This week, in our Luke series, we are reflecting on Jesus’ teaching on prayer from Luke 11:1-13. Today we consider the place of petitions - asking for things - in prayer.
‘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.”He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.”’ (Luke 11:1-4)
Lesson: Knowing God as Father inspires us to ask for the things that we need.
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The health of our relationship with God as our Father will be seen in how we ask for things. If we fail to ask for the things we want and need, it may reveal that we don’t truly believe He’s there and our religion may just be empty tradition; our failure to make petitions may reveal that we believe ourselves to be unworthy of His attention, not realising the truth of our adoption; we may fail to ask the Father for things because we believe He’s mean and hard to move, showing that we are not allowing God’s Word to define God to us… Jesus, in His model for prayer, reveals that as we worship God as our Father, we will be able to ask for things including:
i. Your Kingdom come
After worship, Jesus shows us that we are to move onto asking for things. Jesus teaches us to begin this section by praying, “Your kingdom come, your will be done”; not my kingdom and my will! Praying for our needs will come but we don’t start there! “Your Kingdom come” Is a phrase about praying for more people to enter the kingdom; God invites us to pray for our community and nation to turn to Jesus and be saved. Praying for His Kingdom to come is a time to re-submit ourselves under Jesus’ rule afresh. Praying for God’s Kingdom to come is also a prayer that realigns us to our hope of Jesus’ return, when His Kingdom will come fully. We’re asking, in line with the last verses of Revelation:
‘He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.’ (Revelation 22:20)
ii. Your will be done
In praying for The Father’s will to be done, we will pray for specific aspects in our lives, our nation and the world where we want God’s will to prevail. When we are praying for direction in our work, relationships, location, occupation, a choice to make… it’s important to submit our prayers to God’s will and ask Him to lead our decisions and the outcomes. We see this in Jesus’ example when He prays before going to the cross:
‘“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”’ (Luke 22:42)
iii. Give us today our daily bread
Finally, Jesus teaches us to pray: ‘Give us today our daily bread’. This is about praying for the every day needs that we have - nothing is too small! Just as the people of Israel, whilst wandering in the wilderness for forty-years, were to collect their daily ‘manna’, so we are to ask for, and rely on, the Father to provide for us each day.
Response
Knowing God as Father inspires us to ask for the things that we need. Whether it’s big or small are we asking the Father for the things we want and need? Are we praying for peace where there is war? Are we praying for governmental elections? Are we praying for direction? Are we praying for those in need? Are we seeking for His will to be done in the world, the church and in our lives? Whether it’s His Kingdom, His will or daily bread, let’s come to the Father in prayer know that, ‘He rewards those who earnestly seek Him’ (Hebrews 11:6).
COMMUNITY GROUP NOTES AND STUDY
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
This Sunday we have Dale Barlow from the New Ground leadership team coming to speak on The Holy Spirit so let's be praying in advance for our time together.
Please ensure that the members of your group are aware and familiar with using the daily devotionals, which are accessed in Church News, the Teaching button on the website and are now available on the major podcast platforms.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
Our message from our series in Luke on Sunday, based upon Jesus’ teaching on prayer from Luke 11:1-13. Having set them such an example of devotion to prayer His disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray. Jesus gives them a structure that contains the vital elements that need to be in our prayer-life personally and as churches.
Please read Luke 11:1-13, and discuss:
Did God speak to you about anything specifically from Sunday’s message?
Praise - Jesus teaches us to begin with praise: “Father, hallowed be your name.” How can we use the Bible in our worship?
Petitions - Secondly, Jesus teaches us to ask for things: “Your kingdom come [your will be done]. Give us each day our daily bread.” What has been your experience of God answering your petitions?
Peacemaking - Thirdly, we are to make peace by receiving and giving forgiveness: “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.” Are we doing this and why is this important?
Protection - Finally, we are to ask for protection as a constant habit: “And lead us not into temptation.” Why do we need to do this every day without fail?
Perseverance - The final section (11:5-13) contains two parables that teach us to persevere in prayer. What promises does this section give to inspire faith for persevering?
SIV - Praying, “Your kingdom come” involves asking God to bring people into His Kingdom. How faithfully are you praying for individuals and for multitudes to enter the kingdom?
SIV - Do we have any stories of how we have ‘Served, Invested, and inVited’ recently?
Let’s pray together that, this week, we will have opportunities to SIV; and pray for anything else that's come out of our time in God’s Word.