The Thanksgiving Prayer of Jesus

A Sermon by Dr. Neil Chadwick


At this time of year, it's only natural for us to talk about thanksgiving, and what better way than to be reminded of our primary example, Jesus, and how it was that He gave thanks. So when we hear the words "Jesus" and "Thanksgiving" in the same sentence, a number of Biblical passages come to mind.

    We may recall the dramatic event of the feeding of the multitudes when Jesus, "looking up to heaven, gave thanks and broke the loaves." (Matthew 14:19) Perhaps this is one of the reasons, among others, why it is that before eating we pause to give thanks for the food. And by the way, let's also remember to give thanks to the human participants in our provisions - those who worked hard to make the money, and those who worked hard to turn cold cash into warm bread!

    A bit earlier in Jesus' ministry, right after He had expressed dismay over the unbelief of those who had witnessed the miracles, Jesus said, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." (Matthew 11:25) Aren't you glad the Gospel is simple enough that even a child can understand it?

    Luke remembers the same kind of thanksgiving prayer being uttered by Jesus right after the apostles had returned with reports from their preaching tour (Luke 10:21). While we are giving thanks for the abundance of God's provision such as food, clothing and shelter, we also express thanks whenever we learn that someone else has come to faith in Jesus as their Savior.

    We are more likely to remember the thanksgiving prayer uttered by Jesus in the Upper Room when He gave thanks for the cup which represented His soon to be shed blood, and the bread which symbolized His broken body. (Luke 22:17, 19) We now know this as the "Eucharist," a word which literally means "thanksgiving," and are quick to place the willing sacrifice of Jesus at the top of our list of things for which we are thankful.

However, the thanksgiving prayer of Jesus we want to examine is only found in the Book of John, in the midst of one of the most dramatic stories of Jesus' ministry, the raising of His friend Lazarus from the dead. When Jesus was called upon because Lazarus was sick, He and His disciples had delayed going to Bethany, and by the time they arrived, the body of Mary and Martha's brother had been in the tomb for several days. When He arrived at Bethany, Jesus announced that He was "the resurrection and the life," and then went to the cave being used as a tomb. After directing the stone to be removed from the mouth of the cave, and replying to Martha's utilitarian objection that by now the body would certainly smell of rotting flesh, Jesus then prayed the prayer of Thanksgiving:

"Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." (John 11:41-43)

Please notice that there are several possible surprises connected with this event.

1. It surprised, and even caused consternation, that Jesus did not make any effort to get to Lazarus before he died. How hard it is for us to trust God in the midst of delays! We have become such an "instant" society; we are prone to think that God is not there if He doesn't intervene immediately, and in such a way to keep the tragedy from happening. However, let's remember, for example, that God did not keep the three Hebrew men from being thrown into the fire, but He kept them safe while they were there.

2. It may also be surprising that Jesus would take charge and give such an order to remove the stone from the mouth of the cave. After all, He was the outsider, and to desecrate the burial place would be seen as abhorrent - a good Jew would do nothing that could cause himself to be contaminated by a dead body.

3. Furthermore, for some people it may have been a surprise that He prayed at all. Jesus was the Son of God, one with the Father. Why would He pray? Of course, we know that Jesus prayed often, realizing that this was necessary in His present state of full humanity, and we learn that in this case His prayer was for the benefit of those who would be listening.

4. It's also surprising that we don't have the actual prayer request of Jesus. When He said "Father, I thank you that you have heard me," to what was He referring? What had Jesus previously said in prayer to His Father? We don't know, and perhaps for good reason. No doubt, if we knew the words Jesus used, we would quickly assume they represent a kind of magical formula - say these words and your deceased loved one will revive!

5. For some people, it will also come as a surprise that Jesus prayed with His eyes open. Where did this idea come from that we must close our eyes to pray? Of course it may be helpful in reducing visual distractions, although I think the mental distractions are even harder to dismiss. It also may be out of fear that if someone catches us looking at something while we pray they may accuse us of praying to that something as one would pray to an idol. This is for sure, if you're going to pray while driving (and a car can make a good prayer closet), it really is important that you pray with your eyes open!

6. It's also surprising that the prayer of Jesus was an audible prayer - He prayed out loud so that others could hear Him. We might object, "If God knows my every thought, why then must I pray, especially out loud?" Besides, didn't Jesus complain about the Pharisees who loved to pray in public so that everyone would know how very righteous and spiritual they were? Yes, but in our story, Jesus certainly was not praying to draw attention to His superior vocabulary or religious excellence. As we'll see, it was done to benefit others, that is to produce faith in them and bring glory to the Father.

7. Then, what we do know is that the content of His audible prayer was thanksgiving - this should not be too surprising, but nonetheless very significant. Let it be said that if there can be only one prayer where eavesdroppers are to be allowed, it should be this one, thanksgiving. People around us need to hear us publicly give thanks to God. 8. Finally, and this too should really not be a surprise, the prayer of Jesus was a confident prayer - He genuinely believed His Father heard His prayer. And this encourages us to focus on what it was that Jesus specifically thanked God for - He gave thanks that His Father heard his prayer.

"Father, I thank you that you have heard me."

