Sermon Title: Talking to God
Passage: Luke 11:1-4 (NIV)
The Lord’s Prayer takes place in a broader context:
Luke 5:15-16
“Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Luke 6:12
“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.”
Luke 9:28-29
“[Jesus] took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.”
Luke 11:1
“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.”
I. What Jesus teaches us to pray:
- God is our father.
- God is as close as the air we breathe
- Enjoy your Father’s company.
- Your prayers really do make a difference
II. How Jesus teaches us to pray:
He gives us a model to recite and imitate.
Examples of pre-made prayers you can utilize:
- The Lord’s Prayer
- The Psalms
- Scripture in general
- The songs you sing
- Book of Common Prayer or Daily Habit
“There’s no bad way to pray and no single starting point for prayer. The spiritual masters offer one nonnegotiable rule: You have to show up for prayer and show up regularly. Everything else is negotiable and respects your unique circumstances.” “Prayer: our deepest longing” - Father Ronald Rolheiser
Additional Notes:
Luke 11:1-4 (NIV)
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.”