Address—Jim Hyland
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Let's begin the meeting this afternoon with 230.
Oh Lord, when we the path retrace, which thou on earth has trod to man thy wondrous love and grace, thy faithfulness to God, we wonder at thy lowly mind and Fain would like thee be, and all our rest and pleasure find in learning. Lord of thee, let's stand up to sing this. 230 And if someone could please start it.
Oh Lord, one word.
No, I said all night when it was gone.
Now that's why father's name.
Sounds like.
Uh, I don't. Yeah. Yeah. Well, good. And what?
25934 I like that. All good. And your husband?
And I brought up.
Maybe one?
Day.
And.
All of our friends and employees to our divide by yes, yes.
Let's ask God's help our blessed God and Father. We're so very thankful this afternoon for the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom we've just been singing. And we thank Thee that that one hasted through this world in the path of faith and service, went to Calvary's cross, and offered Himself without spot to Thee. We're thankful too, that that Blessed One is risen, ascended, and seated at Thy right hand as that object for faith as we pass through this wilderness world.
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And now we're thankful for this happy day together with Thy word before us, and as we are about to open it again, our God and Father. We pray that Christ might be ministered to us in the power of the Spirit, that there might be that which would encourage we think of this meeting being scheduled as a young people's meeting and our God. We pray that there might be a special portion for those who are younger, those who are starting out on the path of faith, but for all of us too, we pray that Christ might be ministered to us.
And that he might become more real and precious to our hearts, that we might press on in the path of faith. So we ask thy help and blessing. We ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and for his glory. Amen.
By way of introduction to the subject that I have on my heart this afternoon, I'd like to read a verse in First Peter Chapter 2.
First Peter chapter 2 and verse 21.
For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us.
Leaving us an example that we should follow his steps before I comment on this verse, let's go to the book of Luke, Luke chapter 3.
Luke, chapter 3 and verse 21.
And when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized and praying that heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, And a voice came from heaven which said, Thou art my beloved Son in thee I am well pleased. Well, I have it on my heart this afternoon to take up some instances in Luke's gospel where we have the Lord Jesus in prayer.
We're going to notice 7 instances in Luke's Gospel where you have the Lord Jesus as the dependent man.
But I read the verse in First Peter to begin with, because this really introduces us to go back to the Gospels and to take up the life of the Lord Jesus in the various aspects and ways in which it is presented to us in the four different Gospels. Because one of the reasons why the Lord Jesus spent so much time here in this world before taking up the work of eternal redemption.
Was, as we have read here, to leave us an example that we should follow in his steps. And it's important young people to go back and read the Gospels. In fact, I've sometimes mentioned that an older brother who served the Lord for many years, he's with the Lord now. But he was asked one time, what was your secret in taking up and studying the word of God. He said, I made it the habit of my life every day to read something in the gospel.
No matter where else he was reading or studying in God's Word, he always went back and read something from the life of the Lord Jesus. I thought that was a good exercise because there we get the perfect example. For you and for me. It's wonderful to go to the Old Testament and to other portions and see those examples of men and women, young people, boys and girls who lived for the Lord at various times in the history of God's people.
But I believe it's wonderful too, to be able to go to the gospel, to the different Gospels, and to see the perfect example of the Lord Jesus. And with that in mind, as I say, I'd like to take up, beginning with the portion in Luke 3, seven times that we have the Lord Jesus in prayer in Luke. Now I want to make it very clear that these are not an this is not an exhaustive list of times when the Lord Jesus prayed.
If we were to go to some of the other gospels, there are other examples other times when the Lord Jesus prayed.
But the Spirit of God I believe in, Luke's Gospel has chosen very carefully 7 examples to give us.
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Seven times in connection with the presentation of Luke's ministry as the Lord Jesus, as the dependent man. Perhaps before I comment more specifically, I might just say, and it's often been mentioned, but it's helpful. In the four gospels we have the Lord Jesus presented in four different ways, and one gospel in no way counteracts the other gospel. No these ways that He's presented to us.
Are very beautiful in themselves and they never conflict one with another.
It's been pointed out that in Matthew's Gospel we have the Lord Jesus, most particularly presented as the King or the Jewish Messiah. And there are things in Matthews Gospel that are unique to that gospel that you don't get anywhere else. For instance, you get the wise men that came from the east and worshiped him who was born King of the Jews. You don't get that in any other gospel but in Matthew's Gospel. In Mark's Gospel, we have the Lord Jesus presented.
