Luke 11:1-13, Psalm 138, Colossians 2:6-19
Do you think God needs us to shout to get his attention? Of course not. Prayer is best thought of as a conversation with Jesus. Luke recorded several instances of Jesus praying or teaching on prayer (see Luke 5:16; 6:12; 18:1-14).
When the disciples asked Jesus about prayer, he made things very simple and gave them a pattern to use when they wanted to pray and talk with God. We know it as the Lord’s Prayer. Some see it as a form prayer to be said exactly as given. Most see it as a pattern or example to be followed. Cover these topics using these and or other words.
We will use different words for this prayer and a copy is appended to the end of this sermon. Fill in the blanks as we go along. Make it personal to you by filling in the spaces with your own words.
Addressing God
We use particular forms of address for certain people. For example, how would you address your doctor, church leader, neighbour, friends and family. How might you address someone differently if you wanted that person to do something for you?
For Jesus, prayer needs to be based on a right understanding of the relationship between God and his people. He is our Father (v 2) and we are his beloved children. This highlights the intimacy and directness of Christian prayer; which needs to be accompanied by appropriate respect (‘Hallowed be your name’, v2). Hallowed means ‘regarded as holy or sacred, venerated.’ The prayer is also marked by humble submission and a strong sense of dependence upon God, reflecting the truth that both our physical and spiritual well-being is a gift from him (vs 3,4).
Using the title ‘Our Father’ at the start of this prayer reminds us that we are part of one family together – our prayers are not just for ourselves, but others too. It also reminds us that a perfect dad delights in hearing his children and talking back – it raises expectation of conversation rather than a monologue! Note that some versions include ‘in heaven’ which also reminds us to give God due respect as well as love.
Fill in: Hello, Father God, it’s ________________________ speaking.
Places of need
God has invited us to be his co-workers and by asking for the kingdom to be visible on earth, we can bring to God the people, places and situations where we know there to be darkness, pain or sin and wrongdoing. These prayers for others may be offered with tears, in silence or with angry shouts. God understands when we are angry about injustice or oppression or abuse.
Fill in: You know just how bad things are in ______________________________ . Please set up your kingdom there.
What we need
As a good father, God delights in giving good things to us, providing for all our needs, including the food we eat. We can go to him with concerns great or small – good weather for an outdoor event, enough food to feed the family, a secure place to live, healing for our pet. Other suggestions?
Fill in: You know that I need_________________________ . Please provide for me what I need.
Sorry
At the same time, God wants us to strengthen our relationship with him. That means being honest about when we fail. When we admit our failures, mistakes and wrongdoing, God does forgive us and starts again with us. However, his desire is to help us stand firm when we are tempted to do wrong. So we can ask for him to help us as we try to move on.
Fill in: I am sorry, God, for the time this week when I did something wrong or failed to do something such as_________________________ . Please forgive me.
Us being forgiven by God goes hand in hand with us extending the same grace to others. That can be hard to do but we do it with God’s help. There are other hard places we don’t want to go so pray we don’t have to; that God will enable us to avoid what we don’t have strength to cope with. Notice that Jesus used plurals – us, our – and we have used singular – I, me – so I encourage you not to be selfish in your praying but remember to pray for others as well as yourself. Remember also that we pray along with other Christians. We join in prayer for these things.
Finally there is the praise and honour of God that Jesus’ disciples added later.
The prayer Jesus used was a good model, but it isn’t the only sort of prayer! There are other kinds of prayer too. The Psalmist poured out his heart in Psalm 138; he shared his love of God, his praise of God but also his confusion with God and even his anger and disappointment with God. God can take it. The world can be a cruel and harsh place. When our emotions are stirred, God prefers us to let them out rather than bottle them up. He understands us and does not get irritated or annoyed by us being honest.
The parable and teaching which follows (vs 5-13) are set within a culture where both the supply of food and opportunities for its storage were significantly more limited than today. If a grudging neighbour will respond to a request for food in an emergency (v8), how much more willing is a gracious God to hear and answer our prayers in the best possible way (though this doesn’t guarantee a ‘Yes’). In this passage Jesus stresses the need for persistence, boldness and expectancy when we speak to God.
You have filled in your copy of the Lord’s Prayer. I now invite you to add anything you like. Make the prayer your own and appropriate for you today.
This week’s challenge is to think of times during the week when you could put aside time to be with God – to share your mind and heart with him and even to hear his still, small voice speak back.
Remember that we can speak with God in many different ways; we can whisper our love, we can weep our sorrows, we can shout our anger, we can bargain on behalf of others, we can chat over our day, we can plead for help, we can ask for mercy. God does not limit our communications, though we often do. He is keen to ‘incline his ear’ and listen.
Concluding prayer: Dear God, thank you for being with us today. Thank you for listening.
Appendix: My prayer message to God
Hello, God, Father God, it’s _________________________ speaking.
You know just how bad things are in _________________________ . Please set up your kingdom there.
You know what I need __ _______________________ Please provide for me what I need.
I am sorry, God, for the time when I did something wrong or failed to do something such as ___________________________________ . Please forgive me.
Make me able to forgive other people for what they’ve done to me.
Protect me from evil.