8.31.08 – Our Father (Mt 6.9)
August 31, 2008
Our Father (Mt 6.9) — Prayer
Our afternoon service offers a brief message from the first verse of the Lord’s prayer, a reprise of a couple of messages preached nine years ago. Our prayers are based in our relationship with Our Father and should have as their object the hallowing of Our Father’s Name.
Read the notes while you listen.
8.17.08 PM – Prayer
August 17, 2008
Father, save me from this hour (Jn 12.27-28)
Our Lord’s prayer on this occasion is an example for us of following the Father’s will. The prayer of our title is not the prayer the Lord prayed. Rather, he prayed that the Father would glorify His name. There was much for the Lord to feel apprehensive about the Father’s will, but his resolution to follow it is the driving force of his whole ministry. If we would be his disciples, it must become the driving force of our lives and ministries as well.
Read the notes as you listen.
8.10.08 – Prayer
August 10, 2008
Son of David, Have Mercy (Lk 18.35-43)
In our series looking at prayers to Jesus, prayers of Jesus, or mentions of prayer connected with Jesus, we come now to the prayer of the blind Bartimaeus, calling on the Son of David for mercy. The Lord says that his faith saved him. We connect this with C. H. Spurgeon’s testimony of salvation from his autobiography – a conversion that came when a blind soul finally saw Christ for who he is.
Read the notes while you listen.
7.20.08 PM – Prayer
July 20, 2008
Suffer the Little Children (Mt 19.13-15)
Our passage is not one we usually think of in connection with prayer, but it is said here that the parents of these children brought the little ones to the Lord for his blessing and prayers. Our Lord in this story teaches us something about salvation and something about his compassion for children. He does not teach us something about infant baptism, as some erroneously teach. Our Lord’s interest in children behooves his disciples to likewise be interested in the children of the local church, ministering to them to aid in their conversion and discipleship.
Read the notes while you listen.
7.13.08 PM – Prayer
July 13, 2008
A Saving Prayer (Lk 18.9-14)
To me, this is one of the most convicting passages of Scripture, the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. We are very familiar with this story, and we tend to think of ourselves as this publican. After all, we aren’t like the Pharisee: proud, arrogant, self-sufficient… No we are much more like the Publican, and we are grateful to God that we are. “God, I thank you that I am like the Publican, and not like other men, like those Pharisees, and my neighbours who won’t darken the door of a church, and my co-workers who blaspheme God, and …”
Yes, we are like the Publican, aren’t we?
Read the notes while you listen.
6.29.08 PM – Prayer
June 29, 2008
The Prayer you should always Pray (Lk 18.1-8)
Our series on prayer takes us to a unique lesson concerning prayer, a second coming prayer. The prayer is one that we should always pray with confidence: the prayer for the vindication of the saints. We have the Lord’s assurance that this prayer will be answered and it will be answered suddenly. We should not faint along the way, but be persistent in this prayer, believing God to the end that he will vindicate his own for his name’s sake.
Read the notes while you listen.
6.15.08 PM – Prayer
June 15, 2008
A Prayer of Witness (Jn 11.41-42)
In our series following the chronological teachings and examples of our Lord on prayer, we come to the prayer uttered just before the resurrection of Lazarus. The prayer is intended to communicate God’s truth concerning our Lord to ‘the crowd’ – our public prayers should emulate our Lord’s public prayers as much as possible.
Read the notes while you listen.
6.8.08 PM – Prayer
June 8, 2008
Prayers of Discipline (Mt 18.19-20)
Our passage is one often taken out of context, but in context give us a powerful lesson concerning the authority given to the local church and its officers. The prayer passage is in the midst of the famous discipline passage and assure God’s people of God’s eternal approval and authorization for taking action against sin by leading members of the church to repentance or by expelling the unrepentant from the assembly. These actions are sealed by the prayers of the church, authorized and solemnized by the presence of our Lord.
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Apr 27 PM – Prayer
April 27, 2008
Prayers of Discipleship (Lk 9.28)
Our survey of the Lord’s teaching on prayer brings us to the Transfiguration. Luke tells us Jesus prayed as he was transfigured. The purpose of this prayer was a matter of training for the disciples, correcting their misapprehension of his new teaching concerning his death, burial, and resurrection. Our prayers are likewise a means of discipleship, as praying according to the Scriptures we are drawn closer to heaven and heaven is drawn closer to us.
Read the notes while you listen.
Apr 20 PM – Prayer
April 20, 2008
Jesus Withdrew to Pray (Mt 14.23, Mk 6.46)
Our subject in this message is private prayer, an area where we all feel we fall down, I think. In this message, three principles are suggested to improve our private prayers: take much time for prayer, make specific time for prayer, and plan for your time of prayer. Thoughtfulness will increase fruitfulness in prayer.
I draw on a number of E. M. Bounds ideas in Power through Prayer for this message.
Read the notes as you listen.
