Teach Us to Pray: The Prayers of Jesus
Pastor Jonathan Foster
What would it look like in our life if we modeled our prayer life after Jesus?
First we need to take a look at how Jesus prayed. We find around 25 prayers of
Jesus recorded in the bible when you consider the cross references in the Gospels
recording the same prayers.
MESSAGE AIM:
Jesus modeled prayer to us
though the example of His
own prayer life.
Choose several of Jesus prayers below, reading them out loud in your
groups. Looking back at notes from 2 weeks ago where Pastor Jonathan
discussed different types of prayer. Identify what type of prayer the ones
you read are. What specifically is Jesus asking for? Is He praising, confessing, petitioning, interceding,
lamenting, etc.?
(Lk 3:21-22) At His Baptism.
(Mk 1:35-36) In the morning before heading to Galilee.
35 h
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and ideparted into a solitary place, and
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there prayed. 36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.
(Lk 5:15) After healing people.
(Lk 6:12-13) Praying all night before choosing His 12 disciples.
(Mt 11:25-26) While speaking to the Jewish leaders.
(Jn 6:11) Giving thanks to the Father before feeding 5000. (Also see: Mt 14:19, Mk 6:41, Lk 9:16)
(Mt 14:23) Before walking on water he sent the multitude away and went up to the mountain. (Also see: Mk 6:46,
Jn 6:15)
(Mk 7:31-37) While healing a deaf and mute man.
(Mt 15:36) Giving thanks to the Father before feeding 4000. (Also see: Mk 8:6-7)
(Lk 9:18) Before Peter called Jesus "the Christ."
(Lk 9:28-29) At the Transfiguration.
(Lk 10:21) At the return of the seventy.
(Lk 11:1) Before teaching His disciples the Lord's Prayer.
(Jn 11:41-42) Before raising Lazarus from the dead.
(Mt 19:13-15) Laying hands on and praying for little children. (Also see: Mk 10:13-16, Lk 18:15-17)
(Jn 12:27-28) Asking the Father to glorify His name.
(Mt 26:26) At the Lord's Supper. (Also see: Mk 14:22-23, Lk 22:19)
(Lk 22:31-32) Prayed for Peter's faith when Satan asked to "sift" him.
(Jn 17:1-26) Prayed for Himself, His disciples, and all believers just before heading to Gethsemane.
(Mt 26:36-46) In Gethsemane before His betrayal. (He prayed 3 separate prayers.) (Also see: Lk 22:39-46, Mk
14:32-42)
(Lk 23:34) Right after being nailed to the cross, Jesus prayed, "Father forgive them; for they know not what they
do."
(Mt 27:46) While dying on the cross, Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Also see:
Mk 15:34)
(Lk 23:46) In His dying breath, Jesus prayed, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
(Lk 24:30) Prayed a blessing on the bread before He ate with others after His resurrection.
(Lk 24:50-53) He blessed the disciples before His Ascension.
Out of these passages we can see three important principals from the prayer life of Jesus that can be
immediately applied to our own life today:
1-He modeled prayer-He was a living example to His disciples of what a true life of prayer looked like. He took
time to pray regardless of circumstances, surroundings or crowds. He had intentional, daily times of prayer with
His father and let nothing distract Him from that. This was modeled in front of His disciples.
a. Mark 1:35-3635 cAnd rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and
went out to a desolate place, and dthere he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with
him searched for him,
b. Luke 9:18 18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him
Examine your own prayer life. What areas are worth modeling? What areas need improvement?
2-He prayed mostly in secret—What’s done in private is manifested in public. Although He was a great of
example of going off to pray, He most often prayed alone even if He wasn’t alone. We don’t know how often He
prayed to His Father secretly. Jesus sought the intimacy of time spent alone with His Father. In our own lives, we
often take for granted the amazing gift of being intimate with He who is intimate.
c. Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, zgo into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who
is in secret. aAnd your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
d. Mark 14:23--And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart
to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
Do you have a place designated for prayer? If your answer is no, how can you find/make a place to designate
in your home?
Discuss prayer in group participant’s homes. Share ideas and suggestions to make this happen in each
participants life on a daily basis
3-He prayed in a Spirit of brokenness and tears—He grieved and had a heart filled with great distress for
His people. He falls on his face and prays. The brokenness and grief in our own lives is met by a culture that
encourages us to escape but that’s not what Jesus modeled. Instead of avoiding or escaping brokenness we
follow His example and embrace the heartache and pain. When we come brokenhearted we will eventually go
out and pray. A sense of brokenness leads to the secret places of God. In our intimacy with God, He hears us and
things happened.
A. Jesus wept as a man agonizing over his mission--Hebrews 5:7--In the days of his
flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was
able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
B. Jesus wept over the state of the world he lived in—
Luke 19:41-44 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it
C. Jesus Wept as a savior
Mat 26:39—Falls on his face Luke 22:44--And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and
his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Consider what you are broken over. What has God placed on your heart to pray for in your
brokenness?
In what ways has culture kept you your brokenness and ultimately from the intimacy with God that
we so desire?
Take time this week to intentionally make time daily to pray in a secret place. If you journal, write
down any thoughts or ways God speaks to you as well as any prayer burdens you may have.