CHRISTIAN BASICS

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Matthew 6 v. 9 – 13

(Luke 11 v. 2 – 4)

Even in secular Britain today most people know the words of the Lord’s Prayer. It appears in two versions in the Gospels and is a door into exploration of the spirituality of Jesus and the nature of the Gospel itself. Here are five sessions following the themes of this famous prayer from Matthew chapter 6. The old and most familiar version of the prayer is used in the five session headings but you will find it helpful to compare newer translations and interpretations.

SESSION 1

OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN

‘Our Father’ describes the relationship Jesus has with his Father God and which we can discover by faith in Christ. It combines understandings of God that are personal, intimate and corporate (‘our’).

What is expressed in the phrase ‘Our Father’ for you?

Romans 8 v. 12 – 17 – The apostle Paul’s teaching on our adoption as children of the Father.

Many names are given to God in the Bible – ‘The Lord’, ‘The Holy One’, ‘Almighty’, ‘Immanuel’.... Think of others and what they say about God’s being and character.

He is ‘in heaven’ – a different dimension, not on earth.

God transcendent and imminent.

The Son is God down-to-earth. The Father’s dwelling place is heaven.

So what is heaven? How might you describe it?

Jesus shows a unique relationship to the Father – John 17

On the cross he says: ‘Father forgive them....’ Luke 23 v. 34

HALLOWED BE THY NAME

The awesome holiness of God in contrast to sinful humanity.

Isaiah has a vision of the holiness of God – How does he feel about himself and God?

The name of God has special significance and reverence. Jews would avoid saying the name of God so they used other phrases: eg ‘the Holy One of Israel’.

God is against idolatry and blasphemy though we see and hear this all the time: Exodus 20 v. 3, 4 & 7.

He demands exclusive allegiance.

SESSION 2

THY KINGDOM COME

Looking forward is an important ingredient in being alive! We need hope. Jewish hope was for the establishment of the reign of God over the nations. Jesus extends and modifies this hope to present and future (the now and the not yet) in speaking often of the Kingdom of God / Heaven.

The Kingdom of God is the reign of God – Where and how does God reign in the present and the future?

At the start of Jesus’ ministry - Mark 1 v. 15 ‘ The Kingdom of God is at hand’

His teaching: Matthew 13 - The growth and discovery of the kingdom.

His return: Matthew 25 - The coming of the kingdom.

Parable and warning speak of an eschatological (last time) glorious Kingdom. One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord – Philippians 2 v. 11. How does that challenge and encourage you?

THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

We pray and look forward to a time when what happens on earth mirrors God’s perfect plans, standards and values. How do you envisage that?

We ask that our world may be transformed (or restored) into the world God would desire and in which he would be honoured.

Matthew 5 – 7 speaks of the transformation in values and actions that will bring heaven to earth.

God’s people are to be salt and light in the world he created perfect but which has become tasteless and dark.

We pray for a new flourishing of God’s ways on earth. We look forward to Christ's second coming - 1 Thessalonians 4 & 5. How can we be ready for that?

SESSION 3

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD

Here is the part of the payer that most of us are best at – requests! Note however, that the requests come only after giving God his glory and praying for his plans to prevail. This is no ‘shopping list’ of self centred wishes.

We are to ask for what we need – distinguishing needs from wants as necessary.

God’s people have always needed bread – Exodus 16 – led by Moses, Israel receives manna in the wilderness.

Jesus takes the need for and provision of bread by God into a different dimension by stating that he is ‘the Bread of Life’- John 6 v. 35.

We break the bread at communion to remember Jesus’ broken body

- 1 Corinthians 11 v23-24.

Whether we think of Jesus as the bread here in this prayer or it representing our daily needs, we affirm our dependence on God.

How do you express a hunger for God?

In Luke 11 Jesus follows what we know as the Lord’s Prayer with a story about a neighbour requesting bread and the need to be persistent in prayer v. 5 – 13. This relates especially to hunger for the Holy Spirit. Far from being reluctant, the Father longs to receive and act upon our prayers.

God’s sovereign plans and fore knowledge does not preclude our prayers having great effect - Ask, Seek, Knock.

SESSION 4

AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES

Having affirmed the holiness of God we recall the sinfulness of human beings, including ourselves. We have failed in keeping both the letter and the spirit of the law. We know that – God knows that. Though our age recognises doubt more than guilt, we have hardly begun to follow Christ if we have not recognised our need for forgiveness from a holy loving God. He forgives us in the same way the welcoming father receives the returning prodigal in Luke 15 v. 11 – 32.

1 John 1 v. 7 - 10 – God is able to forgive us through the sacrifice of Jesus and at our humble request. (Mark 1 v. 15)

Jesus has cancelled our debt of sin by his death on the cross – the price is paid – John 19 v. 30.

How do you confess to God?

How do you know and show that you are forgiven?

AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US

The test of receiving God’s forgiveness through the cross of Christ is the ability and desire to forgive others – Matthew 18 v. 21 – 35: The unforgiving servant forgets that he has been forgiven much and will not forgive his debtor. In the end therefore he is not forgiven by God.

In Jewish law (theoretically at least) the cancelation of debt at the Year of Jubilee, every 49 years, meant that shares were evened out twice a century and people were reminded that all they had ultimately belonged to God. Radical stuff. How would that work today?

There will no longer be a culture of retribution, an eye for an eye – Matthew 5 v. 38 – 42 – Jesus sets out an opposite set of values.

How radical or counter cultural is your discipleship?

Who do I need to forgive?

What is my plan to allow this to happen?

SESSION 5

AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION

We sometimes say ‘I can resist everything but temptation!’ We confess our weakness, self - centredness and vulnerability – We often want what we do not need or what is not ours or is not good for us.

Aware of this, we therefore pray that God will help us to keep close to him in order to avoid some pit falls, which will deflect our discipleship.

Jesus was tempted but did not succumb - Matthew 4 v. 1 – 11

How did he overcome temptation?

God can use circumstances to test our faith but he will also protect and strengthen us, especially when we commit our whole life and immediate circumstances into his hands.

BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL

Jesus was very aware of the battle against evil which he and his followers faced as they challenged the devil’s territory. This was evident in his healing ministry - Mat. 9 v 28-34, but also in sending out his followers to declare that Good News - Luke 10 v. 8 – 20.

We have some protective and some offensive armour for the fight of faith. The armour is closely linked to prayer – Ephesians 6 v. 11 – 20. Identify the most needful pieces of equipment in your case as listed by Paul in this letter.

Jesus is our deliverer from the power of evil to the Kingdom of God. There is a once and for all deliverance through the cross but an on-going daily battle to overcome evil with good. We seek God in prayer to understand and experience both.

(FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM THE POWER AND THE GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN.)

This phrase is not included in the biblical text and is referred to as ‘the doxology’ – a final shout of confident praise to God at the end of prayer. It returns us to the opening lines of Jesus’ prayer extolling the wonder and majesty of the Father.