Lord teach us to pray

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 6 MARCH 2022

MR IAN BOOTH, FAITH MISSION

LUKE 9 VERSES 28 – 42, MARK 9 VERSES 25 – 29

We have been reading about the transfiguration, one of the greatest events in scripture.  It is one of those where we would say “I would love to have been there as Jesus was changed and his glory was revealed.”  On that occasion the Lord revealed before 3 of his disciples something of the glory of himself.  Sometimes we sing hymns that say “he laid aside his glory” but he didn’t because he veiled his glory.  Now here it was revealed.  Here at the top of the mountain he took 3 disciples with him, Peter, James and John.  They were on top of the mountain.  In the second portion of scripture, it says “he came down from the mountain the following day.”  It was an all-night event.  There was a different situation to face when they came down from the mountain.  A young man controlled by an evil spirit.  Christ described it himself as a “foul spirit … deaf and dumb.”  This spirit was torturing this young man.  The Lord drove the spirit out.  Now we know there were 12 disciples so why were only 3 up the mountain with Jesus?  9 were not available.  Sometimes we give all kinds of excuses because we are not at our prayer meetings.  These 3 men and they are mentioned time and time again throughout scripture as they attended some of the miracles Jesus performed.  Although the rest of them were not available to go up the mountain they were still involved in the work of God.  They were trying to cast out the demon, but they couldn’t do it.  Jesus rebuked them.  They asked him what was wrong that they couldn’t do it.  Jesus replied, “this kind come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting.”  The importance of prayer in any believer’s life cannot be overestimated, in a church congregation.  The importance of prayer is seen in this passage.  They went up the mountain – what for – to pray.  So often we read these portions of scripture and we focus on the transfiguration.  In verse 28 however we see the focus is on the fact they went up the mountain to pray.  As Jesus prayed things happened.  Luke grasped the importance of the mission to go up the mountain.  Matthew and Mark don’t mention that.  Only 4 were present at this time of prayer.  When we draw nigh to God, he will draw nigh to us (James 4 verse 8).  They were joined of course by Moses and Elijah.  Perhaps the other 9 disciples had other commitments.  It was an all-night prayer meeting and that is why they fell asleep.  This great transfiguration had taken place.  “Men ought always to pray and not to faint.”  There is always a coming down from the mountain.  That is when we are in the valley.  There are always trials to face and that is when we need the Lord most of all.  We all go through times of feeling down and need the Lord’s help.  This story is reported in 3 out of the 4 gospels.  John refers to it “we have seen the glory as of the only begotten of the Father” (1 John 1 verse 14) which referred to the mountain of transfiguration.  Things happen when prayer is made.  It happened here on the mountaintop.  Every experience the Lord brings across our life we learn from it.  What was a blessing yesterday could be a valley experience the next?  These men had learned lessons about prayer to help them as they lived.  In Acts 1 verses 12 after the Lord had descended up to heaven the disciples returned to Jerusalem and to the upper room to spend time in prayer.  The first 3 names mentioned are Peter, James and John.  Why them?  Because they had spent time with the Lord and knew the importance of it.  It affected other peoples lives and their ministry.  The reality of the Lord was evident in their lives.  2 Peter 1 verses 13 and 14 “Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.”  By this stage in his life Peter was an old man.  When was he told by the Lord that he would see old age?  John 21 verses 18 and 19 “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, when thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.  This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God.”  Peter knew he would live to be an old man.  That is why he could rest his soul easily in the prison house.  He knew he would live to be an old man.  He knew the church was in the place of prayer for his help and deliverance.  We know Peter was eventually crucified upside down – the bible doesn’t tell us that, but secular history does.  “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.  For he received God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.” (2 Peter 1 verses 16 to 18)  He was looking back to an experience he had on top of the mountain.  It was a memorable event for Peter.  They fell asleep.  It was an all-night prayer meeting.

