Lord Teach Me to Pray. (Luke 11: 1-13)
Most of our problems in life revolve around relationships and conflicts and I sometimes wish that the Lord were here to give us some insight into such things. If he were here I wonder in what way would he teach us and what would he expect us to do?
What world happen if the Apostle Paul was hear, what would he teach us and what would he expect us to do.
What would Paul or Jesus do today if he were here? I've often wondered that. From what I have been able to glean from the New Testament, I think the answer would be that they would start what we today call a church.
Meaning he would gather a group of people, teach them and then expect them to go out and spread the word and teach others.
But are you aware there is only one passage in the New Testament that talks about what we would today call a church service, it’s in 1 Corinthians 14, and they have an unbeliever coming to church.
Same thing, happens, in James 2, although that's a little different, because James is talking about a synagogue in that passage.
At any rate, just suppose Jesus were here and we're going to teach a group of people. Well, let's turn the clock back to the 1st century, and look at that today because in this passage Jesus own disciples came to him and asked him to reach them, lets see what he said.
It's in Luke Chapter 11, Luke Chapter 11, beginning with verse one.
1: One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2: He said to them, “When you pray, say:” ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. You will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
3: Give us each day our daily bread.
4: Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”
5: Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6: a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7: And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8: I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
9: “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10: For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
11: “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12: Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13: If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
(Luke 11: 1-13)
This passage is incredibly simple in structure.
First of all, there's they ask a question. Then there is the model prayer, known as the Lord's prayer. After that, he tells them a couple of parables to make a very critical observation about prayer. But all of this has to do with the question they asked, so let's first look at their question.
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
(Luke 11: 1)
So, they say, "Lord, teach us, as John also taught his disciples." Now, John taught his disciples how to pray, so Jesus' disciples said, "Hey, John taught people how to pray. Teach us how to pray."
John the Baptist was a rather remarkable figure. The Spirit of God filled him in the mother's womb. He's the one that introduced the Messiah to the wider population. He's the one that Jesus said was the greatest prophet who ever lived. Yet he too was someone who needed to come before the Lord and pray, and he taught others to do so also.
It’s fascinating to note that Jesus also prayed before all the key points in his life and ministry so far. Jesus prayed at his baptism. He prayed before he chose the 12. He prayed as the crowd increased. He prayed before that great confession by Peter. He prayed on the mount of transfiguration.
The Gospel of Luke up till this point, is sprinkled with references to Jesus praying. So the disciples saw Jesus pray. Perhaps that impressed them, and they knew that the disciples of John were also being taught by John to pray. So those two things combined, and they said, "Teach us to pray."
Now, you will recognize that what follows is the prayer that is commonly called the Lors prayer and the full version is found in Matthews account of the Sermon on the Mount.
The Sermon on the Mount is recorded in Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7, and I do a full explosion of it over 5 episodes when I covered those chapter back in our time together studying Matthew.
Now this is what is commonly called the Lord's Prayer. Now, actually, the Lord's Prayer occurs in John chapter 17. This could probably be more accurately called the disciples' prayer. This is the prayer of the disciples were taught to pray, the one Jesus prayed in John 17 was more a prayer of the Lord himself.
But be that as it may, the prayer is very familiar, probably one of the most familiar passages in all of the Bible. It gets recited every Sunday all over the world, and it is very simple.
It's divided into two parts. The first part deals with praying, for lack of a better way to say this, about the things that concern God. The second half of the prayer concerns praying for things that concern you and I.
The Ten Commandments are also divided into two parts. The first four commandments deal with God. The last six deal with humanity.
This the prayer we're looking at today in Luke 11, is likewise divided into those two parts. The first part deals with God, and the second part deals with us.
The other thing you need to know is that each of those two divisions has three requests. So, there are six petitions in this prayer, three pertaining to God, three pertaining to you personally.
So, let's first look at the three pertaining to God. He says in verse two.
He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. You will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
(Luke 11: 2)
"When you pray, say, 'Father'." Stop. That's the way you address God, " Father." That's a revelation. No prayer in the Old Testament ever started like that.
Remember, Jesus came to reveal the Father, So, the person praying this prayer is a believer. The person praying this prayer is a child of God. John 1:12 says, "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name."
So, when you trust in Christ, you believe in His name, you become a child of God, and God, therefore, becomes your Father. It's important to note that this is being prayed by a believer, talking to his heavenly Father.
The petition is this: "Our Father in heaven." That's the first petition. "Hallowed be Your name." The word "hallowed" means holy, the idea being sanctified or set apart or venerated. Now, isn't that a little odd? "Hallowed Be Your name."
Why does he say that? Why should God's name be venerated, holy. Well, let me make a simple observation.
Turn to Psalm 9 for a second. Every time I see this thing about the name in the New Testament, I'm reminded of this verse,
"Those who know Your name put their trust in You."
(Psalm 9:10).