The fact of the matter is, throughout history people have prayed, and God has heard their prayer. Many examples can be cited:

    Hagar was the Egyptian maid-servant of Abraham's wife, Sarah. When Hagar accepted the role of becoming a surrogate mother and became pregnant, she unwisely gloated and was consequently mistreated by her mistress, ran away and became homeless. In answer to her desperate cry, an angel was sent to comfort her, and in the process instructed Hagar to name her son Ishmael, which literally means "God Hears." (Genesis 16:11) In our times of misery, God hears, even when our condition is, at least in part, our own fault.

    Later in the same story, after Sarah had miraculously conceived and given birth to Isaac, Ishmael was caught making fun of his half brother, and again Hagar, along with her son, were sent away. But when their meager supply of water had been exhausted, God heard the cry of this young boy, and allowed Hagar to see what she had not seen before - right nearby was a well of water. (Genesis 21:8-21)

    Two generations later, another woman, Jacob's wife Rachel, prayed, and through her servant, Bilhah, she was also given a son whom she named Dan ("he has vindicated"). (Genesis 30:6)

    Four hundred years later, God heard and answered the prayers of an entire nation by delivering the Children of Israel from the bondage of Egypt. (Exodus 2:24, 3:7)

    Then when Moses spoke to the people as they were about to enter the Promised Land, he urged them to be faithful in bringing their tithes to the temple and there pray a prayer which included these words, "Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression." (Deuteronomy 26:7)

Obviously, the book of the Bible where there is frequent mention of prayers that have been heard is the book of Psalms.

    "I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill." (Psalms 3:4)

    "Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping. The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer." (Psalms 6:8, 9)

    "In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears." (Psalms 18:6)

    "Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy." (Psalms 28:6)

    "I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. This poor man cried and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles." (Psalms 34:4, 6)

    "I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." (Psalms 40:1, 2)

    "Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!" (Psalms 66:16-20)

    "I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live." (Psalms 116:1, 2)

When David's son, Solomon, prayed a dedication prayer following the building of the temple, the Lord appeared to him in a vision and said, "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." (I Kings 9:3 and also, II Chronicles 7:12)

When the prophet Elijah prayed for the young son of the widow whom God used to supply the prophet's need, the text says that "The LORD heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived." (I Kings 17:22)

Several Kings of Old Testament days prayed, and received assurances that their prayers were heard.

    One of them had his life extended because God heard his prayer - the prophet Isaiah was instructed to tell Hezekiah, "This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: 'I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.'" (II Kings 20:5)

    Another king, Manasseh prayed, and "the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God." (II Chronicles 3 33:13)

    A woman prophet was told to give a message to young king Josiah, "Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD. Now I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here." (II Chronicles 34:27, 28)

So over and over we have these examples of people of the Bible receiving this reassuring word, "Your prayers are heard." And that's the message we get from Jesus' Thanksgiving Prayer, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me."

The same Apostle John who related this story about Jesus praying His Thanksgiving Prayer outside Lazarus's tomb, also gave us this encouraging word, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us -- whatever we ask -- we know that we have what we asked of him." (I John 5:14, 15)

Most of the time our emphasis is on the answers to prayer. We used to sing, "God answers prayer in the morning, God answers prayer at noon, God answers prayer in the evening, so keep your heart in tune." More recently we have sung, "God answers prayer, He's so good to me." But today our emphasis is on the simple but comforting fact that He hears us when we pray. And that is enough. Let us be content with that. Let us adopt the simple Thanksgiving Prayer of Jesus, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me."

Understandably, we're anxious to get on to the part where Jesus calls Lazarus up from the grave, and the Lord knows we have our own dead parts that need to be revived. But for now we will simply be satisfied knowing that our Father in heaven hears.

Near the close of the book of Acts, the Apostle Paul has almost reached his destination, Rome. As a prisoner, he had survived a long journey, one that included a storm by sea that had destroyed the ship he was on. He was on his way to visit a church where he had not previously ministered - he was weary, and perhaps uncertain about this meeting. And then Luke reports, "The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged." (Acts 28:15) In this case, the translation of the KJV is better when it says, "Paul . . . thanked God, and took courage."

This week, we too will be made more bold as we participate in our own Thanksgiving, and pray the Thanksgiving Prayer of Jesus, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.".

Discussion Questions
The Thanksgiving Prayer of Jesus

1. What are some examples of Jesus giving thanks?

2. What is our reason for praying before each meal?

3. On two occasions Jesus thanked the Father because the Gospel was revealed to babes. What does this mean, and what were the two occasions?

4. What does "Eucharist" refer to, and what does the word mean?

5. When Jesus did not immediately respond to the request of Mary and Martha, what do you imagine they may have thought and felt?

6. Does God always protect His children from harm? If not, why not?

7. If Jesus truly was God, why would He need to pray?

8. Why is it not necessarily more spiritual to pray with eyes closed?

9. What are some hindrances to our praying out loud?

10. The Bible explicitly tells us that, among others, the prayers of Hagar, Rachel, the Children of Israel, Solomon, Elijah and Hezekiah were heard. What were their prayers?

11. How is it comforting to know that God hears our prayers even when we don't receive the desired answer?

12. What is the relationship between giving thanks and being courageous?

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