Prayer - Not The Main Thing

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

Prayer is vital. Prayer is essential. But prayer is not "the main thing".

As Jesus continued His ministry during what we call the Holy week and after the cursing of the fig tree as He taught in the temple He was challenged by Jewish leaders, Hellenists, Sadducees all. After this we read:

And none could answer him a word, neither durst any from that day forth ask him any more questions.

Matthew 22:46 GNV

Then Jesus taught freely during which He noted the scribes among other actions they:

...devour widows houses, even under a colour of long prayers. These shall receive the greater damnation.

Colour of long prayer, that pretense of actually praying. While long prayers are not "wrong", praying a long time, or pretending to pray a long time is meaningless, and brings with it damnation.

But more specific to prayer when speaking to the disciples of "the end times" He had a very specfic action we can do as we like the disciples then faced the end times. Having told about what can be learned from the fig tree's life cycle of leaves, blossoms, and fruit one of the things that cannot be discerned is He specifically tells His disciples:

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the Angels which are in heaven, neither the Son himself, but the Father. Take heed: watch, and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

Mark 13:32-33 GNV

Our part of being prepared for the end times is to pray.

Later Jesus when speaking to the disciples at the Passover feast was giving last instructions for them for the immediate days ahead without Him (which they didn't grasp at the time):

Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believeth in me, the works that I do, he shall do also, and greater than these shall he do: for I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye ask in my Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my Name, I will do it.

John 14:12-14 GNV

In extension of doing the works that Jesus had done He gives the key to how they were accomplished. Jesus did all the works He had done for the sole purpose of glorifying the Father. He sought only for His Father to be glorified. It is as He had said three years earlier in the sermon on the mount that we should let our light be seen before men that they would see our good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). Now the key remains to be asking. This is what Jesus did for Peter as He had told Him just a little earlier.

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired you, to winow you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: therefore when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee into prison, and to death. But he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before thou hast thrice denied that thou knowest me.

Luke 22:31-34 GNV

Peter would shortly learn how the importance of asking the Father for specific needs of others as Jesus had done for him. What great power came from that prayer, that supplication on behalf of Peter. It wasn't that Peter wouldn't face such a bitter time, but that his faith wouldn't fail because of the bitter trial. We see that prayer isn't the main thing, but rather enabled the most needful thing to be done. Jesus had told the disciples of John the Baptist to tell him what they had seen, the works Jesus did. Praying wasn't one of them. When Jesus told of the end in Matthew 25 when the angels would sort like a shepherd separating sheep and goats that of the works mentioned not one of them was praying. That said in both cases the things done weren't done without prayer. Prayer isn't the most important thing, but is definitely essential to doing the important things.