All right? "Those who know Your name put their trust in You." Interesting. Just by knowing somebody's name, would you trust them? No, not really. But if the name signifies that you know something about them, that you know their character, then is when you trust them.
So, the point I'm making is this: when it says, "Hallowed be Your name," the idea is more than just, "I know the name by which He's called." It's the idea that you know Gods character and His attributes by knowing His name.
So, "Blessed be God." We begin by thanking and praising God. So that's the first petition that pertains to God.
The second one is also in verse two is "Your Kingdom come."
There's a great debate over the Kingdom. Virtually all Christians say that there's some sense in which there's a Kingdom now. But as I pointed out when going through the Gospel of Matthew, we came upon material that demonstrated that the Kingdom was future. The full Kingdom arrives in the future.
Therefore, I do not believe that when the New Testament or Jesus talks about the Kingdom, it's talking about any kind of a fully realized Kingdom today, it's talking about the Kingdom when Jesus comes back.
Now, let me give you two simple proofs of that. This passage: "This passage itself states that this Kingdom is in the future. But one of the classic passages I’ll also give you is the Lord's Supper? "I will not eat it, the fruit of the vine, until I eat it again with you in the Kingdom." Future.
Or my favourite is Acts chapter one. They say, "Are you going to restore the Kingdom now?" And he said, "No, I have something else in mind for you."
So, obviously, the Kingdom is future, so this is pertaining to God's complete plan for the earth. He is simply saying, "Pray that my Kingdom comes."
That's the second petition pertaining to God.
The third is very significant. He says, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
So, three things we are to pray for. We are to pray for God's person to be venerated, his program to come, and now his purpose to be realized on this earth.
I think this phrase is one of the most significant statements concerning prayer anywhere in the Bible.
Let me say it like this: The purpose of prayer is not to get my will done in heaven; it's to get God's will done on earth. Most have it backward. They think God is a servant, and they can go to him and get what they want if they pray hard enough or long enough.
Now, I do believe the scripture says you can ask anything you want, but I don't believe God is obligated in any way to answer that. I think, out of his grace, he sometimes does. But I think the primary purpose of prayer is to get God's will done on earth, and this is the classic statement of that that comes from the lips of the Lord himself.
If you want to pray, biblically go look in the scriptures and find out what God’s will is and pray for that.
So, the first part of the prayer is that it should begin with God. Start by thanking God or praising God. We should start with God instead of us, and the model prayer given to us in the Lord's prayer does that.
However, as I mentioned a moment ago, there are two parts to this prayer. That's the first that pertains to God: that his person be venerated, his program come, and that his purpose be fulfilled on earth. There's a second part of the prayer, and that pertains to us.
The first petition in this second section is,
Give us each day our daily bread."
(Luke 11: 3)
Now, he's praying for daily bread. That obviously includes bread being used for food, but it is maybe even a little broader than that. You could say perhaps that the point here is that you're praying for your daily needs, which might include more than just food.
Back in the Sermon on the Mount, he said, "Don't worry about what you eat or what you put on. Don't worry about any of that kind of stuff. Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all those things will be added to you."
Here he says, “Just pray, Lord, give us our daily bread. You do that. Ask the Lord to give you your daily bread." My testimony is that all of my life, I have never lacked for my daily needs, and I attributed it to the fact that God has always given my daily bread."
So at least this part of the prayer is a daily prayer, and it's to pray for your provisions. The second petition pertaining to us is in verse four:
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”
(Luke 11: 4)
We're not only to pray for God to provide our needs; we're to pray for pardon or for forgiveness, if you will. Now, the first petition pertaining to us is physical, and the second petition pertaining to us is spiritual.
In 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." So, it is perfectly clear from the scripture that we are to pray for the forgiveness of sins.
Now, you're probably going to say to me, "But we're already forgiven," But as I've taught before. There's a distinction between judicial forgiveness and family forgiveness, and the best illustration of that is the fact that God is our Father and that every parent forgives their child no matter what they do, right?
But wrong steps still cause a strain on the relationship, right? And it might be perfectly appropriate for the kid to come and say to their father, "Forgive me."
So, you're already forgiven. But this is about an attitude; it’s a mindset, but that there needs to be daily cleansing, and that's the kind of thing he's talking about here.
If you've trusted Christ, you're a child of God, and you are forgiven. Remember, "Our Father, you're a child of God." That takes care of that. But there's daily walk with him and the need for an honest confession when we fall short of the standard our father God expects form us. That's what he's talking about here.
Notice what he connects our being forgiven with us forgiving others, and it's stated even stronger in the Matthew account, seeming to say, "If you don't forgive others, you won't be forgiven." I think that's what he's teaching.
It isn't as clear here as it is in Matthew, but it's there. If you have an unforgiveness in your heart or an unforgiving spirit towards somebody, you're in trouble with the Lord, and you're not going to so easily be forgiven of these daily sins because you are holding on to them instead of giving them over to the Lord.
