The Lord's Prayer

Rev Gideon Lee

This morning we want to look at how Jesus respond to our prayer and we get a glimpse of how good our God is, how much he loves us.

Luke 11:1-10

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer

1 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.”

2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“‘Father,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come.

3 Give us each day our daily bread.

4 Forgive us our sins,

for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

And lead us not into temptation.’”

5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’

7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’

8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Back in those days when you sat under a master or teacher of the law, it is customary to ask your teacher to teach you how to pray. How he views God and salvation is in that prayer that he teaches. Different teachers will teach differently.

In the Lord's Prayer, you will see how Jesus views the world in his prayer.

When Jesus said give us this day our daily bread, all Israelites can relate to it because they were fed manna daily in the wilderness. It was necessary for life at that time, like rice to us.

In order to explain this further, Jesus shared a parable. When I was young I couldn't understand this and wondered what had it to do with prayer.

The parable says that because of the man's boldness and persistence, he will get the bread that he needs. And Jesus ends the passage “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

To understand this passage you need to understand the culture at those times. Today we are more as individuals, we think about ourselves first. Those times, it was more a community. The focus of the parable was not about the man that came unexpectedly but rather about the man that gave generously.

The question that Jesus  asked was rhetorical because they already know the answer. Today, if you come unexpectedly or unannounced, it would be rude and the homeowner may not open the door. But back in those days hospitality was of high regard. It's about the community.

When the angels came unexpectedly to Abraham, what did he do? He invited them into his home and prepared a banquet for them. Back then, it was expected of them to serve the visitor. Because the honour of the community rest on that person. 

If you don't show hospitality, the village will get a bad name. Their honour was very important. Using this understanding we see this story. It is required of that person to help that man. Today we may wonder why he's obligated to help because we are very individualistic.

And back then, this happens quite often. People arriving unexpectedly. This culture of hospitality helps travellers back then. It's strange to us but as Asians we can maybe relate a little bit unlike the West.

I had one lecturer in BCM who came to lecture a crash course. We sometimes had to ask questions because we could not understand. I asked about Sodom and Gomorrah. The culture of hospitality was such that he had to welcome the angels into Lot's house. And Lot offered his daughters to the mobs and I could not understand why Lot did that. And the lecturer said that was how much hospitality meant those days.

What has this got to do with prayer? What I can catch a glimpse on prayer is this.

We don't have to make an appointment for prayer. When we come to the Lord we do not inconvenience him. We do not need to have an appropriate time to come to God in prayer.

God wants you to come to him and he wants to hear your prayer. It's no inconvenience to him. For us we may think it's inconvenient when we are approached unannounced. God is not like that and he has his honour to keep. He is obligated in that sense. That's why the Bible says pray without ceasing because you don't inconvenient God. And you can't catch him unexpectedly because you cannot surprise God.

He wants to hear you and he wants you to call on him and bring your request to him. And he is obligated to answer you. Doesn't that change the way you pray? He answers.

The second truth is this. The metaphor used often is bread. He even says I'm the bread of life. Bread was the staple diet and everybody understood it was life.

Those days, one bread is not enough. Maybe three loaves and they will seat in a circle and they will pinch a portion of the bread out and dip into the gravy provided. You can only dip into one gravy at a time.

It is impolite to serve half eaten bread or unfinished bread. You give your best to your guests. You are to provide more than enough. And it reminds me of the God we serve. God provide not just for our needs but for more than enough. He is a God for more than enough. It is a delight for him to answer us. He gives us the best. That's the God that we serve.

But Jesus ends this parable with “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." Why, at the end I'll tell you.

Some people tell me God provides for the needy and not the greedy. They say God just supply your needs not your desires. Sometimes, just sometimes he gives you the desires of your heart. Not just what you need.

Thirdly, I want you to look at this verse in the Bible.

Luke 11:7

And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’

Does that sound reasonable? But if you look at the community back then, this is not honourable.

Luke 11:8

I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

Some version says boldness. It says shameless audacity which is a more accurate translation. I would use the word confidently. In Chinese we say thick skin.

We can come before the Lord confidently that he will give you the three loaves and more than enough. That's the God that we serve. This really changes the way that I approach God.

God is like a father and a son. Does a son needs an appointment to see the father? Does your children needs an appointment to see you? I hope not. It's a delight when my children come to me and when they make a request it's my delight to give them or more. We bless our children. It is our obligation and good pleasure that we want to respond to their need.

As a father, I know my son can run to me confidently and I will not turn him away. It is a Father's delight.

When we come before God you need to know he loves you. There's nothing he will hold back from you.

Luke 11:9-10

9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Jesus purposely ended with this. Because the problem is we are not knocking, asking or seeking enough. We think all things is automatic. With God there is a two way street. We need to ask, seek. As you come before God, know he has a yes face. Because you are his children and he loves you. Come shamelessly and come as you are.