Luke 11:1

And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

Question: Have you ever seen someone doing something really cool or fun and you wanted to know how to do it too? How many of you asked to be shown how to do it, or take lessons?

Illustration: I always wanted to mow the lawn and begged my dad to let me. He would tell me not now but when you get a little older I will teach you how. When that time came he showed me how to cut in a straight line, not cut my leg off, and how to do pattern cuts. After that I was asked to cut the lawn all the time, it was one of the things as a teen I wish I didn’t ask to learn.

Illustration: Maybe you remember when you wanted to learn how to play a game that was popular and everyone else was playing. Maybe you recall wanting to learn how to tie your shoes so you could be one of the big kids. I remember learning to tie my shoe in 1 st grade it was so embarrassing having my mom or a teacher tie my shoes always. Not to mention you always had to wait till they were available, and would miss all the fun playing with your friends.

Our story is about this very thing. Jesus disciples were watching Him and saw something they wanted to know how to do too. Now Jesus did many things, but the disciples saw this as an important thing in the life of Christ and wanted to know how to do it as well.

Raise your hand: How many of you think?

They asked to know how to walk on water.?
They asked to know how to heal someone?
They asked to know how to stop a raging storm?
They asked to know how to bring the dead back to life?

They saw Jesus always praying, and God hearing His prayers
and they wanted to know how to pray!

Prayer is not magic or hard to understand.
Prayer is just talking to God like he’s your best friend, because He is if you have been saved.

We have the best teacher to show us how to pray: Jesus in Luke 11

 Illustration: You wouldn’t just anyone showing you how to sky dive. I mean would you want me to teach you how to jump out of an airplane if I never had done it before. Of course not, but having someone who had jumped out several hundred times we would have confidence in.

Read: Luke 11:2-4   And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Illustration: Say: “Look up here. I need you to pay attention.” (Do this after the illustration but don’t look at anyone in particular just in a general direction on both sides.)

Question: How many of you thought I was talking to you? IRaise your hand:
How many of you thought I was talking to your friend?

The Bible teaches to say God’s name when we start off praying.

“…Our Father which art in heaven,…”

Not that God won’t know He’s being talked to, but it’s done out of respect for Him.

Jesus shows us that we need to praise God when we talk to Him.

“…Hallowed be thy name.”

We can praise Him for saving us.
We can praise Him for listening to us or caring about how we are.
We can praise Him for all the good things He has given to us.
We can praise Him for even that bad things that He with us during them.
Praising God shows that we are thankful to Him.

Illustration: How many of you would like it if every time you talked to your friend all they wanted to do was tell you about themselves and always asked you for something?

We need to tell God we are willing to let Him tell us what to do.

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.”

Illustration: It’s just like saying to mom when you know there is something that needs to be done or she is asking you for help. “Mom, what do you need to do?”

Jesus shares that God wants to hear about the things that we need.
Luke 11:3   Give us day by day our daily bread.

Remember needs and wants are not the same thing.

Illustration: We may want a cupcake, but need breakfast.

God wants us to ask for forgiveness when we sin, and help not to do it again.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

 Illustration: Why is this so important, because are prayers are life a cell phone. You cannot see who you are talking to even though their there. My 4 year old always asks if they can see him through the phone, but never questions whether their there even when he doesn’t hear them. He just keeps on talking. But there is times that the cell phone loses reception and the call is lost. We lose connection with God in prayer when we sin.

Psalms 66:18   If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: