Breath: Prayer
Gospel-centred prayer
This week we’re looking at the subject of prayer and
especially what it means to pray in the light of the
gospel. Gospel-driven prayer if you like. Our vision says
that we want to be gospel-driven. Which means that the
gospel isn’t just the bit at the start of your Christian life
(the ABC), to get you into the kingdom. It’s everything.
The gospel is bigger than the sinners prayer. It’s what
keeps us in the kingdom (the A to Z). It’s by the grace
of God that we enter the kingdom, through what Jesus
did on the cross and by his grace that we remain in the
kingdom, through what Jesus did on the cross.
The gospel helps us understand prayer and motivates us
to pray. We don’t pray to make God like us more, we
already have the righteousness of Jesus, God couldn’t
‘like’ us more if he tried. We pray because we’re already,
completely accepted by God. And that should radically
change how we approach prayer.
In the Bible we have two perspectives on prayer. On the
one hand we have God’s perspective, the complete
sovereignty of God. He is in complete control and he
predestined everything to happen. Nothing takes God
by surprise and nothing happens without God having
planned it. And then we have our perspective. God tells
us that we must ask him for things.
Luke 11:9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you;
seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks
finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
So God is in control of everything and we’re called to
pray, to ask God for things, so that things change. Is that
a contradiction? No, is the simple answer. We’re not
praying to a God who’s slightly in control, but in total
control and as well as that our prayers aren’t pointless,
that do matter, they do change things.
The other reason prayer is a difficult topic is because
we’re generally not very good at it. I speak for myself
here. It’s hard work and requires discipline and effort.
It’s so easy to prioritise just about anything over prayer.
But the reason I think we neglect prayer is almost
always because we’ve forgotten the gospel.
• We forget how sinful we are. Either we’ve
forgotten how much we need God (we foolishly
think we can make it on our own - pride), or we’re
ashamed to come before God because we think
we’re too bad (which is just another type of pride).
Both are foolish. There’s never a moment when we
don’t need Jesus and because God knows everything
about us and still accepts us before we pray, and
we’re never too bad because Jesus has paid for all our
sin.
• We forget how mighty God is. We shrink
God. In our culture we often dream of what it’s like
to know a celebrity, someone famous. And yet the
reality is that if we did know someone famous they’d
probably never have time for us and let us down
badly or at least disappoint us. They’re not that
special. And yet as Christians we have access 24/7 to
the creator of the universe who has through his grace
called us his friends!
As a Christian, how would you describe what
prayer is to a non-Christian friend who asked?
Assuming you’re like most Christians and find
prayer hard, why do you find it hard?
Why would you say prayer is so important for
the Christian?
 The definition of prayer
Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray, you must not
be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and
pray in the synagogues and at the street corners,
that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to
you, they have received their reward. 6 But when
you pray, go into your room and shut the door
and pray to your Father who is in secret. And
your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty
phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that
they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not
be like them, for your Father knows what you
need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:
The first thing that we need to see tonight is that
prayer is trinitarian. The Bible tells us to pray to
the Father, through the work of the Son by the
power of the Spirit. We need to be careful that we
hold those things together as we look at the
subject of prayer. We pray to one God but in
three persons, and each member of the trinity has
a different role in the Godhead and a different role
when it comes to prayer.
we pray to the Father
The Lord’s prayer is a template prayer. It’s a
pattern, a way we’re called to pray. I don’t think
that means it’s wrong to pray it word for word
but what is important is that we use this prayer as
a way to understand how we should approach
prayer generally. The pattern is really important.
The Lord’s prayer starts with God and then ends
with us. It’s a prayer that first and foremost
centres on God, so our prayers should centre on
God too. The idea being that we take our eyes off
ourselves and see the big picture. By putting our
problems, worries, whatever’s going on in our lives
in the context of knowing who God is, that
changes the way we think about problems,
worries etc..
He’s in heaven. “Heaven is God’s space, where
God’s writ runs and God’s future purposes are
waiting in the wings” (Tom Wright). God’s in total
control of his universe.
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
14For if you forgive others their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you
do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses.
The fact that God is in heaven also shows us something
about his holiness. The Old Testament describes God as
holy. The ‘other-ness’ of God. When he did come near
his people, there was fire and smoke earthquakes. And
generally where all those things are present, lots of fear.
And rightly so. God is a consuming fire (Deut 4:24).
One way of describing God is to say that he’s
transcendent - he’s absolutely holy - utterly holy.
But here Jesus tells us to call God our ‘Father’. He’s not
just distant and far away, he’s not just holy, he’s also
merciful and kind.
So how can we call God our Father? Has the God of
the old testament (fire, smoke, earthquakes) suddenly
changed now that Jesus has come? Clearly God doesn’t
change, he’s the same yesterday, today and forever, but
he has come near. God is transcendent but at the same
time he’s also become immanent, he’s near and close to
us through Jesus.
We need to hold these two pictures of who God is
together. God is still holy and mighty. We’re still called
to “work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling” (Phil 2:12) But we can now approach God
with boldness “we have boldness and access with
confidence through our faith in him” (Eph 3:12) because
he’s come near.
transcendence
(God is holy)
in heaven
immanence
(God is near)
our Father
we pray through the
work of the Son
How has he come close? Jesus is about to go to the
cross. And through the cross the transcendence and the
immanence of God come together. For all eternity Jesus
has known God as his Father. Their Father/Son
relationship has been unbroken. And yet Jesus comes, to
be cut off from his Father. Throughout his ministry he
refers to God as his Father, with one exception. On the
cross he cries out: “My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?” Jesus has been cut off from his Father.
