“Jesus and Others Did It Anyway” #7

                                     Pastor Mike Barnett

                                       October 29, 2006

 

THEME: AT TIMES, YOU WILL BE TOO BUSY, TOO TIRED, OR TOO DISTRACTED TO PRAY TO GOD, BUT PRAY  ANYWAY BECAUSE YOU ESPECIALLY NEED GOD’S  GUIDANCE, PEACE AND BLESSINGS WHEN YOU ARE BUSY, TIRED, AND DISTRACTED.

 

The example of Jesus…

 

Mark 1:32-39 (Pg. 707) says:

32That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33The whole town gathered at the door, 34and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. 35Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"  38Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." 39So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

·        Jesus modeled a life of prayer.

John 17 :15-23 (pg. 766) says:

 

15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify[b] them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. 20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

 

1) JESUS PRAYED FOR HIS ______________(FOLLOWERS) – THE CHURCH BODY.

 

JESUS PRAYED THAT:

 

  1. His followers would be (sanctified) which means to be ___________ ___________(set apart) from the sins, attitudes and behaviors of the world we live in. Vs. John 17:17-19

 

The Apostle Paul said it this way:

 

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (pg. 821) says:

 

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

 

1John 2:15-17 (pg. 862) says:

 

 15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

 

1 Peter 2:11-12 (pg. 858) says:

 

 11Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

 

·        The means to sanctification (being set apart from the world) is the Word of God – The ____________________(Bible).

 

·        Jesus prayed in John 17:17: “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth”.

 

·        What a person puts into their ________________(mind) will usually come out in their ____________________________(behavior) eventually.

 

·        That’s why the Christian is urged to “take captive every thought and bring it obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ”.

 

JESUS PRAYED THAT:

 

  1. His followers would be ______________(unified) as _________(one) body.  Vs. 20-23

 

·        The fact that there are so many divisions within the body of Christ around the world today is not pleasing to God.

 

·        The church that Jesus established was to be unified and to walk in one accord.

 

·        The world sits back and laughs at all conflict among denominations and churches these days and it is sad.

 

·        We need to pray for unity as Jesus prayed because this is God’s will for the church.

 

·        THE APOSTLE PAUL ALSO ENCOURAGES CHRISTIANS TO PRAY FOR OTHERS BELIEVERS.

 

Ephesians 6:18 (pg. 829) says:

 

18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

 

2) JESUS ALSO PRAYED FOR ______________(HIMSELF).

 

Matthew 26:36-46 (pg. 703) says:

 

36Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." 39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." 40Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." 42He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." 43When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. 45Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

 

1. Jesus prayed that not his will to be done, but the Father’s ____________(will) be _______________(done) even if it meant _______________________(suffering).

 

WHAT IS PRAYER?

 

·        Prayer is communication with God and communication consist of both _____________________(speaking) and __________________________(listening)

 

·        We tend to communicate to those we __________________(love) and _______________(trust) the most.

 

·        If your prayer life is lousy, it is a sure sign you do not love and trust God enough.

 

·        Jesus told his followers to be _____________________(redundant) and ________________________(persistent) in prayer.

 

Luke 11:1-13 (pg. 735) says:

 

 1One 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."

 2He said to them, "When you pray, say:
   " 'Father,[a]
   hallowed be your name,
   your kingdom come.[b]
 3Give us each day our daily bread.
 4Forgive us our sins,
      for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.[c]
   And lead us not into temptation.[d]' "

 5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness[e] he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 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. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Luke 18:1-8 (pg. 742) says:

 

 1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' 4"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' " 6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

 

·        THE SCRIPTURES TELL CHRISTIANS TO PRAY _______________________(CONTINUALLY) THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-21 (pg. 837) says:

 16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 19Do not put out the Spirit's fire;

·        THE BIBLE PROMISES ____________________(PEACE) TO THE CHRIST FOLLOWER WHO PRAYS!

Philippians 4:4-7 (pg. 832) says:

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

QUESTION: COULD IT BE THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE PEACE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT PRAY ABOUT THE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU ANXIOUS?

·        THE AMOUNT OF PEACE YOU EXPERIENCE IN LIFE IS USUALLY __________________________(RELATED) TO HOW MUCH PRAYER YOU GIVE TO YOUR CONCERNS.

 

THEME: AT TIMES, YOU WILL BE TOO BUSY, TOO TIRED, OR TOO DISTRACTED TO PRAY TO GOD, BUT PRAY  ANYWAY, BECAUSE YOU ESPECIALLY NEED GOD’S  GUIDANCE, PEACE AND BLESSINGS WHEN YOU ARE BUSY, TIRED, AND DISTRACTED.

 

IN THE LIFE OF JESUS WE SEE A MODEL FOR PRAYER:

 

1. JESUS PRAYED FOR BELIEVERS:

1) THAT THEY WOULD BE SET APART FROM THE WORLD AND

 

2) UNIFIED AS ONE BODY.

 

2. JESUS PRAYED FOR HIMSELF THAT HE WOULD DO GOD’S WILL EVEN IF IT MEANT SUFFERING.

 

3. JESUS PRAYED PERSISTENTLY AND URGED BELIEVERS TO DO THE SAME.

 

APPLICATION:

 

A. PRAY THAT YOU YOURSELF WILL SURRENDER TO GOD AND BE SET APART TO DO HIS WILL!

 

B. PRAY FOR THE FAMILIES AT NEW HEIGHTS THAT THEY WOULD BE SET APART FROM THE WORLD AND UNIFIED AS A CHURCH BODY!

 

C. PRAY REGULARLY AND PERSISTENTLY.

 

THEME: AT TIMES, YOU WILL BE TOO BUSY, TOO TIRED, OR TOO DISTRACTED TO PRAY TO GOD, BUT PRAY  ANYWAY BECAUSE YOU ESPECIALLY NEED GOD’S  GUIDANCE, PEACE AND BLESSINGS WHEN YOU ARE BUSY, TIRED, AND DISTRACTED.