Pray Like This | The Book of Matthew: The King and His Kingdom | Matthew 6:7-15 | Pastor J. M. Lee

Good morning! If we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, my name is John, and I have the privilege of serving as the Lead Pastor here at Mission Church. Our church exists with one central goal: to partner with God in seeing His Kingdom come here in Las Vegas as it is in heaven. We pursue this mission by living as disciples of Jesus—disciples who are committed to making Him the center of our lives and representing Him faithfully in every space and place where He has positioned us.

As we gather this morning, on this final Sunday of 2024, I can’t think of a better way to prepare our hearts for a new year than by revisiting one of the most significant and formative texts in Scripture: the Lord’s Prayer. Now —this prayer is not only a model for how we communicate with God, but also a powerful reminder of the Kingdom priorities that Jesus calls us to embrace in our everyday lives.

If you have your Bible with you, please turn to Matthew 6. And if you’re able, would you stand with me for the reading of God’s Word?

Matthew 6:7–15 (CSB)

7 When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.

9 “Therefore, you should pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,

your name be honored as holy.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And do not bring us into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.

14 “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. 15 But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.

This is the Word of the Lord

Let’s pray

It’s easy to miss the point sometimes.

This reminds me of a time not too long ago when I was putting together a brand-new bed for my son. You know the kind of bed—you buy it in a flat box, with instructions that are somehow written in every language except the one you actually understand. Feeling pretty confident, I pulled out all the pieces, grabbed my tools, and got to work.

But about halfway through, I realized something wasn’t right. I had used the wrong screws in the wrong places, and the whole thing was wobbly and unstable. Frustrated —- I had to take it apart and start over. Now — the problem wasn’t the instructions — they were clear enough, even if they were a little tedious. The problem was me. I was so focused on finishing quickly that I didn’t paid attention to the details. You see — I had completely missed the point of how everything was supposed to fit together.

Now — isn’t that how prayer feels sometimes? We go through the motions—rushing to get it done, following a formula, or repeating phrases — without really thinking about what we’re doing or why. Maybe we feel intimidated, unsure of what to say, or afraid of “getting it wrong.” Or perhaps we’ve layered so many rituals and routines over our prayer life that we’ve forgotten what it’s really about. Either way, we’ve missed the heart of prayer altogether.

The crazy thing is — prayer was never meant to be complicated or intimidating. It’s not about using the perfect words or performing the right actions. Prayer is simply an invitation to draw near to God, to seek His Kingdom, and to align our hearts with His will.

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In our text this morning, Jesus teaches us the Lord’s Prayer — a simple yet profound guide to authentic prayer. And — in doing so, Jesus cuts through the distractions and reveals what true, heartfelt prayer looks like — prayer that flows from a sincere relationship with God.

Now — before He gives us this model prayer — Jesus begins with — a warning and a promise.

1. A Warning And A Promise

Let’s take a look at verses 7-8.

Matthew 6:7–8 (CSB)

7 When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.

Underline or take note of the phrase, “Don’t babble like the Gentiles,” — Other translations say, “don’t use vain repetition” or “don’t heap up empty words.” And this phrase highlights an important truth — God doesn’t hear you simply because of the number of words you use in your prayer.

In fact — you and I have no ability to manipulate God by bombarding Him with mindless or empty repetitions. Jesus plainly says, “That’s what the Gentiles do.” The Gentiles — they believed that their pagan gods could be coerced or persuaded through excessive words or ritualistic practices. But your Father in heaven is not like the pagan gods. For He is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omnipresent (He is everywhere).

Which reminds me of Psalm 139:7-10 which says,

Psalm 139:7–10 (CSB)

7 Where can I go to escape your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;

if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.

9 If I live at the eastern horizon

or settle at the western limits,

10 even there your hand will lead me;

your right hand will hold on to me.

You see — because of who God is — He cannot be manipulated or wearied by our words. Instead — He already knows your needs before you even ask. And God is inviting you to pray with sincerity, trust, and faith.

Friends — you are invited to approach your heavenly Father with confidence — like a child speaking to their loving parent. You are invited to commune with the perfect Father who loves you with a perfect love. Brothers and sisters, God knows you, He loves you, and He is ready, able, and willing to provide exactly what you need.

Now — with this foundational understanding of prayer, Jesus now leads us into the second movement of His teaching.

