Sunday School Lesson: A Model For Prayer, Luke 11:1-13 New Living Translation Luke 11:1 Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: “Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. 3 Give us each day the food we need, 4 and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation. 5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. 9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” The People, Places, and Times Disciples. Disciples are followers or apprentices. Whether a rabbi or philosopher, many in the culture of biblical times who were thought to have expertise had followers sitting under their teaching. A disciple followed a rabbi in the hopes of becoming just like the rabbi themselves. Jesus had many disciples, but there were twelve apostles who were sent to establish the church, which continues to stand from their witness today. Kingdom. In this passage Jesus speaks of the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of God is God’s manifested rule on earth as it is in heaven, bringing forth His way of doing and being in the earth. The theocracy was God’s original intent at creation (Genesis 1:26–31). The kingdom also refers to the reign of God, which through prayer brings humanity in partnership with God to bring forth His divine rulership in every realm. In Mark and Luke’s Gospel, it is mentioned 46 times and is synonymous with the term “kingdom of heaven” in the Gospel of Matthew. Backstage Prayer is a major theme of Luke’s Gospel. Scholars note that Luke records at least eleven instances of Jesus praying and two times where He teaches His disciples how to pray (Luke 11:1–13, 18:1–14). The placement of this discourse on the Lord’s Prayer is interesting to note because in the last verses of the previous chapter, Luke shares Jesus’ sending out the seventy (Luke 10:1–12), where He calls on them to “pray for the Lord of the harvest” to increase the harvest for more laborers in the kingdom. As well, he tells of Jesus by the Holy Spirit rejoicing in the Lord upon the return of the seventy for revealing Himself as His Father and how no one can know this relationship except they be chosen (Luke 10:21–22). The chapter closes with Jesus visiting Mary and Martha’s house; while Martha is busy serving, Mary chooses to listen to the Master teach, which was unheard of in this culture. Martha calls attention to Mary’s behavior, but rather than rebuke her as expected, Jesus commends Mary for doing what was necessary at the moment: fellowship with Him (Luke 10:38–42). In summary, what we learn leading up to today’s lesson is the power of communion, how prayer and being still enough to listen enable us to tap into God’s power. Combing Through 1.The Structure of Prayer (Luke 11:1–4) This particular text is traditionally noted as a passage taught to be recited, rather than a model for prayer, hence the words “when you pray say.” However “The Lord’s Prayer” is actually “the disciple’s prayer.” Many of the men who followed Jesus were first followers of John the Baptist, so they were familiar with the forerunner’s practices of spiritual retreats in the wilderness (fasting, prayer, repentance). After walking with Jesus they sensed that there was something different about His posture of prayer, and just as John taught his disciples, they too wanted to be taught by their leader. Jesus outlines the structure or pattern of prayer for His disciples placing emphasis on five key points: adoration (honoring the Father, coming in humble reverence), submission (His will/kingdom first, His way of doing and being), supplication (asking for His daily provision), repentance (forgiveness of sins, ours and others), and protection (from the evil one and awareness of our own selfishness). 2. Persistent in Prayer (vv. 5–8) What Jesus taught His disciples about prayer was a significant departure from Jewish and other surrounding ancient religious cultures because He reveals God in a personable way. By sharing an example they can relate to, how friends and neighbors treat each other in the time of need, Jesus lets His disciples (and ultimately us) know that God is good, merciful, compassionate, and would not turn us away if we pursue Him for what we need. Jesus also taught in Luke 18:1–8, that as we cry out to God for help and are persistent in looking to Him to meet our needs, He will answer. We do not need to be persistent because God cannot hear, He is toying with us, or He is in need of the attention; the purpose of prayerful persistence is for us to get our minds in accord with His. Hence within Matthew’s account following of the Lord’s Prayer, we also find Jesus teaching to take no thought for our lives but to seek first the Kingdom and everything else will be added (Matthew 6:25–33). 3. Pursuing Through Prayer (vv. 9–13) Jesus teaches us how to ask, seek, and knock for the things of God. To ask God for something is to come to Him knowing that He is able to supply. The writer of Hebrews teaches us that we have to come to God with faith believing that He is God and a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Jesus teaches that we must come to God knowing He is able to grant or supply our need, and (if we are asking in alignment with His Word) that He will do it for His glory (John 14:12–14). If we seek after God, His way of doing and being, we will find Him. Searching for Him is intentional and requires focus. In another parable, Jesus likens seeking after the kingdom to one who is in pursuit of something valuable and precious (Matthew 13:44–45). To seek after God is to esteem Him above all, and Jesus reiterates what Jeremiah prophesied: that God is willing to be found by one in honest pursuit (Jeremiah 29:13). Finally, to knock is to approach expecting a welcomed entry. Again Jesus emphasizes the character of His Father as one who is willing to open the door for His children to receive from Him all the good things He has in store for them. It is the Father’s nature to lovingly provide the Holy Spirit, who is the gateway to communion with the Father and the Son. The Triune God is able and willing to abide with us. All we have to do is ask. Lesson Learned Our Lord encourages us in the prayer of faith as the key to a vibrant relationship with His Father. The Holy Spirit is available to us to guide into truth and reveal the nature and character of God; all we have to do is ask, seek, and knock. What would happen in our communities if we really took God at His word, and through the power of prayer we received the strategy to go into the streets to stop the violence through the power of love? Not just violence in the streets but in our homes, churches...yes I said churches! Prayer will fix it if we know how to pray. Teach us how to pray Oh, Lord until we change things!!! Lord help me through here!!! If we get changed through prayer others will change by our example and testimony...yep, I said it!!! Its not that prayer is not working...its that people are not praying...we are scared to hear from God because if we hear Him then we will have to be responsible for what we hear. We will have to get up and do something. We will have to be uncomfortable. Make It Happen Jesus says if we “being evil know how to give good gifts to our children how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13 paraphrase). As the old saying goes, “much prayer, much power; little prayer, little power; no prayer, no power.” We must not be slack in the posture of prayer. As the Lord has taught His disciples, take this lesson and examine your prayer pattern and times of intimacy with the Lord. See where there is room for improvement in your relationship with God. youtu.be/kkhFQow6Q_k
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 06:06:06 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015