The Lord's Prayer (2)

Matthew 6:9 ESV

9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

There are 3 things that pop out in this one verse and I want to cover those three things:

Our

Hallowed

Father

Our

If you read through the Lord’s Prayer you will notice it’s said using plural pronouns. Many believe this is stating that this is because Jesus is talking to the disciples and they said teach us to pray.

But I want you to notice the switch. Because Jesus goes from making it personal to making it plural in the discussion.

Matthew 6:7–8 ESV

7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Plurality reminds us that we are a family

Learning to pray collectively takes the me, mine, my out of our prayer life. It reminds us that we are a cogg in an entire wheel.

Also Notice who is saying it: Jesus

It puts us on the same level of relationship Jesus had with His Father. Because Jesus died for our sins he gave us access to God just as he had. Jesus is God’s son, we are children of God. We have the same authority on earth as Jesus had. And we have the same access to God Jesus has.

2. Hallowed

Hallowed means sanctified

Set apart from ALL Evil

Leviticus 22:32 ESV

32 And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the Lord who sanctifies you,

God is set apart from Evil and he is looking to set you apart as well. We can be tempted as Jesus was tempted without ever being enticed to complete that which we are tempted to do. We can truly set ourselves apart. It takes time and it takes practice, but it can be done.

3. Father

First some may not realize this but there are two father’s in this world. God the Father and Satan the Father and you are parented by one of them.

John 8:38–44 ESV

38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” 39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Notice the Father big F and the father little F

We need to understand that everything Good comes from God and everything Evil comes from Satan. They are in essence the sperm carriers both looking to impregnate the world.

God is looking to Birth Good, complete and Holy.

Satan is looking to Birth murder and lies.

We are the mothers in this scenario and our actions bring to life the seeds that are planted. We either give life to Satan’s actions or we give life to God’s.

James 1:13–16 ESV

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. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

God cannot tempt you with evil and he cannot birth Evil through you.