The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1906-07-20
Jesus Teaching
How to Pray
Sunday school Lesson for July %. 1906
Specially Prepared for This Paper.

GOLDEN TEXT.-"Lord, teach US TO
'TffME.EDecember, A. d. 20. not long
after last lesson
PLACE.-Somewhere I'm Perea:
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES.-Exa
plies as to prayer: Prayers in secret; Matt lat
l4:23; 26 &c., Mark 1:S5; Luke 5:l6; 6;l2; 9;lS:
In public, Matt. rs; 1925; Luke III
John 11:41; III. Grace before meat, Matt,
1873; 26:26: Mark Gal. Long prayers, IN
public and in private. John u; Marx , i:SS'
Luke 6:l2 Short eiaculatory RrayySS .97'
Matt. 27:46; Luke 1884; John ll;4l; lZ'Zi'
Prayer for friends, Matt. 1913; Luke 22;S2;
John II. Prayer for enemies, Luke zS:Si.
Prayer for himself (but always with ., me ne
thought of others). Matt. 26:S9; H:4o'
| Christs teachings about prayer;
! Group /. Matt 6:5, 6.
Group 2. Matt. 6:7. s.
Group g. Matt6:9-l3
Group 4. Mark Ii :25; Matt: 5:n: 49,.
n:2i; Mark ii;25; Matt. i7:2o; Mark L;24i
Group s. Luke ISIS; 11:5-9.
Group 8. Luke 1894.
Group g. Matt. 1913, 20; 9:37, 8. -.
/ p, 20, a.
1t was now late in the year A. d.
90 or possibly early in 80. Jesus was
probably still in Perea, though the ex-
, act locality is unknown. Jesus. In
these teachings about prayer. repeats
the several petitions of that prayer
| first given in his Sermon on the Mount.
He doubtless found it necessary more
than once to teach thus particularly on
! the all-important subject of earnest
prayer, and also would naturally give
form Of prayer; but the differences
noticeable in the two reports-Matt.
6: 9-13, and verses "a before us-show
! that he placed no emphasis upon the
exact words He sought rather, by this
model, to show N what spirit we
should approach God and what petit
tions we may bring to him with assur-
ancG of being heard. Not yet did he
teach the disciples to pray Gin his
name" That came later. At this date
they could not have understood 1t.
They needed first to learn to pray in
a filial spirit, with and for others, and
to continue praying if the answer were
delayed.
The Lords Prayer.-We somewhat
appropriately style the prayer which
Jesus taught 1.-The Lords Prayer" 1t
is our prayer-the prayer for every
child of God. "Its distinctive charac-
teristics-the filal spirit and the fra
ternal spirit. The Lords Prayer is thus
nothing else than the summary of the
law put into practice and this sum-
mary so realized in the secrecy of the
heart will naturally pass thence into
the entire life. "-Godet. 81 used to
think the Lords Prayer was a short
prayer; but as | live longer, and see
more of life, begin to believe there is
no such thing as getting through 1t"
Our Heavenly Father knows no
favoritism; he is just as willing to an
swer the prayer of his humblest child
as that of the most mature saint. But
It is true that we need to be taught to
pray. Now the same Teacher who
taught the apostles and early disciples
has been the Teacher of every one who
has been mighty in prayer" since their
day. And he has not yet closed his
school, nor ever turned away one will
ing to be a scholar. To him we too
may come and with sincere hearts offer
the prayer which is our Golden Text:
Lord, teach us to pray" Jesus will
not give us some magic formula, for
saying prayers is not praying, but
through his own words of teaching,
such as we have to-day before us, and
through practice drill, he will teach
and train us, so that we too may be
able to offer "the effectual, fervent
prayer" which "availeth much"
Jesus example, as well as his words,
taught those who were associated with
him that it is mans high privilege to
pray to the great God. At one time
they asked Jesus, Teach us to pray"
In replying he taught that we may
come to God as loving children to a
kind father, and that we may pray for
others as we'll as ourselves Our first
petitions should be for the honoring Of
our Fathers name, the coming OF
Christ's kingdom, and the accomplish
ment of Gods blessed will among men.
The Dead-Prayer Offlce.-What be-
comes of c.l the unanswered letters?
Thousands Of them find their way to
the dead letter Office. Some never
reach the person to whom they are ad-
dressed, because of the postage not be-
ing paid; some fail because they are
directed to the wrong office; some can
| not De sent DecduSe the ADDRESS is IL
legible; and some because the matter
inclosed is illegible. These float
through the mails, are examined at diff
ferent offices, marked 'Missent," and
finally they fall into the dead letter
Office There they are opened and
read. and if valuable, are forwarded;
If not, they are given to the flames.
Such is the accuracy and skill of the
post Office department, that very few
fail to reach their destination. Some
prayers never reach God because they
are not addressed to his Office. They
are directed to the audience. Gods Of
\ fee is not in our neighbor's care, and
II we direct our prayers to that point,
they will certainly go to the dead let
ter Office. Each of the reasons why
letters go astray will hold good of un.
answered prayers.-Advocate.
Practical Points.
v. 1. Only under the tuition OF a d.
vine teacher can we learn to pray