Luke 11:1-4
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Today we will look at the Lord’s Prayer.
It probably won’t be the version that most of you have memorized.
That one is over in Mt. 6.
Rather than this being an edited version of that prayer, this is almost certainly a different occasion being reported.
It is helpful to have both of these because we can see that this is a skeleton, or framework, for prayer.
There is nothing wrong with praying this prayer, or the prayer in Mt. 6...
but...
Jesus was teaching how to pray, rather than teaching a prayer to be recited.
So, it makes sense that the framework would be the same, but not all of the exact words.
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Let’s go through the framework piece by piece together.
PRAY
1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”
2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread,
4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”
Jesus was praying...
((elaborate on how different Jesus’ prayers were))
((John the Baptist knew how to pray as well))
v.2 “When you pray, say: Father...
Jews in Jesus’ day might pray to God as the father of their nation, or as the father of creation...
but...
they did not presume to individually call him their father.
It makes sense that Jesus would...
but...
He was teaching us to do so as well.
How is it that we sinful creatures get to call God, daddy?
If these verses don’t bless you and get you excited, something is wrong.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Adoption is an act of GRACE.
You are responsible for your kids - not other people’s kids.
((background check when buying house in Laurel))
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Adoption is a beautiful picture of the gospel ...
It is one of the ways that God chose to speak of the gospel.
We can call God, daddy because, if you are saved, you have been adopted as His son or daughter.
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As a great balance to that intimacy, we have the next phrase...
((skip down))
2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.
“hallowed be your name”
hallowed just means - holy
Our reverence for the holiness of God does not diminish the intimacy we see from being welcomed to call him daddy...
but...
it reminds us that intimacy is never license for disrespect.
We can never let familiarity cause us to lose sight of God’s holiness.
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In the time of Malachi - about 400 years before Jesus - the Jews had lost their reverence for God.
If you remember our study of that book - God said that he would rather they close the temple rather than
offer Him half-hearted worship.
I hope you remember that every time we worship together.
Worship has nothing to do with whether you like a particular song...
It has to do with whether you believe God is worthy of worship.
6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’
He goes on to answer how they have despised His name through half-hearted worship.
We are to honor God as holy, and to pray that His name will be honored.
((BTW… I hear Christians OMG and Jesus as expletives…))
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John Piper writes,
"Hallowed be thy name" is a request, not a declaration. We are not saying, "Lord, your name is hallowed!" We are saying, "Lord, cause your name to be hallowed!" That is, cause your word to be believed, cause your displeasure to be feared, cause your commandments to be obeyed, and cause yourself to be glorified. You hallow the name of God when you trust him, revere him, obey him, and glorify him.
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Is there anything we can do to make God’s name be glorified and revered as it should be?
Yes!
We can bring men and women into a relationship of worshipping and honoring God...
through sharing the gospel with them.
There are people who do not worship the Lord.
What should we do about it?
Evangelize them.
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That is a great segue into the last phrase in v. 2
((skip down))
2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.
“Your kingdom come.”
Do you know when Jesus will return to finish establishing His kingdom?
I don’t either, but...
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
I certainly do not pretend to be able to know or quantify when the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world, but God knows.
Do you want God’s kingdom to come?
Be a faithful witness of the gospel.
Pray for and work for the coming of God’s kingdom.
As I have mentioned, one way to work toward that is through evangelism.
Another way that we can see more and more of God’s will being done here on earth...
is by us submitting more and more fully to God.
God’s kingdom should be visible in our churches and in our homes.
How will that happen?
See last week’s sermon.
We have to prioritize the kingdom of God.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Make the kingdom of God the priority in your life so that the reality of it can be seen in our homes and in our church.
Then help to make it a reality in the world by reconciling other people to God.
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Now, notice with me that after praying for kingdom things, we ask God for our needs.
3 Give us each day our daily bread,
That does not sound to me like a prosperity gospel where you pray for great wealth, exotic cars, and palatial homes.
Instead, we are to pray for the things we actually need, fully expecting God to answer that prayer.
Let’s add to our understanding of how God supplies our needs by looking at a couple of other Scriptures.
10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
((not willing to work))
((willing to work only if you can get hired to consult with a Ukrainian gas co. at a several million dollar salary does not count))
If someone is willing and able to work, that is how God normally provides.
God cares for those who are unable to work also.
Read with me...
25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
Many times God will provide for those who are destitute and unable to work through the ministry of His church.
We need to be ready and willing to offer such aid.
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The last verse will require a bit more explanation.
4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”
Why is Jesus telling a disciple to pray for forgiveness?
Aren’t they forgiven, saved, eternally secure?
Yes.
A true Christian, a true disciple is eternally secure and is resting in God’s forgiveness.
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
signed, sealed, delivered.
So, if that is true, why ask for forgiveness.
We can be forgiven forensically, legally, but sin can get in the way of our fellowship with God.
Do you think king David was saved.
Of course he was.
Listen to this prayer though.
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
He did not ask for his salvation to be restored, but the joy of his salvation.
(( story of Jesus washing disciples’ feet ))
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This restored fellowship with God is based on something though.
4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”
To be in right relationship to God, we have to forgive others.
This is not a weird concept.
Look with me at...
23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Before you offer worship, get our metaphorical feet washed.
or how about this one.
Men, you have to treat your wives right or God won’t answer your prayers.
7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
If you want to be in right relationship to God, you have to forgive people.
You are never more like God than when you are forgiving.
21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’
27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.
28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’
29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’
30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.
31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.
32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’
34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.
35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
That will make you want to forgive people right quick, won’t it?
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Finally, the last part of the prayer is...
((skip down))
4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”
“And lead us not into temptation.”
The world, the flesh, and the devil are out there ready to get us.
We need to pray for protection.
When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, He wanted His disciples to watch and pray.
What did they do?
Sleep.
41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Even after that warning, what did they do?
They slept.
How did that work out?
Jesus would end up denying Jesus three times.
We need to pray for protection from temptation.
God will never tempt us to sin.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
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Will God hear and answer your prayers?
Certainly not if you are not His adopted child.
The only prayer He will hear from one who is not His is the prayer of faith and repentance.
If you are His, will he answer your prayers?
It depends.
Are you praying for forgiveness while withholding forgiveness from others?
We need to maintain an unbroken closeness with God by humble submission to the Spirit of God.
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In order to have any fellowship with God we must first be reconciled to Him.
Gospel