Address—Jim Hyland
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To start the meeting this afternoon with 230.
230 O Lord, when we the path retrace which thou on earth has trod, demand 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 the 230 if someone will please start it.
By way of introduction to the subject I have on my heart this afternoon, I'd like to read 2 verses. They may seem a little disconnected at first, but we'll seek, with the Lord's help, to use them as an introduction to what I have before me.
The first one is 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 and then in Luke's Gospel chapter 18.
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Luke's Gospel, chapter 18.
Just the last half of verse one.
Men ought always to pray and not to faint.
You know, we often take up the subject of prayer, and we take it up in its various aspects, and it's a very blessed subject, a very instructive subject. Prayer, as someone has said, is the powerhouse of the divine life, and we need it in every aspect of our lives. But what I'd like to do this afternoon, and keeping with the verse we begin with in Peter, I'd like to go through the Book of Luke and I would like to notice sometimes.
When the Lord Jesus himself as the dependent man, was in prayer to God his Father, because as we read in First Peter, he's left us an example that we should follow in his footsteps.
And before I comment on.
This subject, I would just say this, that this is true in many aspects of our lives. You know, as we go through the Gospels, the four gospels, the four Evangelists, we find the Lord Jesus life brought before us in various ways. As has often been commented, each one of the gospel writers presents a little different character of the Lord Jesus and little different aspects of his life.
Sometimes you even have the same event recorded in one or more Gospels, but often.
In keeping with the character of the gospel, we have little details either added or omitted. As we know in Matthew's Gospel, we have the Lord Jesus presented as the Messiah, the King of the Jews, Matthew's the Gospel that's most Jewish. In its character, Mark presents to us the Lord Jesus is the perfect servant, no genealogy given, and he goes from one busy activity of service to another.
If we were to skip over to John's Gospel, we find the Lord Jesus presented.
As the Son of God and the eternity of his person is brought before us again. No earthly genealogy given. He is the eternal word presented to us, and there are things that are unique to that gospel in keeping with that character. But in Luke's gospel we have the Lord Jesus as the dependent man, the Lord Jesus in the circumstances of life down here.
And there are things again that are unique to this gospel. And in Luke's gospel, over and over and over again, we have the Lord Jesus in prayer, and we're going to go through and look at some of these instances.
And I'm not saying that this is an exhaustive list of times the Lord Jesus prayed. No, there are times given to us in other gospels that you don't have here in Luke's Gospel. For instance, in Matthew 14 where he's up on the mountain praying as the disciples go across the sea, in John 17 we have what we sometimes refer to as his High Priestly Prayer. I'm not even going to say that this is an exhaustive list of times that he prays in Luke's Gospel, but we are going to look at 7 times that the Lord Jesus.
Praise in Luke's Gospel as the Dependent Man and what I'd like to do in keeping with the verse we begin with.
Is to seek, by the grace of God and with the Lord's help, to draw some practical lessons.
Because remember, he's left us an example that we should follow his steps. And as the Lord Jesus said in the verse we read in Luke 18, men ought always to pray and not faint.
Because it was the secret or one of the secrets of the power of the Lord Jesus.
As he walked through this world in the path of faith and service, as the perfect dependent man. And there is no other way, brethren, to have power in our lives. In fact, as you go through the word of God, you find.
Whether it's the Old Testament or the New Testament, you'll find that those men and women and young people who had power and fruit and testimony in their lives for God were men and women and young people of prayer.
You know, as a young person, I used to read to, and I still do some of the biographies and autobiographies of men and women, of God, of past eras, ones who went out with the gospel as pioneer missionaries.
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Ones who when you read their lives, they had tremendous faith and you saw a great miracles and working of the power of God in their lives and service. And as a young person I used to wonder, wow, how is it that they had such power in their lives? But you examine their lives more carefully and you find that they were characterized by prayer. Many of them rose in the middle of the night to pray. I think it was 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 used mightily of God during the days of the Reformation. Do you want power in your life? Do you want to see fruit and testimony in your service for Christ? We must be men and women of prayer. In fact, it's the very breath of the divine life. You remember when Saul of Tarsus was saved on the Damascus road and Ananias was told to go, and he would find him in a certain St. in a certain home.