There are 2 things I want to share about prayer – the power through prayer.  Things happen when we pray.  When Jesus prayed, they were unique.  We could never come close to the prayers of Christ.  It is an interesting study to go through the prayers of Christ.  Luke 3 only states Jesus was praying at the same time as he was baptised.  Luke 12 verse 6 – Jesus spent all night in the place of prayer.  He prayed for guidance that night and then he chose the 12 disciples.  During the feeding of the 5000 he prayed, and God made provision.  In Luke 12 the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “teach us to pray”.  Notice it was not just how but to pray, that God might come down and strengthen the Lord.  Luke 23 verse 43 – if we want to be like Christ, we need to spend time in the place of prayer.  As the Lord prays thing happen.  He is our great example, the one we have to live up to.  If he had to spend time in prayer how much more do we need to spend time in prayer.  “As he prayed” not as the disciples prayed just the Lord.  It moves heaven, brings God down.  When we draw nigh to God, he will draw nigh to us in prayer (James 4 verse 8).  There is a change in the service.  Christ is transformed.  They can almost see him as a different person, in a different light because of this great transformation.  Remember the change in our lives whenever we first received Christ as Saviour and Lord.  God has transformed us from being a child of the devil and translated us into the kingdom of his son, washed us.  He has cast our sins into the sea of forgetfulness never to be remembered ever again. (Micah 7 verse 19)  We are clothed in the righteousness of Christ (Ephesians 4 verse 24), accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 1 verse 6), changed in a moment.  We are not fit to come into the presence of God yet because of that change we have access to God.  Isaiah talks about “covered with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61 verse 16).  We cannot see it, but God can.  Christ’s garments were “exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.”  In the book of Revelation, the saints before the God of heaven were given garments of white – why – because they were washed in the blood of the Lamb.  We have got to be transformed.  When Moses came down from the mountain, we read his face was shining, such was the reflection of God that he had to be veiled.  The disciples would have said the same about Jesus on the mountain that day.  They heard a voice “this is my beloved son hear ye him.”  There is a change in the servant of God. 

A concentration on the sacrifice of Christ.  At any prayer meeting there must be an emphasis on the death of Christ because without the death of Christ we have no access into the presence of God.  Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sins.  When the high priest went into the holy of holies the blood had to be applied.  If it was not, he dare not go in.  We are told when we come into the presence of God “having therefore brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us. And having a high priest over the house of God.  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10 verses 19 to 22) Moses and Elijah’s conversation was about Christ’s death.  When you read through scripture it is all about the cross.  Moses wrote about the Lord – John 5 verse 46 “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.” The blood applied on the doorposts was all about the cross.  The blood delivered them from Egypt, but it also delivered them from idols.  When it comes to the place of prayer thank God for that access, for that new and living way.  We have that new way today because we are washed, forgiven.  Christ has opened up the way forward for all of us.

A confidence in the heirship.  When that voice came down and said “this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased” there was an assurance.  Romans 8 “The spirit itself beareth with our spirit that we are the children of God.  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (verses 16 and 17) Why are you not at the prayer meeting?  Perhaps because you don’t have that assurance of salvation?  The more time you spend with God the greater assurance comes.  I can claim his promises today.  We are his children if we are saved, washed in the blood.  Psalm 35 verse 3 “draw out also the spear and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.”  When we spend time in prayer things happen.  That is the confidence, the assurance God gives to us.

A confirmation for the service of God.  When the disciples were unable to cast out this demon, prayer brought down the presence and power of God.  The disciples couldn’t deal with this kind of thing.  Jesus told them it only would happen by prayer and fasting.  When the Lord speaks of fasting and prayer, he is not only speaking of doing without food.  There are other sacrifices to be made when it comes to the place of prayer.  The disciples were unable, unwilling to go to the mountain top because they were not focused on prayer.  Yes, the Lord gave them power in Luke 6 to cast out demons and they were used in the past to do exactly that, but it doesn’t mean God will use us in the present.  Making sacrifices for something specific is what fasting really means.  When we come to the prayer meeting God has blessed us but as soon as you go out the door something happens, something that hinders or mars us.  Within a matter of minutes, the enemy has come and robbed us of the blessing.  That is what happened here.  The situation changed.  As soon as they came down the mountain the disciples failed miserably.  The Lord teaches the disciples to pray – Luke 11 “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.  For everyone that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  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?”  The Lord wants to give us the greatest gift – the gift of the power of the spirit.  Without that indwelling of the spirit we are no good.  Every believer is given that spirit at the moment of conversion but the need here if for a special anointing of God.  We cannot do it in our own strength.  Prayer comes before preaching.  There should be more emphasis on power than in praying.  Why could they not cast out this demon – forgot to ask God for that power.  Or maybe ye ask for it amiss.  Maybe there is something God doesn’t want to give us.  The disciples hadn’t asked for power.  It is more important to continually bring everything to God in prayer.  If you think of the energy spent on the week doing things – when it comes to prayer time are we too tired?  That is the first thing that begins to slip.  There are things that happen when we pray.

Things cannot happen when we don’t pray.  The disciples couldn’t cast out the demon.  Communion with God was more important than necessary food.  Pray and fast.  There will be times when we have to sacrifice things for God.  Sacrifices have to be made.  I am sure we all understand the need for prayer yet there is so little done about it.  How much time do you spend in communion with God?  The disciples asked “teach us to pray” not only how to but to actually pray.  Learn as you pray.