How Should We Pray?

In Luke chapter 11. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray this dear friends, is what it really means to pray the way Jesus taught us to pray, which is to say, this is what it means to pray in the spirit to pray consistently with the will of the spirit who desires that we pray the way we been instructed to pray something merely to be used by root is a model for prayer and an example of what prayer should accomplish particularly meaningful as we face the concert configurable global pandemic today on Renewing Your Mind.

We have the privilege of sharing the message from Dr. John MacArthur, longtime friend of Dr. versus Roland the title of his message today is how should we pray, I would invite you to turn your Bible to Luke chapter 11. I have really been tasked to direct our thoughts toward how to pray and in particular that takes us to how the Lord taught us to pray.

Luke chapter 11 verse one indicate about that while he was praying in a certain place after he had finished one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples. He said to them when you pray, say father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us and lead us not into temptation little bit of background on what's going on in this context, the reality of personal access to God himself on an intimate level was somewhat convoluted among the Jews in Jesus day they had been taught by the rabbis that God was far off that God was so transcendent that they could not really experience any kind of intimate fellowship with him. He was frighteningly unapproachable and they were used to realizing that no one could actually enter his presence except the high priest on the day of atonement, and that only with the proper preparation, God appeared on Mount Sinai, the Israelites had seen his presence there, accompanied by frightening displays of thunder and lightning, and smoke because God is, after all, the writer of Hebrews as a consuming fire. But this had been stretched to II think an unfair point in the time of our Lord because if you go back in the Old Testament.

It was very clear in the writing of the Old Testament, God was approachable by his people. The rabbis even said the holy one yearns for the prayers of the righteous. Psalm 50 in verse 15 says call upon me in the day of trouble and I will rescue you and you will honor me. Psalm 9115 when he calls to me, says the Lord. I will answer him.

Psalm one 4518 the Lord is near to all who call upon him.

Psalm 18 six in my distress I called upon the Lord and cried to my God for help.

He heard my voice out of his temple. In my cry for help before him came into his ears. Psalm 65 to says, O thou that hears prayer under the show all flesh come and there is an indication that access to God was brought or even than just the Jews amid rash commentary on Psalm 65 says a human king can hearken to two or three people at once, but he cannot hearken the more God is not so for all men may pray to him and he harkens to the mall simultaneously men's ears become satisfied with hearing a little, but God's ears are never satiated. He is never wearied by men's prayers. Some rabbis taught that prayer was greater than sacrifice and some rabbis believe that prayer should be constant, not just when a person is in need.

In fact, there is a statement in the Talmuds.

It says honor the physician before you have need of him usual.

Pray not just when the needle when in prosperity before Miss fortune comes anticipate and pray says the Talmuds, and when you look at the Old Testament and begin analyze the components of the prayers of the people of God in the Old Testament when you see what the Old Testament calls them to do in their prayers. It breaks down to a number of things Jewish prayers had several elements.

First of all we can say love and praise. Psalm 34 to I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 5117 oh Lord, open my lips.

My mouth shall show forth thy praise and then there was very closely related to that gratitude and thanksgiving. The rabbi said through all prayers.

There must be Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is never to be discontinued. They said there was also in prayer and affirmation in recognition of God's holiness.

We are to pray said one rabbi, realizing that the glory of God is before us as if the Shekinah was present. There is also to be in prayer to the affirmation of one's desire to obey God to please God and that basically is what Psalm 119 emphasizes, such as verse 103. My tongue will sing of thy word for all thy commandments are right.

Prayer is a celebration of the goodness of God's law and the goodness of his commandments and the eagerness to obey them. Another component that was a part of Jewish praying was confession of sin and the longing for a pure heart. Psalm 26.

Six I will wash my hands in innocence and go about thine altar, oh Lord. Psalm 51 that great prayer of confession on the part of David as an illustration, and a very familiar one to us were reminded that the psalmist says who can ascend to the hill of the Lord, but he who has clean hands and a pure heart. So the Jews understood the components of prayer which are familiar to us.

They also understood that prayer was to be unselfish the highest Jewish prayers were those offered on behalf of the community. It was a great sense of solidarity among the people of God. They saw themselves as a covenant people, as indeed they were and they saw God's redemptive purpose as collective, on behalf of them all is the seed of Abraham.

In fact, one of the things the rabbis used to say was in praying to God, they would say, let not the prayer of the traveler find entrance to deal Lord interesting prayer. Let not the prayer of the traveler find entrance to deal Lord travelers might be praying for Fairweather when the people of God needed rain. In other words, God don't pay any attention to the prayers of the strangers if they interrupt the purposes that you have for your people so they prayed with a view to collective benediction and blessing. They also marked their prayers by perseverance. They didn't pray with importunity they they did pray with pleading and you see a number of those kinds of things I would say that Daniel chapter 9 is a wonderful indication of the pleading of the man of God who goes over the same things repeatedly and then does all those kinds of things that emphasize a heart that is wholly given over to the urgency of this another illustration.

