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| Source: crosswalk.com |
Reason #2 Jesus Modeled a Life of Prayer
A second reason believers should offer prayers of petition and intercession to God is that such prayer was modeled by Jesus Himself who withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed (Luke 5:16). Jesus’ consistent example of fervent prayer to the Father is evident throughout the Gospel accounts. During His Ministry in Galilee, Mark records that
Mark 1:35b
… in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a
solitary place, and there prayed.
After feeding the five thousand in Bethsaida, Jesus sent the multitudes away
and
Matthew 14:23b
… went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there
alone.
On the night before He chose the twelve disciples, Jesus
Luke 6:12b
… went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Later Luke refers to a time “while Jesus was praying alone” (Luke 9:18), and
eight days later Jesus “took along Peter and John and James, and went up to the
mountain to pray” (Luke 9:28). And who could forget His prayer in the Garden of
Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39-44; Mark 14:35-39; Luke 22:41-45) or Jesus’ “High
Priestly prayer” of John 17? And what believer fails to cherish the fact that the Bible
teaches that Jesus now lives in Heaven to intercede even now on our behalf
(Hebrews 7:25)?
In offering prayers of petition and intercession, Jesus was not ignoring or
denying the sovereignty of His Father. This is obvious from several of Jesus’
prayers, not the least of which includes His prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane
(Matthew 26:39-44; Mark 14:35-39; Luke 22:41-45). As Hunter writes, “He (Jesus) knew that by God’s set Purpose and Foreknowledge He would be put to death by being nailed to the Cross (Acts 2:23). He told the incredulous disciples this at least three times…. Yet in Gethsemane, as John Mark tells it, Jesus ‘fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him’ (Mark 14:35)”
(The God Who Hears, 51).
In other words, even though Jesus was well aware that His Death at Calvary
had been preordained by God, He still saw fit to petition His Father that this Cup
might pass from Him. If the followers of Christ are to be imitators of Him and “walk in the same
manner as He walked” (1 John 2:6), they too must be characterized by fervent prayer
for themselves and for those around them. Knowing that Jesus prayed as a way of life may not clear up the tension that exists in believers’ minds between the Absolute Sovereignty of God and the prayers of Man- but it should motivate them to imitate the One who Himself saw no
disparity between His Own Prayers and the Sovereignty of His Father.
**Please note: This prayer series must be credited to Dr. Matt Waymeyer and his postings on the subject. Dr. Waymeyer is an Instructor of Bible Exposition and New Testament at Master's Seminary. I have reread his teachings on the subject of prayer and God's sovereignty for several years now and they continue to inform and bless my prayer life. Prior to posting this series, I have emailed Dr. Waymeyer and received his complete permission to use his material in any way that I might find helpful for this blog. **
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