As the perfect servant. And something that's unique to Mark's gospel is that the spirit of God uses over and over and over again, words like forthwith and Anon and straightway and immediately as the Lord Jesus goes from one busy activity and service to another. So much time that they had that service that they didn't even, it says, have time to eat. There's no genealogy in Mark's gospel because it wasn't relevant to a servant in Bible times.
To be able to declare His genealogy to Passover to John's Gospel, we have the Lord Jesus, presented as the Son of God and the eternal Word. And again, there are things that are unique to that gospel. But in Luke's gospel he's presented as the perfect, dependent man. And so we have these times when He prays and will notice them as we go along. What we find here, where we began in the third chapter.
That it's in connection with his baptism. John the Baptist had been preaching the Kingdom of God and the baptism of repentance, and there was a little remnant in Israel.
That were confessing their sins at this time and coming to John for the baptism of repentance. And the Lord Jesus in identifying with that little company in Israel, he comes to the banks of Jordan and he's baptized by John the Baptist. Now I want to make it very clear, the Lord Jesus of course had no sins of his own that he needed to confess far far be the thought He did no sin. He knew no sin.
In him was number sin. He was wholly harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.
And so we might well raise the question, why did the Lord Jesus come and be baptized of John the Baptist? Well, baptism always identifies us, and he identified with this little godly company.
In Israel that were coming for the baptism of repentance, and it's the only gospel of the three that you have his baptism in three of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke. And it's the only gospel where he's mentioned as praying, you see because again, he's presented here as the dependent man. He's he's presented as the perfect man. And if I can put it this way, the essence of a perfect man is dependence because young people, that's really as was said this morning.
What prayer is. Prayer is the expression of dependence and confidence. When I pray, I'm really saying that I have no power in myself for the situation. I'm expressing that I can't handle this situation, but I'm also expressing confidence that there's one who's able for the situation. And there is. And so we find, again as an example for you and for me, the Lord Jesus as the perfect dependent man.
He's praying here. Now we find here that the heavens open up.
On this occasion, and you know, if I can again put it this way, heaven opened up here because the Lord Jesus prayed. You know, we pray because heaven is opened. Heaven is open to our prayers, To this afternoon, we can come to the throne of grace at any moment, and it doesn't matter if it's day or night. Heaven is open and there's a line there to the throne of grace and to the ear of God. And so he prayed and the heavens opened, and three remarkable things are brought together here.
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We find that first of all, the sun had become tangible. You know the Lord Jesus had come in incarnation.
Here was the creator of the universe walking on this planet as the dependent man. He'd come in incarnation, and the dictionary will tell you that incarnation is Christ coming human form. What else could it be? There's no one else has ever come into this world in that way. And so the sun had become tangible. Here he was coming up out of the waters of baptism, a man. And what else happens? For a moment, the spirit of God becomes visible.
You know there are two times in the New Testament when the Spirit of God for a moment becomes visible. The other time is on the day of Pentecost, in the form of cloven tongues of fire, when the church was formed. But here for a moment the Spirit of God becomes visible in the bodily form of a dove, to mark out this blessed one, lest there was any doubt in the minds of those that looked on on this occasion as to who this was.
The Anointed One, the Christ, the Son of God. Lest there was any doubt, the Spirit of God comes upon him in the bodily form of a dove. It says in the prophetically in Isaiah the Spirit of God the Lord is upon me free, hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. And later on the Lord Jesus read in that very portion before his public ministry began. And so the sun has become tangible, the Spirit of God visible.
And the Father becomes audible, a voice declares from the open heaven. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. What a remarkable thing, but we might say, what do we really learn from the Lord Jesus praying on this this occasion? Well, I suggest that one of the things we learn in a practical way for our lives is that the more we are independence and prayer, the more we are going to enter into the position that we have by grace.
Now don't misunderstand me. The Lord Jesus as the Son of God, as the voice declared here, it's a special place that the Lord Jesus as the only begotten of the Father, occupies and will occupy for all eternity. No one else will ever fill that place as the only begotten Son of the Father. But you and I, by grace, have been brought in as the sons and daughters of God.
And how are we going to appreciate and enjoy this position as the sons and daughters of God? I believe it is in the measure in which you and I spend that time in His presence, in prayer and in and independence. And so this is the first time we have the Lord Jesus in Luke's gospel as the dependent man, you know in his pathway. Here He poured out his prayers as we get in the book of Hebrews, with crying and strong tears.
