WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:04.320 If I were to ask this morning, how many of you think you should pray more? 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:08.000 I can imagine that many hands would go up. 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:16.239 That's because prayer is one of those areas of the Christian life where almost all of us feel inadequate. 00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:19.440 Now, the encouraging thing is we're not alone. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:23.440 As we see in our passage, the disciples of Jesus felt the same way. 00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:29.199 After watching their master in prayer, they didn't pretend to have it all figured out. 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:33.759 Instead, they humbly asked, Lord, teach us to pray. 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:46.799 And that's really the posture that we should have as we come to Luke chapter 11, not as experts in prayer, but as disciples who still need our Lord to teach us about prayer. 00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:48.880 So, what is prayer? 00:00:49.359 --> 00:00:52.799 That's an important question if we're going to be looking at it. 00:00:52.960 --> 00:01:08.480 Well, according to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to his will in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies. 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:10.319 So notice the elements there. 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:13.519 Prayer is offering up our desires to God. 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:17.920 So when we pray, we petition him for things that we desire. 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:24.719 Simply put, we ask him for things, but not just any things, things that are agreeable to his will. 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:28.879 That's probably what most of us think about when we think of prayer, asking God for things. 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:30.480 But that's not all prayer is. 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:32.879 It is also confessing our sins. 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:36.799 It is bringing our sins to God and asking him for forgiveness. 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:41.599 It is saying, Lord, have mercy upon me as sinner, for I've sinned against you. 00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:46.159 And it is also thankfully acknowledging him for his mercies. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:54.879 We let him know that we acknowledge who he is and we acknowledge his gifts and we acknowledge his goodness and everything that he has provided for us. 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:58.799 Most importantly, his work in saving us from our sins. 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:01.760 All of this is to be done in the name of Jesus Christ. 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:04.719 That's what makes our prayers Christian prayers. 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:06.400 We don't just pray to any God. 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:07.920 There are many religions who pray. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:21.120 There are many religions who say they pray to a God, but Christians pray to the God of the Scriptures, to the God who has given us access to Him through the mediation of His Son, Jesus Christ. 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:25.520 Prayer is a regular part of the Christian life. 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:31.840 As a believer in Christ, you know that it is something that you are called to do. 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:40.879 You might not be called to missions, you might not be called to lead or teach a Bible study, but you know that as a Christian, you are called to pray. 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:44.240 And here's the question that's before us this morning. 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:45.919 How do we do that? 00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:47.680 How do we pray? 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:50.719 Or better yet, how should we pray? 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:52.080 How do we start? 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:53.199 How do we end? 00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:55.680 What do we include in our prayers? 00:02:55.840 --> 00:03:07.520 These are questions that many of us have that, you know, we probably don't know, or maybe haven't taken the time to sought answers for. 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:12.000 Many times, you know, we don't think, give it enough consideration. 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:17.840 Or many times, many times we just learn how to pray from others, from the way other people are praying. 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:27.919 We listen to a pastor pray, or we listen to a leader pray, or other great men and women, and we we read books of prayer or about prayer, we read articles and things like that. 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:32.159 Now, there's definitely things to be learned from others who pray. 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:36.639 Uh, we we I as a as a father want to teach my children how to pray. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:50.159 There are things that we can learn from listening to the prayers of others, but there is definitely one person that we should all learn from, and he is the greatest teacher there ever was on prayer, which is Jesus. 00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:55.680 So as we come to chapter 11 of Luke's gospel, we come to a passage that many of us are quite familiar with. 00:03:55.919 --> 00:04:02.159 These four verses of Jesus teaching his disciples how to pray is known as the Lord's Prayer. 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:07.199 It is a model prayer that Christians have used ever since the church was birthed. 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:13.919 Some of you have prayed this as a child before bedtime, as this prayer is often used to teach little ones how to pray. 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:19.920 But as we will see today and in the coming weeks, this motto is not just for children, but it is for all of us. 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:23.040 Everyone should learn how to pray from Jesus. 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:31.759 And that's what we're going to be doing for the next six weeks, beginning this morning, looking at this prayer as a church. 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:36.639 We'll be starting this series within the series of Luke on the Lord's Prayer. 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:48.480 Now, you may notice that Luke's version differs slightly from the version that many of us have memorized from Matthew, even from the one we recited this morning in our liturgy. 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:52.319 That's because Jesus taught on prayer more than once during his ministry. 