And he was to go to him. And you can just imagine how Ananias must have felt now, Lord.
Don't send me the Saul of Tarsus. You know why he's come here. And he has a reputation and.
I don't want to end up beating and in chains and dragged back to prison myself.
But it's interesting the confirmation that God gave the.
His servant Ananias, in connection with going to visit Saul of Tarsus, he said, You'll find him in a certain St. in a certain place.
And I want you to notice this and behold, he prayeth immediately. When Saul of Tarsus was converted on the Damascus Rd. he was in the attitude of prayer. And I believe it's really one of the proofs of divine life, a soul when they get saved, when they receive divine life, they when they're born again, when they get saved and the process takes place. I believe that it's a proof, a man or a woman who's characterized by prayer.
I'm pretty sure they know the Lord Jesus. I'm pretty sure that they have divine life. Well, as I say, we're going to look at these instances in the life of the Lord Jesus very quickly. And I trust that we will glean something to encourage you and me in our prayer life as we traverse this world the way the Lord Jesus did so long ago. Turn back then, first of all, to the third chapter of the Book of Luke.
Chapter 3 of Luke's Gospel and we'll begin reading at verse 21.
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized and praying.
The 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, here we have the Lord Jesus. He's about to begin his public ministry.
And he comes to John the Baptist, and he's baptized in the River Jordan.
Now there was a little remnant in Israel in those days that were confessing their sins and coming to John the Baptist for the baptism of repentance.
Now let's make no mistake about it. The Lord Jesus had no sins. He needed to confess. Far be the thought. He was wholly harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners in him with no sin.
He knew no sin and he did no sin, but baptism always has the thought of identification.
And the Lord Jesus is a Jew came and identified with this little remnant in Israel that were coming to John the Baptist and being baptized. And it's the only gospel where it's recorded on this occasion.
That he was praying. There are two other gospels, Matthew and Mark, where you have this same incident brought before us. But in neither of those gospels is it recorded that he was praying at that time, again in keeping with Luke's ministry. Presenting the Lord Jesus as the perfect dependent man, looked by the Spirit of God by inspiration, adds this little detail that he was praying.
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But I want you to notice three very wonderful things that took place here as the Lord Jesus was praying.
And as he came up out of the waters of baptism, because we find here that the sun had become tangible, here was the Lord Jesus, as John said. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. John could say our eyes have seen and our hands have handled of the Word of Life. Not only that, but we find that the Spirit momentarily becomes visible in the form of a dove. I can only think of two times when the Spirit became visible in the Scripture.
The other is later on the day of Pentecost, and in keeping with the character of things there, the Spirit of God descended in the form of cloven tongues of fire, but here he descends upon the Lord Jesus in the bodily form of a dove.
To mark him out as the Christ, the Lord, the Lord's anointed, in keeping with what he read from the Prophet in the next chapter, when he entered into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. And they handed him the book, and he stood up and read in the words of the book.
That very place where it says, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me. For he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, and so and so on. And lest there be any doubt in the minds of those that stood on the banks of Jordan on that occasion as to who this person was, the Spirit of God descends upon him. You know, it's very interesting that after the flood Noah let the dove out of the ark.
And when Noah let the dove out of the ark on that occasion, the dove found no place for the for to rest the soul of her foot on this earth. But finally the dove came to rest raster on the Lord Jesus Christ.
The perfect one. As the poet said, there was finally an object in this world that would commend the place. The Lord Jesus was here and all heaven could look down. And now not only has the sun become tangible, the spirit visible, but the Father becomes audible.
