Sermon Tone Analysis
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Who taught you to pray?
Do you remember who taught you to pray?
My parents and Jill’s parents are here today.
I can say they did the most significant thing any parent can do: they taught each of us as children to pray.
Who taught Jesus to pray?
We know Jesus prayed.
We know Jesus prayed.
We have many examples.
Did he get spiritual practices and teachings downloaded?
We know (Scot McKnight) Hebrew mothers taught their children to pray.
According to Bible scholar Scot McKnight, Hebrew mothers taught their children to pray.
When I titled my sermon last week and sent the title only to Nyasha Peters, she was intrigued.
Pregnant with her second child, she wondered what kind of Mother’s Day sermon this would be and why the title was, “Teaching Jesus how to pray.”
I asked her the same question I just asked you.
Who taught Jesus to pray?
Imagine Jesus writes a Mother’s Day card.
What would it say?
The reason I want us to imagine is this: Mary raised Jesus.
Hebrew mothers taught their children to pray.
Mary would have taught young Jesus how to pray.
This is a way to imagine what role Mary may have played in Jesus’s life, a way to inspire you in your ongoing role in your children’s lives, no matter how old they are.
I could tell you all sorts of inspiring Mother stories from modern day, but my role is to teach the strange world of Scripture and let it transform us . . .
The answer is this: Mary would have taught young Jesus how to pray.
When I sent Nyasha Peters my title only, “Teaching Jesus to Pray,” she said she was intrigued, what did it mean?
Pregnant with her second child, when she heard me say this, it blew her mind.
And for most of us, we’ve never thought of who taught Jesus to pray.
Do we assume he got everything downloaded?
Nyasha burst into tears and said of her two year old: “I don’t teach him to pray!”
I hugged her and said my 23-year-old, 20-year-old, and 18-year old are still learning together with Jill and me . . .
it’s never too late, and it’s certainly not too late for a two year old to learn to listen/talk in prayer.
Goal: Inspire you to pray and teach children.
Imagining what role Mary may have played in Jesus’s life is a way to inspire you in your ongoing role in your children’s lives, no matter how old they are.
Weren’t taught to pray?
It’s never too late to learn, to grow, to take a next step yourself, but here in the church we learn new ways of faith.
Maybe you were and didn’t know it . . . to turn eyes, ears, mouth, body to God . . .
How many of you were taught the prayer at bedtime, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep . .
.”?
Hebrew mothers taught as a bedtime prayer: “Into your hands (Lord) I commit my spirit.”
Weren’t taught to pray?
It’s never too late to learn, to grow, to take a next step yourself, but here in the church we learn new ways of faith.
As Mary Prayed soJesus Prayed
In addition to the fact Hebrew mothers taught their sons and daughters to pray, and Mary was a Hebrew mother teaching Jesus to pray, we also get clues in the prayers Mary prayed . . .
compared to the prayers we know Jesus prayed.
The words Jesus prayed on the cross from are the same Mary would have taught him at bedtime: “Into your hands (Lord) I commit my spirit.”
Magnificat (Latin for Magnify) is a song we’ve sung in worship.
It’s Mary’s Song from and is mirrored in the life and teachings of Jesus, says Scot McKnight.
In addition to the fact Hebrew mothers taught their sons and daughters to pray, and Mary was a Hebrew mother teaching Jesus to pray, we also get clues in the prayers Mary prayed . . .
compared to the prayers we know Jesus prayed.
2. Magnificat (Latin for Magnify) is a song we’ve sung in worship.
It’s Mary’s Song from that is mirrored in the life and teachings of Jesus, says Scot McKnight.
v. 47: Mary says “My soul magnifies the Lord,” and Jesus prays and teaches us to pray in , “Hallowed be your name.”
[Read ]
Mary Jesus
v. 48: Mary is poor and in Jesus proclaims good news to the poor.
My soul magnifies the Lord In Jesus prays: “Hallowed be your name!”
v. 50: Mary cries out for Israel’s redemption and Jesus cries for Israel saying in , “O Jerusalem, how often I’ve longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.”
vs. 51-52: Mary’s prayer sees the powerful stripped of their power, and Jesus says in , “The greatest will be the servant of all.”
vs. 53-54: Mary is overwhelmed with God’s compassion, and Jesus embodies compassion.
Mary is poor In , Jesus proclaims good news to the poor.
Powerful stripped of power says, “Greatest will be servant”
Transition: Mary inspires us this Mother’s Day to teach our children to pray, but how?
What are some next steps.
We love and cherish our mothers here, but we also challenge you on this mother’s day.
Mary overwhelmed with God’s compassion Jesus embodies compassion
Vexed for Israel’s redemption : “O Jerusalem, how often I’ve longed . .
.”
Transition: Mary inspires us this Mother’s Day to teach our children to pray, but how?
What are some next steps.
We love and cherish our mothers here, but we also challenge you on this mother’s day.
So, what would Jesus have written in his mother’s day card?
I happen to have the card with me.
Thank you for teaching me to pray, even the prayer from I prayed on the cross.
Thank you for teaching me to love the poor, outcast.
In that song you’d sing you said, “He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.”
You taught me to praise God.
“My soul magnifies the Lord.
My Spirit rejoices in God my savior . .
.” [aside: I remember my mother rejoicing in simply things, giving God praise for watermelon, animals, laughter.]
You re-inforced what God’s Spirit within me was already doing.
You said, “His mercy is for generations for those who fear the Lord.
He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down princes from their thrones.
And has exalted the lowly.”
You recounted stories of faith to me.
“He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy.
As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever.”
I still can’t believe you looked three days for me before you looked at the temple, but whatever.
I love you, Mama.
And when my time comes, I will not leave you or forsake you.
My beloved friend will take care of you.
Next Steps
I want to bless Mothers today with the priestly blessing of [speak blessing]
Next Steps
1. Have a relationship with God in prayer yourself.
Mothers, you shape the next generation.
Teach them the most important thing of their life, to pray!
Jesus turns spirituality, prayer, the kingdom on its head.
He actually says YOU have to become like a child to enter deeper relationship with Him.
You cannot teach a child anything that you do not have, and to have this you must become like the child you are teaching.
Listen to what Jesus says . . .
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