“Teach us to pray.”
If you could ask Jesus one question, what would it be?
Twelve disciples walked closely with Jesus. They saw His miracles. They heard His teaching. They observed how He interacted with people. Yet the one thing we know the disciples asked Jesus to specifically teach them about was prayer. It appears that, in all they observed in Jesus, it was His prayer life that seemed to be the “secret.”
Thankfully for all of us, Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. He gave them, and ultimately us, a model as a part of His Sermon on the Mount. (See Matt. 5–7.) This prayer has inspired Christians for over two thousand years. It is both striking in its simplicity and breathtaking in its scope. It is certainly worth our study, and as we look at the different parts of this prayer, we will draw from other passages that will help illustrate truths from Jesus’ Model Prayer also.
Prayer changes us as we pray. Isn’t it time we joined the original disciples and ask Jesus to teach us how to pray? After all, prayer moves the Hand that moves the world.
How to Pray
Session 1 The Object of Our Prayer Matthew 6:9a; Psalm 103:1-5,11-13,19-22
Session 2 A Prayer of Praise Matthew 6:9b; Psalm 96:1-9
Session 3 A Prayer of Surrender Matthew 6:10-11a; James 4:6-10,13-17
Session 4 Praying for Ourselves Matthew 6:11b; Isaiah 38:1-6,15-17
Session 5 Praying for Others Matthew 6:11b; John 17:11-23
Session 6 A Prayer of Confession Matthew 6:12-13; Psalm 51:1-7,10-12
Session 7 A Prayer of Thanksgiving Psalm 138:1-8
The Bible Meets Life
My parents lived in Alaska for fifty-five years before retiring and moving away, but my dad dreamed every day of going back. So when I visited Anchorage on a mission trip, I called my father to describe how the air felt and how the snow-covered mountains looked that spring morning. I also had seen some of his friends, and hearing about our conversation made his day. I promised to tell him more about the “great land” he loved when I returned from the mission trip, but two days after I arrived home, my dad suddenly died.
I had hundreds of conversations with my parents telling them about my latest accomplishments and challenges, but I’m thankful my last conversation with my dad was about him. I was reminded that joy comes from focusing attention on those we love.
Prayer—talking to our heavenly Father—is the same. When we focus only on ourselves, we can miss the joy of seeing the Lord as He is: our Father who deserves love and praise from His children. Jesus taught us to begin our prayers as a family reunion with a loving, heavenly Father.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Matthew 6:9a; Psalm 103:1-5
Matt. 6:9a “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, …
Ps. 103:1 My soul, bless the Lord, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2
My soul, bless the Lord, and do not forget all his benefits. 3
He forgives all
your iniquity; he heals all your diseases. 4 He redeems your life from the Pit;
he crowns you with faithful love and compassion. 5
He satisfies you with good
things; your youth is renewed like the eagle.
The most famous prayer in history is often referred to as the Lord's Prayer, but it's worth noting that nowhere in the New Testament does the Lord ever actually pray this prayer. And, neither does anyone else. In fact, Jesus didn't say, "Pray this." He said, "Pray like this" (emphasis added). It's far better to call this the Model Prayer and see it as an example of how to pray rather than as a script of what to pray. That's one of the principles of prayer we're going to grasp through this study.
The Model Prayer begins with an appeal to "Our Father." No one ever taught people to pray to God as our Father until Jesus gave us His Model Prayer. Of course, we view God as a Father, but we do so through the lens of two thousand years of Christian teaching. In that sense, we may be in some danger of taking this great truth for granted. By contrast, praying to God as our Father was a refreshing - and perhaps surprising - idea when Jesus mentioned it the first time.
Approaching God as a Father in prayer is a spiritual invitation, but it has an emotional appeal as well. We almost intuitively understand what Jesus meant when He said God is our Father. We know what a good father is. Unfortunately, not everyone has a good earthly father, but almost everyone instinctively knows what a good father should be. God is the ideal, perfect Father - strong, kind, loving, supportive, and helpful - and He wants to hear from us when we pray. That's powerful!
How did you learn to pray?
The words of Jesus regarding the fatherhood of God are strikingly unique, yet they trace roots back to the Old Testament. We find similarities woven through both Testaments. For instance, in Psalm 103, David stirred himself to pray by reflecting on God's beautiful attributes, similar to the ones found in Christ's teaching.