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:58.720 Here, Luke records another occasion in which our Lord taught his disciples about prayer. 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:04.800 Since we're in Luke, this is the prayer we're going to be looking at, not Matthew's, Luke's version of the Lord's Prayer. 00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:17.680 We're going to start by looking at the address, in other words, how we are to address God, and then we are going, that's going to be followed with looking at the petitions, how and what we are to petition to God in our prayers. 00:05:17.839 --> 00:05:28.720 But before we do, this morning, what I want to do is take some time looking at how this prayer is set up in Luke and what we can learn from Luke's narrative and introduction of the prayer. 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:35.920 Because I believe there are some things to be learned about prayer even before Jesus begins answering the question. 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:40.800 I titled this sermon, What Jesus Teaches Us About Prayer. 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:44.399 And I want to point out the following from these first two verses. 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:47.920 Number one, he teaches us that everyone should pray. 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:54.079 Number two, that we should pray according to his word, and number three, that we should pray often. 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:56.720 Everyone should pray. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:06:00.319 We should pray according to his word, and we should pray often. 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:10.079 Before we get to what we should pray for, let us learn what Jesus teaches us through his life and his practice and through this exchange he has with one of his disciples. 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:11.920 Number one, everyone should pray. 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:18.560 So chapter 11 opens up telling us now Jesus was praying in a certain place. 00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:24.720 The prayer life of Christ is emphasized more in Luke's gospel than any of the others. 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:34.319 Up until this point, Luke has already mentioned to us, we're in chapter 11, up until this point, Luke has already mentioned to us Christ praying at least nine times. 00:06:34.800 --> 00:06:38.959 Jesus felt that it was necessary for him to pray to the Father. 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:39.920 Think about that. 00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:48.959 Jesus, the Son of God, the one who was born without sin, the one who knew no sin, felt that he needed a regular and healthy prayer life. 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:50.399 What does that tell us? 00:06:50.639 --> 00:06:54.399 It tells us that if Jesus needed to pray, we certainly need to pray. 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:59.199 If Jesus thought that prayer was vital to his life, then we should as well. 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:05.680 If he was dependent upon his Father for everything, then who are we not to do the same? 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:11.839 Now let me give you a little theology or Christology here because this might be on some of your minds. 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:14.560 If Jesus was God, why did he need to pray? 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:18.160 Couldn't he have drawn everything that he needed from himself? 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:21.839 Why did he need to ask anything of the Father when he was God? 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:31.600 Well, remember, Jesus is the incarnate God, meaning when he came to be born in a manger, he assumed a human flesh. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:37.920 During his life on earth, he lived as the God man, meaning that he was both God and man. 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:56.639 Philippians 2, 5 tells us, having this mind among you, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grass, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 00:07:57.199 --> 00:08:02.800 Paul is saying that Jesus didn't count equality with God a thing to be grassed. 00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:07.920 The King James Version says he did not count it robbery to be equal with God. 00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:13.759 Now it would be robbery for us to claim to be God because that title doesn't belong to us. 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:15.279 It belongs to God alone. 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:20.240 But Jesus can claim that title because Jesus is God. 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:25.920 However, he emptied himself, as Philippians tells us, by taking on the form of a servant. 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:36.960 Not that he ceased to be God here on earth, but by taking on the form of a servant, by taking on humanity, he took on humanity's weaknesses and dependencies. 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:46.080 Joel Beake says, God the Son became human in all our weaknesses and mortality without ceasing to be God. 00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:52.720 Calvin says Christ did not renounce his divinity, but he kept it concealed for a time. 00:08:53.120 --> 00:09:01.919 And as he conceals his divinity, he needs what all of us need every single day, the strength and the power of God. 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:11.279 Jesus didn't spend time in prayer merely to set an example, though it is an example, but he spent time in prayer to seek and to ask of the Father. 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:14.879 And again, if Jesus needed this, how much more do we? 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:18.960 There is no Christian who can honestly say, I don't need to pray. 00:09:19.200 --> 00:09:27.519 If prayer is petitioning God, asking of God, calling upon God, who among us can say, That's not for me? 00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:32.960 Who among us can say, we have the strength to make it on our own? 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:38.480 I've said this before, but prayer is a show of our dependence upon God. 00:09:38.639 --> 00:09:43.039 Prayer says, I can't, Lord, but you can. 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:46.399 Prayer says, I don't have it, God, but I know you do. 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:49.039 It says, I am weak, Lord, but you're strong. 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:51.600 I'm finite, but you're infinite. 00:09:51.840 --> 00:09:56.480 So when we neglect to pray, we are saying the opposite of that. 00:09:57.440 --> 00:09:59.039 We're saying, Lord, I got this. 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:02.080 We're saying, Lord, Lord, I know I can do it on my own. 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:03.440 I can do it on my own strength. 