He was the man of sorrows, as we mentioned this morning, but he was also that dependent man, so often in prayer. Now let's go on to the fifth chapter.
Chapter 5 and verse 16. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed. Well, now we find the Lord Jesus has gone on in his public service, and we find that there have been a number healed and blessed between his baptism at the banks of the Jordan and this portion that we read. And here we find that in the midst of his busy service, the Lord Jesus again as the dependent man and as the perfect example for you and for me.
He withdraws himself from his busy service, and he spends some time in prayer before his God.
And I suggest that the practical one of the practical lessons we learned from this is that we need in our service for Christ to withdraw ourselves time and time again and spend time in prayer. Because no matter how young or old we are here this afternoon, we all have a path of service for God, you and I, each one of us. The path He has for me is not the path He has for you, but there is a path of service.
This is just a little aside from our talk, but I might say in that regard, young people, we don't need to get up in the morning and pray and ask the Lord for opportunities to serve him during the day. What we need to do is get up in the morning and pray that we will be in such a state of soul and a watchfulness that we will avail ourselves of the opportunities as they arise, redeeming the time because the days are evil, or buying up every opportunity and whether you go to school.
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Whether you go to work or whatever you do during the day, there's I suggest there are no shortage of opportunities. And so for the Lord Jesus, as he saw the misery of humanity, as he saw the conditions that sin had brought into this world, there were no shortage of opportunities for service. But he takes the time as the dependent man to withdraw himself for prayer, and so we need to spend those times.
I know sometimes there's a lot of things that seem to need to be done, but if you and I don't, do not have time at the end of the day.
Or have not taken the time to spend time in prayer and time with the word of God before us. We have been busier in our service for Christ than God ever intended any individual to be. Martin Luther said, I have so much work to do for the Lord. I dare not spend less than three hours a day in prayer. No wonder he was a man in the days of the Reformers that was used mightily of God.
And when you read the stories of missionaries of past ages and missionaries today?
Don't you marvel sometimes at the power that they had in their service, the blessing that resulted from them going out with the gospel of the truth, the way God provided for them sometimes delivered them in miraculous ways from their enemies. And you close the book and you say, wow, it would be wonderful to experience the power and blessing of God in that way. But look at their lives closely. They were men and women who were characterized by prayer.
And all through the word of God, we have those examples of men and women and young people, even boys and girls who were characterized by prayer, spent much time in prayer. Because it's been often said, prayer is the powerhouse of the Christian life. It is our powerhouse. In the measure in which we spend time in prayer, there will be power and blessing in our service for God. I remember one time.
They and I were visiting in a foreign country and we had a.
Quite a tight itinerary of different appointments here and there, a prison and a school and another institution and a meeting in the evening. But you know, I appreciated the sister who drove us around from one place to another, she kept saying to me. Remember, Jim, as we go to these places and present the word, the more prayer, the more blessing. The more prayer, the more blessing. And so it can't be otherwise. I suggest, too, that there's another reason why the Spirit of God has inserted this little verse here.
Of the Lord Jesus withdrawing himself for prayer, and that is that. It's a safeguard against pride. Now, brethren, again, young people, again, don't misunderstand me. There was nothing in the Lord Jesus that would bring up any pride in his heart. Remember again, he was wholly harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners. But it is an example for you and for me. And the reason I say that is if we were to back up in the previous chapter.
And then in the 15th verse of this chapter we would find that between his baptism and this verse we read, there are three times it tells us that his fame went out abroad as he healed, as he blessed his fame went out. And so as an example for us, he withdraws himself into the presence of God his Father for a few moments of prayer. And so you, for you and for me.
If God uses us in any way, we have the flesh still.
And there's that danger of pride welling up. You do something and someone recognizes it. They pat you on the back. And I'm not saying there aren't times when we need to commend and praise. Let another man praise thee, not thine own lips. And so there's times when we do commend one another for certain things. If our children do something well, why we commend them? We praise them. But there's always that danger of pride welling up in our hearts. Maybe we see some fruit for from some service we did for the Lord.
And we get feeling that we've done something. We get feeling that the feeling that we were pretty good in carrying that out, and the Lord has used it.
