Theme: Returning to our first love
Topic: Praying According to God’s Will
Main Text: Matthew 6:5-13 ; Luke 18:1-8; Philippians 4:6-7
Key verse: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;” Philippians 4:6
Introduction:
In Matthew 5:20, Jesus tells his disciples that “unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven”. This must have been very puzzling to his audience as, outwardly, those were the most righteous people they knew. Jesus then proceeds to address the three specific areas of giving, prayer, and fasting to show that the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees was deficient because of their motive. These were to be rendered as acts of worship to God, never displays of self-righteousness to gain the admiration of others. In the area of prayer, Jesus went further. Not only were his followers to shun the ostentation of the hypocrites, but they were also to avoid the “vain repetitions” of “heathens”. Instead, our Lord gave us a model of prayer that was breathtaking in its simplicity, brevity, and comprehensiveness, consisting of six petitions, the first three directed to God and the last three toward our human needs. The prayer begins by giving God the worship due his name then gives us the privilege of bringing our desires to Him. We know it as “the Lord’s Prayer,” but it may be better to think of it as a prayer for His disciples.
Q1. (1a) Read Matt 6:33. How does the structure of “the Lord’s Prayer” (Matt 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4) reflect what that verse commands? (1b) If God knows what we need (Matt. 6:8, 32), then why do we still need to pray (Matt. 6:11-13)? (1c) Read John 14:12-14; 15:7. How can we ensure that we pray according to God’s will?
Paragraph 2:
God is not impressed by the length or eloquence of prayer but by the heart. As one theologian put it, “prayer requires more of the heart than of the tongue. The eloquence of prayer consists in the fervency of desire and the simplicity of faith”. It is easy to lose heart in the face of the challenges and struggles of life in a fallen world and the evidence of approaching judgment (Luke 17:20-37). Our Lord chose a parable involving a widow and an ungodly judge to illustrate the importance of persistence in prayer. In a world obsessed with instant gratification, believers can lose their resolve in the face of obstacles and delays. The widow was dealing with a judge who had no sympathy for her cause or concern for justice (he did not fear God). Yet because she was persistent, the judge grudgingly gave judgment in her favour. When we pray, we are praying to our loving, all-knowing, and all-powerful Father, who delights in us and has already given us the most precious gift He could. We have no reason to falter.
Q2. (2a) Read Matt 7:7-11 AMP; 2 Cor. 12:7-8. Is it right to come to God many times with the same request? How is that different from vain repetition? (2b) Read Luke 18:6-8, 2 Peter 3:9. Why do you think that the Lord would delay and have the elect “cry out day and night”? (2c) Have you ever had to wait a long time for an answer to prayer? How did that affect your faith?
Paragraph 3:
It is estimated that the Bible tells us not to fear 365 times and not to be anxious (or similar) another 100 times! Fret and worry indicate a lack of trust in God’s wisdom, sovereignty, power and something we are prone to do. Our Lord was emphatic on the subject (e.g., Matt 6:25-33) as was the Apostle Paul to the Philippians, a church he dearly loved, and wanted to see thriving. The antidote to worry is meditating on the word (Ps 1:2; Phil 4:8) and prayer (Phil 4:6-7). In the Lord’s Prayer, we begin with a statement of praise and commitment to honor God’s holy name. He is our Father in heaven – He is not only majestic and holy, but also personal and loving. The essence of prayer is a private communication with the almighty God who not only CAN but also CARES. Even before making supplication, we already know we don’t have to worry. Yet, we do!
Q3. (3a) Read Matt. 6:25-33, Phil 4:6-7, 1 Pet 5:6-7. Why do we find it so difficult to obey these scriptures? (3b) Discuss what Paul means by the “peace that surpasses all understanding”. How does it guard our hearts?
Prayer: Our Father in Heaven, thank you for the privilege of prayer. Help me to discern your will in every situation I face today and in this coming week, and to pray accordingly, being anxious for nothing. Amen.