The Model Prayer (2)

Intro: If I were to ask you today do you believe in prayer? I believe I would have a resounding “yes” from most of you. If I were to ask you how many of you can recite the Model Prayer by Heart? I would probably see the majority of you raise your hands. So today as we look at this model prayer, I want you to ask yourself this question, Do I let the model prayer affect the way I pray?

Last week we talked about how the right motivations affect the outcome of our rewards. Then right in the middle of this teaching, Jesus instructs us how to pray. So if we are true to the context in which we find this teaching we must assume that there is some connection between how we pray and our motivations.

The first thing that I want you to notice is that Jesus did not pray this prayer. These words were for instruction only. How do we know that to be true? The evidence lies in the fact that Jesus would have had no reason to be forgiven. Jesus would not have prayed for this. So by that knowledge, we can look at this instruction, not as something to be repeated in our prayers but rather as a tool to teach us how to pray.

This instruction did two main things it shows the respect that is due to Yahweh, God, and shows us the correct motivation behind how we are to pray. So let's look at this instruction together.

Within this instruction, we a few separate parts. Now many of you are probably thinking that I am going to go through ACTS model, Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and supplication. While those elements are there and can be helpful, I think due to the context surrounding this teaching we often miss the big picture. So again, we understand that Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount is teaching Kingdom concepts. We also realize as we looked last week He is still instructing us in obedience with proper motivation. So I believe those two ideas should dictate to us the main focus of this instruction.

Matthew 6:9–14 CSB

“Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well.

Trans: The first part I want us to notice is how we are to address God in Prayer

I. How to address God - “Our Father In Heaven”

This title is very important when we come to pray because it merges to extreme ideas and sets the tone of our prayer. God is near to us like a father and yet in his holiness and character, He is far from us. He rules the heavenly realm. There is no one like him. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. If God had not presented himself as a father then who would have the courage to address Him. If He was simply a transcendent being that ruled with a rod of Iron then who would dare stand before him and speak. Yet all of these characteristics about Yahweh are true and yet we can go before him because He loves and is the perfect father.

So in this title, we see both extremes we see the honor in which we are to approach Him, and yet through Christ we can go to Him like a child in need of His loving Father’s help.

I cringe a little when I hear people pray and address him as “daddy” I understand the point that they are trying to make, but that title fails to address Him in both roles. We are not to approach God flippantly but we are also not to fear coming before him with our needs.

Trans: This leads us into the first of six petitions found in this model that will guide our hearts to pray with the proper motivation.

II. The Petitions

No. 1 “Your Name be Honored as Holy” (vs.9)

Jesus is not simply stating that God’s name is holy. He is saying we are to pray that His name be honored as holy.

We see throughout scripture that God is zealous for His own namesake. We see in the ten commandments that we are not to “take His name in vain”. In other word’s we are not to claim him as our God flippantly or halfheartedly and then not properly represent Him to the world around us with our words or way of life. In Fact, look what he says about His name when his people do not represent him through their lifestyle.

Romans 2:24 CSB

24 For, as it is written: The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.

It is not that his name is not Holy but rather we are to pray that others recognize and revere His name because of how his people represent Him to the World.

Trans: So then what is the motivation behind this petition.

Application:

Motivation # 1 - We should earnestly pray and desire that others would see Christ in us and honor His holy name.

It is not enough to recognize Him as Holy if others do not see His holiness in us. We want to spread His fame throughout the earth.

Trans: We can see this principle in the next petition

No. 2 “Your Kingdom Come”

“Your Kingdom comes” is a request for God’s kingdom to be completed on earth. We can easily recognize that God’s kingdom has not been fully accomplished on earth. This recognizes that the Kingdom of God has begun to spread through the Gospel message in the earth, but has not come to completion until the return of Christ.

Motivation # 2 - We should earnestly desire God’s Kingdom to grow on earth.

Application: How can we earnestly pray for this and yet not be a part of Kingdom expansion.

Trans: Each Petition seamlessly flows into the next

No. 3 “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”

As we approach this petition it is important that we ask the question “How is God’s will done in heaven”.

Heaven is of course the realm in which sin and corruption cannot touch. It is the realm of God. It is the realm of perfection. God’s will is executed joyfully as those who are in his presence are overwhelmed by His greatness and His Holiness.

There is no question of should I obey because those who are in the presence of the Lord experience the full joy of his presence. In this joyful worship it is natural to obey God. Those in his presence enjoy Him and long to obey His will.

Trans: so then what is this petition?