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:05.200 I don't need your strength. 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:09.679 I don't need your power to live how you want me to live. 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:14.320 I don't need to ask you for anything because I can I can obtain everything that I need on my own. 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:21.360 Everything that I have, I've earned with my own two hands, and everything that I desire, I can gain with my own strength. 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:24.799 That's what we are essentially saying when we neglect to pray. 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:28.799 We're saying, God, I don't really need you. 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:33.039 Someone put it this way: to neglect prayer is to practice atheism. 00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:44.000 Psalm 10, verse 3 tells us, For the wicked boast of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:47.519 In the pride of his face, the wicked does not seek him. 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:51.279 All his thoughts are, there is no God. 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:58.960 When we don't see God in prayer, we're essentially saying, There is no God. 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:09.919 Again, if prayer is a show of how much we need God and rely on God and depend on God, then prayer is for everyone because this is everyone. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:11.600 Everyone needs God. 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:19.039 Everyone relies on God, everyone depends on Him for every moment of every day. 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:23.679 Prayer is not reserved for a select few Christians. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:27.919 It's not merely for those Christians who like to pray. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:35.600 If we were to leave prayer only for Christians who like to pray, there would be little prayer happening everywhere, anywhere. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:38.240 Because very few Christians like to pray. 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:42.480 Prayer is not always easy because we need to make time for it. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:44.559 We need to make energy for it. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:47.679 And we need to see it as vital to our Christian lives. 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:51.039 And if we're honest, we don't always do those things. 00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:54.720 That's why prayer is often called a discipline. 00:11:55.840 --> 00:11:59.039 Just like we need discipline in other things, in other areas of our lives. 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:01.360 We we discipline ourselves to exercise. 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:05.600 And we discipline ourselves to watch our mouths, watch what we say. 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:09.120 We discipline ourselves to stay away from the donuts in the lobby. 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:14.960 Prayer takes a commitment to be disciplined. 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:19.039 If not, it will rarely, if ever, get done. 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:20.399 And it needs to be done. 00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:24.000 That's what Jesus shows us by setting aside time to pray. 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:34.720 That we are needy creatures dependent upon a sovereign creator, that we truly know that without him we can do nothing. 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:37.279 Prayer is for everyone. 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:46.320 Not just for the seasoned Christian or the spiritual Christian or the one that the ones that people like to call prayer warriors. 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:48.399 It's for all Christians. 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:52.720 It's for the Christians with much faith and the Christians with little faith. 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:56.639 It's for the for the one who is bold and the one who is afraid. 00:12:56.799 --> 00:12:59.279 It's for for the fervent and the weary. 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:02.799 It's for the one who is free and the Christian who is burdened. 00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:05.440 It's for the one who is prosperous and the one who is poor. 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:08.720 It's for the one who is strong and the one who is weak. 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:13.200 It's for those who are ready to pray and for those who are not ready to pray. 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:16.960 Prayer is for every Christian. 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:20.159 Which means prayer is for you. 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:24.320 Next, what does Jesus teach us about prayer? 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:27.440 That it should be done according to his word. 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:30.159 As we continue on in the first verse. 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:38.480 And when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:43.600 Now it was common in these days for rabbis to teach their disciples how to pray. 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:53.679 John the Baptist apparently taught his disciples how to pray, and the disciples of Jesus were aware of it, so they want their master to teach them how to pray. 00:13:53.840 --> 00:14:00.480 I love how Luke tells us that the disciple, we don't know which one, asked Jesus the question after he is done praying. 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:03.519 Thankfully, the disciple didn't interrupt Jesus' prayer. 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:08.320 But when he was done, he does ask a revealing question. 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:11.360 Lord, teach us to pray. 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:13.440 Why do I say it's revealing? 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:17.039 Well, because it reveals to us that there's a right way to pray. 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:21.840 The disciples want to know how to pray rightly. 00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:25.200 They want to pray just like Jesus does. 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:27.200 And as God's Son, he must know. 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:32.080 If anyone knows how to pray to the Father, Jesus, the Son of God, certainly must know. 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:33.279 So they ask. 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:44.399 Now, we'll begin spending the greater part of the next few weeks unpacking that answer, but for now, what I want to point out is this there is a right way to pray. 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:48.159 Which consequently tells us there's also a wrong way to pray. 