“Let’s Learn How to Pray Once More!”
“From Ulster Plantation to the Carolina’s with the Gospel!” *
Russell H. McCullough / Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210
Text: Matthew 6.5 - 13
Thesis: Jesus can teach
us to pray!
Introduction
Martin Luther’s barber, Peter Beskendorf, once asked
him for advice on how to pray. Luther
wrote him out some instructions in a short work called; “A Simple Way to Pray, for Master Peter the Barber.”
So, as a diligent and good barber, you
must keep your thoughts, senses, and eyes precisely on the hair and scissors or
razor and not forget where your trimmed or shaved, for, if you want to talk a
lot or become distracted thinking about something else, you might well cut
someone’s nose or mouth or even his throat.
How much more does a prayer need to have the
undivided attention to the whole heart alone, if it is to be a good prayer?(1)
I
Biblical Prayers are Different than Contemporary Prayers:
A. Biblical
Prayers are Prayed by the Broken Hearted
B. Biblical
Prayers are Prayed in Desperate Times and Circumstances
C. Biblical
Payers are Similar Regardless if Prayed in Private or in Public
II
Why Do We Pray Differently Today?
A. We
are Free
B. We
are not at war in our own space
C. We
are fed
D. We
are housed
E. We
are prosperous
F. We
are educated
G. We
are mobile
H. We
are healthy
I. We
are clothed
J. We
are conditioned
III
Why Should We Pray Biblically Today?
A. For
the church of Christ Here – She’s Going Into Apostasy
B. For
the church of Christ Elsewhere – She’s Being Persecuted
C. For
the Unfaithful – They Are Headed for Hell
D. For
the Nation – She Is Turning to Immorality and a Culture of Death
E. For
Our Community – She Is Embracing and Teaching Immorality
IV
How Can We Learn to Pray Biblically?
A. Jesus
will teach us!
CONCLUSION:
Prayer is to the Christian as nuclear
weapons are to the military
The
Meaning of the Text in It’s Theological, Historical & Cultural Context: Biblical prayer is mandatory and not
optional.
The
Challenge of the Text for Christians Today – “Lord, teach us to pray!”
“The Gospel
Call” – Acts 2.38
NOTES:
(1) As quoted in: Mohler, R. Albert, (The Prayer that Turns the World Upside Down), Nashville, TN, Thomas Nelson, 2018, pg. 14 - 15
·
My fifth great uncle was Hugh Gaston who was
rector at the Ballywillan Presbyterian Church (pictured above left) in County
Antrim, Ulster Plantation (Northern Ireland) and wrote the most dangerous book
of his time; Gaston’s Collections. It
allowed “the ploughman to know more Bible than his clergyman.” Hugh fled to South Carolina where he died
prematurely of the measles. He is buried
just one hour south of Charlotte in Chester County, S.C. in “Burnt Meeting
House Cemetery.” Uncle Hugh continues
to inspire my ministry to this very day.
You can read more about Uncle Hugh here: http://www.ballywillanpci.org/rev-hugh-gaston
Ruins photo courtesy of:
ballywillanpci.org.