2. The Lord’s Prayer

At this point — Jesus — fully aware that His call to discipleship is both counterintuitive and countercultural — He provides us with a vital tool for the journey ahead. And — this is where Jesus introduces the Lord’s Prayer — which is a model prayer that perfectly summarizes the heartbeat of Christ, the mission of the Kingdom of God, and the movement He has invited us to join. It is both a guide and a gift — designed to shape the way we think, the way we live, and the way we pray as participants in His Kingdom. Now — notice how Jesus frames this prayer. He begins by saying:

Matthew 6:9 (CSB)

9 “Therefore, you should pray like this:

In other words — Jesus says, “Look, when you pray — this is how I want you to model your prayer.” You see — this prayer is not just a set of words to recite — but rather it’s a framework—a model to guide and shape how we approach God in prayer. Then — following a brief introduction—where Jesus identifies to whom the prayer is addressed—He structures the prayer into two equal sections, each marked by three distinct petitions or requests.

Let’s take a moment to read the prayer in its entirety, reflecting on its structure and meaning as we prepare to explore its profound significance.

Matthew 6:9–13 (CSB)

9 … Our Father in heaven,

your name be honored as holy.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And do not bring us into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.

Now, notice how the first section of this prayer is focused on God: “Your Name…Your Kingdom…Your Will.”

Then the prayer shifts to the community of believers: “Give us…Forgive us…Deliver us.”

Now — understanding the structure of this prayer is important — because it points us directly to Jesus’ highest value — and what should also be our highest value. You see — The Lord’s Prayer is shaped around what Jesus identifies as the greatest commandment: “To Love God, and Love others.”

This teaching is rooted deeply in the Old Testament but is summarized succinctly in Matthew 22:36–39 , where an expert in the law asks Jesus:

Matthew 22:36–39 (CSB)

36 “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?”

37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.

It seems clear, then — that Jesus has given us a prayer that reflects these two core priorities of the Kingdom. First, we orient ourselves toward the Father, expressing our worship, loyalty, and allegiance to Him and His purposes in the world. Then, the prayer shifts our attention to “us”—the community of believers known as the Church.

Now, don’t miss the communal nature of this prayer. For many of us, when we pray this prayer, our tendency is to substitute the word “us” with “me”: “Give ME…forgive ME…deliver ME.” But that’s not what Jesus told us to pray. Consider this: Jesus was perfectly capable of saying the word “me”, but He deliberately chose “us.” And this word choice highlights the communal element of this prayer, emphasizing our shared identity and interdependence as members of God’s family.

In essence — Jesus has condensed the heartbeat of His Kingdom movement into this short prayer—a prayer that perfectly reflects the greatest commandment: “Love God, and Love your neighbor.”

With this in mind, let’s now consider the prayer through this lens, beginning with…

A. Love God

Look back at verse 9.

Matthew 6:9 (CSB)

9 …Our Father in heaven…

Each time we pray — it’s helpful to remind ourselves who it is we are praying to. We are praying to “Our Father who is in Heaven.”

This brings to mind the truth of Galatians 4:4–6.

Galatians 4:4–6 (CSB)

4 When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”

Brothers and sisters, at one time, we were under the curse of the Law. In other words — we were born sinners—living in rebellion and opposition to God and fully deserving of His just wrath. But God… sent His Son, Jesus, born of a woman and born under the Law. He lived a life of perfect obedience to God, and He died the sinner’s death that we deserved. He was buried in a borrowed tomb, and on the third day, He rose from the dead—conquering sin and death!

Now — all who call upon the name of the Lord and place their trust in His finished work on the cross are saved. Which means — if you are in Christ, you have been transformed—from slaves to sin, fully deserving of God’s wrath, to adopted sons and daughters of the King of the universe.

Friends— this is the good news of the gospel! And each time we pray — Jesus wants us to remember this good news and to reflect on who it is we are praying to: “Our Father in heaven.”

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Now, as we approach our heavenly Father in prayer, Jesus teaches us to begin with three petitions that reorient our hearts and focus toward the Father. The first of these petitions is a declaration of worship.

Let’s turn our attention back to verse 9.

Matthew 6:9 (CSB)

9 …Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy.

Now — God’s name is already holy. It’s set apart, exalted, and above every other name. His holiness is intrinsic to who He is, completely independent of human recognition or action. So, if God’s name is already holy, why does Jesus teach us to pray for it to be honored as holy? Why would God need us to pray for His name to be treated this way?

