternal will [of God].”

Christians who remain united with Christ in heart, mind, and will, can be used of God to pray for awesome miracles that would bring glory to Christ and God.

In our church office we have a CD with the testimony of Joshua Youssef on it.

He is the son of Dr. Michael Youssef and while he was living in disobedience, he was chastised by the Lord.

Our Lord’s disciplinary actions toward Joshua ended with him in the emergency room, with his best friend out on a river in a life threatening situation.

A Holy Spirit filled nurse who knew what it meant to truly abide in Christ was helping to attend to the wounds of Joshua Youssef.

She asked Joshua if she could pray for him and his friend, upon which she was given permission.

The Holy Spirit literally revealed to this nurse the will of God as she prayed.

The prayer was answered exactly as the nurse spoke in her prayer.