Getting A Grip On Prayer
Sermon Notes
Sermon Title: The Lord's Prayer: Getting A Grip On Prayer
Prayer is an action and function of relationship with God grounded in faith.
Faith Defined:
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Hope Defined: “a secured outcome”
A Secured Outcome Defined:
Hebrews 4:14-16 "14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
BIG IDEAS
- Prayer is a gift of relationship – don’t leave it in the box
- A Perfect Father is trustworthy
Why Was Jesus’ Prayers Effective?
- He valued the relationship with His Father and knew that all authority and power and provision and direction flowed through His Father – so He took the time.
- He trusted and was committed to God’s will over His own – He relinquished His own will.
Why prayer might be lacking in your life:
- Value
- Control
- Frustration
Matthew 6:9-13 “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.’"
Matthew 6:5-8 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."
Luke 11:5-13 "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!”
Matthew 6:10“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."
"Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption...of all the gifts of grace, adoption is the highest." -Theologian J.I. Packer