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But, you know, if we get into the presence of the Lord, if we withdraw from our service and get into the presence of the Lord, there's no room for pride in his presence. Why? When we get into His presence, we realize that if there was anything done for him, it was he that worked in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. And that if there was any fruit as a result of what we did, why it was all his work. It's God that gives the increase. Oh, he delights to use us. He wants to use you.
You know, I look into the faces of young people here. You've got a lot more energy than I do, you know, in every decade of my life, I realize my energy is beginning to wane a little bit. I can perhaps keep up the same pace, but I've got to push a little bit harder. And there are Times Now when I just have to say I can't go that far. But you young people, you're in the prime of life. You have your whole life ahead of you. If the Lord leaves us here and don't wait until you're older to serve the Lord, don't wait. He's got a service for you.
Even Samuel as a child, it says he ministered before the Lord. He had a ministry to do for the Lord and so many examples of young people. But remember this, as I say, the Lord Jesus has left this perfect example for us, that in your busy service always take those times to withdraw yourself. And he withdrew himself into a wilderness and prayed A wilderness would speak of a place of being alone. And I want to encourage you get along with the Lord. Spend those times alone. Thou when thou prayest, enter into thy closet.
And when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. But now let's go on to the next example. It's in the 6th chapter.
Chapter 6 and verse 12. And it came to pass in those days that he went up into a mountain to pray.
And continued all night in prayer. Well, here we have again the Lord Jesus and this time he prays all night in prayer. Before we set the context of this verse and why he spent all night in prayer, I just say that often in the Gospels, particularly in Matthew's Gospel, you find the Lord Jesus goes up on a mountain. A mountain would speak to us in Scripture of a place of separation.
And you know, sometimes perhaps we pray and we say, well, the Lord didn't answer my prayer or my prayer seemed to be hindered.
Well, you know, there are a number of reasons in Scripture why our prayers aren't answered, or at least answered in the way that we had expected.
One is that sometimes we ask amiss. Sometimes we don't pray according to the Lord's will. But, you know, sometimes it's because we're not walking in a path of separation from this world. Sometimes we're going on with things that hinder our prayer life. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. If I'm going on with something in my life that isn't according to the word of God, how can I expect there to be power in my prayer, in my prayer life?
Not only that, but if we're going on with something careless in our lives, we're not going to spend the time in prayer. One reason being that we're not going to feel comfortable in his presence. You know, if you have a friend and you spend time with that friend, you go to them. You have a need, a request. You say I can go to that friend, and that friend always gives me an ear, always willing to help me. But then, you know, something comes between you and that friend. Some little disagreement, some difference. You say I just can't go to that friend like I used to. Something has come between us.
And you're just not walking in harmony together. Well, if that's happened between you and the Lord, I want to encourage you to get before him, confess it and have it out, and have that open line and that communion restored so that you can turn to him in any moment. So we find the Lord Jesus. He goes up on the mountain here, a place of separation, and he goes up to pray, and he continues all night in prayer. Now I want to take this up in connection with our example.
In the Lord Jesus of praying in regard to choosing our associates, those that we are closest to as we walk through this world. The reason I say that is because if we were to go on in the subsequent verses, we find that when morning comes, he calls His disciples to Him and He chooses the 12 apostles, those who were going to be closest to Him during His public ministry.
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And I just throw this out to exercise my own soul as well as yours. How much time do we really spend in prayer in connection with our associates? You know, there are only two examples in Scripture of men that I can think of that spent all night in prayer. One is the Lord Jesus here. The other was Samuel. You remember when the people of God had chosen King Saul and sin had come in as a result?
And it says Samuel cried all night to the Lord. You know, I've never been that burdened for the condition of things amongst the people of God. Maybe if we were more burdened for the condition of things amongst the people of God and prayed all night for our brethren, maybe it would make a difference. But Samuel cried all night on behalf of his brethren to the to the Lord. And here the Lord Jesus, as the perfect example, spent all night in prayer before he chose those who were closest to him.
Again, I've never spent all night in prayer over some association or some choice that I had to make in my life.
But you know, some of you young people are at a crossroads. Maybe connection with school, a career, a profession, a trade, whatever it might be. How much time did you spend in prayer? How much time do you spend in prayer Seeking the Lord's mind in that regard, What about our friends, those that we've associate with on a regular basis? How much time do we spend in prayer? Sometimes at conferences like this, we see associations forming relationships between a young man and a young woman.