And the Father, the Father declares from the open heavens, This is my beloved Son in thee, Thou art my beloved Son in thee I am well pleased. Now just a practical lesson or two, because we find here that as the Lord Jesus heaven opened up because he prayed, the heavens opened up, and all heaven gazed down at that blessed object. Here in this world there was an object that was worthy of heaven's attention.
Here in this world. But you know, we can look up by faith this afternoon and we can pray because heaven is open. We can come and we can pray because the heavens are opened and we even been invited to come. Independence and confidence. And you'll find here, as I said, as as is said here, that when the Lord Jesus prayed and the heavens opened up and the Father declared, this is my beloved Son.
There's something practical that we can learn from this, and that is that in the measure in which you and I walk independence through this world, in the measure in which we are characterized as men and women of prayer.
We are going to enjoy, too, the place that we have been brought into through grace. Do we really enjoy that place, you say? I wish I could enjoy more of what I've been brought into, the blessing of the Father and what I mean to the Father. But I ask you how much time do you really spend in prayer? How much time do you spend in communion? And, you know, we have a blessed privilege of addressing our Father directly.
We can come to him at any time, just as the Lord Jesus could pray when he was here on earth, so we can come in that in that same way, you know, It tells us that in the days of His flesh, he poured out his prayers with strong crying and tears.
And what a wonderful thing it is. Again, again, I say to trace the life of the Lord Jesus as the dependent man. But now let's go on to another incident in the 5th chapter.
Chapter 5.
And verse 16.
And he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed.
You know, it's interesting that between the time we noticed in the third chapter when he came up out of the waters of baptism and what we read here in the 16th verse of the 5th chapter, we find that three times there is a little statement made concerning the Lord Jesus as his public ministry con commenced. You have it if we were to back up to the 15th verse of this chapter, the previous verse, it says and so much the more went throughout of fame abroad of him.
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This is the third time that we read of his fame going out, and now we find that on the 3rd occasion he withdraws himself to pray. We find that the temptation in the wilderness took place and his fame went out abroad. We find that there was the healing of the man with the unclean spirit. And then in this chapter there has just been the healing of the leper tremendous power exhibited from the person of the Lord Jesus as he walked through this world.
And no wonder his fame went out. Now again, I want to be very, very careful, brethren, in making some practical comments for you and for me in connection with the verse we began with. He left us an example that we should follow in his steps because there was nothing in the Lord Jesus that would respond to this in a prideful way. Again, far be the thought, but again, we have an example for us, and I believe at least one of the lessons we learn from this is.
That as the Lord gives us a little service and ministry, and everyone of us who know Christ as our Savior have a little ministry, have a little service to do for Him. But as we perform that service as a safeguard against pride and being lifted up and thinking that we are anything we need during our service to withdraw ourselves into the presence of God the Father, and we need to pray.
You know, we can be proud in the presence of our brethren. We can be proud in the activities of service and ministry that He gives us. But when we get into His presence, why, that all melts away. Again, the Lord Jesus had nothing that would respond in that way. But He has given us this, this example. It's prayer in our service, and not only as, as a safeguard against pride, but again, do you want power in your service for Christ?
It's going to be measured in the in the UH, in the aspect of how much we time we spend in the presence of the Lord Jesus. I remember one time we were visiting in a foreign country and there was a very busy schedule laid out for us before we got there. And there was a sister who very kindly drove us from one busy activity to another. But I was thankful for her words as we went from one place to another.
Because on a number of occasions, she said to us, remember, Jim, the more prayer, the more blessing. The more prayer, the more blessing. You want power. You want blessing from your service. It must be in the measure in which we spend time in prayer. And again, it's very beautiful to go through the scriptures and notice those times when there's real blessing. You know, I was impressed one time in going through the book of the Acts and to notice that in the chapters.
Or in connection with certain instances and acts, when there was real blessing, it was always a result of prayer, always a result of prayer. When there was prayer, there was blessing and fruit that followed. And so we find this with the Lord Jesus. His fame goes out three times, it's mentioned, and he withdraws himself. He gets alone in the presence of his father, and he prays.