Well — here’s why — As His disciples — we are called to have a passionate desire that God would receive the honor and glory that is rightfully His. As His disciples —we long to see Him revered and worshiped—not just in our lives, but in the church and across the world. And this desire is why Jesus teaches us to begin prayer with this foundational focus: “Lord, we hold Your name in the highest regard. We cherish Your infinite purity, Your unblemished righteousness, and Your transcendent glory. You alone are the supreme treasure of all creation, rendering everything else insignificant in comparison. May Your name be honored as holy.”

Now — let’s consider the phrase, “be honored as.” This is an important detail — because it shows us that we’re not asking for God’s name to become holy — understand — God’s holiness is unchanging. Rather, we are asking for His name to be recognized and treated as holy by all people. And — this points us back to Genesis 3 and the fall of humanity. When sin entered the world, it not only separated us from God but it also led to the mistreatment, the misuse, and the dishonoring of God’s holy name. Ever since the fall, God’s reputation has been marred by the rebellion of His creation.

So — when Jesus teaches us to pray, “God, may Your name be honored as holy,” He is inviting us into His mission to restore what was broken. You see — this prayer is a turning point— it’s a call to join God in the work of seeing sinners reconciled to Him —so that — His name might once again be revered, cherished, and glorified.

Now — the question is begging to be asked — How? How will this happen? How will God’s reputation be recognized as holy, unique, and beautiful across the world? Well — the answer begins to unfold in the very next line of the prayer—verse 10.

Matthew 6:10 (CSB)

10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

This verse can be a bit confusing because many of us tend to think of heaven and earth in very distinct terms. We imagine earth as the broken world we live in now, corrupted by sin and evil, and heaven as a distant, mysterious, and a purely spiritual place where God resides.

We’ve often been taught that Jesus came from heaven to earth simply to save us — so that — when we die, we can leave this broken earth and go to heaven.

The problem with this understanding is that it doesn’t align with what the Bible actually teaches. Instead — what Jesus is doing here is reminding His disciples of the creation story. If we go back to Genesis 1–3 — we see that in the beginning — heaven and earth were completely united. God’s space and human space overlapped entirely. God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, and His rule and reign were experienced in every corner of creation.

But in Genesis 3 — everything changed. Adam and Eve rebelled against God. You see — rather than living in harmony under God’s good rule — they pursued their own autonomy — and sought to define good and evil on their own terms. And — as a result — sin entered the world, bringing separation between God and humanity. And this rebellion — well — it essentially tore heaven and earth apart.

However — it would be wrong to think that sin or human rebellion could ever drive God out of His own creation. The Bible makes it clear that heaven and earth are not entirely separate — yes they remain distinct — but there is still an overlap. You see — throughout the biblical narrative — we see moments where heaven and earth intersect — such as in the tabernacle, the temple, and ultimately in the person of Jesus. In other words —the story of the Bible is about heaven invading earth to restore what was broken.

Through Jesus — God’s kingdom—His rule and reign — has broken into the mess of this world. Jesus came to reclaim and to restore His creation and His people — to bring us back to what we were always meant to be. And if we skip ahead to the end of the Bible — we see how this story concludes — with heaven and earth fully reunited. In fact — Revelation 21–22 paints a picture of a renewed creation where God’s presence fully dwells with His people once again — as it did in the beginning.

So — when Jesus teaches us to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," He is inviting us into this grand story of restoration. As disciples — we recognize that the kingdom of God has already come through Jesus — it’s here — but it’s not yet fully realized. We see glimpses of the Kingdom of God — Yet — we’re also keenly aware of the areas in our world and in our own lives where God’s rule is not yet fully established.

And this tension between the already and the not yet is why we pray this prayer. This is why we pray for heaven to take over more and more of earth. This is why we plead for God’s kingdom to advance in the world and in our own hearts. This is why we long for God to restore wholeness to both creation and our lives as His followers.

You see — to pray this prayer is to ask God to break down any kingdoms that are in competition with His kingdom. And this is why — here at Mission Church — our desire is to live as disciples of Jesus, who seek to live as God’s people, in God’s place, under God’s power in every space and place. We want His kingdom agenda to impact and guide our families, our neighborhoods, our vocations, our hobbies—our entire lives.

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So — as we pray this model prayer — we first reorient our hearts toward God. We renew our commitment to His glory, His reign, and His mission to bring His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

Now — this upward focus on God’s rule, His glory, and His Kingdom naturally flows into the focus of the second half of the prayer — loving and caring for our neighbors as ourselves.