Scripture consistently guides us to view God as good, and as a result, to know He wants what is best and good for His children. When God's people pray, therefore, we don't cower in fear from a distant, angry judge. Instead, we come to a good Father who has the wisdom to know what's best for us in every circumstance and the power to get it done! You can trust a God like that!
I hope it gives you greater confidence in prayer to know God hears and responds to your prayers as your good Father. The fact He is "in heaven" reminds you He is all-powerful and can do what is best. Isn't this a great place to begin in prayer?
How would you describe prayer to someone who is unfamiliar with the practice?
Psalm 103:11-13
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his faithful love toward those who fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
When we walk with God, we should avoid two wrong extremes. One sees God as so strict in His demands for holiness that it is almost impossible to relate to Him on a personal basis. This view sees His holiness as utterly devoid of love. The other extreme, as flawed as the the first, views God's love as so indulgent that He simply ignores our sins. Balance is crucial because God is both holy and loving. God calls us to live holy lives, but He is also loving and merciful to sinners. In prayer, we encounter both aspects of God's nature.
"Prayer is the greatest of all forces, because
it honors God and brings Him into active aid."
- E. M. Bounds
David penned this psalm out of his own experience. He knew firsthand how merciful God could be toward us when we fail. So, its little wonder King David praised God for His mercy and faithful love.
This passage also reminds us how accessible God is when we call upon Him. We've already noted His love and compassion, but He is also tender in His approach to sinners. God is willing to forgive our sins, casting them "as far as the east is from the west."
Do you see how this knowledge of God impacts our prayer lives? Prayer is grounded in a relationship, and how we view the character of God impacts how we approach that relationship. Psalm 103 illustrates His character - traits like love, compassion, and forgiveness - with extravagant examples of access to God.
In verse 13, the psalmist brought us from the heavens back to earth and centered his vision of God much closer to home. He described God as a compassionate Father. He's not far off. He's near to us like a father is to his children. Therefore, when we pray, we have immediate access. The Lord wants us to come to Him. He enjoys our fellowship.
I love it when my grown children come home. It means the world to me to spend time with them. Still, even the best human parents are only imperfect examples of how much God loves us. He is delighted when we pray, because prayer makes it possible for us to linger in His love and His presence - and for Him to linger in ours!
How has God expressed His compassion in your life?
Psalm 103:19-22
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, all his angels of great strength, who do his word, obedient to his command. 21 Bless the Lord, all his armies, his servants who do his will. 22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all the places where he rules. My soul, bless the Lord!
We pray to God our Father, which speaks to His loving closeness, but let's not forget that our Father is still "the Lord" who hears our prayer from "His throne in heaven." That's an incredibly appropriate place to begin in prayer. We can go right to the top!
David himself was a powerful king who enjoyed the privileges of royalty. In Israel, the king was the final human authority when it came to matters of national concern. Yet in his prayers and in in his psalms, David recognized a King superior to himself, not seated on a throne in Jerusalem but seated on the throne of heaven. That same God hears our prayers, too!
Chairs are sparsely mentioned in the Bible; we see more references to thrones. Thrones were the symbols of power in the near east. In some cultures, the throne was the king's claim to a heavenly power. David knew from experience what it meant for a king to be seated while his subjects stood or bowed in his presence. Israel's king had military, financial, and judicial authority, and just about every other kind of power over the lives in his nation.
So when King David described God as "the Lord" who "has established His throne in heaven," he was portraying a powerful image. God's powerful authority is clear from the fact He has a throne. This royal portrait of God builds faith for our daily prayer life. Our lives are often filled with difficulties beyond our ability to repair. But when we pray to our Father in heaven, the impossible becomes possible, because God has the authority to do something on our behalf. He is, after all, the King of heaven.
How can we improve our prayer life as a group?
LIVE IT OUT
Since powerful and consistent prayer life has to begin somewhere, shouldn't we begin where Jesus began? Use one or more of these applications to deepen your prayer life this week.
- Focus on the Father. Consider the traits of God as our perfect Father. As you begin each day with prayer, focus on those traits and thank God for being your heavenly Father.
- Humble yourself. Reflect on the holiness and greatness of God. Humble yourself before Him and acknowledge that He is the Lord who is all-powerful and capable of handling what you bring to Him.
