Luke 11:1-13 Lord Teach us to Pray

New Year 2012

A worthy Resolution Jonathan Edwards ( ) Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.

Resolution: Be a people of prayer Allow God’s Spirit to kindle in us or re-kindle in us a new desire and a deeper longing for communication and communion with Him. We stand before God with all our helplessness and emptiness and can be assured that He cares, He hears, and He acts when we pray.

1. Luke 11:1 An Exemplar A. Jesus: The Exemplar Exemplar: means a person or thing serving as a typical example or excellent model. Prayer is a repeated theme in the Gospels, especially in Luke’s writings- The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts Luke 11:1 One day Jesus was praying...

A. Jesus: The Exemplar E. Stanley Jones: Prayer is not only the refuge of the weak; it is the reinforcement of the strong The Strongest Character that ever lived on earth lived the life of Prayer The sinless perfect Son of God felt the need for being in uninterrupted communion with His Father in heaven in order to carry out His mission on earth.

B. The Disciples’ request: an Exemplar Luke 11.1 Lord Teach us to Pray The disciples did not ask- Teach us to Cast out demons, heal the sick, turn water into wine etc...But To pray Disciple- leaner- In school Jesus- the Master- He grants their request immediately.

Andrew Murray Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only how to pray. He did not speak much of what was needed to preach well, but much of praying well. To know how to speak to God is more than knowing how to speak to man. Not power with men, but power with God is the first thing. Jesus loves to teach us to pray. (With Christ in the School of Prayer, 16)

2. A. What is Prayer? Communion with God Human speech addressed to God Relationship/Friendship with God Exodus 33:11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Listening and talking to God – Participation. Presence of God

2. B.What Prayer is not- Magic. Arm-twisting “Prayer is not bending God to my will, but it is a bringing of my will into conformity with God's will, so that his will may work in and through me” - E stanley Jones Getting what you want Controlling God

Jonathan Edwards- “God alone moves Himself, but He has decided to show His mercy in response to prayer.” In commenting on the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel of God- he suggests- God did not need Jacob's wrestling with him in order to make Him willing to bless him. God was willing before and came to him, with the design to bless him.

3. The Sovereignty of God, Prayer and Revival If God is in control of everything- why do we need to pray? It is because God is in control of everything that we can pray and expect Him to answer. He has the Power to answer He want to partner with His people to bring about His purposes.

3. The Sovereignty of God, Prayer and Revival 1904 – revival in Wales My work is confined to prayer, and it is to such that I have devoted myself in the last 25 years. I work as hard at prayer as I had undertaken any other form of religious work. By preaching I would reach a limited few- by prayer I can reach the whole of mankind for God- (Evan Roberts, Oct 1932).

Conclusion The Lord’s Prayer: The Exemplar Jesus teaches his disciples what it means to pray according to God’s Will. Reveals who God is, Who we are and in that light of that knowledge, how we are to pray and what we are to pray for.

Main points Luke 11:1 an exemplar of Prayer – Jesus as the perfect model for us to imitate and the request of his disciples as a model of coming to learn from Jesus. What prayer is and what prayer is not; and God’s sovereignty and prayer fit together to bring about his purposes in this world as answers to prayers of his people.

Application – Prayer at UC Prayer Through the Ages course (Jan 22-Mar 4, Sunday mornings 8:45am- 9: 45am) taking place at UC. The focus of the course is on prayer and deepening our own devotional lives. Feb All-night concert of prayer (beginning of lent) Feb 26 (week off, or prayer time together reflecting on the night of prayer) Prayer retreat with Bruce and Carolyn Hindmarsh (Faculty of Regent College) – Mar 10 Regular prayer meetings – 3 rd Tuesday of the month at 7:30pm. Lead by one of the Leadership Team members and open to all members of the congregation. Early Morning Prayer – am from Monday to Friday. Prayer during communion every week

Luke 11:1-11 Lord Teach us to Pray