B. Love Your Neighbor

Matthew 6:11 (CSB)

11 Give us today our daily bread.

As we look at this verse — it’s important to note that Jesus is alluding to Exodus 16 — when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness. And — our request for daily bread recalls God’s provision of manna for His people during that time. Remember — God instructed the Israelites to gather only what they needed for each day—no more. And the next day — God would provide again, meeting their needs for that day too.

You see — this petition serves as a reminder of God’s faithfulness and provision — both for our physical needs and for our deeper, eternal needs. And — ultimately — this prayer points us to Christ Himself, the one who is called the “bread of life” (John 6:35). Brothers and sisters — In Jesus — we find a meal that satisfies the greater hunger of our souls. For Jesus Himself declared that His body and His blood are our bread and drink because — like physical food — His death and His resurrection meet our deepest need — the forgiveness of our sins and our reconciliation with God.

You see — unlike the Israelites who ate manna in the wilderness and grew hungry again the next day — those who partake of Christ—the true and eternal bread—we will never hunger again.

Consider the words of Jesus from John 6:35.

John 6:35 (CSB)

35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.

Friend — when you go to Jesus with your eternal need — rest assured — you will find eternal satisfaction. But — understand — this prayer is not only about our eternal needs. It also acknowledges our full dependence on God for even our smallest, most mundane, daily needs.

Here’s the challenge, though — for most of us living in the suburbs of Las Vegas — we don’t live in a state of complete dependence on God for things like food, water, shelter, or clothing. Many of us have plenty. We’re relatively self-sufficient when it comes to meeting our basic needs. And — as a result — we don’t usually pray for our daily provision with the same urgency and desperation as those whose needs are real and pressing. In other words — for someone who doesn’t know where their next meal will come from—or who doesn’t have a safe place to sleep—this prayer is a lifeline. For them — the petition “Give us today our daily bread” is a cry of survival — “God, if You don’t provide, I may not make it through the day.”

But — for those of us who are materially comfortable — living without fear of scarcity has often led to a spirit of self-dependence. Let’s be honest — many of us have never had to completely trust God for our most basic needs — and because of this — we’ve neglected to develop the “faith muscle” of dependence. So when life does become difficult — when the unexpected does happens — and we’re suddenly faced with hardship — we feel stress, anxiety, and worry because we haven’t exercised the discipline of trusting God for even the simplest things.

And so — Jesus — He teaches us to pray this prayer as a daily reminder that we are utterly dependent upon God. Not just for our eternal salvation — but — for our everyday needs as well. And — He is inviting us to live with a humble dependence on our Heavenly Father — trusting Him to sustain us physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

And this prayer doesn’t stop with us — No! — remember this prayer expands outward to include the needs of others. You see — Jesus is instructing us to join in solidarity with the global church — to sit in the mess with our brothers and sisters across the world who are in desperate situations — and to plead with God to meet their needs. We pray, “God, give us today our daily bread”—not just for ourselves — but for the whole body of Christ. You see — this model prayer is instructing us to not only pray for God to meet our spirtual and physical needs — but it’s also instructing us to pray for the spiritual and physical needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Now — with this— Jesus transitions to the next petition—the forgiveness of sin. Let’s look at verse 12

Matthew 6:12 (CSB)

12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

At first glance, this request might seem confusing, especially when we consider what Paul says in Romans 8:1.

Romans 8:1 (CSB)

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,

So, which is it? Are our sins forgiven or not? Isn’t it true that when we repented of our sins and trusted in Jesus, our past, present, and future sins were forgiven? If so, why does Jesus instruct us to pray for forgiveness?

Well — when you trusted in Jesus, you stood before God as Judge, and He forgave you, saved you, and justified you once and for all. You are fully forgiven and no longer condemned. But now, as you pray for forgiveness, you approach God, not as Judge, but as your Father.

J. I. Packer is helpful here — he says,

The Lord’s Prayer is the family prayer, in which God’s adopted children address their Father, and though their daily failures do not overthrow their justification, things will not be right between them and their Father till they have said, “Sorry” and asked him to overlook the ways they have let him down. (J. I. Packer- Praying, 79)

Paul Tripp expands on this idea beautifully:

"When I live this lifestyle, I find joy in telling Jesus, day after day, that I need what He did in His life, death, and resurrection. This lifestyle is about growing to acknowledge that, in some way, every day, I give evidence to the fact that the cross was necessary. And this lifestyle of forgiveness makes my daily attitude one of heartfelt gratitude and joy." (Paul Tripp, Quest for More, p. 159)

So, just as we ask for our daily physical needs, we also ask for daily forgiveness for our sins.