Now let's go on to the 6th chapter.
Chapter 6.
And verse and verse 11, verse 12. And it came to pass in those days.
That he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued in all night in prayer to God. And when it was day he called unto him his disciples. And he chose 12 whom he whom he also he named.
Apostles.
Well, here we have the Lord Jesus praying again, and here we find He prays all night. That was a long time, wasn't it? There are really only two individuals I can think of who it specifically says prayed all night, the Lord Jesus on this occasion and Samuel back in his day when after Saul had been chosen as king and Samuel realized the.
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Uh, condition of things that have come in as a result of it. He spent all night in prayer, tells us he cried all night to the Lord in prayer in connection with the condition of things amongst the people of God. You know, that humbles my own soul.
I have never been so burdened for the people of God and the condition amongst the Lord's people that I have spent all night in prayer.
But Samuel's love and concern for the people of God was so great that it tells us he cried all night.
Unto the Lord. And here we find the Lord Jesus spends all night in prayer.
And what is the is the context of him spending all night in prayer? Well, there are perhaps two things. We didn't read it, but if we were to back up, we would find that they desired to get rid of the Lord Jesus. It was pretty well established at this point that he was rejected. The leaders of Israel were mad against him because of certain things he had said and done, and so he spends all night in prayer. But I think there's something even more marked, and that is.
He was about to choose those who were going to be closest to him in his public ministry. He was going to choose the 12 apostles from those who had been following the Lord Jesus up to this point in his pathway.
Now, did the Lord Jesus know who he was going to choose? Of course he did. He knew exactly who he was going to choose. And let me just put a little parenthesis in here. He also knew what kind of disciples they were going to be. He knew that there was going to be Judas who would remain unregenerate to the end and eventually betray the Lord Jesus with with a kiss. He knew what Peter was going to be like.
He knew that there was going were going to be James and John, the sons of Thunder. There were going to be those who strove, who strove, who was going to be the greatest. He knew all about them. They're different personalities. And I suppose we little realize what an interesting and diverse group of 12 men the Lord chose to be with him during those years of his public ministry, from all different backgrounds, fishermen to civil servants like Matthew the tax collector.
No doubt different temperaments, as we've we've said, all kinds. You know, I often look around on an occasion like this and I think of the of a group of of believers like this this afternoon. You know, we come from all different kinds of backgrounds, different areas of the Coun country, the continent and even the world. What has brought us together? It's the Lord Jesus. It's the fact that he saved you and saved me. It's the fact that he gathered you to his precious name and that he gathered me. I suppose most of you, if not all of you, in this room this afternoon, I never would have known or met if it hadn't been for that work of grace. And so it was with these men and the Lord knew exactly who he was going to choose.
But again, let us go back and reiterate what we read at the beginning. He's left us an example that we should follow his step, his steps? And what is the example? What is the practical lesson that we learn from this?
The need for prayer in connection with choosing those that are closest to us in various aspects of our Christian pathway. Again, I have to hang my head and say I've never spent all night in prayer in connection with a decision like that. I may have been, by the grace of God, exercised from time to time about associations and friendships, but not to this degree. But this is the standard that God's Word gives us.
How much have we prayed about, say, business associates, a job, those we associate with in business? Do we make that a real matter of prayer? You know, there are practical considerations as well, but it's good to get into the presence of the Lord and really make those things a matter of prayer. What about our friendships, those we are associated with closest in our pathway? I'm not talking about now about those we have to rub shoulders with at the factory or the shop or at the office.
Those who are casual acquaintances. But you know, it says of the disciples in the early Acts being let go. They went to their own company. There were those that when their time was free, they found their company with those who would encourage them in the Lord. And again, as we go through scripture, we find this over and over again. Someone has said our friends are like the buttons of an elevator. They either take us up or down.
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And that's certainly true. It's certainly been true in my life. Those that have, I have associated with and been friendly with in a close way. They've either been for my good spiritually or the sometimes for my for my detriment, sad to say.
