Temple Baptist Church - 6-5-2024
John 17:1, Luke 11:1-2, Matthew 6:9-13
Introduction:
A. Tonight, we will begin chapter 17 of John’s Gospel. It is here that we find our Lord on His knees before the Father just prior to His crucifixion. He is in the Garden of Gethsemane.
1. Here we find the importance of Prayer. If Jesus Christ found it important to pray, then we believers must realize its importance in our lives.
2. Prayer is our connection, communication, consolation, and communion with our Heavenly Father.
3. We also need to understand the essentials of prayer which will be listed in the following outlines.
4. Essential? James 4:2-3 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. (3) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
B. I am in no hurry because, if we do not learn how and when to pray, then we will never have the blessings, comfort, communion, and both spiritual and physical things that we need in this life.
C. Here in chapter 17, we find “The Lord’s Prayer.” His intercession for His children and there welfare in His absence.
D. A common mistake that theologians make and pass on to their flocks is the differentiation between the Model Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer.
E. I have no doubt that the disciples had both heard Jesus pray and watched when He went alone to pray. They knew there were two types of prayers that Jesus offered, and these prayers were different! The Lord no doubt prayed with His disciples but also prayed both publicly and privately.
1. Public Praying at the tomb of Lazarus. John 11:41-42 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. (42) And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
2. Private Praying. Matthew 14:22-23 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. (23) And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
Luke 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
3. Particular Praying. Mark 14:22-23 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. (23) And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
John 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
4. Teaching His disciples to pray. Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
F. If prayer was an important part of the life of Jesus, the Son of God, it should also be an important part of our lives.
1. There is public praying. We often ask to pray at church or public events. This is not the time for “closet prayers.”
a) At church, we ask people to open the service, close the service, ask the blessing on the offerings.
b) In the prayer rooms, and Wednesday night at prayer meetings, we take prayer requests and pray more specifically. In these meetings, we also ask for unspoken requests.
2. There is “closet praying.” It is here that we use the Model Prayer to guide us in specific ways but praise and ask in much more detail. Here we find structure, much asking or repetitive praying for needs not yet met, but not “vain (to no avail) repetitions” or just saying memorized words.
Matthew 6:6-7 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. (7) But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
3. There is “Devotional Praying.” A time of Bible reading and prayer with your family. We often call this “Family Altar.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (7) And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (8) And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. (9) And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
4. There is “communion praying.” This is an attitude of prayer and communion with God throughout the day. Talking with the Lord as friend with Friend.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
G. Our Lord gave them and us a general outline to follow, not a prayer to be prayed. “Lord, teach us to pray.” I have no problem with singing The Lord’s Prayer or even quoting it as it can be a part of worship if prayed to the Lord and not just quoted.
H. “As John also taught his disciples.” This portion of the disciples’ request normally goes on unnoticed.
1. John the Baptist had followers or disciples like Jesus had and he took the time to teach them to pray and how to pray. The word “as” shows us that his model prayer was probably patterned the same way as the Model Prayer that our Lord gave to His disciples.
2. Thus, we find that same model passed on to us today. A “skeleton outline” that we can put the “meat” on the “bones.”
J. Following the Lord’s answer to their request, we find the words “And he said unto them, When ye pray, say:” I am not doing a series on the Model Prayer right now, but we find that our prayer life must be structured in order to be effective.
K. In Matthew 6:9-13, we find the fulness of the Model Prayer, which is more often quoted.
Matthew 6:9-13 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (11) Give us this day our daily bread. (12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
L. In the Model Prayer, we find different aspects of praying that need to be included.
1. “Our Father” This is the direction of our praying. We hear a lot of people praying to Jesus Christ, our Lord. There are those who pray to Mary or Saints. Our prayers need to be in Jesus’ name as we realize that our only access to the Father is through the finished work of Christ. But our prayer is to be made to God the Father and not God the Son.
2. “Which art in heaven” This is the reception of our praying. We pray here on earth but not to anyone one on earth. Our answers come from Heaven’s Throne where sits Almighty God the Father. Our praying is heavenly praying, and our answers will be heavenly ones.
3. “Hallowed by thy name” A prayer of worship through recognition. Hallowed means to venerate or to make holy. We are not to take the name of the Lord our God in vain according to the 3rd of the 10 commandments given in Exodus, chapter 20. We are to worship His holiness by setting His name apart from all others.
4. “Thy kingdom come.” Expectation and anticipation. “Even so come, Lord Jesus” should be our cry out of a heart’s desire to depart from the world to the next which is “far better.” The pray for the end of the sinfulness and rejection of this present evil world in leu of the wonderful world to come. What a thrill it will be when all this is over and eternity begins in Revelation, chapter 21.
5. “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Asking God the Father to change the hearts and direction of the ungodly. We do this when we pray for those in authority over us which need to rule just and in the fear of the Lord. God can save and therefore change hearts that will change direction. Never give up until it is over!
6. “Give us this day our daily bread.” Our physical needs to be met. Though we seemingly have enough, things can change quickly. But also, realization that all we have comes from the Lord! This is why we “give thanks” before eating. Our Lord Jesus taught us this principle on earth as before breaking bread, He gave thanks for it.
7. “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Debt can be something owed or morally, a fault. We are to forgive those who trespass against us according to God’s forgiveness of our trespasses. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
8. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:” A prayer for protection. “The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.” We do what we can to protect ourselves both physically and spiritually but, ultimately, our safety comes from the One who holds us in His hands!
9. “ For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.”
Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”
2 Corinthians 5:17-18 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (18) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
Matthew 6:9-13 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (11) Give us this day our daily bread. (12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
10. “Amen!” Verity or truth! So be it! Because our God is trustworthy. Take your burdens to the Lord and LEAVE THEM THERE!
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