1 “And it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, that when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his disciples.’ 2 And He said unto them, When ye pray, say, Father, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins; for we ourselves also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And bring us not into temptation. 5 “And He said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine is come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him; 6 and he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I can not rise and give thee? 8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him as many as he needeth. 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11 And of which of you that is a father shall his son ask a loaf, and he give him a stone? or a fish, and he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion? 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?”
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
1. What request did the disciples make of Jesus? Under what circumstances? Why would this circumstance lead one to ask such a favor?
2. Give the reply of the Master.
3. Had He taught this same prayer before? Where?
4. In the prayer, what endearing name are we permitted to use? By the very utterance of the name, what do we admit ourselves to be? How does the beloved John show his appreciation of this relationship with the Holy One? 1 John 3:1, 2. To whom do these words have more than an empty sound?
5. What incident is related to impress the Lord’s prayer? At what hour is the request made for bread? Where is the one of whom the favor is asked? Why does he at first object? What will persuade him to rise and give the bread? How much will he give?
7. In the parable, for whose benefit was the urgent request made?
8. For whom were Jesus’ earnest prayers offered? John 17:9–11, 15–16, see note. What practical lesson may we learn from this fact?
9. What deepening of purpose is expressed when we ask, seek, and knock? How many receive? Who finds? To whom will the treasure-house of God be opened?
10. Turning from the sleeping friend to an earthly father, what precious truths are taught in reference to prayer? Why does even this fail to equal our heavenly Father’s willingness to give? How only may we preserve the capacity for receiving of God? See note.
11. Does prayer work any change in God? See note.
12. Have God’s promises any conditions? What are they? John 14:13–15.
NOTES.
NOT for Himself, but for others, He lived and thought and prayed. From hours spent with God He came forth morning by morning, to bring the light of heaven to men. Daily He received a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit.
HERE Christ represents the petitioner as asking that he may give again.
A SELFISH man will grant an urgent request, in order to rid himself of one who disturbs his rest. But God delights to give.
OUR prayers are not to be a selfish asking, merely for our own benefit. We are to ask that we may give.
THE capacity for receiving is preserved only by imparting. We can not continue to receive heavenly treasure without communicating to those around us.
PRAYER is not to work any change in God; it is to bring us into harmony with God. When we make a request of Him, He may see that it is necessary for us to search our hearts and repent of sin. Therefore He takes us through test and trial, He brings us through humiliation, that we may see what hinders the working of His Holy Spirit through us.
GOD does not say, Ask once and you shall receive. He bids us ask, unweariedly persist in prayer. The persistent asking brings the petitioner into a more earnest attitude, and gives him an increased desire to receive the thing for which he asks.
THE practice of telling our difficulties to others only makes us weak, and brings no strength to them.