- Pray together. Tell another Christian what you've learned or are practicing in your prayer life as a result of this study. Challenge that person to do the same. Commit yourselves to prayer.
Each day indeed brings multiple opportunities for a family reunion. Through prayer, our heavenly Father speaks to us. And as we grow close to Him and listen, we will long to respond in prayer.
Hope to see you on Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Teacher's Notes:
Teacher's Notes:
How did you learn to pray?
Twelve disciples walked closely with Jesus. They saw His miracles. They heard His teaching. They observed how He interacted with people. Yet the one thing we know the disciples asked Jesus to specifically teach them about was prayer. Jesus considered prayer more important than food. The Bible tells us that Jesus prayed hours before breakfast, rising up a great while before daybreak (Mark 1:35). Jesus would leave great crowds gathered to hear Him preach and go to the wilderness so that He could spend time in prayer (Luke 5). How different our world would be if people were committed to do the same.
And, thankfully for all of us, Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. He gave them, and ultimately us, a model as a part of His Sermon on the Mount. (See Matt. 5–7.) This prayer has inspired Christians for over two thousand years. It is both striking in its simplicity and breathtaking in its scope.
We are going to be looking at the different parts of this prayer, and we’ll draw from other passages that help illustrate truths from Jesus’ Model Prayer.
Prayer changes us as we pray and Prayer moves the Hand that moves the world.
My parents lived in Alaska for fifty-five years before retiring and moving away, but my dad dreamed every day of going back. So, when I visited Anchorage on a mission trip, I called my father to describe how the air felt and how the snow-covered mountains looked that spring morning. I also had seen some of his friends, and hearing about our conversation made his day. I promised to tell him more about the “great land” he loved when I returned from the mission trip, but two days after I arrived home, my dad suddenly died.
I had hundreds of conversations with my parents telling them about my latest accomplishments and challenges, but I’m thankful my last conversation with my dad was about him. I was reminded that joy comes from focusing attention on those we love.
Prayer—talking to our heavenly Father—is the same. When we focus only on ourselves, we can miss the joy of seeing the Lord as He is: our Father who deserves love and praise from His children. Jesus taught us to begin our prayers as a family reunion with a loving, heavenly Father.
Our conversations are greatly affected by our perception of the other person. Praying to God is similar. Some people approach God with fear and trembling, hoping they utter just the right words. Others look at God as a kindly grandfather or a vending machine who dispenses whatever we want. How we approach God should be based on what He has revealed about Himself. Thankfully, the Bible presents a clear picture of our almighty and loving Father.
When we pray to Him, we should remember who we’re addressing. He gave us life, and He can take it away anytime He chooses. Everything we have, including the air we breathe, comes from Him. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He taught them first and foremost to remember who God is (Matthew 6:9). In the 103rd Psalm, we see three of His attributes that we should remember when we pray.
I. THE ONE WE PRAY TO DESIRES ONLY GOOD FOR US (Remember His Goodness)
Matthew 6:9a; Psalm 103:1-5
Matt. 6:9a “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, …
Ps. 103:1 My soul, bless the Lord, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. My soul, bless the Lord, and do not forget all His benefits. He forgives all your iniquity; He heals all your diseases. He redeems your life from the Pit; He crowns you with faithful love and compassion. He satisfies you with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle.
How would you describe prayer to someone who is
unfamiliar with the practice?
History’s most famous prayer is called The Lord’s Prayer or the Model Prayer, showing us how to pray.
- It appeals to our Father, a new concept until the Model Prayer.
- Approaching God in prayer is a spiritual invitation with an emotional appeal. God is the ideal, perfect Father. He wants to hear from us.
- Scripture guides us to view God as good. He has the wisdom to know what is best for us. We can trust Him.
- When we pray, we are like needy children. God is compassionate and responds with love and tenderness.
Our Father wants only good for us. That’s what Jesus wants us to grasp first as He teaches us how to pray. Notice Jesus taught that we should refer to God as “our Father in heaven.” When we talk with our Father “in heaven” in prayer, we’re spending time with the Creator of the universe and the Commander of the heavenly host. While approaching Him in prayer can be daunting, He’s also the perfect “Father” who wants to enjoy an intimate relationship with His children. By instructing His followers to refer to God as “our Father,” Jesus prompted them to approach God with healthy respect nourished by love. While He has complete authority over us, He longs for us to experience the joy and peace that only a relationship with Him can render.