I suppose we often note the the outstanding example of Daniel in the Old Testament. You know, Daniel's three friends were a real blessing to Daniel and Daniel to them.
Because, you know, there came a time when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had to stand on their own.
When it came to the fiery furnace, there's no mention of Daniel being on the plane of plains of Dora. They were they could stand with Daniel and encourage one another in the first chapter in connection with the portion of the King's meat, but then they had to stand on their own. What gave them, what helped them to make the decision they did in the presence of the king and the fiery furnace nearby being heated A hotter than it it had been.
Oh, I suggested, it was the friendship that they had had with Daniel. Their faith had been strengthened because they had associated with a man of faith. And so we need to pray much about those that we associate with in that way. What about a partner for life? Perhaps some of you young people are praying about this. Make it a real matter of prayer. Yes. Again, there are practical considerations that need to be taken up. God is very practical.
But make it a real matter of prayer. And those we associate in connection with our fellowship as to other believers, have we made that a real matter of prayer? Because when we do, he wants to direct us to that very place where He is in the midst and where we can sit down at the Lord's table to partake of the Lord's Supper. All these things are serious decisions in our lives. These decisions affect our whole lives, and the Lord has given us this beautiful example.
And so the Lord knowing that these were the ones that were going to be closest to him during the years of his public ministry.
He spent all night in prayer and then he arises and he chooses these 12 to be with him. I would just make another little practical comment too. You know, so often we pray about something, and please, I'm not pointing the finger at anyone. I have to point it at myself and leave it there. But so often we pray about something, maybe in the assembly, prayer meeting, maybe in the family circle, or perhaps even in our personal prayer time. And we pray about it a time or two, and then we move on.
And then we look back and we wonder why there wasn't more blessing in connection with that individual we were praying for or that particular circumstance. But, you know, I've been exercised in my own soul of late of that little expression. You get it in Colossians and other places. Continue in prayer. The Lord continued in prayer all night. Do we know what it is to continue in prayer, not just to mention something once or twice and then to pass on?
But to really continue in prayer until we see results, we always want to pray that it's the Lord's will and will speak of that a little later. But it does say the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much in Ephesians. We're told to continue in prayer and watch unto the unto the same, to look and expect answers to our prayers, of course, according to his plan and His will.
Now let's go to Chapter 9.
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 the people that I am they answering said John the Baptist. But some say Elias, and others say one of the one of the old prophets is risen again.
He sat under them. But whom say ye that I am Peter answering said the Christ of God. You know, it's very interesting, this little expression as he was alone praying his disciples were with him.
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You ever been alone in a crowd? Alone. Sometimes they talk about being alone in a crowd. Sometimes I felt that way. As we said earlier, these men, these disciples, these apostles, were the 12 That the Lord chose to be closest to him in his public ministry. But sometimes, even in the presence of his disciples, he felt alone. Perhaps he there were times when he felt they just didn't understand what He was passing through.
Didn't understand often what he was saying, Didn't understand his exercises and so on. And so his disciples were with him, but he was alone in his exercise. Before God. He was alone praying because you know, you might feel alone sometimes, but you're never alone. There's one that you can always turn to in every circumstance. Now again, it's only in Luke where we have the Lord Jesus praying on this occasion.
In Matthew and Mark, where you have this incident, he leaves that out. There's something else that's unique to this incident too, because when Peter gives this wonderful testimony, he says thou art the Christ of God.
In Matthew's Gospel he says the Son of the living God. Why does it not add the son of the living God here?
Why is it in Matthew that it's added, Well, you know, Matthew, as we said, is the gospel that's most Jewish in its character and yet.
Matthew is the gospel and the only gospel that introduces to us the subject of the Church.
And in Matthew 16, where you have this incident, we find there, he says. On this rock, I will build my church.
