Our Father In Heaven

Bottom line

We need to pray to God like we’re family, not like subjects

Opening Line

How many of you go by a name other then your legal name?

Introduction

Maybe it is a nickname, or an abbreviation of your name. I’ve noticed a lot of people in the Southeast corner go by their middle name as opposed to their first name. I’ve honestly never seen it as common as it is around here.

For myself, as many of you know or probably assumed, my full name is Matthew, and I was Matthew right up until my first day of school. Then a teacher took it upon themselves to shorted it to Matt, which my peers caught on to, and I’ve been Matt pretty much exclusively ever since.

Of course, as I got older, Redstone is an easy name to be creative with. I was Redrock for a while in high school. I got Bluestone if I was on the opposing team. I have a professor in call me Mr. Blood on a Rock once, which really threw me off. I was having a meeting with him about my paper and he knew I was super nervous and that was enough to throw me off and relax enough to actually have the meeting.

Main Point

The point is that there is a lot that goes into a name. A nickname can be a term of endearment, or it could be a slam. I’ve known a lot of people who got a nickname that was less then flattering that they couldn’t shake it no matter how hard they tried. How you use names can also set the tone for a conversation. If you have exclusively referred to someone by their nickname and suddenly someone drops your full name, that changes the tone of the situation. I worked for a couple people who would only use ‘Matthew’ when I was in trouble. Growing up, if mom or dad dropped the middle name, you knew you were in trouble. I’ve used that tactic with my kids, though Levi is still young enough he doesn’t fully understand what is happening.

Why it matters

Most of this may be intuitive, but I want you to consider how the use of names impacts the way you pray. What name of God do you use when you pray? Do you just say God, or Lord when you are praying? Do you pray to Jesus? Do you get really fancy and drop the occasional El Shaddai or Yahweh?

As we dive into the prayer that Jesus taught us, I want you to see that every word, and every line is carefully thought out. My goal by the end of the series is to show you that this is actually the perfect prayer, and if you start to incorporate it into your day to day life, it will have a profound impact on your faith.

So in light of the fact that this is the perfect prayer, there is no lack of significance that Jesus starts it the way he does. So over the course of the series, we will start the sermon by reading the Lord’s Prayer, and I want you to read it as it appears on the screen, not the way you may have memorized it.

Scripture

Matthew 6:9–13 NLT

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

Our Father

Jesus starts this prayer in what would have been a shocking way for his Jewish followers. All throughout the Old Testament, God is referred to with names of power. Elohim, the Strong One; El Shaddai, Mighty One, and Yahweh, the name that should never be spoken out of fear we might say it wrong. This is the God of the Old Testament. Yes there are some really strong images of God being tender and loving, but he is often associated with power and judgment.

This is why people often confuse the God of the Old Testament as being different from the God of the New Testament. The Old Testament is so full of destruction and acts of power, and the New Testament is all about love and grace. The truth is that God has been the same all throughout. The story of Israel is a story of a patient God who extends mercy to a nation of people who abuse that love and mercy. In the same breath, the New Testament is full of imagery and prophecy of destruction and devastation. God never changed. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

So why is that when Jesus suddenly comes on the scene that you can now pray to God as Father. It isn’t that God changed; we did. Jesus’ death on the cross was the payment so that you and I could be adopted into God’s family. You and I are now sons and daughters of God, and so Jesus teaches his followers to pray accordingly. You don’t pray to some far off God; you are praying to your heavenly Father.

Which brings up an interesting point. I noticed that at times, in my private devotions, that I will pray to God as Father sometimes, and Lord other times. So I started taking note of why it was different, and the Holy Spirit showed me this. If I wake up, have my coffee time with God and read the Word, I will start my prayers with, ‘Father’. But if I sleep in, or start my day on my phone, or even if I have done something that I know would be displeasing to God, I start my prayers off with, ‘Lord’. So I did some digging into this and this is what I discovered.

When you do something wrong towards someone and feel guilty about it, you will begin to create distance between you and that individual. It can be an act of self-preservation, trying to avoid discomfort or potential confrontation. It could come from a fear of rejection. If you feel ashamed, it creates a sense of inadequacy or worthlessness. If you struggle with expressing your emotions, distance is a way of ensuring you don’t have to. Sometimes you create distance as a form of self-punishment, knowing that what you did was wrong and so you take it out on yourself so the other person doesn’t have it.

I wonder how often you do that with your heavenly Father. When it comes to feeling guilty or having done something wrong, you never feel more aware of your inadequacies then when you come into the presence of a holy God. This was Isaiah’s response when he found himself in the presence of God.