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:51.919 And I don't think people give that enough consideration. 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:55.440 We often think that God would be pleased if we even pray at all. 00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:59.120 That He doesn't care how we pray, as long as we pray. 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:05.519 But one thing that the question shows us, the question from the disciple, is that there is a right way to pray. 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:07.919 And that we need to be taught how to pray. 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:11.440 So now the question becomes: who's going to teach us? 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:13.759 Where do we learn how to pray from? 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:15.919 The same place the disciples turned. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:17.120 We turn to Jesus. 00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:19.039 We turn to the word of God. 00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:25.600 The disciples knew that Jesus carried God's word and that whatever he said was from God. 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:30.720 So they ultimately wanted to know what God says about prayer? 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:33.919 How does God want us to pray? 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:38.480 So if we want to learn how to pray, we needed to do the same thing the disciples did. 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:40.159 We need to turn to God. 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:41.759 We need to turn to the Word of God. 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:45.039 We need to search the scriptures to learn how to pray. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:55.440 1 John 5 14 tells us, and this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 00:15:55.519 --> 00:16:02.559 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the request that we have asked of him. 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:07.840 So John says that God hears us when? 00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:18.159 When we ask according to his will, which means that God has not promised to grant prayers that are contrary to his revealed will in scriptures. 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:22.879 But he does hear those that are asked in his will. 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:24.799 And that's what we want from God. 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:26.559 We want him to hear us. 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:28.399 We want him to hear our prayers. 00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:30.399 That's the reason why we pray. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:32.559 We pray so God will hear us. 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:36.960 When you speak to someone, you expect or at least hope that they're listening to you. 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:43.600 We all know how frustrating it can be when someone isn't listening or who acts like they're listening and when they're really not. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:46.080 Well, God doesn't have to act. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:50.799 He will either listen to our prayers or he won't listen to our prayers. 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:59.120 And as John says, the prayers that he listens to are those prayers that are brought to him according to his will. 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:05.039 So in order to pray rightly, we must pray according to the will of God. 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:06.720 Where do we learn his will? 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:08.160 We learn his word. 00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:13.759 We don't have to guess it, we don't have to have an intuition, we don't have to wait for a dream. 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:21.440 We we don't have to wait to hear someone say, Thus saith the Lord, because the Lord has already said, and he has said it in his word. 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:27.440 You know, people will often say, I don't know what God's will is for my life. 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:31.039 I wish I knew what God's will is for my life. 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:33.759 And I get what most people mean by that. 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:40.720 They're wondering what direction to take, what what steps to take, what career choices does God want me to make? 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:42.559 Where does he want me to live? 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:45.279 What where should I serve in the ministry? 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:47.920 Does God have a spouse for me? 00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:49.519 Now I'm talking to the singles here. 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:51.039 If you're married, yes, he has a spouse for you. 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:52.559 And he or she is sitting next to you and go. 00:17:56.640 --> 00:18:02.000 But I get that the scriptures aren't gonna tell us everything. 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:11.599 They're not gonna tell us what job to take or who, again, who to marry, but but they are going to direct our hearts and give us wisdom in making those decisions. 00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:18.240 For instance, do we really think it's in God's will to take a job that's gonna keep us away from the church? 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:22.079 When in his word we read things like, do not neglect to meet together. 00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:29.759 Or do we really think it's God's will that we marry someone who isn't a Christian when the Bible says do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers? 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:35.680 You see, the scriptures will help us know how to pray for the right things according to his will. 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:42.000 The problem is many times our prayers are shaped more by our will than God's will. 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:46.160 Our prayers are self-honoring rather than God honoring. 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:50.319 We pray for things that will glorify us rather than glorify God. 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:53.359 We ask with selfish ambition. 00:18:53.839 --> 00:19:01.440 We pray for things that will indulge our flesh and things that will draw our hearts away from God rather than toward God. 00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:05.519 And those prayers are not going to reach his ears. 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:15.279 James 4 2 tells us, you desire and do not have, so you murder, you covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and you quarrel. 