The prayer of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke makes for a good series. It will be noticed that Luke who stressed the humanity of Jesus only recorded that Jesus prayed on many of the occasions that the other Gospel writers mentioned. For example, Matthew recorded the transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17, but only Luke mentioned that Jesus was praying when he was transfigured (Lk 9:29).
1. Jesus SHOWED us how to pray (Luke gives 9 examples of Jesus praying)
1) Jesus prayed before important occasions (Luke 3:21-22).
2) Jesus prayed after a hard day’s work (Luke 5:16).
3) Jesus prayed before important decisions (Luke 6:12, 13).
4) Jesus prayed at ordinary times (Luke 9:18).
5) Jesus prayed and was transformed (Luke 9:28-29).
6) Jesus prayed and provided an example (Luke 11:1).
7) Jesus prayed for others (Luke 22:32).
8) Jesus prayed for strength (Luke 22:39-46).
9) Jesus prayed before his death (Luke 23:46).
2. Jesus TAUGHT us how to pray
A. Jesus taught us one lesson on prayer (the Model Prayer) (Luke 11:1-4)
1) We first focus on God in worship (Luke 11:2)
2) Then we focus on Man’s needs (Luke 11:3-4)
B. Jesus taught us four illustrations of prayer
1) The Parable of the Importunate Friend (Luke 11:5-10) God answers our intercessory prayers for others.
2) The Parable of the Human Father (Luke 11:11-13) God answers our personal prayers for our spiritual needs
3) The Parable of the Unjust Judge (Luke 18:1-8) God answers our prayers for vengeance
4) The Parable of Two Prayers (Luke 18:9-14) God only answers the prayers of the humble
A good source that brings out the prayer emphasis in Luke/Acts on prayer is “A Theology of Luke-Acts” in A Biblical Theology of the New Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), 157.