And that's a very wonderful thing. How much time have you spent in prayer before you have before you make that choice, some of you maybe are anticipating marriage. How much time have you spent in prayer regarding the one that you're seeking to choose as your life, as your life's partner? What about those we associate with in fellowship? Uh, as far as remembering the Lord, how much time have we spent in prayer before the Lord? You know there's a path of faith for us individually.
But collectively as well. And have we spent time in prayer seeking the Lord's mind in this regard? Sometimes I'm afraid we make choices and in this regard, and we don't spend a great deal of time in prayer. You know, Peter and John, it says of them that being let go, they went to their own company. Because God has a company of believers that He would have us to be associated with, where we can sit down in His presence, where we can not only remember Him in the breaking of bread.
But where we can sit down at his table to partake of the Lord's Supper. You know, I've often thought of Peter there in the 4th of Acts, when they let them go after they had told them not to preach in the name of Jesus.
And they went to their own company. You know, there was a time, not very, very far back, where Peter had associated with another company. He wasn't walking independence. And he had associated with another company around a fire. And his association there had caused him to deny the Lord three times with oaths and curses. But he had learned the lesson, hadn't he? And independence. He and John, they went to their own company. And so the Lord Jesus has left us this wonderful example. Did the Lord Jesus know?
Who he was going to choose before he chose the 12 Of course he did. But he spent all night in prayer here in Luke as the dependent man and as an example again for you and for me. Now let's go on to the 9th chapter.
Chapter 9 and verse 18 And it came to pass as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him, and he asked them saying, whom say, say the people that I am they answering, said John the Baptist. But some say Elias, and others say that one of the old prophets is risen again.
He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, the Christ of God. Well, here we have the Lord Jesus praying again. And here he was alone praying, and his disciples were with him.
Not an interesting expression. He was alone praying, but his disciples were with him. You ever felt alone in a crowd? Sometimes I felt alone in a crowd. You ever feel alone in your exercise before God? Maybe you're with the other young people, maybe you're with your brethren, but you just kind of felt alone. You said, well, I had an exercise about something and just seemed like nobody else had the same exercise. You know, the Lord Jesus had chosen these 12 to be closest to him in his public ministry.
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But sometimes, even in the presence of those who were closest to him and who should have entered in more and understood his exercises, sometimes even in their company, he felt alone. But where did he turn when he felt alone As a man? He turned to his God in prayer. Because, you know, we're never alone. Maybe sometimes you feel alone. And I know there's nothing worse than the feeling of loneliness, but there's always one who's with you. The Lord is at hand. He's right there beside you. He's a present. Help.
In in trouble, lo, I am with you always, even under the end of the age. He'll never leave us nor forsake us. And so we find He's alone, praying. And then he asks them this question. Whom, say the people that I am, they give some answers. And then he says, but what do you say? Who do you say I am? And Peter gives this wonderful testimony, this wonderful acknowledgement of who the Lord Jesus is by faith. And I suggest that the practical lesson we learn here is.
That you and I will only be able to give testimony in acknowledging His testimony to who He is, as we acknowledge His claims over us. Do you want to have an understanding of who the Lord Jesus really is? You've got to spend time in His presence and acknowledge His claims because that's what another thing that prayer does. Prayer acknowledges the claims of the Lord Jesus over us. You know, young people were not our own.
We're bought with the price. Do we realize that He has every right and claim over us? We'll only realize that again in the measure in which we walk in His presence, spend time in prayer, and acknowledge the Lordship of Christ in our lives. Whose authority do we really acknowledge in our lives? I ask that to my own soul. When we were growing up, we used to sing that hymn Lord of my life.
I crown thee now thine shall the glory be. We sing hymn in the little flock, rain thou within our hearts alone and in the measure in which we do that, and walk in under his authority, owning his claims, I say, will understand who the Lord Jesus really is. Who is he? Why, he's the very Christ of God. He's the Son of God. Yes, we have him walking here in Luke as the perfect dependent man, but he was indeed.
The Son of God and Peter makes this wonderful acknowledgement.
But there's another incident in this same chapter, just dropped down to verse 28.
And it came to pass about an 8 days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistening. Well, I believe we learned here this is the the mount of Transfiguration.
And I believe here that we learn from this example of the Lord Jesus praying.
That in the measure in which you and I again are walking independence and prayer, there will be a reflection of the glories of Christ in your life and mine. Here, as he prayed his it says that his countenance was was altered. What's going to cause you and me to reflect something of Christ in our lives? It's the measure in which we walk in His presence, occupied with Himself.