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:24.400 You do not have because you do not ask, you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions. 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:28.799 So, how can we avoid praying for these kinds of things? 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:38.000 How can we avoid vain prayers that seek to gratify our selfish desires by praying according to his word? 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:41.359 That's why important it's why it's important to know his word. 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:43.599 It's why it's important to be in his word. 00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:47.920 Because the word will reveal to us the will of God. 00:19:48.480 --> 00:20:00.720 We might not find his will for which job to take or who we should marry, but we will find his will for how we should live our lives, and that's ultimately the will of God we should be most concerned about. 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:07.119 Because that's where we find our purpose in, in glorifying Him and enjoying Him forever. 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:08.960 And Scripture is going to get us there. 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:17.599 Scripture will get us there, and it will also govern everything else in our lives, every decision we make as we live on our lives in this world, the word will govern that. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:23.200 You know, one simple way to do this is just to pray the scriptures. 00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:27.759 We've been making it a practice of doing this in our prayer meetings. 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:31.440 Just praying the word of God, praying the Bible. 00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:33.759 Turn to the Psalms and read them out loud. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:39.359 If you don't know how to start praying the word of God, Lord, you you are my shepherd. 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:41.440 Lord, please guide me. 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:47.599 Lord, please lead me, lead me to the right places, not dangerous places, not lead me. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:52.240 And when I'm in those dark times, Lord, be with me when I'm in the shadow of death. 00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:53.279 Be with me, Lord. 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:56.640 Lead me to the green pastures, lead me beside still rotters. 00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:59.039 Lord, restore my soul today. 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:03.920 Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. 00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:11.200 There are many prayers to be found in the scriptures, both in the Old and New Testament, that will help us pray the right kind of prayers. 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:16.720 The question asked by the disciples shows us that there is a right way to pray. 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:23.279 And we pray rightly when we pray according to his will, which is found in his word. 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:24.559 Next. 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:27.359 We should pray often. 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:35.839 Verse 2 begins by saying, And he said to them, When you pray, when you pray. 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:47.119 Notice how Jesus didn't say, when you decide to pray, or when you can find time to pray, but instead he said, When you pray. 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:02.400 Is a disciple of Jesus. 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:04.720 We are all students of the great master. 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:09.440 And he expects his students to pray and to pray often. 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:12.079 He doesn't say if you pray. 00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:14.799 He says, when you pray. 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:18.480 And it's not an imperative, meaning it's not a command. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:23.119 He doesn't need to command his disciples to pray. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:29.359 He's assuming that they are praying because that's what Christians do. 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:38.319 Prayer is as necessary for the spiritual life as food is for our physical life. 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:42.480 No one has to command us to eat, right? 00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:45.680 No one has to tell us you need to eat. 00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:51.519 They may need to tell us you need to stop eating, but no one has to command us to eat. 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:53.759 We know we need to eat. 00:22:53.920 --> 00:22:57.279 It's so natural we we don't even think about it. 00:22:57.680 --> 00:23:00.559 We know that sometime of the day we're going to do it. 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:04.240 Now, here's what we do need to think about. 00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:07.359 When are we going to eat? 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:09.839 What time of the day are we going to eat? 00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:12.079 Or how are we going to eat? 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:14.880 Are we going to grab something on the way home? 00:23:15.119 --> 00:23:17.039 Or are we going to go to a restaurant? 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:19.599 Are we just going to make something at the house? 00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:23.039 Or how is it going to get done? 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:29.680 We know we need to eat without being told, but we still prepare ourselves to eat. 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:31.839 It's the same way with prayer. 00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:38.240 Just because we know it's something to do doesn't mean we don't need to prepare for it. 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:44.000 Prayer is something that needs to be in every Christian's schedule. 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:47.440 We put everything else on our schedule, don't we? 00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:53.119 We put our plans, we put our meetings, we put our appointments on there. 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:56.160 But what about our regular appointments with God? 00:23:57.119 --> 00:24:01.039 And we're often tempted to say, oh, we'll find time. 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:04.240 I'll make time some somehow. 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:07.759 But somehow or another, that time is never found. 