Luke 11: 1-13

Luke 11 I grew up in a time when the lords prayer was publicly recited in church and school assembly. Everyone knew it. That is no longer the case, and it was recited so often that I think most people gave no thought to its meaning. The disciples came to Jesus with a request. Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples. We can therefore conclude that it was public knowledge that not only did John the Baptist call the nation back to god, and baptise those who believed, but he also taught his disciples to pray. Presumably our lord’s disciples were already familiar with prayer in the temple and the synagog However there had to be something different about the prayer of John’s disciples for them to put this request to Christ. I think the prayer that he taught them probably reflected his ministry. His ministry was about repentance and this would have been a very different sort of prayer to the public prayer in the temple and synagogue. WE COMMONLY CALL THIS THE LORDS PRAYER, but in fact it cannot be his prayer because some parts of it would not be applicable to him. He never sinned and therefore had no need to ask for forgiveness. It was the disciples who had that need. WHEN WE PRAY, DO WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR, AND DO WE MEAN IT? How often have we prayed “Our Father”? Just those two words would have been vastly different to what the disciples were accustomed to. They had to go to the temple with sacarfices to come to God and yet straight away in that prayer they have access to God as a father. It is a close family relationship, not a distant one of appeasement. Hallowed be your name. God’s name is holly, and it not to be taken in vain or sullied. Give us this day our daily bread. This is a prayer for the basic needs of life, give us sufficient for today. Bread was part of the staple diet. They lived off the harvest. If the harvest was good, they had plenty, if it was bad they had less, or starved, so to say give us this day our daily bread was a reminder of their daily dependence on God to meet their needs. Forgive us our sins for we forgive those who trespass against us. DO WE? Jesus told his followers to forgive one another seventy times seven. He meant that we had to go on forgiving. The disciples were in a community situation, and it is inevitable that sometimes they would find getting along with one another difficult. Jesus is saying forgive one another for God expects you to and in as much as we are forgiving people, so our heavenly father forgives us. This is all about Christian character, and none of us finds this easy. Lead us not into temptation. It seems odd to think of the lord leading us into temptation. It is still dealing with the problem of sin. All sin starts with temptation and God has promised that there will be a way out. He does not promise that we will avoid temptation. In fact I think God is glorified when we do not sin. Jesus himself was tempted in the wilderness. “If you are the son of God, turn these stones into bread. If you are the son of God throw yourself off this high wall and angels will come and save you.” He resisted by using scripture, and I believe that he was tempted vastly beyond anything that he will allow to tempt us, and we can only be tempted by things we could do. I would never be tempted to throw myself off a high wall, because I know I would die, but he really could command the heavenly host, so for him, it was a temptation. He then tells the parable of the man who has locked up his house for the evening and a needy friend comes and asks for bread for an unexpected visitor. The man in the house refuses, but the friend persists in asking and so he receives. Jesus was not saying that if we persist then God will give us what we want. He does however say that we need to be persistent at prayer. It is our lifeline, and the thing we need to ask for it more of the holy spirit. He says that if you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, HOW MUCH MORE WILL YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK? God wants us to ask in all sincerity for more and more and more of himself. There is an old song, “More more about Jesus, more more about jesus, 1. More about Jesus would I know, More of His grace to others show; More of His saving fullness see, More of His love who died for me. o Refrain: More, more about Jesus, More, more about Jesus; More of His saving fullness see, More of His love who died for me. 2. More about Jesus let me learn, More of His holy will discern; Spirit of God, my teacher be, Showing the things of Christ to me. 3. More about Jesus, in His Word, Holding communion with my Lord; Hearing His voice in every line, Making each faithful saying mine. 4. More about Jesus on His throne, Riches in glory all His own; More of His kingdom’s sure increase; More of His coming, Prince of Peace. That is what all of us need, and it we ask for it, we will receive.