And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. For Israel, it's the uh, it's the Son of David. And for this world in a coming day, they're gonna be blessed in connection with him being the Son of Man. But the Son of God is a expression that is enjoyed by the Church of God. And so when the church is introduced in Matthew, the gospel is Jewish in its character. It's recorded there that Peter says the Son, the Son of God.
Well, that's just a little aside, but again, I want to draw a very practical lesson from this.
Because I believe that as we are in prayer, it's going to give power and testimony in acknowledge and understanding, in acknowledging who he really is. You know, it's not enough that we just know the Lord Jesus as the one who came from heaven, the one of God. That we know him as there were many, knew him as a prophet and a good man and so on. But he wants us to have a deeper understanding of the person of Christ than just that.
And he wants that understanding and appreciation to deepen in our Christian pathway.
It's perhaps a little different, but I think there's something to consider in the life of the Apostle Paul in this regard.
Because you know Paul, some years after he was saved, he wrote to the Philippians.
And he summed up the whole desire of his life by saying that I may know him.
You say, well, didn't he get to know the Lord on the Damascus Rd. Yes, he did. He came to know the Lord there. But as he went on with the Lord, the independence, as he was characterized of a man as a man of prayer.
He went on with the Lord with a desire to have a better appreciation and understanding of who he was. He wanted to have a deeper relationship, and this is something that ought never to stop or cease. In our Christian pathway. We can never say that we've arrived. I heard of a Christian lady who was nearing the end of her life and as her life was slipping away in her memory.
She kept repeating over and over on her death bed that I may know him. And then after a while it was just to know him, and after a while, just him. It was him that she had a relationship with. That relationship had grown.
And developed during her Christian life and even on her deathbed, her desire was to know more of him and to know him personally. And so I believe this is only going to be true. We're only going to have an appreciation of his person, of who he is in the measure in which we walk in his company and independence with him. But let me just say this too, about prayer. I would suggest at this juncture that prayer.
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Is more than just making requests. It is making requests. But prayer in its simplest form, I believe, is speaking to to the Lord. I've often said that, to my own soul at least, the best definition of prayer is in that verse in Timothy where it speaks about our food. It says it's sanctified by the word of God in prayer. But if you notice Mr. Darby's translation, he translates that word prayer as freely addressing God.
That's what prayer really is. It's freely addressing God, and that's what you see in the life of the Lord Jesus.
You know, sometimes we may not have some specific need or request not so maybe not some specific supplication, but just to come and spend time in His presence to speak to him as we would speak to to our friend, denoting reverence, of course, but to develop that relationship with himself. Then we will be like Peter, who was able to give this wonderful testimony.
But Peter answered, said the Christ of God. But a wonderful confession. It was given by Peter, but it was on this occasion when the Lord Jesus was was found praying.
But there's another incident in this same chapter. Just drop down to the 28th verse and it came to pass about an 8 days after these things. 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. And behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias.
Who appeared in glory and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish in Jerusalem.
But but Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep, and when they were awake they saw his glory and the two men that stood with him. And it came to pass as they departed from him. Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here, and let us make 3 tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias, not knowing what he said.
Well, he thus spake, There came a cloud and overshadowed them, and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice of the out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, hear him. And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone.
And they kept it close and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen. Well, this incident is what we often refer to as the Mount of Transfiguration. And again, it's the only one of the Gospels where it's recorded that he's praying on this occasion, in keeping with the gospel as the dependent man. But I want to notice several things in a practical sense. We find here that he goes up to a mountain to pray.
Now you often find that in the life of the Lord Jesus again in Matthew 14.
After he had dismissed the multitude that had been fed with the loaves and fishes, and after he had constrained his disciples to get into a ship to go across the sea, he went up on the mountain, and there he was alone praying.
Here he's on a mountain praying again, and I suggest that a mountain in Scripture would often speak to us of a place of separation. Because I believe if we are going to have an effective prayer life, we must walk through this world in separation from evil. We're told to be clean, which bear the vessels of the Lord. It tells us if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. It's to walk.