Psalm 103:1. This psalm adds enriching colors to the portrait of our Father that Jesus provided. We learn more about our Father and His goodness to us. At the outset, the psalm brings to mind our need to take a long look in the mirror. By talking to our souls and looking deep within ourselves, we have a chance to see what’s really going on inside us. From there, we have the opportunity to make lasting changes in our lives that will please the Lord. One of the chief ways to make such important spiritual adjustments involves praising the Lord. That’s the idea implied from the call in this verse to bless Him. By fixing our minds and hearts on the holy name of the Lord through praising Him, we’re taking the right path toward renewed spiritual vitality.
Which of the benefits listed in Psalm 103:3-5
mean the most to you today?
We are to praise the Lord for all the great things He has done for us. The blessing of forgiveness, healing, and life come to us from a God of love, goodness, and righteousness.
Verses 2-3. Praise flows easily from our hearts when we consider the monumental ways in which the Lord has been good to us. However, when we forget about blessing Him and focus on being blessed ourselves, we lose sight of what He has done. By the same token, recalling His remarkable care sets the stage for praising Him. The psalmist pointed to the invaluable actions God has taken for us, referring to them as benefits. Reflecting on them prompts our praise to Him. One of the greatest benefits we enjoy results from what God has done about our greatest problem. Our sin serves as a wall that separates us from our Father. We’re responsible for the wall and the separation. However, we can’t do anything about removing our sin. But God doesn’t allow the wall to remain. Instead of allowing us to languish in our sinful condition, He forgives us by taking away our sin. Diseases of the soul will not have the last word over us. Verses 4-5. But that’s not all He has done for us. He’s paid the price necessary to set us free from death. The Pit symbolizes the abode of the dead and the adversity that goes along with death. From our side of the cross, we know that Jesus paid the price at Calvary. The Lord not only redeems us, He also treats us like royalty by crowning us with the honor of being His children. He’s faithful to us, and He feels our pain and joy with us.
II. THE ONE WE PRAY TO IS OUR COMPASSIONATE FATHER (Remember His Grace)
Psalm 103:11-13
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his faithful love toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
Why do you think people miss the compassion and love of God described in this passage?
When we walk with God, we should avoid two wrong extremes.
- One sees God as so strict in His demands for holiness that it is almost impossible to relate to Him on a personal basis. This view sees His holiness as utterly devoid of love.
- The other extreme, as flawed as the first, views God's love as so indulgent that He simply ignores our sins. Balance is crucial because God is both holy and loving. God calls us to live holy lives, but He is also loving and merciful to sinners. In prayer, we encounter both aspects of God's nature.
The Scripture helps us understand the compassion and loving character of our Father. God calls us to live holy lives, but He is also loving and merciful.
- Fearing God doesn’t mean we cringe in terror. We revere Him and recognize His awesome power.
- Our response to God is to observe His commandments and His ways. God is willing to forgive our transgressions.
- Our prayer lives are grounded in a relationship. How we view the character of God impacts how we approach that relationship.
- God is near to us like a father to his children, so we have immediate access. He is delighted when we pray.
David penned this psalm out of his own experience. He knew firsthand how merciful God could be toward us when we fail. So, its little wonder King David praised God for His mercy and faithful love.
This passage also reminds us how accessible God is when we call upon Him. We've already noted His love and compassion, but He is also tender in His approach to sinners. God is willing to forgive our sins, casting them "as far as the east is from the west."
Do you see how this knowledge of God impacts our prayer lives?
- Prayer is grounded in a relationship, and how we view the character of God impacts how we approach that relationship. Psalm 103 illustrates His character - traits like love, compassion, and forgiveness - with extravagant examples of access to God.
In verse 13, the psalmist brought us from the heavens back to earth and centered his vision of God much closer to home. He described God as a compassionate Father. He's not far off. He's near to us like a father is to his children. Therefore, when we pray, we have immediate access. The Lord wants us to come to Him. He enjoys our fellowship.
I love it when my grown children come home. It means the world to me to spend time with them. Still, even the best human parents are only imperfect examples of how much God loves us. He is delighted when we pray, because prayer makes it possible for us to linger in His love and His presence - and for Him to linger in ours!
How has God expressed His compassion in your life?
