COMMUNICATIONS CLINIC: JESUS TEACHES ON PRAYER
Lesson #5 – A GOOD PRAYER LIFE – LUKE 11:1-13
· What are the ingredients in a good prayer life?
· Why is a good prayer life of significant importance?
We are approaching a passage of Scripture that, to me, gives us the good ingredients for an effective prayer life. Again our teacher is the Lord Jesus, who, as God the Son, spent much time in prayer, and encouraged us to do the same.
PRAYER LIFE WITH A MISSION Vs. 1
· It was not unusual for disciples to ask their masters to teach them to pray.
· Why do you think that the disciples were right in asking Jesus this question?
· Even if we already have a consistent prayer life, why should we continue to make this request?
PRAYER LIFE WITH A MODEL – Vss. 2-4
· Why is the “Lord’s Prayer” a good title for this prayer?
· Why is the “Lord’s Prayer” a questionable title for this prayer?
· On what basis can we pray “Our Father” to God?
· Although the Jews in Jesus day referred to God as Father, it was never worded in a personal sense. The word for father here is “Abba” or “Daddy”. This would have been an intimate, personal, trusting, and respectful way to address a parent.
· How is being able to address God as “Father” an encouraging way to pray?
· Note the five distinct requests in this prayer. Two deal with our relationship with God, three with our daily lives on earth.
1. “Hallowed be thy name…” – Praise, sanctification and adoration
2. “Thy kingdom come…” – Looking for God’s rule in the future, and now in our lives.
3. “Give us this day our daily bread…” – Relying on God for our daily needs.
4. “Forgive as we have forgiven…” – Confession and forgiveness of others.
5. “Lead us not into temptation…” – Not wanting our temptations to lead us into sin.
PRAYER LIFE WITH A MANNER – Vss. 5-8
· The manner is persistency.
· Why is persistency in prayer so important?
· Vss. 5-6 – Middle Eastern hospitality requires going out of one’s way to meet the needs of a guest. This guest arrived at a very late hour and needed to be fed. Of course one would go to a neighbor and ask.
· Vs. 7 – The neighbor, being wakened from a sound sleep, was not cooperative at all. He had excuses.
· Vs. 8 – Evidently the neighbor “made a scene”. He kept pounding on the door and yelling until the host within, probably in fear of waking up the neighborhood, gave in. He gave his neighbor as much as he needed.
· God wants us to be persistent in prayer, not because He is unwilling to answer our prayers, but because he wants us to be sincere in our asking.
PRAYER LIFE WITH A MANDATE – Vss. 9-10
· The original text means that we are to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking.
· What are some of the things we should be asking for in prayer?
· What should we be seeking for in prayer?
· What significance does knocking have to do with prayer?
· How and why does Jesus encourage us to be persistent in these verses?
PRAYER LIFE WITH A MOTIVE – Vss.11-13
· Vss. 11-12 – A stone can look like bread, a snake like a fish, and a scorpion like an egg.
· Why would a father not give these things to his son?
· Vs. 13 – We being evil know how to give what is good to our children.
· God being good knows how to give not only what is good, but what is best for His children.
· The best gift God has given you is the Holy Spirit. Why is He the best gift?
· The Holy Spirit already resides inside of us. What do we need to ask concerning Him? 1 Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 3:16
· If God will freely give us His best gift, he will also give us the ones that are good.
