After receiving the saving Gospel, the most important thing for the Christian to do before anything else is to pray. Jesus Himself taught the first disciples, “Pray so that you will not fall into temptation (Matt. 26:41).” Prayer is the heartbeat of faith; prayer is the most important response to God’s faith-producing Word of Truth; and prayer — when coming from a heart that has received Christ’s righteousness — is powerful and effective (James 5:16)! Why do we neglect the gift? The simple and core answer to this question is on account of our sin, but it is also on account of the perpetuation of bad ideas about prayer and the lack of awareness of what the LORD teaches about this invaluable gift. WHAT is prayer? WHY pray? HOW do we pray? This is what we are proclaiming tomorrow. I hope to see you in God’s house!

May the peace of Christ which flows from His blessed Word into your baptized hearts and minds, fill you with the Holy Spirit and lead you to pray even as you confess your sins constantly while praying, “Lord, teach us to pray (Luke 11:1)!” And then as absolved children of God, know that you never pray alone, Christ prays with you as you pray “Our Father!” and through Christ who prays with you and in you and through you, watch as God leads you to pray in accord with His Holy Word!

Here is the first part of the sermon with some important clarifications on the topic of prayer:

Introduction: The Most Neglected Resource on the Planet is Prayer!

A. It is something we so much take for granted, but consider for a moment this very simple revelation from Sacred Scripture:

 

James 4:2: “You do not have, because you do not ask.”

B. My ex-WW 2 Marine dad was very strict — a great dad and a loving dad — but also strict and it was never easy just to come out and ask him for the stuff I really wanted. But when I gathered up the nerve to ask for something really special – and as I look back on it – he was also amazingly generous. This wasn’t an incessant thing and because of the way he raised me, I was conscientious about not getting carried away, but I think back and there were big items: when I was a little boy, a great big GI-Joe set with an all-terrain vehicle and helicopter, then when I was a little older, a telescope, then a weight bench and weight set, and while I still in high school, a car…I look back on that, we were never rich, but my dad was extremely generous…I learned that he took his son’s ASKING very seriously.

C. But we all have another Dad: our Heavenly Father, and He is very rich, very gracious, very generous, very loving, and He wants the absolute best for each of us…and He actually invites you and I…to ask! I am, however, just touching on one little element of what prayer is. Prayer is a great gift indeed and it is much more than just asking, but consider how much we do not tap into this resource.

D. Our Lord says to His disciples, “Pray so that you will not fall into temptation (Matt. 26:41).”

1. Soak that in a bit: it may be accurately said therefore that if we fall into temptation by committing sin that it is because – at least in identifying one real cause according to Scripture – we do not pray.

2. Prayer is God’s way of protecting us from committing sin and therefore prayer is a tremendous weapon and resource for blessing in our lives. And yet…how easily do we neglect it?!

E. James 5:16 (from our epistle today) says that the prayer of a righteous man [of course righteous only on account of faith in Christ] is powerful and effective!

1. God has given to you and to me a powerful and effective resource! It makes a tremendous, impactful, and significant difference in our lives precisely because it is powerful and effective!

2. How many of us would really like a powerful and effective resource in our life? And yet how easily we neglect this resource!

F. 1^stPeter 4:7 says, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.”

1. Prayer is so highly prioritized here that we are instructed by God to care for our own lives in such a way – by being self-controlled and sober-minded – that we are in a position to continue praying. Take care of your life in such a way that nothing will interfere with this amazing resource given to you by God: prayer!

2. Scripture seems to be teaching that after believing in the saving Gospel itself, that there is nothing more important for the Christian to do! And yet, we so easily neglect this gift from God called “prayer”!

 

Part I: But if we are going to truly repent and use this gift of prayer, then we must know exactly what it is (much of the following are highlights from an excellent document entitled “Theology and Practice of Prayer,” a report of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, November 2011):

A. First off, prayer is marked by dualities: it is instinctive and simple and taught and learned; ex corde (from the heart) and from a book; one’s deepest desires are given to God and at the same time, we pray for God’s will and not ours; and it is as easy as a breath, yet we often struggle to pray (6).

B. But in going past these real dualities, let me offer you some great definitions for the sake of clarity:

1. “Prayer is speaking to God in response to His speaking to us in His Word, just as sheep respond to the sound of the shepherd’s voice by ‘bleating back’ to him their inarticulate expressions of gratitude, affection, and dependence.” (p. 7)

2. But Scripture itself gives no systematic or comprehensive definition (p. 12) To be honest, Scripture seems to be infinitely more concerned that we would actually be in the practice of praying rather than talking about it all day and theorizing.

3. Still, here are two outstanding summaries of what prayer is:

a. Clement of Alexandria: “conversation and intercourse with God.” (12)

b. Francis Pieper: “the conversation of the heart with God (Ps. 27:8).” (12)

C. But no matter how it is defined, this you can be sure of: prayer is only born and sustained by the Gospel of Jesus Christ…that is, you can only be in holy conversation if you know and believe that Jesus lived, and died, and rose for you to save you from sin, death, and the power of the devil. This saving and powerful Gospel launches you and it keeps you in a holy conversation knowing that God is on your side through Christ. But this is not easy to do, because our sinful flesh resists this relationship with our Heavenly Father. And so we must pray like one of those first original disciples of Jesus prayed – and not just once – but every, single day: “Lord, teach us to pray!” (Luke 11:1) [let’s say that Scripture together, ready? “Lord, teach us to pray!]

In Your Service and To Christ’s Glory,

 

Dr. Espinosa