Tue Feb 17

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the words ask and “my name.”

Reading

John 14:12–17—Asking in Jesus’s Name.

Optional Reading

Psalm 6:6–10

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

We are to ask in Jesus’s name when we pray.
Jesus tells us that such prayers will be granted.
In this we ask for things agreeable with Jesus’s will.

Questions

(Some read the ?s before the notes/ ask them after.)

What does Jesus promise about prayers offered in His name?
How do we ask for things in Jesus’s name?
What would you like to ask for in Jesus’s name?

Notes

(See Saturday for authors.)

We continue considering prayer. More particularly answered prayer. Obviously, we want our prayers to be answered. The Psalmist knew that the Lord heard his prayer and accepted it (Ps 6:9). In our reading today, Jesus tells His disciples that prayers offered in Jesus’s name will be answered—that things asked in Jesus’s name will be done. Sproul notes that there are those in the church who have come to the conclusion that these statements are absolute. They think that a Christian may ask for anything he would like to have, and as long as he adds “in Jesus’ name I pray” after his request, God will most certainly do what he asks Him to do.

If asking in Jesus’s name is not a guarantee that I get what I pray for, then what is praying in Jesus’s name and what is the promise? Prayers offered in Jesus’s name are prayers offered with the intent and expectation that Jesus’s glory will be greater through this prayer being answered. These prayers also anticipate that Jesus’s kingdom will expand through the answers requested.

Hendriksen explains it this way, a prayer in Christ’s name is a prayer that is in harmony with whatever Christ has revealed concerning himself. … It is not difficult to see that such a prayer will always and most certainly be answered, for the one who utters it does not ever want anything that Christ does not want!

So, we ask in Jesus’s name, with all that involves, when we pray.

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday notes for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 2a, 65c

Prayer

Ask, in Jesus’s name, for things that Jesus wants.
Give thanks for something from last Lord’s Day’s sermons.
Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.