This Sunday we will travel with Jesus in the gospel of Luke while he is on his way to Jerusalem to the cross. On his way he teaches, disciples, forgives, heals, and draws people to himself. After the encounter with Mary and Martha we find Jesus in chapter 11 praying. What is he praying? Why, if he is divine? So, the disciples ask him to teach them how to pray. That is a question we get a lot.

I heard a story about Francis Schaeffer, founder of L’Abri and a key Christian apologist defending the faith in the 20th century. One morning he and his wife woke up and he asked the question what difference would it make if they read the Bible and left out all references to the Holy Spirit and prayer? “None” they agreed. There was no sense of expecting to encounter God. From that day forward they read the Bible in a different way. A spiritual revolution took place for them.

So, as we encounter the Lord’s prayer and Jesus’ teaching about the Holy Spirit in Luke 11:1-13, let’s do so with knowing something really important. If you study all the first followers of Jesus, note that none appear to be blessed with leadership skills or holiness. Among them are a tax collector, a skeptic, a traitor, one who is stubborn, another jealous, another rebellious, another a persecutor. The first prayer Jesus taught them at their request is what we call the Lord’s Prayer and the giving of the Holy Spirit. 2000 years later I am still amazed how this group of no names became the first church. This prayer life changed their motivations, what Dallas Willard calls their “want to”. Why? How? There is a lot to unpack about this prayer and what Jesus offers all of us. The growth in their prayer lives did not deliver them from suffering untimely death and hardship but molded and shaped them to face anything.

So come this Sunday invite friends, neighbors and family for a mid summer cool spiritual boost as we stand in the shoes of those early disciples and follow Jesus on the way.

Come and See.

+Philip