Study Guide: "Praying Like Jesus, Part Four"

Praying Like Jesus, Part Four

Matthew 6:9-15

Open:

Let's take a moment to review some of what we've learned about prayer from the example and instruction of Jesus.

Prayer is intimacy:

- It is primarily about Relationship.

- More about listening than speaking.

- Real prayer is something we learn.

- To pray is to change--"Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us... The closer we come to the heartbeat of God the more we see our need and the more we desire to be conformed to Christ." (R. Foster, Celebration of Discipline)

- More about alignment than it is activity.

While all of that is true (and I'm convinced is the true starting place for understanding & practicing prayer), Jesus taught us to ask God for certain things.  We call this aspect of prayer "petition."

- Later in the New Testament, James writes: "You do not have because you do not ask.  You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly in order to spend what you get on your pleasures." (James 4:2-3)

- We often describe this aspect of prayer as Petition.

George Buttrick: "By petitionary prayer is meant, in loose definition, prayer which asks God to change things.... The essence of petitionary prayer is a plea to God to work 'within this world."

Believers are encouraged to ask God to change things, for themselves and for others.

Jesus instructs us to include three things in our petitions:

Provision

This aspect of asking is really more about expecting than it is requesting.

"We should never make prayer too complicated... Jesus taught us to come like children to a father.  Openness, honesty and trust mark a child's communication with his father.  There is an intimacy between parent and child that has room for both seriousness and laughter." (Foster, p. 36)

Jesus taught us to ask for daily bread in the same way that a child asks for breakfast with utter confidence that it will be provided.

Ascertain what God wants, then ask Him with confidence to provide it.

- Necessities of life (Mt 6:25-34)

- James warns us of doubting (James 1:5-8)

Jesus amplifies this matter of praying for provision in Mt 7: 7-11.

Note that this request for provision is Inclusive.

"Give us ..."

- Intercession really does matter

The Apostle Paul said: "You are also helping by your prayer for us, so that from many people thanks may be given on our behalf for the gracious given us through the help of many." (2 Corinthians1:11)

II.  Pardon

"Debts" versus "Trespasses"

Opheilema (the Greek word used here) is one of five New Testament Greek terms for sin:

1) The most common is hamartia which carries the idea of missing the mark ("all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.")

2) Paraptoma, often translated "trespass" is the sin of slipping or falling, and results more from carelessness than willful disobedience.

3) Parabasis refers to stepping across the line, going beyond the limits prescribed by God.

4) Anomia means lawlessness, and is a still more intentional and flagrant sin. It is direct and open rebellion against God.

5) The noun opheilema is used only a few times in the New Testament, but its verb form is found often.  Of the 30 times it is used in its verb form, 25 times it refers to moral or spiritual debts.

- This debts or trespass is a moral/ spiritual issue, not a financial one.

Inseparable components:

Confession -- Asking forgiveness implies confession.

Contrition - Concession is only made by a contrite heart (Ps. 51).

Request forgiveness - This is not a general request, but implies specific forgiveness for specific acts.

Forgive others -- The principle is simple, but sobering (Mt. 6:14-15, NRSV). We forgive because it is the character of righteousness, and reflects the nature of a God of mercy.

III. Protection

"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." (KJV)

"And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one." (NRSV)

The word for temptation / trial used here is peirasmos and is basically a neutral word in Greek, having no necessary connotation of good or evil, as does our English word "temptation."

God's holiness and goodness will not allow Him to lead anyone, especially on of His children, into a place or experience in which they would be intentionally induced to sin. James 1:13, "Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone."

2. We have an interpretive problem -- is the proper translation here of peirasmos in Matthew 6:13 temptation or trial?

- Why ask God not to do what He would never do anyway (temptation)?

- Why ask God not to do something that elsewhere in Scripture we are told to rejoice about because of the good things it produces in us (trial-- "the testing of your faith produces endurance" James 1:2-3)?

3. This expresses a sincere heart-cry against anything that might lead me to fail the Father I desperately love and cling to.

John Chrysostom (early church father): It is the expression of the redeemed soul that so despises and fears sin that it wants to escape all prospects of falling into it, choosing to avoid rather than defeat temptation.  It is having no desire to be in a place where even the possibility of sin is increased.

4. Jesus makes very clear the identity of our adversary.

- This gets very personal.  Each of us has a formidable adversary who very much wants our failure and destruction.

1 Peter 5:8, "Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith."

The devil doesn't make us do it (as Flip Wilson's Geraldine character declared). But, he is constantly working against us and seeking our demise.

Close:

"By petitionary prayer is meant, in loose definition, prayer which asks God to change things.... The essence of petitionary prayer is a plea to God to work 'within this world."

Believers are encouraged to ask God to change things, for themselves and for others.

(Dr. Dane Fowlkes, pastor)