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Call to worship: Numbers 11:24-29

Text: Luke11:1-13

Sermon Outline:

1. Context: Our Lord's encouragement to godly, persistent, and confident prayer, 11:1-13
2. Focus: God's best Gift, our best request: The Holy Spirit, 11:13b.
   1. How the Holy Spirit comes to us, once for all, Lk 24:44-53, Acts 1:4-8, 2:33.
   2. The peculiar work of the Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts.
      1. He gives new birth, Lk 10:21-22; Acts 10:44, 11:15-16.
      2. He grows a new conduct, Lk 11:2-4; Acts 11:24, 15:28-29.
      3. He creates a new community, Acts 2:42-47, 4:31, 6:3, 13:2-9, 20.28.
      4. He powers a new purpose, Lk 11:2, 24:49-55; Acts 1:4-8, 4:8, 4:31, 8:29, 16:6-7.
   3. What it means to pray for the Holy Spirit today (our great need).

Prepare

Questions to Consider:

1. Reading Luke 11:1-13, what would you say the passage is about? What is Jesus' main point?
2. Read Matthew 7:11, then Luke 11:13. How are they similar? How do they differ? What might Luke's main difference mean to communicate? Do you think of the Holy Spirit as the consummate Gift of God?
3. In light of Luke 24:44-49 and Acts 2:33, how is it that the Holy Spirit has come to us? How is this different than His presence in the Old Testament, do you think?
4. Read Luke 10:21-22, 11:2-4, 24:49-55, Acts 1:4-8, 2:42-47, 11:15-16, 16:6-7. Think on the peculiar work of the Holy Spirit in these passages. Can you see why He might be the consummate Gift of God to us?
5. Do you pray for the Holy Spirit? What does that even entail? More indwelling or more influence? More of His Person in us or more of His work in us? Think again on the shift in redemptive history observed in Acts 2. In view of our whole passage, what's the apple of gold? Pray for the Holy Spirit, and what does Jesus say when we do?