The Lord's Day Bible Message Outlines
July 26, 2009
Pastor Dana Johnson
"...He departed to
the mountain to pray." -Mark 6:46
And when He had sent them away, He
departed to the mountain to pray.
1. It seems
unnecessary for Jesus to pray- since He is one with the
Father.
a. Consider a
couple of common, but unsatisfactory explanations:
1) He
prayed in His humanity.
2) He prayed
only as an example.
b. His prayer
activity teaches us not to conclude that, since God
controls His creation with His determinate counsel,
prayer is irrelevant.
c. A quick survey
of Christ's recorded prayers sheds light on some of His
purposes in prayer.
1) To
communicate praise, thanksgiving and devotion to
God.
John
17:1-4 - Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes
to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come.
Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,
2as You have given Him authority over all
flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as
You have given Him. 3And this is eternal
life, that they may know You, the only true God, and
Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4I have
glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work
which You have given Me to do."
2. To express
the concerns of the heart.
Matthew
26:39 - He went a little farther and fell on His face,
and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible,
let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I
will, but as You will."
3. To intercede
for others.
John
17:11 - "Now I am no longer in the world, but these
are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep
through Your name those whom You have given Me, that
they may be one as We are."
2. His prayer reveals
the importance of the personal and private fellowship with
the Lord.
Psalm
91:1 - He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 27:4-5 - One thing I have desired of the LORD, that
will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all
the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and
to inquire in His temple. 5For in the time of
trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret
place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me
high upon a rock.
3. Consider the
various times and seasons of prayer:
a. Pray as
you go.
b. Time-out
prayer.
c. Multi-tasking
prayer.
d. Habitual
prayer.
e. Prayer
retreat.
4. Don't wait for a
prayer retreat to just happen. You will need to use
discipline and determination.
a. Jesus sent
them away.
b. Jesus
departed.
Matthew
6:6 - "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and
when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is
in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret
will reward you openly."
(All
Scripture quoted is from the New King James
Version)
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