MATTHEW 6:9-13 MAY 1, 2011
“THE DISCIPLES’ PRAYER”
In my experience I find that many Christians have difficulty with prayer and spend little time praying, except for emergency prayers just in case God answers. A story is told of two Irishmen, Pat and Mike, who were clinging to some planks in the icy ocean waters after their ship had sunk. Pat was contemplating repenting of his great profanity. His fellow companion in the icy waters, Pat, felt no need to be concerned with his spiritual welfare. Pat began to pray and was about to confess when his friend, Mike spotted a ship coming in their direction. Mike hollered, “Hold it, Pat, don’t commit yourself, here’s a ship!” J.I. Packer, a well known theologian has stated: “The answer is clear. People have a problem about prayer because of the muddle they are in about God. If you are uncertain whether God exists, or whether he is personal, or good, or in control of things, or concerned about ordinary folk like you and me, you are bound to conclude that praying is pretty pointless, not to say trivial, and then you won’t do it.” (“I Want to be a Christian”, p. 171-172) Our prayer life or the lack of it; reveals the depth of our spiritual maturity. If we pray little it is a sign that we are still in the kiddy pool!
When many people pray, their prayers are usually focused only on themselves. Is this correct? In Matthew 6 Jesus teaches the disciples (that means us) how we are to pray. This prayer is called the Lord’s Prayer, yet it should be called the disciples’ prayer. Please notice the words Jesus used, "This, then, is how you should pray”. Jesus did not say this is what you should pray. Jesus said this is how you should pray. Jesus provides a model of how we are to pray. There is nothing wrong in reciting the words as a prayer, yet Jesus teaches us to go deeper than reciting the same words over and over. Remember what Jesus said just before he taught the disciple’s how to pray. Matthew 6:7-8 (NIV) “7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” We need to be careful when we pray each Sunday the Lord’s Prayer that we are not simply “babbling” the words with no meaning behind them.
The disciples’ prayer in Matthew 6 has six petitions: with the first three calling on the disciples to focus on God and then the last three are then concerned with personal requests. Jesus invites his disciples to join him in addressing Yahweh, the Almighty God, as Father. During the time of the Roman Empire the emperor had led the Roman army to victory and was leading the “triumphant march” through the city streets of Rome where the citizens were wildly cheering and celebrating. As the procession approached the royal family the youngest son dashed into the crowd pushing his way through, yelling for his father. A centurion stopped him and rebuked the boy for calling the emperor, father. The young boy told the soldier, “He may be your emperor, but he is my father.” Jesus is God’s son and he invites us to also call on “our heavenly father”. Jesus spent many hours talking with his Father and he invites us to do the same. As most of you know the word Jesus used (Abba) is the word for Daddy.
Why do you think Jesus tells us to “hallow” the name of God? Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV) “9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” To hallow God’s name is to hold it in reverence. This weekend millions watched the royal wedding with such awe and wonder. Yet most would not take any notice of using God’s name as a curse. So many people are preoccupied with their own concerns they overlook how they treat their heavenly Father, who created them and brought them to faith in Jesus. We need to tell ourselves often, “It’s not about me!”
The second petition is: “10 your kingdom come”. On of the Jewish prayers was, “May God rule His kingdom in your lifetime and in your days and in the lifetime of the whole house of Israel, speedily and soon.” This prayer request should come easily as we see the pain and turmoil that is so prevalent in our world and our prayer should be that our Father will speedily bring about his rule over the entire world. The world is lost without Him, and so are we. The early church expressed this in the Greek word “Maranatha”. Maranatha means “Come, O Lord” come quickly.
The third request is: “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This request is linked to the preceding one. We should be asking our Father for His purpose to be brought about.” Paul spoke of this with the Ephesians in Ephesians 1:11-12 (NIV) “11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed in Matthew 26:39 (NIV) “39 "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Our prayers should center on the same concern as Jesus. None of us enjoys suffering in any form. In John 4:34 (NIV) “34 "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” O Father, may your will be done in all things in which I find myself involved.
As Christians we are children of the King and we are called to be His servants, doing his will. It is only human to be narrowly self focused. Yet God has set us free to love and serve Him. Matthew 6:33 (NIV) “33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Once we have our priorities straight then we are instructed to pray for our needs.
The fourth request is “11 Give us today our daily bread.” The scripture uses the term bread to encompass not only our food but all of our needs, physical and spiritual. Philippians 4:19 (NIV) “19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” We are called to go before our Father on a daily basis. If God cares for us today, then most certainly He will take care of tomorrow. Shortly after World War II a single mother was totally without food for herself and for her children. She went to the local grocer who was not known for helping others. She asked for enough food to feed the children for Christmas. When he asked how much she could afford. She said, “Truthfully, I have nothing to offer, but a little prayer.” The store owner was unmoved and told her sarcastically, “You write out your prayer on a slip of paper and I will give you its weight in groceries.” To his surprise, she said I already wrote out my prayer. She pulled out a small slip of paper from her pocket and laid it down on the old fashioned scales. He was in dismay when he placed a loaf of bread on it and the scales did not move. He watched in horror as the food piled up with milk and several canned goods. He finally said that’s enough for one day. You can pack your own groceries. The woman tearfully thanked him as she bagged her groceries. As the woman left his store he looked at the written prayer. “Please, dear Lord, give us this day our daily bread.”
The fifth request is, “12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Sin creates am obligation or debt to God that we can not repay. Each of us are grateful that God has forgiven us our sins. Our gratefulness is to cause us to then forgive others as we have been forgiven. Forgiveness is at the heart of what following Christ means. Jesus emphasized the importance of forgiveness in Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV) “14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” As Christians we are obligated to forgive others. It is our continuing debt that we owe to our Father.
The sixth request is, “13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” God does not tempt his people to do evil that is the work of Satan. We are in a daily spiritual battle and we need the help of our Father. James 1:12-15 (NIV) “12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” This petition is similar to the Jewish daily prayer: “Bring me not into the power of sin, and not into the power of guilt, and not into the power of temptation, and not into the power of anything shameful. Some may notice that the Lord’s prayer we recite says to deliver us from evil. Either rendering is appropriate. It is by God’s strength we can have spiritual victory and we need to depend on Him.
The Gospel of Matthew does not include the liturgical ending “for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever. Amen.” This was included by the early church and is a rendering of the prayer in I Chronicles 29:11. My prayer for you this day is that the prayer life of each of us will increase and in so doing we will find a greater joy. Prayer is best learned by doing. The Lord be with you.
Let us pray.
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