by jimwalton » Thu Nov 29, 2012 7:36 pm
The era of Jesus cannot be taken as standard—“the Christian life as it normally is.” Christians find great comfort in the promises of Jesus, not realizing that are from a time when the “Kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew 4.17). The three-year ministry of Jesus was the Kingdom of God as intended and played out in real life, and when Jesus left, the things he taught about became ideals largely unattainable until the kingdom of God finds its fulfillment again. What he taught about “seek first God’s kingdom and you’ll never go hungry or naked” (Matthew 6) and “ask whatever you want in prayer and you’ll get it” are among hundreds of such teachings that just don’t work that way without Him around. The thousands of healings and sometimes daily miracles characteristic of his ministry are obviously not characteristics of history since his ascension. All of his teachings represent an ideal of how things work in the kingdom when the King is here, but since we’re in an era between manifestations of the kingdom, it doesn’t work that way for us and we shouldn’t expect it to. We have to understand all of Jesus’ teachings in that context.
Mt. 6.5-8: God knows both our heart and our needs
Mt. 6.9-13: The Lord's Prayer. It's about how we should pray: as an act of worship that grows from roots of a relationship with the Father. Prayer is a recognition of all that matters is God's will and God's kingdom, and we wish for him to act according to his good pleasure. We are invited to make requests, ask forgiveness, and to pray for God's protection in spiritual matters.
Mt. 7.7-12: The verses pertain to internal, spiritual things.
Mt. 17.20: Nothing God asks you to do, including events and circumstances, will be impossible for you if you trust him.
Mt. 26.39: Jesus' prayer for a change of circumstances was not answered with a yes.
Lk. 6.28: Prayer for those who mistreat you. Whether this is for circumstances or heart change isn't specified, but I bet it's for heart change.
Lk. 11.5-13: The parable pertains to internal, spiritual things
Lk. 12.1-12: These people will not have their circumstances changed, but their hearts and souls must be filled with faith and strength.
Lk. 18.1-18: Remain faithful despite your circumstances
Lk. 18.9-14: Prayer is a conversation with God about one's spiritual condition
Lk. 22.40: Prayer for spiritual strength
Jn. 15.7: No one believes that this text teaches us that God is our Santa Claus to bring us everything on our wish list. This astounding command and promise is not without conditions and limitations. It involves such intimate union and harmony with Christ that nothing will be asked out of accord with the mind of Christ and so of the Father.
Jn. 16.23: Jesus is not an equal from whom they might ask an occasional favor, but the Son of God in whose name they can present requests to God the Father.
Jn. 17: Is all about spiritual realities
Conclusion:
According to the teachings of Jesus, prayer is an act of worship that promotes sincere communion with God and expresses our devotion to Him. We are encouraged to pray petitionary prayers, but such prayer should be primarily focused on our own spiritual condition and the spiritual conditions of others. The example and teaching of Jesus suggest that we should persistently pray for wisdom, strength, grace, the Holy Spirit, faith, justice, and unity. It’s alright to pray about circumstantial things, but what is being taught is that our prayers should primarily focus elsewhere.
The era of Jesus cannot be taken as standard—“the Christian life as it normally is.” Christians find great comfort in the promises of Jesus, not realizing that are from a time when the “Kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew 4.17). The three-year ministry of Jesus was the Kingdom of God as intended and played out in real life, and when Jesus left, the things he taught about became ideals largely unattainable until the kingdom of God finds its fulfillment again. What he taught about “seek first God’s kingdom and you’ll never go hungry or naked” (Matthew 6) and “ask whatever you want in prayer and you’ll get it” are among hundreds of such teachings that just don’t work that way without Him around. The thousands of healings and sometimes daily miracles characteristic of his ministry are obviously not characteristics of history since his ascension. All of his teachings represent an ideal of how things work in the kingdom when the King is here, but since we’re in an era between manifestations of the kingdom, it doesn’t work that way for us and we shouldn’t expect it to. We have to understand all of Jesus’ teachings in that context.
Mt. 6.5-8: God knows both our heart and our needs
Mt. 6.9-13: The Lord's Prayer. It's about [i]how[/i] we should pray: as an act of worship that grows from roots of a relationship with the Father. Prayer is a recognition of all that matters is God's will and God's kingdom, and we wish for him to act according to his good pleasure. We are invited to make requests, ask forgiveness, and to pray for God's protection in spiritual matters.
Mt. 7.7-12: The verses pertain to internal, spiritual things.
Mt. 17.20: Nothing God asks you to do, including events and circumstances, will be impossible for you if you trust him.
Mt. 26.39: Jesus' prayer for a change of circumstances was not answered with a yes.
Lk. 6.28: Prayer for those who mistreat you. Whether this is for circumstances or heart change isn't specified, but I bet it's for heart change.
Lk. 11.5-13: The parable pertains to internal, spiritual things
Lk. 12.1-12: These people will not have their circumstances changed, but their hearts and souls must be filled with faith and strength.
Lk. 18.1-18: Remain faithful despite your circumstances
Lk. 18.9-14: Prayer is a conversation with God about one's spiritual condition
Lk. 22.40: Prayer for spiritual strength
Jn. 15.7: No one believes that this text teaches us that God is our Santa Claus to bring us everything on our wish list. This astounding command and promise is not without conditions and limitations. It involves such intimate union and harmony with Christ that nothing will be asked out of accord with the mind of Christ and so of the Father.
Jn. 16.23: Jesus is not an equal from whom they might ask an occasional favor, but the Son of God in whose name they can present requests to God the Father.
Jn. 17: Is all about spiritual realities
Conclusion:
According to the teachings of Jesus, prayer is an act of worship that promotes sincere communion with God and expresses our devotion to Him. We are encouraged to pray petitionary prayers, but such prayer should be primarily focused on our own spiritual condition and the spiritual conditions of others. The example and teaching of Jesus suggest that we should persistently pray for wisdom, strength, grace, the Holy Spirit, faith, justice, and unity. It’s alright to pray about circumstantial things, but what is being taught is that our prayers should primarily focus elsewhere.