Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Prayer or Why Would Jesus Need to Pray?

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May 16, 2015

Sabbath School Bible Study

Larry R Evans

Introduction

It was John Wesley who said,

Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth.  God does nothing but in answer to prayer.

And note this statement from E.M. Bounds

A prayerless Christian will never learn God’s truth; a prayerless ministry will never be able to teach God’s truth.  . . . The best, the greatest offering is an offering of prayer. –E.M. Bounds in Power Through Prayer, p. 78.

Our reluctance to spend time in prayer is astonishing in light of who God is, who we are and what God is offering.  Note the insights of David:

   Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

   Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

   Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.

    Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. (1 Chron. 29:11-13, NIV)

The disciples observed Jesus in prayer and within them arose the desire to pray as Jesus did.

It was from hours spent with God that He came forth, morning by morning, to bring the light of heaven to men. The disciples had come to connect His hours of prayer with the power of His words and works. Now, as they listened to His supplication, their hearts were awed and humbled. As He ceased praying, it was with a conviction of their own deep need that they exclaimed, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Luke 11:1. (Ellen White, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pp.102-103)

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There are many ways of addressing this week’s lesson but given our time, I thought it would be best for us to give special focus to what we often refer to as, “The Lord’s Prayer.”  The prayer was given twice by Jesus—once to the multitude in the “Sermon on the Mount” and some months later to disciples.  We will take a “brief” look at five parts of the prayer: To whom it is addressed, thanksgiving, our wants, our confession and our claim for His mercy.  We highly recommend a reflective study of the chapter in Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, by Ellen G White, pp. 102-122.  Our study is not restricted to this reference but it provides many excellent insights. Our primary Bible passages are found in Luke 11:1-4 and Matthew 6:5-15).

Questions for Reflection

1.              Jesus begins the prayer with “Father” to give emphasis to the disciplinary tactics that a father uses to get his children to do what he wants them to do. (Lk 11:2; Matt 6:9) True or False?

2.              The word “hallowed” (“hallowed be your name”)comes from the same word used for Halloween which means “’scary’ and/or ‘to approach with fear’”(Lk 11:2; Matt 6:9).  True or False?

3.              Our wants are important to God. (Lk 11:3; Matt 6:11) True or False?

4.              Confession comes later in the prayer because it is not as important as “hallowing” the name of God. (Lk 11:4; Matt 6:12) True or False?

5.              To pray “lead us not into temptation” means that we won’t have temptations if we sincerely request this in our prayers.  ( Lk 11:4; Matt 6:13) True or False?

Brief Comments on the Questions

1.            Jesus begins the prayer with “Father” to give emphasis to the disciplinary tactics that a father uses to get his children to do what he wants them to do. (Lk 11:2; Matt 6:9) False

The word translated for Father is Jesus’ favorite word and is recorded at least 170 times in the four gospels. his corresponds to the Aramaic abba, the address of a child to its parent. It is the word that communicates warmth, respect and a close relationship.  Using such a term reminds us we are addressing a Person and not just an inanimate power. “The very first step in approaching God is to know and believe the love that He has to us (1 John 4:16); for it is through the drawing of His love that we are led to come to Him.” (MB, pp. 104-105)

2.            The word “hallowed” (“hallowed be your name”) comes from the same word used for Halloween which means “’scary’ and/or ‘to approach with fear’”(Lk 11:2; Matt 6:9). False

Hallowed means ‘made holy’, ‘reverenced.’ The name in antiquity stood for far more than it does with us. It summed up a person’s whole character, all that was known or revealed about him. The requests that follow do so through the knowledge or appreciation of the character of God. It is His kingdom, His will being done, that will bring the true blessings we seek. It is for this reason that this part of the prayer is often referred to as a “praise” section.  Johann Herder, a German philosopher, once wrote: “We cannot know ourselves without a reference point outside ourselves.”  This part of the prayer provides the needed reference point.

3.            Our wants are important to God. (Lk 11:3; Matt 6:11) True

“Give us today our daily bread.” – “Give” forces us to recognize that God is the source of all gifts. Bread is a general term denoting nourishing and filling food. Thus the request is for food that is necessary to sustain life for the day.  Praising God first puts us in the right frame of mind to tell him about our needs. Too often our prayers are more like shopping lists than conversations.

God’s provision is daily, not all at once. We cannot store it up and then cut off communication with God. And we dare not be self-satisfied. If you are running low on strength, ask yourself, How long have I been away from the Source?

