THE LORD AT PRAYER – Part 1

"Very early in the morning, while still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” - Mark 1:35

The details are quite graphic and paint for us a clear picture of Jesus during those days of His popular ministry in Galilee. Yet He was aware of the dangers of popularity and of spending too long in one place. As we read on, it is apparent that the sun was up and people were about again, searching for their Hero…If there had been any doubt in His mind when He arrived at that quiet spot, He now knew, after communion with His Father, what He must do. He said to the eager disciples. "Let us go somewhere else -- so that I can preach there also. That is why I have come” (vs.38).

Luke gives the most complete record of our Lord's prayer life. Luke was the Gentile writer of the NT, who spent much time with Paul on his journeys. He is the evangelist who shows us the words of Paul in action "Pray continually. . . "pray in the spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests…." (1 Thes. 5:17; Eph. 6:18). Luke clearly establishes the links between the teachings of Paul and the work of Jesus. It is Luke, who tells us where and when Jesus prayed, but it is John who gives us His detailed prayer in John 17.

Like many children brought up in the nurture of God, Jesus must have learned how to pray at His parents' side…He understood that God was His Father (Luke 2:49). In Gethsemane He called God by the familiar form for Father, "Abba," (in our language, "Daddy") the confident, tender address of a child to its father. There are skills that need to be learned, as in making requests and expressing appreciation for the goodness and gifts of a parent. Parents who explore these experiences with their children as they grow, communicate with their offspring long before actual speech is learned. These are the first lessons in prayer, perhaps referred to Romans 8:15, 16, 26.

As a child, Jesus would learn extensive portions of the Hebrew Scriptures... He must have become very familiar with the stories of the great heroes of Israel. He would have known about Abraham's, great intercessory prayer on behalf of the cities of the plain (Gen. 18: 16-33). and been able to recite the great dedication prayer of Solomon (2 Chron. 6). He would have known well the prayerful yearnings of Samuel and Jeremiah over a people and king who were backsliding from God. He would have read the expectant yet repentant prayers of Nehemiah and Daniel, as they looked forward to restored Israel. Perhaps most of all he pondered the mighty Moses who had enjoyed "face to face" communion with his God (Exodus 33:11).

Jesus teaching about prayer, and His recorded prayers, demonstrate the spirit of childhood, which Jesus said would characterize those who enter the kingdom of heaven. The characteristics are dependence and need. Development of those traits enables praying believers to focus upon God and not upon self.

The first reference to our Lord praying is in Luke 3:21, as He came out of the waters of Jordan. He appears to be having a two-way conversation with His Father. There, we have the first of those remarkable utterances from Heaven, "this is my son," said at the critical point in the life of Jesus from which He began His ministry...It is an example to every believer that at such important events in our lives we should pray to our heavenly Father, that He may direct our paths by His Holy Spirit. Immediately following His baptism, Jesus, was driven by the Spirit into the desert where He was tempted by Satan. At each critical point in life, Jesus devoted much time to prayer.

When the Lord prepared to select the apostles, the men who were to be trained and sent out as foundation members of the Christian Church, He spent all night in prayer (Luke 6:12). Jesus needed to be sure He was choosing the right men for this job…Just before His death He prayed again for these men and their special needs in the days that would follow His departure…Jesus had great concern for these men, and it was no easy task protecting and strengthening such raw recruits to be the leaders of the new kingdom. As the suffering drew near, Jesus had much to teach men, like Peter, the way of the Lord. "I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail..." (Luke 22:32). This was the real world and they had to face real temptations. It was in such situations that Jesus grew spiritually and it was in such situations His disciples grew to be like Him.

Another very critical time in the work of Jesus came when He did the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. The year of popularity was really ended, but He continued to be the center of attraction, and great crowds went to Him. As the thousands dispersed from the meal of bread and fish Jesus told His disciples to get into a boat and go ahead of Him to the other side of the lake. He needed to be alone with God. He had been bereaved of His cousin John the Baptizer. He was about to be challenged by the crowd to become their king. So He withdrew to the mountainside and there spent time in prayer (Matt. 14:23). To reject the people's support would be more than a disappointment for them. Jesus loved these people but now they would turn away from Him. This was a turning point in His life and He needed the Father's strength as He laid bare His life in deep humility and patience. Jesus wanted the kingdom to come as much as we all do, as He looked at stricken humanity in all its poverty and sickness. Yet He, too, must wait and pass through the valley of shadows itself.

In such an atmosphere, He…asked them the momentous question "Who do men say that I am?" Luke 9:18 records that this question was asked "when Jesus was praying in private." The crucifixion was approaching and He and the disciples must be prepared. Thus it was that while they were in an attitude of prayer the great revelation was made known. Jesus began to speak to them of His suffering and death. A little later the three most intimate disciples were to go with Jesus to a mountain (Luke 9:28), for the specific purpose of praying, and while there, Jesus was changed, His face and clothing became bright and they saw a vision of Elijah and Moses. This…was further preparation for the coming ordeal, occurring while Jesus was praying.

While the 3 disciples were on the mountain with Jesus the others were on the lower slopes attempting unsuccessfully to heal a very sick boy. When Jesus returned and healed the boy it was natural for the disciples to ask why they had been unable to perform the miracle. While Matthew's account tells us that they were short of faith, Mark 9: 29 says that Jesus explained to them the need for much prayer.

The implication in Luke's record is that these great spiritual experiences, revealing the immediate purpose of God and the work of Jesus Christ were linked with prayer. There could be a parallel with our experience. Times of prayer can become the wonderful moments when God reveals something of His guidance and glory.

There were times when Jesus praised God with much thankfulness for the wonderful things that were happening. One of these was on the return of the 70…As the disciples had gone around preaching and healing, Jesus had seen the powers of darkness shaken and realized that the conquest of evil was in sight. Luke records that "at that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit said, I praise you Father, Lord of heaven and earth..." and again "Father, I thank you that you, heard me" (John 11:41). It is apparent from the accounts that Jesus need not have made audible public praise, for communication with God was continuous from within. Yet so that the disciples and the people around should know what was going on, He spoke audibly in prayer and thus the praise of God overflowed among those who were with him in spirit. Bible Student Monthly