God’s Faithfulness in Prayer.

Introduce the Text.

Read the Text

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Introduce

Continuing in our series on the Lord’s prayer

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Matthew 6:9–13 ESV

9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

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Outline

I. Introduction

II. Exegete

III. God’s Faithfulness in Prayer.

Introduction

As we begin this morning it is important to keep in mind verse eight; that God already knows what we need before we ask. Also, remember that last week we looked at how the first half of the prayer is about seeking who God is; that he is our Father in heave, he is holy and his name should be honored as holy, and as his children we would seek his kingdom and his will. So when we approach this part of the prayer we know that God already knows what we need before we pray and we are seeking after the Father to know who he is and what his will is and his kingdom.

Exegete

Matthew 6:11 ESV

11 Give us this day our daily bread,

Exodus 16:13-16. God gives the Israelites their daily bread. Also, in the Sermon on the Mount, (Here) Jesus, just fourteen verses later, tells us not to be anxious about anything, including food. Praying for daily bread or needs does not mean that you are anxious about them, it means you are trusting in God to provide them and no one else. Just as God's mercy is new everyday we need God's renewed mercy everyday. It was by his mercy that the Israelites were fed in the wilderness for forty years. It was by his mercy that thier clothes never wore out. It is by his mercy that he supplies every need for us today. We see grace and mercy connecting Vv. 11-12. Grace for our daily needs, and mercy for our spiritual needs. 

The difference betweeh grace and mercy is this:

Mercy is not giving you what you deserve...

Grace is giving you more of what you do not deserve...

Matthew 6:12 ESV

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

We see here a clearer picture of what sin actually is. It is a debt that cannot be erased by our works. It must be crossed out as if with red ink covering our debt, or the blood of Christ covering our sin. In order for the ruler to erase the debt he must take it upon himself as financial ruin or he must work harder to make up for it. Our sins were not just simply done away with. They were imputed to Christ wore bore our sins and faced our punishment. Unlike a merchant or ruler, God does not have to work more to cover those losses and he isn't faced with bankruptcy. The life, work, and sacrifice of Christ absolves our sin by satisfying the charge that was against us. Becuase Christ bore our penalty, it is not unjust, for justice was satisfied on the cross. It is mercy. (2nd Corinthians 8:9) (Romans 4:4-8) (Matthew 18:21-35)

The word debt here is the same word that is used as due in Romans 4...

Romans 4:4–8 ESV

4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Sin is often talked about in terms of legal or financial.

illustration of a ruler forgiving the debts and adopting the debtor.

Matthew 5:23-26 Forgive others before coming to God. Now that you know how much you have been forgiven, there is no reason under all the authority of God as to why we should not forgive others. It is out of hate and pride that you choose not to forgive someone else.  

Matthew 6:13 ESV

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Not being led into temptation is the same as what is talked about in the book of the law when God told Moses not to move to the left or to the right. The slightest deviance off the narrow path is the path to hell. It is God who hands the wicked over to a corrupt mind and they continue in their wickedness (Romans 1:18-32). Just as God gives the wicked over to a corrupt mind, he also sustains those who are his. Praying to the Father to not be handed over to temptation and being delievered from evil is to seek him and trust in his mercy.  

God’s Faithfulness in prayer

Nothing that Christ’s is speaking of in this prayer is new, except for calling God Father.

Throughout the history of Israel we have seen God’s faithfulness to do everything that Christ is talking about there.

God has given daily bread/needs. He has forgiven our debts, and told us to be merciful to others (Micah 6:8). He has promised to keep and sustain his people and told us to seek him so as not get off course.