4.            Confession comes later in the prayer because it is not as important as “hallowing” the name of God. (Lk 11:4; Matt 6:12)  False

After recognizing the very character and nature of God and His kingdom (Hallowed), we are in a better position  to view both ourselves and others.  When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he made forgiveness the cornerstone of their relationship with God. God has forgiven our sins; we must now forgive those who have wronged us. To remain unforgiving shows we have not understood that we ourselves deeply need to be forgiven.

“God’s forgiveness is not merely a judicial act by which He sets us free from condemnation.  It is not only forgiveness for sin, but reclaiming from sin.” (MB, p.114)

5.            To pray “lead us not into temptation” means that we won’t have temptations if we sincerely request this in our prayers.  ( Lk 11:4; Matt 6:13) False

Asking for God’s merciful intervention into our lives is a prayer for His personal guidance.  He knows our strengths and weaknesses.  Our prayer is o keep us within His kingdom and not to allow the Evil One to draw us away. 

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Cor 10:13)

“Satan seeks to bring us into temptation, that the evil of our characters may be revealed before men and angels, that he may claim us as his own. In the symbolic prophecy of Zechariah, Satan is seen standing at the right hand of the Angel of the Lord, accusing Joshua, the high priest, who is clothed in filthy garments, and resisting the work that the Angel desires to do for him. This represents the attitude of Satan toward every soul whom Christ is seeking to draw unto Himself. The enemy leads us into sin, and then he accuses us before the heavenly universe as unworthy of the love of God.” (MB: pp. 116-117)

“But while we are not to be dismayed by trial, bitter though it be, we should pray that God will not permit us to be brought where we shall be drawn away by the desires of our own evil hearts. In offering the prayer that Christ has given, we surrender ourselves to the guidance of God, asking Him to lead us in safe paths. We cannot offer this prayer in sincerity, and yet decide to walk in any way of our own choosing. We shall wait for His hand to lead us; we shall listen to His voice, saying, ‘This is the way, walk ye in it.’ Isaiah 30:21.” (MB 117-118).

Reflective Conclusion

Times will come when our prayers will appear not to be heard and we are tempted to think God has abandoned us.  But we must not cease to pray and to pray in faith. There was even a time when “God” did not think His prayers were being heard.

“From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” –which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” (Matt 27:45).  Jesus revealed that we must pray through the dark times.  His strength came from the very first words He taught His disciples to pray:  “Our Father.”  Here in the relationship with His Father before the cross He gathered the strength to withstand the darkness of circumstances that seemed to overwhelm Him.  Jesus too needed to pray.

Not by seeking a holy mountain or a sacred temple are men brought into communion with heaven. Religion is not to be confined to external forms and ceremonies. The religion that comes from God is the only religion that will lead to God. In order to serve Him aright, we must be born of the divine Spirit. This will purify the heart and renew the mind, giving us a new capacity for knowing and loving God. It will give us a willing obedience to all His requirements. This is true worship. It is the fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit every sincere prayer is indited, and such prayer is acceptable to God. Wherever a soul reaches out after God, there the Spirit’s working is manifest, and God will reveal Himself to that soul. For such worshipers He is seeking. He waits to receive them, and to make them His sons and daughters. { DA 189.2}

Additional Key Insights Regarding the Importance of Prayer

“There will come times when the church will be stirred by divine power, and earnest activity will be the result; for the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit will inspire its members to go forth and bring souls to Christ. But when this activity is manifested, the most earnest workers will be safe only as they depend upon God through constant, earnest prayer. They will need to make earnest supplication that through the grace of Christ they may be saved from taking pride in their work, or of making a savior of their activity. They must constantly look to Jesus, that they may realize that it is His power which does the work, and thus be able to ascribe all the glory to God. We shall be called upon to make most decided efforts to extend the work of God, and prayer to our heavenly Father will be most essential. It will be necessary to engage in prayer in the closet, in the family, and in the church.”—The Review and Herald, July 4, 1893. { ChS 98.4}

Every child may gain knowledge, as Jesus did, from the works of nature and the pages of God’s holy word. As we try to become acquainted with our heavenly Father through His holy word, angels will come near, our minds will be strengthened, our character will be elevated and refined, and we shall become more like our Saviour. And as we behold the beauty and grandeur of the works of nature, our affections go out after God; while the heart is awed and the spirit subdued, the soul is invigorated by coming in contact with the Infinite through His marvelous works. Communion with God through humble prayer, develops and strengthens the mental and moral faculties, and spiritual powers increase by cultivating thoughts upon spiritual things. { CSW 40.1}