Teach us how to pray
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Introduction
Introduction
“Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
‘Give us this day our daily bread.
‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’
Galatians taught us ‘all that matters is the New Creation’ in other words we are people of a different world and a different way of life. This is changes everything including prayer!
As Disciples of Jesus, we just like them of old really need help in this thing called prayer. Jesus was known for His prayer life and Paul understood its power and encourages the Thessalonians ‘to pray unceasingly’ (1Thes 5:17).
1 Thes 5:17 “pray without ceasing;”
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NASB95)
pray without ceasing;
Key Structural thoughts to this passage
Key Structural thoughts to this passage
1. It was never meant to be exactly WHAT you prayed.
1. It was never meant to be exactly WHAT you prayed.
Over the years we seemed to have turned this prayer into something that we pray that we just say. It’s like some chant or the like. Just the very thing Jesus said not to do in the preceding part of this teaching of Jesus[1].
In Luke 11 we find that this was an answer to the disciples wanting to know how to pray. Hence the statement This, then, is how you should pray
[1] Matthew’s gospel contains 5 teaching blocks of Jesus and is written with an overall aim based on Jesus’ statement in 28:20 “to obey everything I have commanded you”. (Wilkins)
To better understand this text, it's important to consider its context. Most commentators and theologians tell us that these 5 passages[1] were intended to be read, memorized, and used to help believers live as a follower of Jesus (Pennington).
2. It was meant to be HOW we prayed!
So what do we mean by that?
2. It was meant to be HOW we prayed!
So what do we mean by that?
You have to go back to the passage and look at it a little closer. See its structure and its focuses. Once we see these this passage will open us up into a whole new world of prayer and possibility!
Let’s Unpack the passage
Are you ready to take a dive?
a) It reflects Jesus’ highest values, and as new creations, this is who we now are..
It reflects how Jesus lived and prayed. It gives us insight into how he kept the main things the main things. Keep this in mind as we move through this passage.
What are these values? This prayer is modeled on Matt 22:35-37
One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
“This is the great and foremost commandment.
“The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
Our vision statement A growing church that is in love with God, life, and people; changing their world one life at a time.
If we love God and People we will love a life that sees others as a priority to change the world for the gospel’s sake.
Lets move on
b) The Introduction: - tells us who we are praying to
What does it mean for God to be our father?
How does that change anything?
When you know who you are asking it changes everything about how you ask.
How do we know what he is like?
Jesus
Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Jesus demonstrates the heart, passion, focus and values of our heavenly father.
We don’t see God like our earthly father we see him as Jesus modeled him and recognize what a father is meant to look like.
He is a father loves, cares and releases his resources to create a future for his children (See the prodigal God)
Jesus wants you to know to whom you are praying because it will change how and what we pray.
We have a loving heavenly father. He is faithful and only does good in your lives. As heavenly He is above and powerful and outside the constraints of this world.
Mediate on this before you pray.
c) There are 2 sections each with 3 focuses
Remember Jesus is inviting you into His prayer life, showing us how to pray.
Matthew 6:9–15 (NASB95)
“Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
‘Give us this day our daily bread.
‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’
“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
“But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
1. The first section: His Name, Kingdom and Will
1. The first section: His Name, Kingdom and Will
Hallowed be Your name.
‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Hallowed means to make God’s name famous throughout the land! Literally it means sacred to treat as Holy, set apart or pure. Its the attitude we come to God with.
If we understand His name, recognizing His Kingdom has come then we get into agreement for His will in our lives and the world around us.
This has huge implications on our lives.
We pray that God would be revealed that His love would be made evident. In doing that we are changing the way we see and think as new creations.
How will it happen?
Your will be done!
Where? On earth!
This is so important. God is bringing heaven to earth. Not the love dancing through the tulips but his rule and reign.
Remember the new creation comes from the inside out so that means lives being changed people coming into relationship with Him.
Heaven coming to earth Can you see it? By His kingdom coming by His will being done here on earth as it is in heaven.
Most Christians are trying to get to heaven, but God is wanting heaven to get to earth.
Once we understand the first then we get move to the second.
2.) The second Section: Our Bread, Forgiveness and deliverance!
2.) The second Section: Our Bread, Forgiveness and deliverance!
‘Give us this day our daily bread.
‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’
This maps to the exodus.
a) In relation to daily bread. God is looking at us understanding we have to give focus to recognize that all we have comes from him.
It goes further when we consider what we have is not just for us but to share with others (as in the exodus story). It helps us to be generous and not to see what we have as our own but that all comes from Him as we bring Heaven to earth.
b) Forgiveness is crucial and must be a focus
Jesus obviously feels we need to remind ourselves we are forgiven but it goes further. Obviously one of the key things Jesus died to deliver us from was the need to hold on to past hurt and to pay evil back for evil.
Jesus wants us to remind ourselves we are forgiven but also to forgive others, which in itself is a miracle. That doesn't necessarily mean to to trust that person again, but to no longer hold it against them emotionally and to personally seek vengeance.
Humans do this all the time and we don’t know it. Jesus wants us to see that front and center and gets in our grill about it.
Its more than just simple stuff. Its complex, its surrendering, its giving up rights and its really something we need to understand better. We are not talking about justice but your heart and actions.
Notice the 2nd part of this, you forgive and then God forgives
c) The last line: Temptation?? Lead us not?
What’s this about?
Think about where Jesus went into temptation
Once in the desert and once into the garden.
What’s he saying? If you live life like this you will find opposition.
Difficult times will come. God may well lead you in the midst of some bad stuff going on around us.
Remember Jesus did asked to not face the opposition but surrended to God’s will. Its Ok to ask not to go through such time but notice you must surrender and that’s the part where we ask to be delivered.
Deliverance from the goal of the evil one. Deliverance means to turn it all around and work it for good in your live.
Conclusion
Conclusion
What do we do with all this?
Pray daily, Live the Kingdom, Get on board with Jesus’ movement that will change the world. His Kingdom is coming! Be a part of it.
Most theologians note that these prayers were meant to be memorized not as a mindless prayer but as an active reflective meditation.
Lets pray this together:
Matthew 6:9–13 (NASB95)
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
‘Give us this day our daily bread.
‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’
How do we pray?
1. Reflect and pray on Who he is, what His Kingdom means praying for people to see his kingdom come
2. Give thanks for all things, forgive where needed, and pray in the midst of the opposition that He will deliver us.
Lets pray.