The Lord’s Prayer (The Model Prayer)
The Lord’s Prayer (The Model Prayer)
Jesus, being the firstborn and the express image of God was sent to restore us to the Father. One of the ways in which He did this was by being a good example, a model we can emulate.
Another way Jesus prepared us for restoration to the Father was through His teachings.
Jesus was a good teacher.
We as followers of Christ are to emulate Him and abide by His teachings.
It begs the question, who is a follower of Christ?
Are you a follower of Christ?
Did you know that there are only three accounts of the word, Christian, in the New Testament? (Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, 1 Peter 4:16)
However, that term is ubiquitous today and is what followers of Christ are called.
Who is a Christian?
A christian is a follower of Christ whose heart and behavior reflects Christ.
Acts 11:26
They(Barnabas and Paul) were first called Christians not just because they taught a large crowd like Jesus did, but because their teachings reflected the heart of Christ. They were able to emulate Christ so much that it reflected in their teachings. People saw this and could tell they were disciples of Jesus. They showed Jesus’ heart in their teachings and conducts. This is why it is necessary for us to study the teachings of Christ, so that our speech, heart and behavior are reflective of Him.
2 Timothy 2:15
Christ taught many lessons and messages, and there is one in particular that we often overlook or do not give much attention. One of the lessons He taught was how to pray.
In the book of Luke, as we will read, one of the disciples asked Christ to teach us how to pray.
Christ being a good model had just finished praying when one of His disciples asked Him to teach us how to pray. I’d assume we are all aware of the cliche term, practice what you teach. Christ was an embodiment of this. He practiced what He taught.
There are two recordings of the Lord’s prayer. One in Matthew and the other in Luke.
I’d have us read the Lord’s prayer from Matthew and then from Luke before we break down the Lord’s prayer itself.
Matthew 6:9-13
9 In this manner, therefore, 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 this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Luke 11: 1 - 4
1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your Kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.”
Breakdown of the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father In Heaven
The opening line shows God as a Father that we can relate with. It establishes that we have a relationship with Him and can approach Him. It also specifically sets God apart as not merely a father, but the Heavenly Father. The Father and creator of all things. This shows reverence for God, but also teaches us that in all of His might, our great God still loves us and wants a relationship with us.
Hallowing the name of God
What does it mean to hallow?
Merriam Webster dictionary meaning of Hallow:
to make holy or set apart for holy use
To respect greatly: venerate (reverence)
Why does the name of the Lord need to be hallowed?
Even though God is a gentle and loving father, that is not all of His attributes. He also has a side that is to be feared and reverenced. He is the Almighty God, the creator of the Universe, the King of Kings, self-existing God, the I am… I can go on and on about His greatness. We can’t just choose the loving God and dismiss the Almighty, all-powerful and sovereignty of God. We should always be mindful of the immanence and transcendence of God whenever we come into His presence. We should endeavor to model our lives to Hallow God in all that we do.
Your Kingdom Come. Your will be done
This expresses a desire for the things that are dear to God. His kingdom signifies His supremacy. When we pray this, we invite Him to come and reign. He gave us free will, the ability to choose, and will not impose on us, even though He can. He expects us to invite him into our lives. This is evidence of His loving nature. We acknowledge His supremacy when we ask that His will be done. It is humbling ourselves and surrendering to His will.
On earth as it is in heaven
It is obvious that Heaven is the Kingdom of God. Although He created earth, He respects the principles He has established. He gave man dominion over earth and will only move in this domain like He does in Heaven when we invite Him. It also shows where we lay up our treasures. It shows that our hearts are on the things that are dear to Him. Matthew 6:19-21
Give us this day our daily bread
When we fully surrender to Him, we also allow him to provide our daily needs. Luke 11:11-12 We trust in His ability to provide for us. We show Him that we can rest fully in Him and trust that He can sustain us.
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us
Forgiving others as God forgave is Christ-like. It is one of the most difficult things to do. How many of you find forgiveness easy? Yes, it is a difficult thing to do. It is God’s will that we love Him and love our neighbors. Matthew 22:37-40 It is actually a commandment. I am sure we all love ourselves. At least, to a certain degree. We love ourselves to seek God’s forgiveness. In the same way that we want forgiveness from God, we should be able to forgive others. May God give us the grace to forgive others in Jesus name. Amen…
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
When we submit to God, He leads us. The 23rd Psalm is a good illustration of how God leads. Psalm 23 However, there are times we go on our own. In times like that, we walk through temptation. If we fully rely on Him, he can direct us out with His rod in a loving and comforting way.
This part of the prayer is a petition to God to not leave us when we walk away from Him. Here we acknowledge that God has the power to deliver us from evil circumstances and temptations.
In the book of Psalms we are to enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. The Lord’s prayer starts off with doing this. We acknowledge God’s sovereignty and kindness before making any petition to Him. We can approach His throne with Confidence, knowing that He will hear us and longs to commune with us. As we go about our daily lives, let us strive to live out the principles of this prayer, honoring God, seeking His kingdom, trusting in His provision, extending forgiveness and walking in the light of His provision.
