Life of Jesus-Jesus and Prayer

Jesus Practice of Prayer• Jesus was likely brought up to practice the Shema• Deuteronomy 6:4-5 4 "Hear, O Israel! The

LORD is our God, the LORD is one! 5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

• Mark 12:28-29 28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?" 29 Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD;

Jesus Personal Practice• Jesus is often seen having “gone off for prayer”• Mark 1:35-37 35 In the early morning, while it

was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. 36 Simon and his companions searched for Him; 37 they found Him, and said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."

• Matthew 14:23 23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.

Lessons from Jesus’ Personal Prayer

• 1. Jesus felt the need to be alone during times of great stress, difficulty, and temptation

• 2. These times are times when others might have thought that the best use of his time was to be out doing something with the crowd

• 3. These times of prayer are in addition to the morning and evening prayers that all pious Jewish people were involved in

Jesus Public Prayer• The most famous public prayer is found in the

sermon on the mount Matthew 6:9-13/Luke 11:2-4• Note that there are differences in the way that

these two prayers are presented• First, Luke presents the disciples as asking Jesus

to “teach them to pray”• Luke 11:1 AU Luke 11:1 It happened that while

Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples."

Jesus Public Prayer• In Matthew, Jesus gives more specific instruction about

prayer:• Matthew 6:5-7 5 "When you pray, you are not to

be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 7 "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.

Jesus Public Prayer• Matthew 6:9-13 'Our Father

who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 'Give us this day our daily bread. 12 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.'

• Luke 11:2-4 2 And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 3 'Give us each day our daily bread. 4 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'"

Things to Note

• 1. Jesus teaches us to pray for the coming of the Kingdom

• 2. Jesus teaches us to pray for the continued holiness of the name of God

• 3. Jesus teaches us to pray for our own forgiveness based on the way that we have forgiven others

• 4. Jesus teaches us to pray for help against the temptations of the evil one

Things to Note

• For more information on the requests found in the Lord’s prayer see the Westminster Larger Catechism questions 186 through 107.

• See also commentaries on the gospel of Matthew• See dictionaries on early Jewish prayers.

Main Emphasis of Jesus’ Teaching• 1. Trust- Matthew 6:8 "So do not be like them;

for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. (Mt. 7:7-11; 21:21-22)

• 2. Forgiveness-Matthew 18:35 35 "My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."

• 3. Communal- it is “us” rather than “me” Matthew 18:19 19 "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.

Practical Notes

• 1. Prayer is the most important part of virtually every great church; “comeback” church; great minister; great mission; ect.

• 2. Prayer is the bottom line answer to any churches real needs; it is more important than finances, personnel, numbers, etc.

• 3. Prayer has been commanded by our Lord and therefore every one of us should be involved in serious prayer for the church and its members

• 4. Keep a journal, you will never remember it all

• Stay Small!

• Keep God Big!

• Little is Much if God is In It!