Lord, Teach us to Pray… Luke 11:1-4 Matthew 6:9-13

Prayer, a common practice… Every religion has “prayer” as a tenet – Some are simply meditation, using sounds to “clear the mind” – Even some “atheists” “pray” – to connect with the “cosmic spirit”

Prayer, a common practice… Every religion has “prayer” as a tenet – Some are simply meditation, using sounds to “clear the mind” – Even some “atheists” “pray” – to connect with the “cosmic spirit” Most religious prayers are formulaic and ritualistic – Matthew 6:7-8 – Many prescribe certain times, postures, language, etc. – Most require some sort of sacrifice – Judges 16:23 – Some involve self-mutilation, “proof of sincerity” – cf. 2 Kings 18:28 – Others pray to specific deities for specific issues Jesus’ disciples recognized something different in His praying: He knew the One He talked to!

“Lord, teach us to pray…” This passage is often referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer” – It is more properly designated as “the disciple’s prayer” or “the model prayer” – It lays the basic framework for prayer for Jesus’ followers The model given in Luke is also recorded by Matthew, but in a different context The King James version has both author’s wording as nearly identical. – There are some differences in the Greek manuscripts

Matt. 6:9 "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is 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 do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]' Luke 11:2 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 also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'" [NASB]

Prayer was a defining attribute of Jesus – Luke 5:16 – He taught by precept in Matthew 6 – He taught by example in Luke 9 – He taught by principle in Luke 11 Jesus associated prayer with living in the Spirit’s power and escaping the enemy’s distractions – Luke 18:1 – Mark 14:38; Luke 22:40

The Foundation for Prayer Luke 11:1 …one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples." – The rabbis taught their disciples particular prayers – Several of Jesus’ disciples had first been John’s – John 1:35-37 The disciples sensed that prayer was a real and vital force in the life of Jesus – It was much more than a ritual of religion with Him – Things happened when He prayed!

2 And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come…” – Father – Real prayer is based on relationship – This relationship is personal, intimate, loving, and permanent – Matthew’s gospel adds Our to the address: we pray in the context of community – We are joined to our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ - Matthew 18:20 As Christians our prayers center not on ourselves but on the needs of others – Matthew also supplies in Heaven – we join our Father in eternity when we pray; we are transported from the limitations of time and space into His presence!

…hallowed be Your name… – His Name must be honored – Exodus 20:7 – His Name is holy, first and last. – As we invoke His Name we, too, come in holiness Leviticus 11:44; 1 Peter 1:16 Jesus taught us to pray in His Name – John 14:13- 14, 16:23 – We ask for what He would ask for – We bless what and whom He would bless – We act in prayer and in every other aspect of life as His representatives – 2 Cor. 5:20

Your kingdom come… Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son He says, "YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.” – Real prayer is rightly related to Authority – Matt. 8:9 Matthew 28:18 – To pray for His Kingdom to come is to declare Him Sovereign of one’s own life – To seek His kingdom on earth is to seek peace, righteousness, and justice, and to live each day in the full joy of eternal life with Him

Matt. 6:10 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ – In Heaven His will is executed immediately and without question – Matt. 8:8-13 – How can I pray for His will to be done on earth without surrendering to it in my own personal life? – How can I look at the affairs of earthly life and ignore the frame of reference of God’s Kingdom and His will? – I must decide beforehand that as He reveals His will I stand ready and willing to do it This leads to a sanctified life This implies that I am always seeking His will in each matter and in each aspect of my life

God is our Source Luke 11:3 'Give us each day our daily bread.’ – Note that real prayer does not ask to own a grocery store! – Real prayer is from a heart that trusts God to provide – Real prayer is satisfied with the day’s supply, simple as it may be – Real prayer reveals a grateful heart that acknowledges God as the source of all we have and enjoy Prov. 30:8 … Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, 9 that I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?" or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God.

Real Prayer is from a Clean Heart 4 'And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us…’ – Here Luke uses hamartia - “to miss the mark, to wander from the law of God, violate God’s law, sin” – Matthew uses opheilēma - that which is owed, that which is justly or legally due, a debt – In both records real prayer sets the standard and expectation for forgiveness on our own willingness to forgive one who has wronged us Matthew 6:14-15 Colossians 3:13

“’…And lead us not into temptation.'“ Why pray such a thing, in light of James 1:13? James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. – To pray thus is to confess our weakness and to acknowledge our susceptibility to temptation – It is also to recognize that as children of God we must keep ourselves pure for Him – 1 Thes. 4:3-5

Matt. 6:13 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ Better, from the evil one – – just as we should “practice His presence,” being aware of Him near us always, – So we must be aware of our enemy’s agenda and motives John 10:10 1 Peter 5:8-9

Begin and end with Praise! Matt. 6:13 …[For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]' This well-known and much loved “doxology” to the Prayer is not in the “oldest and best manuscripts” – Many later manuscripts do contain it; it was probably added by a scribe from early church prayer liturgy – Regardless of this, to close our prayer with such praise is more than fitting His Kingdom is indeed everlasting - Psalm 145:13 His power is absolute – Psalm 21:13; Revelation 11:17 His glory is our goal – Psalm 24:7, 9; Revelation 4:11