1. Identify the 9 occasions on which Jesus prayed according to the Gospel of Luke.
7 of these are unique to Luke’s account and Luke has almost half of all references to prayer in the NT in his two books (The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts). What does this tell us about Luke’s interest and focus?
What do the following verses tell us about Jesus’ prayer life? (Lk. 5:16; Mk. 1:35; Mt 14:23; Mk. 6:46; Lk. 9:18; Lk. 3:21-22; 6:12; 9:28f; Mt. 26:36-46; Mk. 14:32-41; Lk. 22:39-46; Jn. 17:1-26; Mt. 27:46; Mk 15:34; Lk. 23:46)
What do Jesus’ prayers tell us about his relationship to the Father? Why did Jesus pray?
For whom did Jesus pray? See Mt. 19:13-15; Mk 10:13-16; Lk 18:15-17; Lk. 22:31-32; Jn. 14:16; 17:6-19; Lk. 23:34; Jn. 12:27-28; 17:1-5, 20-26.
What does Jesus teach about prayer? Consider his parables about prayer, his instructions to his disciples, and the so-called Lord’s Prayer. (Why did I describe it as ‘so-called’?) What are the key things we should learn about prayer from this model prayer?
What do Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 9:24; and 1 Jn. 2:1 tell us about Jesus’ prayer?
How would you assess your own prayers against the principles outlined in the Lord’s prayer – i.e. its premises of relationship and reverence; its concern for God’s name, God’s rule, and God’s will; the petitions for needs, forgiveness, and spiritual victory; its perspective that God is the sovereign glorious God, the ruler of all and possessor of all power?
What can you do to improve your personal prayers as well as promote prayer in Church@ParaVista?