A Close Second

Last Sunday, I began my message verbalizing my gratitude for the providence of God as He planned our last sermon of 2024 to be about the Good Samaritan and meeting our neighbors’ needs and the first sermon of 2025 about Mary and Martha and prioritizing daily bible reading.

 

Again, I am grateful for God’s providence in planning our second sermon of the new year to be about prayer.  As a matter of fact, our next three sermons will be about prayer. 

 

Today, we will look at Jesus’ pattern of prayer.  Next week will be about our persistence in prayer.  The final Sunday of January will be about God’s products from prayer.

 

I have entitled this sermon, “A Close Second.”  As I said last week, I believe that every Christian’s number one priority for the new year should be daily bible reading.  That is God talking to us.

 

A close second priority of every Christian in the new year is praying regularly.  That is us talking to God.

 

Therefore, I do think it is best for us to listen more than we talk.  Perhaps that is why we have only one mouth but two ears.

 

 

Exposition

In verse 1, Jesus was praying.  Obviously, His disciples heard Him and or saw Him and asked Him to teach them to pray.

 

Beginning in verse 2 and through verse 4, we find Jesus’ pattern for pray.  This is commonly called, “The Lord’s Prayer.”  Many of you probably have it committed to memory.

However, you probably memorized the version in Matthew 6.  It is found there as well as part of the Sermon on the Mount.  Here, Jesus used it in response to a request. 

 

Please understand that Jesus is not advocating a magical formula.  What Jesus is doing is teaching us to depend on God for life’s needs.  In verses 2-4, you will find six requests.

 

After we get the great privilege of addressing the Creator of the universe as Father, our first request is that His name be hallowed.  That means revered and respected.

 

This prayer is that you and I would not do ANYTHING to drag God’s name through the mud.  It applies to what we say, think, and do.

 

Second, there is the request for God’s kingdom to come.  This is a prayer for Jesus to come and come quickly.

 

Third, there is the request for God’s will to be done.  Consequently, if God’s kingdom comes and God’s will is done, my kingdom has to be destroyed, and my will must fall by the wayside. 

 

BTW…How is God’s will done in heaven?  It is done perfectly and without sin.  This request is for me and you to live lives in obedience to God’s will.

 

Fourth, there is the request for daily bread.  This is a request for general but daily provisions.  It certainly includes but not limited to food.

 

Fifth, there is the request for forgiveness of sin.  Notice also the standard for our forgiveness. 

 

When we forgive others, that is proof or evidence that God has forgiven us.  When we don’t, well…

 

Sixth, there is the request for God to deliver us from temptation and the evil one.  We are to pray for God to lead us into safe places where obedience thrives.

 

Again, this not a magical formula.  However, it can be used as a model prayer for our prayers.

 

 

Jesus’ Prayer Life

When we think about Jesus’ prayer life, we should remember that HE prayed regularly like here in 11:1.  You and should pray throughout the day even during the mundane experiences of life.

 

However, Jesus also prayed before or during major or significant events.

 

When He was baptized:

3:21 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.

 

When He chose the Twelve:

6:12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

 

When He was in the Garden of Gethsemane:

22:40 When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”  41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” 43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

 

When He was on the cross:

23:46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last.

 

Second, Jesus prayed when He was alone, and when other were present.

 

5:16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

 

9:18 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

 

9:28 Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.

 

Third, Jesus prayed for others, and Jesus prayed for Himself.

 

22:32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

 

17:1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.

 

 

Application

When it comes to your daily prayer time, I advocate the ACTS method of praying.  A stands for adoration or praising God.  C stands for confession of sin.  T stands for thanksgiving, and S stands for supplication or petition or requests.

 

All of these except for thanksgiving are explicit in the Lord’s prayer, and I believe that thanksgiving is implied.  I don’t know that you can adore or praise God without being thankful.

 

If you listen closely when I pray on Sunday mornings, I use this model as an example for you.  I adore all three person of the Trinity.  I confess that we are sinners in need of forgiveness.  I thank the Lord for our nation and our freedom and our military and first responders and facilities and abundant life.  I then pray for us and our neighbors and end to our wars and for the Holy Spirit to meet us here.

 

I challenge you to make regular prayer part of your daily life.  It can easily be accomplished with the notes section on your phone and a daily alarm as a reminder.

 

If Jesus prayed, and He did, His followers should pray as well.  Listening to God is priority number one.  Talking to God is a close second.