This week we will look at GEFC's second core value, a commitment to prayer. Jesus provides us with a "Master Class" on prayer. He prayed in a wide variety of settings and circumstances. By observing and learning from His prayer life we can be schooled in prayer - the conduit of divine power in the life of the believer.
2. CORE
A Commitment to Prayer
We will keep prayer at the center of our
daily lives, activities, and decisions. We will
provide opportunities for growth in our
corporate and personal prayer lives. Every
ministry and activity will be characterized
by dependence on God including regular
prayer for leadership of our church.
5. CORE
Jesus prayed routinely
Luke 11
1Now Jesus was praying in a certain
place, and when he finished, one of his
disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to
pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And
he said to them, “When you pray, say…
7. CORE
Jesus prayed when he was exhausted
Mark 1
35And rising very early in the
morning, while it was still dark, he
departed and went out to a desolate
place, and there he prayed.
9. CORE
Jesus prayed before making big
decisions – Luke 6
12 In these days he went out to the
mountain to pray, and all night he
continued in prayer to God.
11. CORE
Jesus prayed when he was frustrated
Matthew 11
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you,
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you
have hidden these things from the wise and
understanding and revealed them to little
children; 26 yes, Father, for such was
your gracious will.
13. CORE
Jesus prayed evangelistically – John 11
41 So they took away the stone. And
Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I
thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew
that you always hear me, but I said this on
account of the people standing around, that
they may believe that you sent me.”
15. CORE
Jesus prayed when he was afraid
Matthew 26
39 And going a little farther he fell on
his face and prayed, saying, “My
Father, if it be possible, let this cup
pass from me; nevertheless, not as I
will, but as you will.”
17. CORE
Jesus prayed for us – John 17
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also
for those who will believe in me
through their word, 21 that they may all
be one, just as you, Father, are in me,
and I in you, that they also may be
in us, so that the world may believe
that you have sent me.
18. CORE
We will provide opportunities
for growth in our corporate
and personal prayer lives.
A Commitment to
Prayer
20. CORE
Every ministry and activity will be
characterized by dependence on God
including regular prayer for
leadership of our church.
A Commitment to
Prayer
21. CORE
1. Look at the list of ministries and
mission fields of the church.
2. Choose one to adopt for this year.
3. Whenever you meet as a group, lift
up this ministry in prayer.
4. Delegate someone to get and bring
up to date information from the
missionary or ministry.
A Commitment to Prayer
We will keep prayer at the center of our daily lives, activities, and decisions. We will provide opportunities for growth in our corporate and personal prayer lives. Every ministry and activity will be characterized by dependence on God including regular prayer for leadership of our church.
A Commitment to Prayer
We will keep prayer at the center of our daily lives, activities, and decisions.
We will keep prayer at the center of our daily lives, activities, and decisions.
Jesus prayed routinely– Luke 11
1Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say:
“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread,
4 and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”
Jesus prayed routinely– Luke 11
1Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say:
“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread,[b]
4 and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”
Two key observations:
Jesus greatest and most revered teaching on prayer was preceded by a routine of prayer. Prayer was not an exception or a rare instance in his life. It was part of his normal routine. His disciples have walked in on him praying.
Application: Do your family members ever walk in on you praying? That’s a good thing. My wife is a prayer warrior. We are constantly walking in and disturbing Cindy’s prayer times. When I go to sit on the living room chair that was supposed to be my chair, but Cindy adopted it, I almost always have to move her prayer journal from the ottoman or the coffee table. She’s not putting on a show. Prayer is her routine. She has been teaching me about consistent prayer by observing that routine. If it wasn’t for Jesus’ open and routine exercise of prayer, we wouldn’t have a Lord’s Prayer and all the lessons that it teaches us.
2. A second observation is the fact that only one disciple took the time to ask Jesus how to pray. I came across an excellent article written in 2008 by Robert Velarde. He said:
Isn’t it interesting that out of all the disciples only one of them asked Jesus to teach them to pray? It sometimes seems the church is in a similar situation today regarding prayer. We talk about prayer, we study prayer, we say our prayers, but how many of us actually seek earnestly for God to teach us to pray?
Dig into the Lord’s Prayer. It is more than a beautiful prayer to memorize and recite. It is a blueprint for speaking with your Heavenly Father.
Jesus prayed when he was exhausted – Mark 1
Tell scabies story and late-night laundry chore.
One of the key features of Mark’s gospel is his use of the word “immediately.” He uses this word 15 times more often than any of the other gospel authors. Mark seemed especially motivated to give us a feel for the relentless pace of Jesus’ ministry. It’s hard to tell where one day stops and another starts because of all these immediatelys. However, it’s pretty clear that the events described from verses 21 through 34 all transpire in a single day.
Jesus teaches in the synagogue at Capernaum. He is interrupted by a demon-possessed man and casts out the demon.
Jesus then goes to the house of Peter and Andrew and finds that Peter’s mother-in-law is sick, so he heals her.
That evening, the whole town shows up at sundown and knocks on the door. They’ve brought every sick and demon-possessed person in Capernaum, and Jesus heals every illness and casts out every demon.
Mark doesn’t tell us how late into the evening Jesus ministers. I can’t imagine it was an early evening! Imagine the exhaustion as Jesus hit the pillow. Now, look at what Jesus does next.
Jesus prayed when he was exhausted – Mark 1
35And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Jesus prayed hard before big decisions – Luke 6
12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Jesus prayed when he was frustrated – Matthew 11
Explain context. Jesus’ message had been rejected by the people of his own hometown and nearby towns in Galilee. He was disappointed and rebuked these towns.
21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
Jesus prayed when he was frustrated – Matthew 11
21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
Jesus prayed evangelistically
41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Jesus prayed when he was afraid
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”
39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
Note that Jesus will go on to repeat this prayer 3 times. Worry and fear are like a repeated signal. They keep bouncing back again and again, louder and harder. But Jesus prayed repetitively. He knew that His Father heard him the first time. But in his human spirit, he needed the comfort of a persistent prayer connection.
Jesus prayed for us!
15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
A Commitment to Prayer
We will provide opportunities for growth in our corporate and personal prayer lives.
In addition, it is our intent to unashamedly preach and teach the whole counsel of scripture and be willing to teach difficult teachings of scripture.
Concerts of Prayer – Fifth Fridays at 7 p.m.
November 29, 2019
May 29, 2020
July 2020
October 2020
A Commitment to Prayer
Every ministry and activity will be characterized by dependence on God including regular prayer for leadership of our church.
Look at the list of ministries and mission fields of the church.
Choose one to adopt for this year.
Whenever you meet as a group, lift up this ministry in prayer.
Delegate someone to get and bring up to date information from the missionary or ministry.