And the measure in which we walk, independence and prayer, how are we going to be transformed? By the renewing of our mind? It's to be occupied with the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we get that really, in Second Corinthians chapter three, we all be holding us in a glass. The glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory. And what that verse is very simply saying is in the measure in which you and I are occupied with Christ today.
There will be some reflection of Christ in your life and mind, we often point out. But it's seen in the life of Moses, isn't it? You remember that when Moses went up on the mount to receive the commandments, that when he came down his face so Shawn, that the children of Israel could not look on his face, he had to veil his face. For you and for me. The veil has been removed. We look full in his wonderful face.
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We can look right up into heaven by faith and look into the face of the Lord Jesus. But the point I want to make in connection with Moses is that it says when his face shone, he wist not that his face shone. It was the unconscious reaction of being in the presence of God on the mount, and I believe there will be an unconscious reflection in your life and mind of the glories and beauties of Christ.
In the measure in which we are occupied with him now, now it's true. In the coming day we're going to reflect fully the glories of Christ. When we see him. We're going to see him as he is a glorified man, not as he was the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief walking here in this world. We're going to see him as a glorified man, and we are going to be like him, for we shall see him as he he is, and when heaven opens up to reveal the Lord Jesus coming back in a future day.
To set up his Kingdom, we're going to come with them. And it says in Thessalonians he's coming to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that are about him in that day.
And that thrilling to think of when heaven opens up to reveal the Lord Jesus and his heavenly company coming with him, Every believer is going to be a perfect reflection of Christ.
What a day that's going to be. Maybe if we Christ isn't always reflected in my life the way it ought to be now.
There's things come between now, but it throws my soul to think that there's a day coming.
When I, I, and every other St. is going to reflect fully the glories of Christ, but He wants us to give that testimony now.
Because young people, I believe it's a very serious thing to consider that all this world is going to see of Christ today is what is manifested in your life and mine. I want you to really think about that, and especially in a day in which we live, and here in North America where they've closed the pages of God's Word, they don't want the light of God's word. What are they going to see of Christ? It's what I say is reflected in your life and mine.
We're epistles, known and read of all men. And when you go back to school, Oregon work, Oregon, to your neighborhood next week, what is the Are those that look on going to see of Christ? Are they going to see something even without you speaking the word? Even without you saying something? Not that what we say isn't important, but we need to show Christ in our lives, and I say we will. Not by trying to generate a testimony within ourselves, but by simply being occupied with Christ, the beauties and glories of His personnel. And then there will be.
That reflection of Christ in our lives. And so we have here as the perfect example the ability to represent him here in this world, in the measure in which we walk, independence and prayer. Now let's go to the 11Th chapter.
Chapter 11 And verse one. And it came to pass as he was praying in a certain place. When he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in heaven, so in earth as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day Our Daily Bread and forgive us our sins. For we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Well, here we find the Lord Jesus praying, and He's praying in a certain place. I want to notice that. And I want to encourage you to find a certain place where you can get along with the Lord and pray.
The Lord Jesus. Often as the man of prayer, he resorted to a certain place. A place where perhaps he could be alone with his God and uninterrupted. And I want to encourage you to do that. Maybe you share a room with a sibling, maybe it isn't. There isn't always a quiet spot you can find, but find somewhere where you can slip away and get along with the Lord. You'll be repaid. And so the Lord Jesus, He prayed in a certain place.
You know prayer takes discipline. And you'll find if there's a certain place where when you enter that place, you're there for that purpose, it will help you in your prayer life. You know prayer is not easy. Prayer is hard work because the minute you seek to pray, spend time in prayer, the enemy, the devil, is going to be right there to bring in every kind of distraction and thought and activity. And so he doesn't want you to walk independence and spend time within the presence of the Lord. And so you need to have a certain place.
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And as he ceases, His disciples say, teach us to pray.
They had seen on a number of occasions the perfect example of the Lord Jesus, and now they wanted to enter into this blessed privilege as well. You know, I'm thankful for those I have known in my life who have been wonderful examples of men and women of prayer. They've been examples to me and encouraged me in my prayer life. And I'm sure you can think of examples too. What we find here that the Lord Jesus then gives them a pattern prayer.
Now I know this prayer is often referred to as the Lord's Prayer, but it's really not the Lord's Prayer.