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:10.799 Now it doesn't mean you have to pray a certain way. 00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:18.640 It doesn't mean you have to go in your closet, get on your knees, put music, emotional music in the background. 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:20.480 It doesn't mean that. 00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:27.039 It doesn't matter where you pray, in the car, the shower, on a walk. 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:30.160 The point is, do you pray? 00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:42.000 The New Testament constantly portrays the Christian life as one who is in prayer. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:43.599 The Christian as one is in prayer. 00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:50.880 It portrays prayer as a regular, continual, and habitual practice of the Christian. 00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:54.240 Let me give you some bullet point scriptures that speak to this. 00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:59.519 1 Thessalonians 5.17, pray without ceasing. 00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:06.960 Romans 12.12, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:14.720 Colossians 4.2, continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:22.400 Ephesians 6.18, praying at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication. 00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:25.759 The Christian doesn't just pray. 00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:28.880 The Christian has a prayer life. 00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:34.079 It's something we do, and we should aim to do it often. 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:41.920 There's not a prescribed number of times or length of time, three times a day, 30 minutes and so forth. 00:25:42.400 --> 00:25:43.920 I'm not even making that case. 00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:45.279 That's not the point. 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:49.839 The point is simply do it often. 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:52.000 Pray often. 00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:54.880 Because that's what a Christian does. 00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:59.519 As we close this morning, let me ask you this question. 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:02.720 How is your prayer life? 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:11.680 If you could take a moment to examine your days and your weeks, how are you doing in this area? 00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:21.680 Again, remember, I'm not asking if you're praying vibrant prayers or if you're what people like to call a prayer warrior. 00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:22.960 None of that. 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:27.279 I'm simply asking, do you pray? 00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:35.599 Do you make it, do you make prayer something that's important in your life? 00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:42.000 Let me remind you once again, prayer is for everyone. 00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:48.799 If Jesus set aside time to pray, that tells us a lot. 00:26:49.119 --> 00:26:51.200 It tells us that we need to also. 00:26:52.000 --> 00:27:00.000 Not just pastors, not just teachers, not just those who have a knack for doing it. 00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:03.759 I think we're tempted to think that often. 00:27:04.640 --> 00:27:10.079 This person, this sister, this brother, it's a real true prayer warrior. 00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:11.119 They they know how to pray. 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:12.240 That's for them. 00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:14.000 A prayer is for all of us. 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:18.799 It's for every disciple, it's for every person who's dependent. 00:27:19.039 --> 00:27:21.440 And if you think about it, that's you. 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:22.319 That's me. 00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:23.440 We're dependent. 00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:25.200 We we need God. 00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:35.759 And when we go about our day neglecting Him, neglecting to honor Him, we're basically saying, we don't really need God. 00:27:36.319 --> 00:27:37.920 We can do it on our own. 00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:40.559 Prayers for all of us. 00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:47.680 Whether you're a Christian or not, yeah, I said even unbelievers need to pray. 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:50.319 They only have one prayer to pray. 00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:52.000 Lord, save me. 00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:55.440 Lord, forgive me of my sins. 00:27:56.079 --> 00:28:08.960 John 9 31 tells us we know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 00:28:09.599 --> 00:28:21.119 1 Peter 3.12, for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. 00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:27.279 Again, there's really only one prayer for the unbeliever. 00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:31.279 They're not a Christian, they need to pray for God to save them. 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:39.359 But if you are a Christian, remember, let your prayers be Christian prayers. 00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:45.839 Pray prayers that are going to reach the ears of God. 00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:51.519 Pray prayers that are prayed according to his will. 00:28:52.079 --> 00:28:55.599 Prayers that are shaped by the word of God. 00:28:55.920 --> 00:28:59.200 Prayers that are shaped and guided by the scriptures. 00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:04.319 And look, never forget who you are in Christ. 00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:06.480 You're a worshiper of God. 00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:08.960 If you're a Christian, you're a worshiper of God. 00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:13.839 And we just read a verse that tells us something about worshipers of God. 00:29:14.319 --> 00:29:16.240 That He listens to them. 00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:26.400 You, worshiper of God, you Christian, have the attention of the God who created the heavens and the earth. 00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:32.960 His ears are open to you who are righteous in Christ Jesus. 00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:34.559 What a privilege. 00:29:35.039 --> 00:29:39.920 What a privilege that we often neglect to take advantage of. 00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:46.160 God is eager and willing to listen and hear from you. 00:29:47.039 --> 00:29:51.119 Go and talk to him and do it often. 00:29:51.759 --> 00:29:56.079 Jesus shows us by his example who and how we should pray. 00:29:56.319 --> 00:30:00.480 And beginning next week, we're going to be looking at what we should pray for. 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:00.960 Amen.