In personal sanctification.
It's to be it's to have that practical cleansing that we need, and to walk in separation from this world again. The Lord Jesus, of course, with holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners.
But remember our key verse, our keynote verse. He left us an example that we should follow his steps. And so he goes up to the mountain to pray, and we find that as he prays, the fashion of his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and glistening. I suggest the practical lesson we learn here is the power to represent him here in this world, in the measure in which we walk as men and women. Independence, Because the more we walk in his company.
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And independence on him, the more we are going to be able to represent Christ here.
In fact, in his pre, as a result of being in his presence, there's going to be an unconscious reflection of Christ in our lives. It's often been pointed out, but I'll repeat it. We find with Moses the result of being in the presence of God on the mount was that his face shone, but he didn't try to make his face shone. In fact, it was unconscious. It says he wist, not that his faith that his face shone.
And it tells us in the New Testament, in Corinthians, we all with open face beholding us in a glass, the glory of the Lord.
Are changed into the same image from glory to glory. What that verse is very simply saying is in the measure in which we are occupied with Christ where he is now.
There will be an unconscious reflection of Christ in your life.
And mine. And so I believe this is the lesson that we learn from this. This was a little preview, of course, of the coming glory, And it rejoices our heart to think of that time when, as John tells us in his epistle, we're not only going to be with Christ, we're going to be like Christ, but he wants that, uh con, that moral conformity in our lives. Now, as we find in Romans chapter 12 and other places, we don't have time to develop it, But I just say again.
And the measure in which we are independence in prayer and in the company of the Lord Jesus, there will be that power to represent him. There will be that testimony and something of a reflection of Christ in our lives now.
Let's move on to the 11Th chapter.
Chapter 11 And verse one. And it came to pass that 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, 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, this is what we often refer as what is often referred to as the Lord's Prayer.
Perhaps better referred to as the disciples prayer. It's interesting that the disciples came to the Lord Jesus as they saw him as an example, praying in a certain place. Want to make a little comment about that certain place?
Because I want to encourage each of us to not just have a stated time for prayer.
That's good. Have a time for prayer. Some time in your daily routine when nothing will interrupt and you can spend some time in prayer. But you know, I found it helpful in my life too, to have a stated place for prayer, somewhere where you can just slip away and you know you'll be unnoticed and be alone. It's very helpful. And so when you're in that certain spot, maybe it'll be in your room, maybe it'll be somewhere out. Some of you are farmers, maybe some little out building where you can slip away and just have a little time with with the Lord in in prayer. But to have a stated place for prayer, I believe is very helpful.
And then when he had ceased, they said to the Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.
They'd seen John the Baptist, a man of God, and he was evidently a man of prayer as well.
And this had encouraged them. And so the Lord Jesus then gives them a pattern prayer. And I stress that because I don't believe the Lord was telling them that what they needed to do was recite this set of words. And you'll notice in the other Gospels there's a little different details. It's presented a little different ways, but it's not just to rattle off. It's like we often say vain repetition. Now I am thankful for any recognition there is of God and His word in this world today, and I'm thankful if this is recited.
At schools or public meetings, wherever it's recited, I will stand to and recite it, at least part of it with them, because I'm thankful for any recognition that there is of God in the Scripture. But this, I believe, was a pattern prayer, and it was a prayer that was suited to the condition and position of the disciples at this time, because it's really Jewish in its character. However, there are some things that are good for us to consider, for instance.
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We can address our Father. God is our Father. Isn't that wonderful that we can come later on? The Lord Jesus encouraged the disciples in the upper room in preparation for his absence, that though they were no longer going to come be able to come and address him directly as they had on earth, they were gonna have the wonderful privilege of coming directly to the Father. And so that's wonderful. We ought to come with reverence, hallowed be thy name. We always ought to come, recognizing that we are addressing.