And he’s been cut off for us. As Christ is cast out, we’re
brought in. Christ has become our substitute. God’s
justice has been taken by Jesus and not us. We’re been
given the status that Jesus had - we are now in Christ!
So now, we can pray this prayer here.
‘Our Father...’ We now have the same access to the
Father as the Son because we’re in Christ.
Hebrews 7:23 The former priests were many in number,
because they were prevented by death from continuing in
office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because
he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to
the uttermost those who draw near to God through him,
since he always lives to make intercession for them.
In the Old Testament to gain forgiveness a priest would
have to make sacrifices at the temple. But the priests
were sinners. They had to sacrifice for their own sins
before they sacrificed for the people’s sins. And they
also died. Their priesthood pointed towards the ultimate
priesthood. Jesus is the ultimate priest. He doesn’t
make sacrifices to God, he’s the ultimate sacrifice. He
never dies and he stands in heaven representing us.
“Jesus intercedes by being in heaven on our behalf. By his
presence he reminds the Father - as if the Father needed
reminding - of the finished work of the cross. Jesus, as it
were, says by his presence, ‘I am here in heaven and my
people are united with me - they have access to God’... He
is before God with his wounded side and his pierced hands
as if to say, ‘These are the reasons why you should hear my
people and show them mercy.” (Tim Chester)
we pray by the power
of the Spirit
The main role of the Spirit is not miracles or
supernatural gifts, but to show us the Son. That’s why
the New Testament so often calls him the Spirit of
Christ.
Romans 8:16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—
heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer
with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
The question is what role do we play?
Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the
Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for
words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the
mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the
saints according to the will of God.
Notice it says that the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
Honesty is the key to prayer. Coming to God in prayer
acknowledging that we’re weak. Praying in our
weakness means that Spirit filled prayer isn’t just when
we’re on an emotional high. It’s often (mostly in fact)
when the opposite is true.
Effectively the Spirit “assures the adequacy of our
prayers... Every prayer we offer is a prayer offered in
weakness and ignorance. But every prayer we offer is
partnered by the Spirit who prays in full knowledge of
God’s will.” (Chester)
So the Spirit turns our bumbling words into something
acceptable to God.
Why is it so important to remember that God is
both transcendent and immanent at the same time
when praying?
Do you think that God is more likely to hear your
prayers if you’re living a godly life? Why/why not?
Why do you think the Spirit specifically helps us
pray in our weakness rather than our strength (see
2 Cor 12:7-10)
 The discipline of prayer
what we’re to pray for
We think that the gospel is primarily about telling
other people about Jesus so they can be saved. And it
is about that, but that’s not the primary aim of the
gospel. The primary aim is for God to glorify himself.
Hallowed be your name. Worshipped be your name.
The gospel is about God’s glory before it’s about
anything else.
“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship
is. Mission exists because worship doesn’t” (John Piper)
What is God’s will? God’s will refers to his rightful
reign and rule. It’s corporate. We’re called to pray for
nations and rulers and cultures. That people will
repent or face God’s certain judgement. And it’s also
personal. For God’s will to come, on earth as it is in
heaven means that God’s people start to become
more and more like Jesus.
“The foundation of prayer is “thinking God’s thoughts
after him”” (Graeme Goldsworthy)
what praying people
should be like
Matt 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread,
In the wilderness God gave manna (Ex 16)
demonstrating that God was his people’s provider.
Nothing they received came from their own efforts,
but entirely from God’s gracious provision. Our
prayer needs to be the same, everything we have is a
gift from God.
"No sacrifice can extract anything from God, because
everything given as a sacrifice came from God in the first
place. To give to God is to take from God's right hand
and put that very thing back into God's left
hand" (Miroslav Volf)
God is a loving father who loves to give. The problem
is that we either don’t ask, or we ask with such a poor
view of what our heavenly father is like!
“Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance, but laying
hold of His willingness.” (Martin Luther)
So we need to pray realising God is a giver and we
need to ask him for things.
Matt 6:12 and forgive us our debts, as we
also have forgiven our debtors...14 For if
you forgive others their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15
but if you do not forgive others their
trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses.
The natural consequence of being a Christian is that
we’ll be a humble people. That’s what prayer should
turn us into. If we understand the gospel and that God
is already our Father, confessing sin becomes
relational. We’re not trying to appease God, and pray
for forgiveness in order to make him pleased with us.
The sacrifice of Jesus is completely sufficient. We ask
forgiveness to see our relationship with God fixed and
in order for it to grow.
And if verse 14 confuses you. It’s not that we get
forgiveness by forgiving. If we’ve been touched by the
gospel our natural reaction should be that we want to
forgive. If we see how much we’ve been forgiven by
Jesus, we’ll want to forgive others who hurt and
wound us. It’s a fruit of understanding the gospel and
a fruit of a praying Christian who prays according to
the pattern of the Lord’s prayer.
Matt 6:13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
We’re called to pray in the light of the being God’s
children that we’d be like his perfect Son - Jesus.
“In the great majority of books written, and in the
sermons preached upon prayer, the human
element fills the scene almost entirely. It is the
conditions which we must meet, the promises we
must claim, the things we must do, in order to get
our requests granted; and God’s claim, God’s right,
God’s glory are often disregarded.” (AW Pink)
What do you think about this quote? In what
ways do you neglect God’s glory in prayer?
Read Luke 11-5-12. God is a giving God in the
Sermon on the Mount (v11). How is God
better than a reluctant neighbour in how he
gives to us?
What have you learnt about prayer? How is
this going to change the way you pray?