Divergent: The Lord's Prayer

Intro

Luke 11:1–4 NIV

1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 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 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’ ”

Let’s read the Matthew passage together.

Matthew 6:9–13 NIV

9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘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 today 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 the evil one.’

“We live, as Jesus lived, in a world all too full of injustice, hunger, malice and evil. This prayer cries out for justice, bread, forgiveness and deliverance.” (N.T. Wright, The Lord and His Prayer)

6 petitions (requests)

3 are about the Father and his glory

3 are about material and spiritual needs

It is a model prayer. Jesus teaches us how to pray rather than what to pray.

Matthew (Praying (6:5–15))

The prayer is offered not so much as a command to pray but as an invitation to share in the prayer life of Jesus himself. (NT Wright)

It is a prayer that would be familiar to the first century Jews who became followers of Jesus because all of the phrases come from common Jewish prayers.

1. Look First to His Face. (Matt. 6:9-10)

Our Father (God) in heaven. (transcendent and yet loving and near like a Father)

IL: Bus in Palestine, little boy ran up to his dad saying “Abba”.

Personal name attached to a relationship of intimacy

Petition 1: May your name be holy.

indicated reverence and a commitment to submit to his reign and rule in our lives.

one wouldn’t highlight the holiness of the name and then turn around and speak against it with one’s life.

Matthew (Praying (6:5–15))

“Exalted and hallowed be his great name in the world which he created according to his will.…” (Quiddish prayer of the synagogue of Jesus’ day

this is the essence of the first three of the Ten Commandments

Matthew Praying (6:5–15)

“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything.… You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God …” (Ex. 20:3–7; Deut. 5:7–11).

Petition 2: May your kingdom come.

invites the presence of the Messiah into our everyday living.

Matthew (Praying (6:5–15))

“May he rule his kingdom in your lifetime and in your days and in the lifetime of the whole house of Israel, speedily and soon.” (Qaddish prayer)

Petition 3: May your will be done.

in heaven as it is on earth

heaven and earth is a shorthand phrase that includes the totality of all of God’s creation.

Wherever the kingdom is experienced his will will be accomplished.

Psalm 40:8 NIV

8 I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.”

Matthew 26:39 NIV

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Matthew 12:50 NIV

50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

These first three petitions set us up for the next three. They frame the priorities in such a way that the prayers for us will be preceded by our prayers for his kingdom.

We are less likely to pray selfishly when we start with his will over our own.

2. Look Second to His Hands. (Matt. 6:11-13)

Petition 4: Give us today our daily bread.

this petition asks God to provide for the daily needs of his people. It means more than bread and is a word that includes as human needs.

It speaks of dependence and humility. It speaks of God’s rule in our world. He is the one who provides.

Little children will sometimes thank the lord for the meat, the potatoes, the peas, and the bread, and the butter, and the salt, and the pepper, and the napkins, and the plates...

My wife sometimes laughs during my meal prayers because I will give thanks for the grain farmers and pork producers who have scratched the earth in order to feed us. I like to take a broader view of my provision. I often use the food as symbolic of all that God has provided to us.

Petition 5: Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

From physical needs we turn our attention to spiritual needs.

The verse assumes that we have already forgiven our debtors and now come with hearts ready to receive the forgiveness of God.

Matthew 6:14–15 NIV

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

the connection is from an imperfect forgiveness to a perfect forgiveness. It speaks forcefully about our need for forgiveness, but more so the need to forgive others.

How can we expect God to forgive the huge debt of sin that we owe when we are not able to forgive the small slights that people have done to us.

God’s people are by nature, forgivers.

this petition looks back but the next one looks to the present and the future.

Petition 6: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Lord, keep me from sin. The call is to a holy life that reflects the hallowed name of God himself.

My daily prayer includes words about staying close to the Father.

This is a prayer for the spiritual battle.

Lorica of Saint Patrick Saint Patrick

I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,  Through a belief in the Threeness,  Through confession of the Oneness  Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today  Through the strength of Christ's birth and His baptism,  Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,  Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,  Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today Through the strength of the love of cherubim,  In obedience of angels,  In service of archangels,  In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,  In the prayers of patriarchs,  In preachings of the apostles,  In faiths of confessors,  In innocence of virgins,  In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today Through the strength of heaven;  Light of the sun,  Splendor of fire,  Speed of lightning,  Swiftness of the wind,  Depth of the sea,  Stability of the earth,  Firmness of the rock.

I arise today Through God's strength to pilot me;  God's might to uphold me,  God's wisdom to guide me,  God's eye to look before me,  God's ear to hear me,  God's word to speak for me,  God's hand to guard me,  God's way to lie before me,  God's shield to protect me,  God's hosts to save me  From snares of the devil,  From temptations of vices,  From every one who desires me ill,  Afar and anear,  Alone or in a mulitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and evil,  Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,  Against incantations of false prophets,  Against black laws of pagandom,  Against false laws of heretics,  Against craft of idolatry,  Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,  Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.  Christ shield me today  Against poison, against burning,  Against drowning, against wounding,  So that reward may come to me in abundance.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,  Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,  Christ on my right, Christ on my left,  Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,  Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,  Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,  Christ in the eye that sees me,  Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,  Through a belief in the Threeness,  Through a confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of creation St. Patrick (ca. 377)

Conclusion: Putting it Together

Value structure and variety in prayer

Learn from Biblical authors (David and the Psalms, Paul’s prayers)

Learn from the prayers of others

Holy Father, Author of all things, I live and delight in your love this day. I desire to walk humbly with you and will love you with my mind, my heart, my soul, and my strength.

Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, I want to know you this day and to learn from you as I follow you and to share your love with those around me.

Holy Spirit, Presence and Power of God, fill me with yourself and display your fruit in my life today: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Blessed Trinity, who binds all things together, bind me to yourself today so that I may live in your presence and peace.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Learn to pray by simply praying