Jesus teaches us to pray by praying.
The Gospel of John: John 11.38-48
Read and meditate on John 11.41b, 42.
This brief prayer of our Lord offers guidelines to help us in practicing prayer as a way of life. We will step aside from the action at Lazarus’ tomb to see what we can learn to help us in our prayers.
Then Jesus, with His eyes
turned upward, as if looking to the skies,
began to pray: “I thank You, Father. You
have heard Me, 42as You, Father, always do.
But I have said this for the sake of all
the people standing here, that they may call
on You, and all believe that You have sent
Me.”
– John 11.41b, 42
Reflect
1. Both Jesus (Lk. 18.1) and Paul (1 Thess. 5.17) urged us to practice prayer as a continuous discipline. In this they were merely echoing the teaching of such Psalms as 55.16, 17 and 119.164. Jesus paused to pray before calling Lazarus back to life, but this spoken prayer was merely the overt expression of an inward conversation that He maintained continuously. How do you see that in these verses? What does this suggest about what Jesus intended in Luke 18.1? Complete this prayer: Lord, I want to pray without ceasing and not grow weary in it. Show me how to…
2. We note that Jesus lifted His eyes upward, which indicates that He turned His face away from the situation as He began to pray. What is the significance of this? Why did Jesus turn His face upward to pray? Was He looking beyond the temporal situation into some greater reality (cf. Acts 7.55, 56)? Do you suppose that turning His face upward helped Him to focus more effectively on the content of His prayer? Given that Jesus prayed this way, why do we typically bow our heads when we pray? What guidance for prayer can you draw from this? Lord, I know that You are high and lifted up, and that heaven and Your glorious throne are all around me. When I pray, therefore, help me to…
3. The question arises as to why Jesus spoke His prayer at this moment, rather than simply continue carrying on His conversation with the Father within Himself. The answer, of course, is in the prayer itself. What can we learn from this about the power of prayer for ministering to others? Is it possible that our prayers, rather than minister to others, could be a stumbling block to them in some way (cf. Lk. 18.9-14)? Explain. Let my prayers, Lord, always be…
4. We get a glimpse into the mind of Christ through this prayer. We can see Him taking in this whole situation and thinking ahead to outcomes in line with what He told His disciples and Martha (Jn. 11.4, 15, 40). What does Jesus’ prayer suggest about the larger context and focus for all our prayers? We have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2.16), so whenever we pray, what should we be seeking? How can this help us to have more confidence in our prayers? Lord, the object of all prayer is that You might be glorified. Today, I pray that You will be glorified as I…
5. Finally, we note that Jesus’ prayer begins with thanksgiving. Meditate on Philippians 4.6, 7. Why is it a good idea always to include thanksgiving in our prayers? Bring together into one prayer the prayers you wrote for questions 1-4.
Summary
“We must carefully observe and examine what has been written concerning the position of Jesus’ eyes.… He had changed his thought from his conversation with those below and lifted it up and exalted it, bringing it in prayer to the Father who is over all.… The one who imitates Christ’s prayer, lifting up the eyes of his soul and bringing them up in this way from everyday concerns, memories, thoughts and intention must in this way address to God the great and heavenly words of prayer concerning great and heavenly matters.…” Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)
Because we don’t know how to pray as we should, we should take every opportunity to learn from the Savior, Who ever lives to make intercession for us. What’s the most important lesson about prayer for you from these verses?
Closing Prayer
Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight before my face.
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;
Their inward part is destruction;
Their throat is an open tomb;
They flatter with their tongue.
Pronounce them guilty, O God!
Let them fall by their own counsels;
Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions,
For they have rebelled against You.
But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.
Psalm 5.8-12
Psalm 5.7-12 (Meirionydd: O Savior, Precious Savior)
O Lord, Your lovingkindness escorts me in this place.
I bow before Your highness and praise Your glorious grace!
In righteous ways You guide me; Your pathway I will know.
No good will be denied me as I with Jesus go.
My foes would fain deceive me and crush me in the way;
Their lying tongues would grieve me and lead my soul astray.
Their guilt hangs on above them; their guile shall be their fall;
They spurn the One Who loves them: reject them, one and all!
Let those rejoice who seek You and shelter ‘neath Your wing.
Their tongues shall rise to speak to Your praise; Your grace they sing.
Your people You will bless, Lord, all those who to You yield;
Preserve them with Your best Word, and guard them like a shield.
T. M. Moore
Jesus is the Centerpiece of all Scripture, as He Himself explained (Jn. 5.39). But how can we learn to see Him there? How do the primary themes of Scripture revolve around Jesus? Our online course, Introduction to Biblical Theology, shows you how best to get at, get into, and get with the Word of God, so that you can grow more consistently in the Lord. It’s free, and you can study at your own pace. For more information or to register, click here.
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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.