Either God the Father or the Lord Jesus as a divine person. And there always needs to be that in our in our prayers He says Thy Kingdom come. Well, perhaps we don't pray for the Kingdom, We're looking for the rapture, but we are to love His appearing. It's part of our blessed hope looking for the the blessed hope and the glorious appearing. It's all it's all connected. And we look forward to that day when His will will be done on on earth as it is in heaven. It ought to thrill our hearts to think of it.
You know the Lord Jesus says He's seated at the right hand of God. He's looking forward to it, henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. And it ought to thrill our hearts to think that that day is is coming. We don't ask for the forgiveness of sins, but in Christianity, if we confess our sins, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. It's good to look to him independence for Our Daily Bread we.
Ought to pray that we'd be preserved and kept in the temptations and pitfalls of life.
And so it's not a prayer we are just to rattle off and think little about.
But it is a pattern for us. And those things that they were given here are things that are good for us to consider, Of course, not in the light of the position they occupied at the time, but in the light of what we have further developed in in Christianity. So again, He's given us an example. You know, it's interesting that in the incident before at the end of the 10th chapter, we have a lady that heard his words, and then we have the Lord teaching the disciples to pray. Both are important because He speaks to us through His word.
And then we come and speak to him in prayer and it's a very vital part of our Christian Pathway fellowship.
And Communion. We often refer to it as now One more incident in the 22nd chapter.
Chapter 22.
And verse 40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing remove this cup from me, nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.
Well, here we have the Lord Jesus. As the hour of his greatest trial approached, he was about to go to Calvary's cross and how the burden of it pressed on his holy soul. And so we have here His agony in the garden.
Now Matthew tells us he prayed three times. Luke just gives us a summary. He doesn't denote the three times. He just gives us a summary. But it's interesting that he's removed from them about a stone's cast. Why did the Scripture record that expression? Well, you know, stoning was the Jewish way of execution, but you know the Lord Jesus was not going to go into death through stoning. He was removed from them about a stone's cast.
Because the Lord Jesus was going to go to the cross and die the death of the cross as had been prophesied of him.
And so he's removed from them about a stone's cast. And as he contemplates Calvary and all that it meant to his holy soul, not just the sufferings at the hand of man, but what he anticipated in those hours of darkness he prays. And in the 44th verse we didn't read, he prays more earnestly. Now there are a couple of very practical things we can learn from this. One is that no matter how deep the trial is, we have one that we can turn to, and we can pray, and we can pray more earnestly.
It doesn't matter how deep the trial is. I have no doubt there are some here this afternoon who are going through very deep trials, things, perhaps, that I have never been called on to pass through in the path of faith and service. And I have to stand here and confess that I perhaps don't empathize or understand what you're going through. But I do know one thing. There's one who does. There's one who bowed earnestly in prayer in the garden and sweat, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
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And we can follow his steps and we can come in that same way. But there's something else very important, because here we find the Lord Jesus praying for the last time recorded in Luke before he goes to the cross.
And he says nevertheless, not my will, but as thou wilt, thy will be done. And brethren, we always want to pray in the circumstances of life. In that way never beg the Lord for something that isn't according to his mind.
He may grant it in his permissive will, but it won't be for your good and blessing. And so he left us this wonderful example as the Lord Jesus faced Calvary, as he prayed that that cup might be removed from him. Yet he had come to do the Father's will, and perfect submission gave perfect delight. And he rose from the garden and went on and endured the cross, despising the shame, knowing the import of that verse that says weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
And he accomplished that mighty work for the glory of God and for your blessing and mine. Well, we've looked at these instances so very quickly, I trust you'll go back over them and meditate on them. Go through the Gospels and find the other instances where the Lord is in prayer. It is very, very instructive. And I say again, may you and I, by the grace of God, seek to be men and women of prayer until that day when we won't need it. In the same way, we'll sit down in His presence and be beyond the exercises and the needs, the trials of life.
Then we're going to praise him for all eternity. But in the meantime, he's given us this wonderful resource, the wonderful resource of freely addressing him.