Application: We are praying that all of God’s people will live in the Joy of obedience to the King. In this kingdom way of living will invite others into the Joy of serving the Father through salvation which is in Christ Jesus.

Motivation 3# Your Kingdom come(spread to every corner of the earth), Your will be done(through joyful service to the king) on earth as it is in heaven.

Trans: This next petition ,I believe, is probably the most misunderstood.

No. 4 - “Give us today our daily bread”

It is important once again, to view each of these petitions in light of the context. Jesus it teaching on the Kingdom, He is teaching about proper motivations in approaching the most High God.

So within this idea we must examine this request. In keeping with the context. We are praying that God would provide us with what we need to accomplish His will on earth.

Isn’t interesting the phrasing here. The Word “daily” is very interesting. Think back with me to the O.T. as the Nation of Isreal were wondering in the wilderness waiting to gain entrance into the promise land. God provided for them manna from heaven. Their instructions were to collect only enough to meet their daily needs. In other words, they were only ever one day away from starvation. They had to live by faith that God would provide for them as they waited to enter into the promise land.

Application:

In the same way as we are wandering in the wilderness waiting our turn to enter into the promised land of heaven. We too must live by faith. We must trust that the Lord will provide for us in the moment of our distress. That he will provided what we need to do His will, when we need it. Not before of after. The Just(ified) will live by faith.

Motivation #4 - When asking for the Lord to meet your needs make sure your needs are in line with the kingdom work.

Matthew 6:33 CSB

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

No. 5 - “And forgive us our debts as we forgive”

This fifth petition is one of repentance and forgiveness. It is obvious that if a person is asking God for forgiveness than he is recognizing his own sin and is desiring to turn from it.

It is impossible to live a life devoted to the cause of Christ without the recognition of your sin and the need for forgiveness. This petition shows a humility that not only needs daily bread, but also the forgiveness and righteousness of Christ.

In turn the recognition of our sin and need for forgiveness and redemption will cause us to forgive those who have wronged us.

Motivation #5 - A Humility that forgives

Trans: The sixth petitions meaning is one that is highly debated among commentators but I believe if we pay attention it firmly interprets itself.

No.6 - “ And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

The word used here for “temptation” is often translated as testing. So we could rightly say “and do not bring us into testing, but deliver is from the evil one..

James 1:13 CSB

13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone.

James 1:2–3 CSB

2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

So then since we know that the scriptures teach that God does not tempt man to do evil, but then James tells us that we should consider it a great joy when we are under testing.

So then what does this petition mean? Scripture always interprets scripture. We understand that God cannot be tempted and therefore does not tempt man to sin yet at the same time we are told when facing trials and testing we are to consider it a joy. So then which one is it.

In John Bunyan’s well known tale “A pilgrims progress” He tells the story of a man named “christian” . This story is of course allegory for the Christian life. Christian faces all sorts of obstacles and temptations on his journey to the celestial city(heaven).

This petition can be more easily understood with this picture in mind. Our path as Christians has been set and as we march on toward the “Celestial city” there are many obstacles and temptations, yet we must not stop. We must continue on. In the path there are many traps and snares set by the evil one. These are not they type of test that would purify us and make us stronger like James 1:2-3 talks about facing with Joy, but rather the type meant to ensare us and trip us up.

So as the father leads us on our journey toward Him, we pray that he would guide us around the paths that would only do us harm and protect us from the enemy. we request that God, knowing our weaknesses would take us down the paths that would make us stronger. So, in other words, it's a prayer for protection. Its Not a prayer for physical protection but rather spiritual protection.

Jesus prays this same pray for his disciples in John 17:15

John 17:15–17 CSB

15 I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

Again we see that this is not a prayer for physical protection. As we mentioned on Wednesday. It it had been then his prayer would have failed because all but one of his disciples were martyred. Jesus is praying that God would not let them stray.

In the same way we pray for the same thing. That we would not be lead through paths that would trip us up but that God would lead us past the snares of the evil one and protect us from falling prey to his deceptions.

Motivation #6 - Pray that God would protect us from deception and the attacks of the evil one. Why? Not just for our benefit, but rather so that we can continue to do His kingdom work.

Big picture Application:

Jesus is not merely teaching us an order of prayer or a words to say, but he is teaching us how to pray in His will. He is teaching us how to pray with the correct motives.

James 4:3 CSB

3 You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

Can you imagine if all of us learned to pray like this! Our prayer meetings and church services wouldn’t just consist of earthly needs, but also a cry to heaven for God’s will to be done on earth through us.