WHAT IS PRAYER? IT'S AN ACT OF FAITH BECAUSE ONE DOES NOT SEE GOD, BUT BELIEVES THAT HE'S THERE AND THAT HE HEARS THE CHRISTIAN'S PETITION. IT IS ONE'S EXPRESSION OF DEPENDENCE ON A HIGHER BEING; A POWER GREATER THAN HIMSELF. NO ONE UNDERSTOOD THAT MORE FULLY THAT JESUS. HE NOT ONLY TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES TO PRAY, BUT ALSO SHOWED THEM BY EXAMPLE THE PLACE AND IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER IN ONE'S LIFE. WE CAN LEARN MUCH ABOUT THE PLACE OF PRAYER BY THE LIFE OF OUR SAVIOR. THAT'S THE LESSON FOR THIS MORNING.
1. AT HIS BAPTISM - LUKE 3:21FF; MT 3:16
A. AS JESUS CAME UP OUT OF THE WATER HE CAME UP PRAYING. HE BEGAN HIS MINISTRY WITH PRAYER.
B. IF NEW-BORN CHRISTIANS LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER FROM THE BEGINNING THERE WOULD BE LESS WEAKNESS AND FALLING AWAY FROM THE FAITH.
C WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HE SAID, BUT FROM THAT POINT ON HE DEDICATED AND CONSECRATED HIMSELF TO THE TASK FOR WHICH HE WAS SENT INTO THE WORLD. JOHN 18:37; JOHN 1:18; JOHN 10:15; MT 20:28.
D. HIS BAPTISM WAS A SIGN FOR HIM TO BEGIN HIS WORK, FOR THE FATHER TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS HIS SON AND FOR JOHN TO BEAR WITNESS THAT HE WAS THE SON OF GOD. JESUS DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO THAT.
2. BEFORE DAY - MK 1:35
A. IF JESUS KNEW TO START HIS DAY THAT WAY, HOW MUCH MORE SHOULD WE, HIS WEAK AND FRAIL DISCIPLES, NEED TO FOLLOW THIS EXAMPLE!
B. WE LEAVE OUR HOMES, WHERE PRESUMABLY THE WORD OF THE LORD PREVAILS ANDWE GO OUT INTO THE WORLD WHERE THE SPIRIT OF SATAN PREVAILS. WHAT SHOULD WE PRAY FOR? COL 4:2-6.
C. DISCIPLES WHO START THE DAY IN PRAYER HAVE LEARNED THAT THE DAY IS FILLED WITH GREATER PEACE
3. CLOSE OF DAY - JOHN 6:15; MT 14:23
A. JESUS WAS NEVER TOO BUSY TO FINISH HIS DAY IN PRAYER.
1. CAN'T WE THANK THE LORD FOR THE DAY'S BLESSINGS AND ALSO TALK WITH HIM ABOUT THE AFFAIRS OF LIFE. CAN'T WE ALSO CAST OUT ANXIETIES ON HIM KNOWING THAT HE CARES?
2. CAN'T WE ALSO LEARN TO PRAY WHEN THINGS ARE GOING OUR WAY? AT THIS POINT JESUS WAS RIDING THE CREST OF POPULARITY WITH THE MASSES. WHEN WE FEEL "ON TOP OF THE WORLD" DO WE THINK ABOUT ASKING FOR DELIVERANCE FROM TEMPTATION AND TO SEE THE RIGHT PATH TO FOLLOW?
4. AT NIGHT IN PRAYER - LUKE 6:12
A. JESUS HAD A DAUNTING TASK AHEAD OF HIM TO CHOOSE THOSE WHO WOULD BECOME HIS DISCIPLES.
HE NEEDED MEN WHO WOULD BE TEACHABLE, COURAGEOUS, LOYAL AND ONE WHO WOULD BE BETRAY HIM TO FULFILL PROPHECY. HE PRAYED ABOUT IT! IN FACT, HE PRAYED ALL NIGHT!
B. WHEN WE HAVE BIG DECISIONS AHEAD OF US, DO WE PRAY ABOUT IT? DO WE PRAY ABOUT CAREER CHOICES, A MATE TO SPEND OUR LIFE WITH, OUR CHOICE OF FRIENDS, ETC?
5. THE TRANSFIGURATION - LK 9: 28-36; MT 17: 2
A.APPROXIMATELY EIGHT DAYS EARLIER (LK 9:18-20) NOTICE THE IMPRESSION MADE BY HIS LIFE OF PRAYER
B. NOTICED JESUS WAS PRAYING AT THE TRANSFIGURATION. WE ARE TO BE "TRANSFORMED" REGARDING OUR CHARACTER WHEN WE BECOME CHRISTIANS. ROM 12:2; 2 COR 3:18
C. NOTICE ANOTHER IMPRESSION THAT JESUS' PRAYER LIFE HAD ON HIS DISCIPLES - LK 11:1
6. GETHSEMANE - MK 13:33FF; LK 22:39-46
A. JESUS CAME TO AN EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL MOMENT IN HIS LIFE. HIS PRAYER WAS OF TOTAL SUBMSSION TO THE WILL OF THE FATHER. THE FLESH CAME INTO SUBMISSION TO THE DIVINE.
B. NO BATTLES CAN BE WON AGAINST THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE WORLD AND THE WEAKNESS OF THE FLESH WITHOUT THE SAME "GETHSEMANE" ATTITUDE.
7. THE CROSS - LK 23:34
A. HE CLOSED HIS MINISTRY AS HE STARTED IT; IN PRAYER. WE SHOULD PRAY FOR OUR ENEMIES AND THOSE THAT DESPITEFULLY USE US. MT 5: 43-48 THE PRAYER OF CHRIST WAS ANSWERED 53 DAYS LATER ACTS 2: 37-39