Luke 11:2-13

The prayer Jesus teaches in Luke 11:2-4 follows the pattern of the commandment to love
God with heart, soul, strength, and mind and our neighbors as ourselves (Luke 10:27). Only after
the prayer is grounded in God’s person and reign do we move to requests that reflect our personal
needs, our relationships with our neighbors, and the struggles of our own souls.
This chapter will tell us that if we ask something to our friends and they did not give it to
us, they are evil because this chapter says that if he surely is your friend he will surely get up and
give us much as you need.
Luke 18:1-14

In this verse it shows that we should always pray and not give up. Through the power of
prayers we can do everything and make impossible possible. We just have faith and believe in
Him.
As with all of Jesus’ parables, this is a story that could be true or a hypothetical tale that
could be true. Luke points out specifically that the purpose of this parable was “to show that at all
times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.” Why would such encouragement be needed? For a
couple of reasons. First, because patience is a virtue that humans must develop. Perhaps much
worse in our media driven society, we want resolution to our problems quickly. We get frustrated
and discouraged when what we desire is delayed, and the longer the delay, the greater the
frustration and discouragement. This can be even greater when what is desired is the righting of a
wrong that has been suffered as in the case presented in this parable.
John 17:6-19

Verses 6-9 include the gift of God's words Jesus has shared with them.
Verses 10-13 include Jesus' sharing of all that he has with the disciples, his pleas for their
protection so their unity is not disrupted, and finally the gift of joy.
Verses 14-19 conclude with the affirmation of the disciples' placement squarely in the
midst of human life and the process of God's truth working in them a holy life. Verse 17,
connecting God's word to truth and the holy life, may even prompt some historical memories from
older listeners as this verse was sometimes the preface to a sermon in some Lutheran Midwestern
pulpits.
John 17:20-26

It is a prayer that looks to the future. Jesus was praying not only for the people seated
around him at table that evening but also for his future followers, which thanks be to God, includes
us. And it is a prayer that focuses on unity, on all being one.

It is a prayer for community. Jesus prays that, “all may be one.” To be a follower of Jesus
is to be a part of a greater whole. According to Jesus there are to be no solitary Christians or
spiritual “Lone Rangers.” Within that community the prayer is for unity: “that all may be one.
Acts 4:23-31
This was also a scriptural prayer
Based on scripture
Quote the Bible when you pray [hide it in your heart, recall it]
v. 25-26 This is Psalm 2--a prophecy made hundreds of years before Christ of how the kings of
the earth would conspire against Him...but in the middle of it all, God would be in control
[laughing].

Then they pray the interpretation:

v. 27 they all gang up as predicted...
v. 28 and they were your puppets, Lord!

v. 29-30 they apply it to their situation now. Lord, you were in control when the rulers crucified
Jesus, and you're in control of ours.

They pray Scripture/claiming scripture/praying based on the Bible...so can we, and so we ought
to!

ill.--needed money for taxes, prayed according to story of Peter [go fishin'] Mt. 17 [dentist]

How should we pray tonite? Biblically! Souls: Lord, you're not willing for them to perish!/Lord,
you added unto the church daily.../you're the great physician who touched blind eyes.../brought
prodigal home, do it for our son!

united, God-centered, scriptural...

4. This was a totally unselfish prayer

v. 29 amazing! they didn't pray for deliverance/for God to crush their heads!/call fire down
on council/for protection, but that they would be able to still do what they are supposed to despite
it all!

We don't pray like that...we pray for God to get us out of situations, not deeper!
We say, oh God, kill 'em! Smite w/ hemorrhoids like asteroids/may the fleas of 1k camels...

Philip Brooks: don't pray for an easy life, pray for God to make you stronger! Don't pray for tasks
equal to your power, but for power equal to your tasks!

ill.--At an old time country store/6 year old boy got a sweet tooth/slipped finger into the molasses
barrel, then into his mouth/owner scolded him: 'unsanitary'/kid was embarrassed, left/few days
later his tongue guided him there again/did same again…was caught again/this time man took him
by arm and escorted him out firmly…spanked him/you'd think he'd learn his lesson, but 10 days
later he did it again, but before he could get it to his mouth, owner caught him red handed/he
picked him up, turned him upside-down and, yes, dipped him in head first/last thing you could
hear as he was lowered was a prayer, “Lord, give me a tongue equal to this opportunity!”

Again, there's the people, the prayer, and then the POWER!
v. 31 They prayed right, and they received! Boldness/power.
This is the 3rd time they had been filled with the Holy Spirit...still novices, but God worked!

ill.--a church bought a new organ for thousands of dollars. They hired a professional to come intro.
the organ w/ a concert/came, but no sound/someone: let's pray!/custodian walked over and
realized power switch was off/turned it on, handed note to organist while all still praying: "after
the prayer, the power will be on!"
Romans 12:9-21

Genuine love is the deepest theme in this section of Romans. At a more surface level, there
is a theme of good and evil that operates throughout this text. Notice how "hate what is evil, hold
fast to what is good" follows immediately after the opening title of "Let love be genuine." Then
the good and evil theme is explicitly mentioned at the end of the text: "Do not be overcome by
evil, but overcome evil with good" (12:21). This helps us see that genuine love is not just being
nice to people. Genuine love has a moral orientation toward the good. When we show love toward
someone, we are moving them toward God's goodness. To love someone is not simply to cater to
specific likes and dislikes of that person. It is rather to act toward them in ways that help them
experience more of God's goodness.
1Thessalonians 3:6-13

The occasion for the letter appears to be a response to Paul's concern that the Thessalonians
may have turned their backs on him, especially since they appear to have suffered some hardship
after Paul preached the Gospel to them (see 1:6). In order to find out how the Thessalonians were
faring, and to determine whether they still esteemed him as their founder, the apostle sent Timothy
to Thessalonica. Timothy returns with a very positive report (possibly even a letter from the
congregation), and Paul writes this letter to the church.1