It's not the expressions of the Lord Jesus really. He's teaching his disciples to pray. The Lord's prayer is perhaps better mentioned in connection with the 17th chapter of John where the Lord at the end of his pathway and the end of the upper room ministry lifts up his eyes to heaven and he prays and we have the innermost expressions and breathings of his soul to his Father before he goes to the cross. But this might be better mentioned as the disciples prayer now. It was a prayer that was suited to their condition of things at the time.
I say that because they were still at this time under the Jewish order of things. And you notice that he doesn't teach them here to pray in his name, because they still had and would have for some time yet the Lord Jesus with them. When the Lord Jesus was here, the disciples never prayed in the name of the Lord Jesus. They went directly to the Lord Jesus to make requests. Later on in the upper room, the Lord Jesus directs them in anticipation of his departure from this world.
That the day was coming when they would address God their Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus.
He was not going to be with them the way he had been during his public ministry, but he says, I want you now to come directly to God the Father.
And make requests in my name, because making requests in his name qualifies what we ask for. If we ask for something in somebody's name, we're careful what we ask for and that our requests are in keeping with the character of the name in which we make that request. And so we find that he gives them this prayer suited to their condition at the time. But you know, while we don't perhaps pray this prayer as such, and let me just say this.
I'm thankful. I know it's been taken out of the schools for the most part, but you know, I'm thankful for anywhere where this prayer is recited because it is some recognition of God and the Lord Jesus. But we don't intelligently repeat this prayer because what the Lord really wants is prayer from the heart. He wants spontaneous prayer. But you know, I think there are some good things to consider in this prayer as a pattern or an outline for you and for me. Not just vain repetition, but a pattern.
Because he teaches them here to pray to the Father. If you notice Mr. Darby's translation, which art in heaven, he isn't in, and he leaves that out. And you know if we can come and we can pray to our Father just as if he's right there, We don't have to put him at a distance as being in heaven. But we find here that he teaches them not only to come to the Father, but to come in reverence. Hallowed be thy name. And you know, young people, when we pray, whether it's to the Father or to the Lord directly, we always want to remember.
Who were addressing? I realized there's no special language in Scripture for prayer except that which denotes reverence. We always want to come with reverence. You know, it's interesting too that the Lord Jesus, while he teaches the disciples to pray here, and while he prayed many times himself, and while he prayed for the disciples on occasion, he never prayed with the disciples and he never asked the disciples to pray for him.
He was a part in that way. He prayed for the disciples. He taught the disciples to pray. But I say again, he never prayed with the disciples, and he never asked the disciples to pray for him, never solicited their prayers. And so we have reverence. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done. Now we don't pray that perhaps we're praying more in the language of Amen, Even. So come, Lord Jesus, we're looking for the rapture. But you know, we are to love his appearing. We might not pray specifically for the Kingdom to come.
00:50:12
But doesn't it throw our hearts to think that there is a Kingdom coming when the Lord Jesus will reign in righteousness here in this world? And so we're looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, and then give us this day Our Daily Bread. Isn't it good to look to Him for our daily needs sometimes in a country like this or a continent like this? We don't always express that dependence the way we should, but we ought to bow our heads and thank him before we partake of what we.
How what we eat? Because every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning. Well, it's true we don't pray for the forgiveness of sins, we have it. But you know when we do fail, when sin comes in, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteous righteousness, and then lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
How good to pray that we would be preserved. We had that this morning how the apostle prayed for the Saints at Thessalonica, that they would be preserved spirit, soul and body. And then he said pray for us that we would be preserved as well. And so you can see it's a pattern prayer here that he gave the disciples. And there are some very good things to consider for you and for me when we pray as well and then we don't, we don't have time. But in the verses that are subsequent here in this chapter.
He gives the little story about the man who came to his friend at midnight and asked for three loaves for a guest that had come to his home and how he received what he asked for because he wouldn't give up. You know, I just say this, that sometimes I think we don't see the answers to prayer in our lives because we give up too easy. Not that we ever want to beg the Lord for something that isn't according to his mind, but again we noticed with the Lord Jesus, he continued in prayer.
And we're exhorted in Colossians and other places to continue in prayer and watch in the same. And the man he wanted something for the blessing of those that came under his roof. And his friend finally rose and gave him, not because he was his friend, but because he wouldn't give up asking. And maybe you're praying for something that's for the blessing of your family or some friends. Maybe you're praying for the salvation of a loved one. Don't give up because.