Isaiah 6:5 NLT

Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

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So due to your shortcomings, you create space from God. But it is important to note that it is you creating the space, not God. Even in the Isaiah account, as he declares his sin and issues, look at what happens next.

Isaiah 6:6–7 NLT

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

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God removes the guilt from Isaiah. Paul puts it this way for those of you who are believers

Romans 8:1 NLT

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

It is God who makes you worthy to come before Him and experience his presence. It is not anything you do. He forgives, he loves, he is merciful. When you make a mistake, God does not withdraw from you, it is often you who creates that space, as a defense mechanism.

You have a relationship with God that before Christ was not possible. Abraham was a friend of God. David was a man after God’s own heart. But you are a child of God. You have the opportunity to draw near to Him in a way that wasn’t possible. You can be open with him because he loves you.

in Heaven

Along with that, God is still the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the creator and sustainer of everything you can see and hear. You don’t approach God flippantly or disrespectfully. There is still the aspect that God is a being of ultimate respect and honor. You approach Him humbly.

So how do you hold these two truths in balance. Well God being your Father is the identifier of your relationship. Relationally, you are very close to God. However, His being in heaven is a statement of position. God is far above us and holds the position of ultimate authority. So when you pray, you can go to your Father about anything, but you respect the fact that it is ultimately His decision and you will honor and uphold the outcome. I would say that many believers approach prayer with these two things reversed. You treat God as relationally distant and use words like Lord, and God, but treat Him as though you are positionally close. God, I want to you to do this thing and I expect it to be done now, as though you two are equally and can make such demands of God.

Do you see the difference? Father, I come to you with this request because I know I can come to you about anything, and I leave it with you because you are supremely wise and know the perfect answer. Versus Lord, I want you do this and this and if you don’t do this, then you clearly don’t love me and I am going to take matters into my own hands. Do you see the difference? If you’re honest, which one do your prayers more closely resemble?

May your name be kept holy

Now the traditional way that many of you have probably memorized this prayer says, “Hallowed be your name.” That wording presents it more as a statement or declaration. God your name is hallowed and worthy of prayer, which is true.

However, the original Greek doesn’t read that way. Jesus is not making a statement but a request, and the request is more reflective than anything. I think this is a scenario where the NLT captures Jesus’ intention best. May your name be kept holy. It is a reflection of the third commandment:

Exodus 20:7 NLT

“You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

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Before I go further, I need you to understand that both the Old Testament and New Testament are not just talking about God’s name. In both eras, your name was connected to who you are as a person. It is why people didn’t pick names based on how they sounded, rather based on the meaning behind the name. Both Jesus’ prayer and the commandment are saying that God’s name must be kept holy, and by extension God’s person and reputation. The prayer is a request of yourself, saying, “May nothing I do bring shame to your name, Father.” May my life, the light of the world as Jesus’ states it, reflect the fact that God is holy, set apart, and divine.

Transition to Application

The main idea is that prayer starts by focusing on the person of God, and these first two lines captures the person of God, and the only appropriate response.

Main To Do

So I would ask you, how aware are you during prayer? Have you gotten into such a routine of praying the same way and the same things that you go into auto-pilot? That would be the same thing we looked at last week about praying empty, repetitive words.

One of the things that can help you be more aware during your prayer is writing things down. This is something we talk about in the Hearing God Seminar. Writing out your prayer and your conversations with God help you stay focused and choose your words wisely. Remember, God is your Father in heaven. There is a level of humility and respect that needs to go into each prayer as well.

As you draw your attention to who God is, there is a response. When I think of God’s love, mercy, and power, I find myself in awe of Him. When I think of Him as Father, I feel the acceptance and grace that is found in Him alone. As I have these experiences, the only response is to live a life that glorifies Him. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:31

1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Or the verse I mentioned last week

Matthew 5:16 NLT

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

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Why it matters

There is another by-product of being aware of how you address God in your prayers. You begin to be aware of your interactions with other people. Are there people you are creating distance from? Why? Is there unforgiveness or hurt that you need to address? Or are there people that are creating distance from you? Are there relationships that need to be mended, or conversations that need to be had? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind by drawing close to him as Father. Love your neighbour as yourself by removing the obstacles that get in the way.

Closing Line

When you pray, pray like this. Our Father in heaven. As you develop this habit, you will experience God in a whole new way!

Discussion Questions

What stood out?

How does understanding God as 'Father' influence your approach to prayer in your daily life?

What names or titles do you use when you pray, and how do they reflect your relationship with God?

In what ways can you ensure that you keep God’s name holy in your life and in your prayers?

How can writing down your prayers help you stay focused and aware during prayer time?

Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God; what specific actions helped you reconnect?