The Lord acts in love toward His people beyond what they deserve. The faithful love of God is great and incomparable. His unmerited forgiveness is an expression of His great love toward us. The Lord is the perfect heavenly Father to His children.
III. THE ONE WE PRAY TO IS ALMIGHTY GOD (Remember His Greatness)
Psalm 103:19-22
The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord, all his angels of great strength, who do his word, obedient to his command. Bless the Lord, all his armies, his servants who do his will. Bless the Lord, all his works in all the places where he rules. My soul, bless the Lord!
God hears us from His heavenly throne.
- David recognized that God is a King superior to himself and his kingdom. But He is one who hears our prayers.
- Israel’s king had military authority, financial authority, judicial authority, and authority over every other power. Clearly, the one seated on a throne held this power.
- When we pray to our Father in heaven, the impossible becomes possible because God has the authority to do something on our behalf. He is the King of heaven.
How does placing our focus on God
impact our prayer time?
What steps can you take to focus on God’s character intentionally when you pray?
We pray to God our Father, which speaks to His loving closeness, but let's not forget that our Father is still "the Lord" who hears our prayer from "His throne in heaven." That's an incredibly appropriate place to begin in prayer. We can go right to the top! David himself was a powerful king who enjoyed the privileges of royalty. In Israel, the king was the final human authority when it came to matters of national concern. Yet in his prayers and in in his psalms, David recognized a King superior to himself, not seated on a throne in Jerusalem but seated on the throne of heaven. That same God hears our prayers, too!
Verse 19. Our Father will always be Almighty God. We do well to remember God’s majesty as well as His intimacy. For us to have a firm grip on God’s reign, David reminded us of the location of His throne. It is not in the temple in Jerusalem or anywhere on earth. Even powerful earthly rulers have no choice but to live with the reality of death. Death comes one day, and kingdoms will end. In contrast, God is not bound by time or anything that controls us. His throne exists in heaven, above all limitations. He rules without constraints being imposed upon Him. His kingdom isn’t threatened by life and death. It will last forever because it’s established in heaven.
Verse 20. The psalmist returned to his call to praise the Lord. He challenged his soul to praise the Lord, then he called on angels to bless Him. While their power is remarkable, their absolute willingness to follow the Lord’s leadership is even more striking. They obey Him without fail. His word becomes their command. Accordingly, they welcome the opportunity to praise the Lord.
Verse 21. When the psalmist turned his attention to the Lord’s armies, he had in mind heavenly messengers. The term “hosts” also has been used to describe this large gathering of angelic servants. The sheer number obviously made them appear as an army. Scripture provides a few vivid examples of the Lord’s armies. The prophet Micaiah described a vision in which he saw the Lord seated on His throne surrounded by His heavenly host (2 Chronicles 18:18). The most well-known New Testament example can be found in the account of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:13). Like God’s angels, His heavenly armies devote themselves to doing whatever the Lord wants. In keeping with their role in God’s eternal kingdom, the psalmist called on them to bless Him.
Verse 22. The clearest testimonies of God’s sovereign reign come from what He has already done. His works among His people send a distinct signal to the world about His overwhelming and fearsome power. Old Testament accounts of creation, the flood, the miracles in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and other miracles only scratch the surface of the works of His boundless authority. Of course, the New Testament accounts of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus speak volumes about the ceaseless and infinite power of God. In response to the psalmist’s reflection on God’s angels, armies, and works, he stepped back and took another long look into his soul. Then he uttered the same command that he gave himself at the outset of this psalm. Bless the Lord! We join him by praising God because He’s our Father.
LIVE IT OUT
Since powerful and consistent prayer life has to begin somewhere, shouldn't we begin where Jesus began? Use one or more of these applications to deepen your prayer life this week.
- Focus on the Father. Consider the traits of God as our perfect Father. As you begin each day with prayer, focus on those traits and thank God for being your heavenly Father.
- Humble yourself. Reflect on the holiness and greatness of God. Humble yourself before Him and acknowledge that He is the Lord who is all-powerful and capable of handling what you bring to Him.
- Pray together. Tell another Christian what you've learned or are practicing in your prayer life as a result of this study. Challenge that person to do the same. Commit yourselves to prayer.
Each day indeed brings multiple opportunities for a family reunion. Through prayer, our heavenly Father speaks to us. And as we grow close to Him and listen, we will long to respond in prayer.