So, we pray for provisions; we pray for pardon, pray for protection. He says in the latter part of verse four, "Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil one."
Now, this might be a bit tricky. When Jesus says, "Don't lead us into temptation," does that imply that sometimes he does lead us into temptation?
The answer is, of course no. James in his New Testament letter states that God cannot be tempted with evil nor does he tempt anyone else. So, what is Jesus talking about here?
Well, it's a literary device where you express something negatively, but the intended meaning is very positive. Essentially, it's an understatement. In this case, you're asking for protection from temptation and being overcome by sin.
Now, another observation about temptation is crucial. When is the right time to pray for victory over temptation? It's when you're facing it. The problem is that we often wait too long; we wait until we're in the midst of temptation.
This prayer implies that we're here now, not in the presence of temptation, but we're asking not to be led into situations where we'll be tempted. We're praying for spiritual protection, and this highlights the need to pray proactively.
These three basic needs encompass your entire life—past, present, and future. Pardon relates to your past, daily bread to your present, and protection from temptation to your future. So, praying involves seeking the Lord's provision for all aspects of your life.
Moving on, Jesus doesn't stop there; he proceeds to tell a couple of stories. Starting at verse 5:
5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
(Luke 11: 5-8)
Let's note that people travelled at night because it was too hot during the day. Therefore, having a friend drop in after dark wouldn't be unusual, especially when you lack provisions. So, the man goes to his friend, knocks on the door at midnight, and says, "Help me, my friend has arrived, and I don't have anything to give him. I need some food." Verse 7 gives the friend's response, explaining that the door is shut, the children are in bed, and he can't get up without disturbing the entire household. To appreciate this fully, you need to understand the arrangement of houses in that era.
It's crucial to understand the living conditions of that time. The poorer Palestinian houses at that time were one-room structures with only a small window. The floor was made of beaten earth covered with dry weed and brush. The room was divided not by a partition but by a slightly raised platform, with 2/3 of the space at ground level and the remaining third on the platform.
Here, the family slept together on sleeping mats, close together to keep warm. In such homes, it was common to bring livestock inside at night, adding to the challenge of getting up without disturbing the whole family.
The friend doesn't come to the door; the door is now shut for the night. The man inside explains that the children are with him on the raised platform, and rising would disturb the entire family.
The story doesn't detail what happens next, but Jesus, in verse 8, explains the outcome. The man inside does not rise simply because of their friendship, but due to the friend's persistence, so he eventually gets what he needs.
Persistence, coupled with a nuanced sense of obligation, becomes the key. This persistence, Jesus implies, is what led to the man inside getting up and providing the requested bread.
Moving forward, Jesus instructs on prayer in verses 9-10.
9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
(Luke 11: 9-10)
He encourages asking, seeking, and knocking, and promises that those who do so will receive, find, and have doors opened to them. This aligns with the persistence displayed in the previous story. The mention of the son asking for bread emphasizes the Father's willingness to provide good things, particularly the Holy Spirit.
Jesus connects this to the broader prayer he's teaching – asking for daily bread, forgiveness, and protection.
The Holy Spirit, in this context, is seen as the primary gift that aids in overcoming sin and understanding God's will. The narrative and teachings together emphasize the significance of persistence and seeking from God, who is a willing and generous provider.
The central message Jesus conveys in this passage is about the nature of our relationship with God as a loving Father. He begins and ends by highlighting the idea of having a Father who knows our needs, delights in giving to us, and is approachable.
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
(Mark 11: 11-13)
The key takeaway is the encouragement to be persistent in prayer, seeking God's glory, His Kingdom, His will, as well as our daily provisions, spiritual pardon, and protection.
A suggestion for effective prayer is to persistently ask for the glorification of God's name, the advancement of His Kingdom, the fulfilment of His will, and then our daily needs and spiritual well-being will be taken care of.
The simplicity of this approach aligns with the structure of the Lord's Prayer.
The key phrase "Give us this day Our Daily Bread," suggests a prayer for immediate and daily needs, implying that some answers to prayer are expected promptly. However, Jesus emphasizes the importance of persistence in our praying through these illustrative parables, suggesting that certain requests may take longer to be fulfilled, especially when praying for God's overarching will to be accomplished.
In essence, the disciples' request, "Lord, teach us to pray," reflects a desire to grasp the essence of prayer itself. Learning to pray involves facing challenges beyond our abilities, fostering a dependence on God.
The conclusion being that when encountering problems too vast for us to solve, the way the Lord teaches us to approach such challenges is simply to pray and to trust and rely on Him.
The closing thought echoes the sentiment that being a great prayer is more valuable than being a great preacher.
The power of prayer to connect with the divine surpasses the influence of preaching by any individual, even though that is important too.
Therefore this passage should underscores for us the significance of developing a profound and meaningful prayer life, recognizing the primacy of our relationship with God as we seek to align our hearts with His will.