The Lord’s prayer:
Luke 11:1-13
Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer
1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2 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 Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.’”
5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
In Luke 11 we have just read how the disciples gathered round Jesus and said to him, “Teach us to pray”. They wanted instruction. They were the people who had spent time with Jesus they had seen him go off and pray, they had seen how important his relationship with God was , how powerful the effect of praying to his Father had on his life and they wanted to know how to tap into that same power.
Often when people asked Jesus a question he replied in a story or with a question this time the disciples got a really clear answer, they got the instructions they asked for.
He gave then the words that have become known as the Lord’s Prayer. From that day to this books have been written about the Lord’s Prayer, sermons have been preached. Christians of all denominations know the words and it is repeated in numerous Christina gatherings all over the world probably every day. Even people who never go to church know it from their school days.
As a basis for everyday prayer the Lord’s Prayer is unsurpassable. In Matthew’s gospel he includes it within the Sermon on the Mount and he places it along side other instructions for private prayer.
Matthew 6:5-15
Prayer
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Jesus is suggesting that when we go to our rooms, or wherever we pray by ourselves we begin by praying, Our father, even when we are alone, we can pray knowing that we are part of the worldwide Body of Christ, His Church in this his world.
After the Lord’s Prayer, Matthew then leads onto some teaching about forgiveness. Out of spending secret, one to one time with God we learn to love others and this influences our relationship with those around us.
Luke’s focuses on Jesus’ own prayer life and the disciples desire to pray as He did. He then follows on with some teaching about the character of God, the one who will reward persistence prayer and open doors and give generously to us his children.
Remember Luke11:9-13 “9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
11“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Go on give it ago, use the Lord's prayer as a template and pray and see God work.
Luke 11:1-13
Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer
1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2 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 Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.’”
5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
In Luke 11 we have just read how the disciples gathered round Jesus and said to him, “Teach us to pray”. They wanted instruction. They were the people who had spent time with Jesus they had seen him go off and pray, they had seen how important his relationship with God was , how powerful the effect of praying to his Father had on his life and they wanted to know how to tap into that same power.
Often when people asked Jesus a question he replied in a story or with a question this time the disciples got a really clear answer, they got the instructions they asked for.
He gave then the words that have become known as the Lord’s Prayer. From that day to this books have been written about the Lord’s Prayer, sermons have been preached. Christians of all denominations know the words and it is repeated in numerous Christina gatherings all over the world probably every day. Even people who never go to church know it from their school days.
As a basis for everyday prayer the Lord’s Prayer is unsurpassable. In Matthew’s gospel he includes it within the Sermon on the Mount and he places it along side other instructions for private prayer.
Matthew 6:5-15
Prayer
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Jesus is suggesting that when we go to our rooms, or wherever we pray by ourselves we begin by praying, Our father, even when we are alone, we can pray knowing that we are part of the worldwide Body of Christ, His Church in this his world.
After the Lord’s Prayer, Matthew then leads onto some teaching about forgiveness. Out of spending secret, one to one time with God we learn to love others and this influences our relationship with those around us.
Luke’s focuses on Jesus’ own prayer life and the disciples desire to pray as He did. He then follows on with some teaching about the character of God, the one who will reward persistence prayer and open doors and give generously to us his children.
Remember Luke11:9-13 “9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
11“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Go on give it ago, use the Lord's prayer as a template and pray and see God work.