Moses prayed for the mercy of God, even after God said to him in Deuteronomy 3.

Enough speak no more to me of this matter, but he kept speaking. In fact, after the sin of the golden calf. Moses interceded for the people of Israel for 14 days now.

There some importunity in prayer.

The Jews knew it was to plead with God, and I suppose at the end of the pervasive attitude in prayer that was righteous prayer among the Jews with humility. They often begin their prayer.

May it be thy good pleasure. Another reason I give you just a little bit of a fast run down on Old Testament prayer is because I want you to know that Jesus here is not giving some new instruction never known before. However, we are to commune with God is not going to be any different than those who have been communing with him all along. All the elements that we find in proper Jewish prayers are emphasized and refined by our Lord in his instruction, and here again is a wonderful illustration that he came not to overturn anything became not to replace anything but to fulfill. And so in this text of Luke 11, we come to Jesus specific instruction on how to pray. This can be compared with the other version of this instruction in Matthew chapter 6 verses 9 to 13. They are not the same incident. Matthew account happens much earlier in Galilee. This one no doubt in Judea. Months later, here again, Jesus is repeating his instruction in the question that launches it is at the end of verse one. Lord, teach us to pray, teach us to pray they didn't say please notice teach us a prayer. They sent teach us to pray. This is not a prayer. This is how to pray. It follows that we learn from this a structure to prayer a pattern that we can follow this is a model for praying the Lord is not saying occasionally or daily or once in a while or every Lord's day. At the end of the prayer that you pray in the pulpit. Lead your people in this prayer. He said to them when you pray short. Literally. Whenever you pray, pray like this. This is a skeleton that you going to hang all your praying on this is a framework that provides the structure for all our prayers found it so helpful.

Many, many years ago when I went through teaching, the wonderful Gospel of Matthew to spend an awful lot of time in the version of this further appears in the six chapter and to learn this structure and this framework which has been the constant structure and framework for my praying. Ever since occasionally, I actually say or saying in the Lord's prayer but that's not the point is not wrong to do that.

It's wonderful to do that because you need to be reminded of that structure, but that's only the framework and I want you to see just exactly what this framework is because this dear friends, is what it really means to pray the way Jesus taught us to pray, which is to say, this is what it means to pray in the spirit to pray consistently with the will of the spirit who desires that we pray the way we been instructed to pray and I know you're going to know many of the things that I'll tell you, but perhaps this will be a reminder, let's go back to verse one and just get the setting came about very general indicator here. We don't know when or where this occurred, but it came about that while he was praying in a certain place after he had finished one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples as a regular part of our Lord's life to be in constant communion with his father. No doubt the disciples experience that with him all the time. But on this occasion when Jesus is at prayer. They ask him to teach them to pray as they were hearing him pray. They must've been watching. They must've been listening and they wanted to know what was the structure of his own prayers and they bring up the fact that John John the Baptist had taught his disciples to pray and that was true.

Even the Pharisees and scribes recognize that in John 533. They said the disciples of John, often fast and pray. It was known then by everybody. The John the Baptist followers prayed that whoever asked this question said you know we have to know how to pray to solve to that Jesus responds when you pray, no set time. No set posture when ever you pray present subjunctive say say from Lego in the broadest sense, and here the framework begins. First thing father God is called Father only 15 times in the Old Testament never is he addressed as father in a prayer. God is called Father 65 times in the synoptic Gospels Matthew Mark and Luke and 100 times in John something has happened to bring God nearer to open up this filial relationship among us and this parental relationship with him.

In the Greek is pot terror. But the Jews use the Aramaic and probably said when you pray, start out this way daddy Poppa and by the way, is still used today in Hebrew speaking families term of tender affection family love rabbis use to note that the first words that a child ever uttered were Rob and IMA. So here is a model a pattern format.

A framework for prayer. The begins with addressing God in a way that the Jews really never did.

Collectively they did, but individually they did not. This invocation says that you have the right to approach God the creator. The sovereign eternal holy one, and to call him pop up to the conventional wisdom of the Jews of that day. This is frighteningly presumptuous. God is so eager to introduce himself in this way, and we are reminded again we have the seven chapter of Matthew where God presents himself as a father responds to his people. What man is there among you, and his son ask for a loaf give him a stone. What if he asked for a fish give him a snake.

Willie you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask him suck presumptuous to call God father.

