Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

SHORT PRAYERS

1. This, I believe, is one of the shortest prayers recorded in the Bible:
   1. Peter offered it at the moment of mortal danger to himself, for he was sinking and there was no time for a lengthy prayer.
   2. The prayer of the penitent thief on the cross was short too, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." - Luke 23:42
   3. The Father of a demon possessed child offered a very short prayer, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." - Mark 9:24
2. Our Lord favored short prayers:
   1. He found fault with the long prayers of the Pharisees - Matt. 23:14; Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47
   2. He, himself, offered short prayers in public - John 11:41, 42; John 6:11

1. Public prayers should always be brief and to the point:
   1. They should confine themselves to that which is of interest to the public or the congregation present.
   2. There are, of course, exceptions such as special occasions, as in the case of the dedication of the house of worship and similar circumstances, when prayers may be longer than is normal.
2. Short prayers in a congregation are very proper for a number of good reasons:
   1. Lengthy prayers are tiresome, and there may be people in the congregations that are not able to remain in a certain position for long without losing the blessing of the prayer.
   2. Lengthy prayers may scatter the thoughts of the listener and so be unbeneficial to him, and for that reason useless.
   3. Short prayers are much easier to assimilate by the audience; they can be retained more readily.
   4. The multitude of words are no sign of the worthiness of our prayers; it is the spirit in which they are offered that counts.
   5. This writer has always admired short and sincere prayers which have edified him greatly.

1. Let us take a brief look into the history of the prayer life to discover the place and the blessings of short prayers:
   1. For Peter, his short prayer meant the saving of his life from instant death by drowning - Matt. 14:30
   2. For the penitent tax collector, it meant acceptance by a merciful God - Luke 18:13
   3. For the penitent thief on the cross, it meant instant acceptance by the Lord - Luke 23:42, 43
   4. For David, it meant the forgiveness of his great sin - 2 Sam. 12:13
2. God knows our thoughts and aims when we come to Him in prayer, before we utter them:
   1. He hears us, not because of a multitude of words, but rather because He loves us and has compassion upon us.
   2. "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." - Isa. 65:24
3. Long prayers are, in many instances, indicative of:
   1. Poor organization of our thoughts. If our thoughts were well organized before we utter them before the public, they would be shorter and more to the point.
   2. Long prayers often have ulterior motives when they are offered, more to impress the audience, rather than the Lord; in that case they are useless.
   3. Long public prayers are in danger of including subject matter that does not belong to the public, and should be avoided.
4. Short prayers are, in most instances, indicative of:
   1. Clear thinking by the suppliant. He has his thoughts organized to a point where he can express them in a few well chosen words.
   2. The Spirit of God, our Helper in prayer, does not move us to make long and wearisome prayers in public - Rom. 8:26
   3. Short prayers have a place in time of danger, in time of public stress, and when they can be offered to the glory of God and for the benefit of all who hear them.