But notice that Jesus doesn’t limit this to our personal sins. He is also calling us to pray for forgiveness on a communal level—to confess and seek forgiveness for the sins that reverberate on a larger scale. This includes the sins of our nation, our city, our church, and even our families.

While we may not be individually responsible for these collective sins, we are corporately accountable. God holds His people accountable not only for personal transgressions but also for the sins of the church community. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we are being invited to confess not only our individual sins but also the shared sins of the body of Christ. Whether it’s pride, envy, hypocrisy, prejudice, or greed, we are called to collectively plead with Our Father for forgiveness.

Now — Jesus — He finishes his thought in verse 12 with a confusing phrase

Matthew 6:12 (CSB)

12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Now — Jesus expands on this challenging truth in Matthew 6:14-15. Let’s take a look—

Matthew 6:14–15 (CSB)

14 “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. 15 But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.

What does this mean? Is Jesus saying that our forgiveness of others earns God’s forgiveness? No! Not at all. Rather — Jesus is pointing to the reality that true repentance is always accompanied by a willingness to forgive others.

Here’s the heart of it: God forgives those who genuinely repent—those who grieve their sin, turn away from it, and seek His mercy. And one of the clearest signs of genuine repentance is a heart that extends forgiveness to others.

You see — when you fully understand the magnitude of your sin against God and the astounding grace by which He has forgiven you, the offenses committed against you by others pale in comparison. On the other hand, if you struggle to forgive others, it reveals a failure to grasp the depths of your own sin and the richness of God’s mercy.

In other words, our forgiveness of others is not a prerequisite for God’s forgiveness—it is a reflection of it. As followers of Jesus, our hearts should echo Ephesians 4:32 , which says:

Ephesians 4:32 (CSB)

32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

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Next — Jesus provides us with the third and final request — a request that speaks to the truth that a man or a woman who has been freed from the guilt of sin should long to also find relief from the tyranny of sin’s power and corruption — look at verse 13.

Matthew 6:13 (CSB)

13 And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Now…what does this mean? Does it mean that throughout our life God plants little tests and traps that are meant to entice us? Is God trying to see if we’re going to pass his tests? Well — I have unfortunately heard this text taught this way…and the problem with it is ….well....its not true.....for the Bible tells us clearly in James 1 that God does not…indeed.... He cannot tempt us with evil....but rather....Jesus is pointing us to the reality that we have an enemy …satan....who is prowling around like a lion waiting to devour us...... and Satan is the one who tempts us to sin and from whom we pray that God would deliver us ....you see..behind these words that Jesus gave us to pray are the implications that the devil is too strong for us...... that we are too weak to stand up to him.....but the good new is....we have a heavenly Father who will deliver us from the evil one if we ask Him.

Charles Quarles says it like this

The disciple is so weak that he is no match for the Devil. He needs a Savior, not an assistant; a Hero not a helper. He needs a Champion who will fight the evil one for him and who will snatch him from the clutches of the enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. (Charles Quarles-Sermon, 221)

This prayer is a reminder of our dependence on God in the midst of spiritual warfare. You see — as we partner with God to see His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven — we find ourselves on the frontlines of a battle. And — our enemy’s goal is to discourage, defile, devour, and defeat us.

But the good news is — God is faithful. In fact — He promises us in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, and He will always provide a way out so that we can endure. And so — our prayer for deliverance is a preemptive strike—it is a declaration of trust in God’s power to protect us and to lead us through the minefields of this broken world.

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Brothers and Sisters — ultimately — the Lord’s Prayer is a model prayer for the sincere Christian. And — it’s distinct from the fake prayers of hypocrites and the mindless babbling of pagans. It is a prayer that is not prayed selfishly but corporately, not mechanically but sincerely. And — as we commit to praying as Jesus taught us to pray — we are pointed to a Heavenly Father who loves us and cares for us. Also — this prayer covers every aspect of our lives — our physical needs, our spiritual needs, our relationships, and our struggles. And it reminds us of how utterly dependent we are on God for everything.

So with this in mind......Mission Church.....let's humbly, thoughtfully, and trustingly…close our time this morning by praying this prayer together.

Matthew 6:9–13 (CSB)

9 “Therefore, you should pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,

your name be honored as holy.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And do not bring us into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.