He wants to be called Father in the most intimate sense and our Lord Jesus instructs us that how you pray to him. In fact, in John 20. In verse 17 Jesus said, tell the brother and sister. After the resurrection I go to my father and your father just an amazing reality. Romans 815, Galatians 46 Abba father again is Paul's reference in telling us how to approach God. He is our father. God is not the DOP bath, a God of the Stoics is unable to feel anything. He's not the anorexia, God of the Epicureans living in perfect in different serenity. He is not the God say of Thomas Hardy who called God the dreaming dark dumb thing that turns the handle on this idle show is not the God of the deists who wanted up and went away he is by father and that settles the matter of fear and that settles the matter of hope and that settles the matter of loneliness and that settles the matter of resources. Every time you pray father not lost in the crowd thing about the story of the loving father I prefer to call it the story of a loving father rather than the prodigal son because it is really about the love of God for returning prodigal in Luke 15 when he comes back the magnanimous affection of the father for this disobedient child is overwhelming. All he wants is to be a servant, and the father will have none of it with the ring on his finger till the fatted calf put a robe on.

Let's have a party to end all parties. Your that son trite you are that son and father's arms are open to you to embrace you and fall on your neck and kiss you. He is our father in the truest sense, and that's where all prayer begins and it means were not lost in the crowd and it means he cares and he is the source of everything and his resources are on limited… Call that God is source. That's when we start even more intimately goddess father. Secondly, I want to see the next statement here, hallowed be thy name list to say that Scott is sacred God as sacred and it's good that this comes right away because we could get a little sentimental with father can wait. It's really a very important balance, hallowed be thy name. While we are so thrilled to have this kind of access to Arbaugh while we can rush into his presence and cry out daddy and lay out all the issues of our hearts before him.

It is also incumbent upon us to understand that his name is to be hallowed and that is to say he is to be honored above all things. This is not just Long live the King.

This is not just God save the Queen kind of stuff. This is not a casual bit of religious jargon on, although it certainly I suppose becomes that because of its familiarity to us.

This is a statement that recognizes the enormous respect that is required when you enter God's presence. The Jews took this to an extreme level to the point that they would not even speak the name of God.

They wouldn't say that tetra grandma Tommy. They invented ways to refer to God, without saying it was too holy to speak. We do recognize this at the beginning of our prayers that we are entering into the holy of holies.

And while there is familiarity and love and care in a personal relationship, affection and generosity. We are also entering the holy presence of God, and you understand that what is it mean when we talk about his name was just talk about that for a minute, hallowed be thy name to everything about that and for simulating 30 and think it is regarding David. It was said his name was highly esteemed that mean everybody like the name David no and the name was synonymous with him with his character, which been manifest in his acts. The name stands for the whole character of the person revealed all that is all that he is that manifest itself in all that he does so, the name of God is simply that which refers to his character is nature's attributes, his personality and his works. Psalm 910 says those who know your name, but their trust in you. If you really know who he is. He certainly are willing to put your trust in him so his name is all that he is what we do when we come to God in prayer is a firm the fullness of the glory of his person. Psalm 20 and verse seven says some boast of chariots and some of horses, but we boast of the name of the Lord our God Jesus in John 17 six that I've manifested your name what he mean he meant I'd manifested you your person, your power, your truth to the menu given me out of this world.

I've put you on display on exhibit Jesus reveal what God is his true nature got in the past, both of the prophets.

Now he speaks through his son. So the name is not a title.

It's the total of the person. There's so much meaning just the opening sentences of the Lord's prayer. We always enjoy having Dr. John MacArthur is our guest teacher here on Renewing Your Mind. He is pastor of Grace Community Church in the Los Angeles area is the author of many books and president of the Masters University and seminary this message today is simply titled how should we pray, we were able to share just a portion of Dr. MacArthur's message with you today, but will come back tomorrow with the conclusion and I do hope you'll join us. Our focus this week has been on the keys to spiritual growth we've heard from Dr. RC Sproul on how to read our Bibles without Dr. MacArthur is focusing on prayer and course.

Many of us have experienced an increase in our own prayer lives as we face the uncertainty of our days in the as we witness the suffering caused by COBIT 19 we think today's resource offer will be a great help to you in that regard is the paperback edition of Dr. Sproles classic book 5 things every Christian needs to grow. Just contact us with your donation of any amount to look at her ministries and we will send you a copy. You can give your gift online@renewingyourmind.org or you can call us with your gift at 800-435-4343. As a reminder, there are more discipleship resources available to you on legionnaires free app you can listen to the daily edition of Renewing Your Mind. There also watched dozens of video teaching series read blog posts and devotionals and follow one year Bible reading plan is a great deal more available to you. So look for it when you search for linear in your app store was a mention will bring you the conclusion of Dr. MacArthur's message tomorrow and there's a preview focal here when you pray, yes, you go into his presence is about, but immediately or pulled up short to the realization that the absolute priority place in your heart longs to the glory and the honor of God and whatever it is that your bringing in is directed at that.

We hope you'll join us Friday for Renewing Your Mind