God's desire is to bless, and he may be testing you as to how sincere you are and whether you're going to continue in prayer. But now let's look at the last and 7th one in the 22nd chapter.
Chapter 22 and verse 41.
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down and prayed. Well, we find this is in connection with the Lord Jesus and his agony in the garden. You know, his service was completed now, his path of faith and service. And he was about to now go to the cross and take up the work of eternal redemption. He was about to drink of the cup that his Father was going to give him. The hour was coming when he was going to come under the judgment of God.
And as he anticipates that hour, he bows his head in the Garden of Gethsemane and he prays in this way. It's interesting that the spirit of God records in loop that he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast. We might well wonder why the Spirit of God has inserted this little expression here in Luke. And I just want to make this simple suggestion. You know, the Jewish way of execution was by stoning if someone rebelled in the Old Testament.
Or sin. They were to be taken out and stoned, but the Lord Jesus was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast. He was not going to suffer death by stoning. No, he was going to suffer death, I realized He laid down his life. But I'm speaking from a human stand, from a natural stand of the standpoint of those who took him and led him away to put him to death. We find he was to suffer the death of the cross. He became obedient unto death.
Even the death of the cross, as it had been prophesied of him, because cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree. And so he's withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and he's going to be not be stoned, but he's going to go to the cross. And as he anticipates this and all that it meant to his holy soul to anticipate being made sin, he vows in the garden. And he he prays, and he says.
00:55:18
Notice verse 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me.
Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done. And I believe we have this at the end of Luke's Gospel, because no matter what aspect of prayer we take up, we always need to pray in the spirit of the Lord Jesus. Not my will, but thine be done, because I believe that that's really what's going to give us true peace and confidence in our prayer life, you say? I've prayed about something and it just seems like the Lord hasn't come in.
And worked it out the way I thought he would. But are we willing to like the Lord Jesus as the perfect man? Say not my will, but thine be done? Because young people and I know it's a hard concept when we're younger but.
The Lord Jesus is desiring the very best for us in our lives, and if he withholds something or turns us in another direction in the path of faith, it is the very best for us. Suppose we pray about something, and the Lord says it's not my will for you, but I'll let it happen. Oh, what would we say? Would we say yes, Lord, please let it happen the way I want it to happen? Or would we simply say not my will but thine be done?
The Lord Jesus. What was about to take place was not easy for the Lord Jesus. It was the hour of his greatest trial.
But he prays in this way, and there are great trials in our lives. If you cultivate a prayer life, if you cultivate the spirit of dependence and confidence in your life, I'm not going to stand here at the end of this meeting and tell you it'll all be easy. It wasn't easy for the Lord Jesus, but there was a perfect confidence. He could rise from the garden, and he could go forth in perfect confidence, knowing that he was accomplishing the Father's will. And as our brother read to us this morning.
That weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning. He knew that there was a purpose for this, and there is a purpose for everything in your life and mine. I'd just like to, in closing back up to the 18th chapter for one closing verse.
As an encouragement and exhortation for everyone of us.
Chapter 18 And verse one. And he spake A parable unto them to this end.
Now this is the expression I want to press at the end of the meeting, that men ought always to pray and not faint. We had before us this morning, pray without ceasing and hear the Lord Jesus exhorts them to pray and not faint. Because as I said earlier, prayer is the powerhouse of our Christian lives. And if you and I think in our Christian pathway, if we get discouraged in our Christian pathway.
It's not because the resources weren't there available. You know when you have the armor of God in the end of Ephesians.
We find there that as after he has enumerated the different pieces of the armor, he then speaks of praying always with all prayer and supplication. Prayer is not a piece of the armor, it's the spirit and attitude in which we take up the resources that God has provided for us in Christ and utilized them to stand against the enemy. Do you want to stand against the enemy in an evil day? You've got to be a young person of prayer.
We have to be men and women of prayer and don't think it gets any easier as you get older. It gets perhaps even more difficult as the enemy attacks in one way or another. But all the resource sources are there. Men not always, not just sometimes, but men not always, to pray and not faint. Let's pray our God and Father how thankful we are for these precious examples of the Lord Jesus given to us in this gospel of the the man of perfect dependence.
And so we pray that these things might come home to each of our souls, that there might indeed be power and fruit in our Christian pathway. We ask thy blessing on thy word in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.