The School of Prayer Praying as Jesus Taught

The School of Prayer Praying as Jesus Taught The Lord’s Prayer Pt. 1

The Lord’s Prayer is found in both Matthew and Luke’s version starts with Jesus’ disciples asking Him to teach them to pray. Luk 11: 1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples. ”

Matthew’s version is found in a discourse on prayer. Mat 6: 7 -9 7 And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven. . . ”

I used to think the Lord’s Prayer was a short prayer; but as I live longer, and see more of life, I begin to believe there is no such thing as getting through it. If a man, in praying that prayer, were to be stopped by every word until he had thoroughly prayed it, it would take him a lifetime. Henry Ward Beecher

The Lord’s Prayer is an excellent model, but it was never intended to be a magical incantation to get God’s attention. Jesus gave this prayer as a pattern to suggest the variety of elements that should be included when we pray. Bill Hybels

The Address: Our Father which art in heaven God is OUR Father Eph 4: 6 [There is] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

which art in heaven The Hebrew word shamayim [ ]םמי ש means the heavens, sky, outer space as well the invisible, supernatural realm, heaven.

Thus, Our Father, which art in heaven means, Our Father, who is everywhere.

ABBA: Jesus’ original prayer likely used the word Abba, which can mean father, the father, my father or even our father. Mar 14: 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will. ”

Jews never used Abba for God, because it was considered too common. Joh 5: 18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Jesus gave his followers all the rights and privileges of sons of God. Gal 4: 4 -7 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

What did ancient Jews think it meant to be a son of God?

In the Apocrypha, (Wisdom 2: 10 -20), the wicked reason about oppressing the man who has God for his Father. The wicked draw the conclusion (vs. 18): if the virtuous man is God’s son, God will take his part and rescue him from the clutches of his enemies.

Let’s look at some of the other privileges:

Confidence in God’s concern for our needs Mat 6: 31 -32 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat? ’ or ‘What shall we drink? ’ or ‘What shall we wear? ’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

Access to God’s presence Mat 7: 7 -8 7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

The privilege to make requests and confidence of a favorable response Mat 7: 9 -11 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

A revelation of the Father Mat 11: 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

The obligation to obey the Father Mar 14: 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will. ”

Hallowed be thy name What it isn’t: It is not just a statement that God’s name is holy. What it is: It is a command that God’s name should be made holy.

God makes things holy by fire and by water With water He washes, with fire He burns.

When we ask God to sanctify His name upon us, we are asking to be washed. Eph 5: 25 -27 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

When we ask God to sanctify His name on an unsubmitted world, He does it with judgement. Eze 39: 6 -7 I will send fire upon Magog and upon those who live securely in the coastlands; thus they shall know that I am the LORD. I will make my holy name known among my people Israel; I will no longer allow my holy name to be profaned. Thus the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

God makes His name holy through those who worship Him. We are asking God to manifest Himself through us. Isa 29: 23 For when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

Thy Kingdom Come What is the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom is God being King.

When does God’s kingdom come? The kingdom of God has come when its power is manifested. Mat 12: 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven Literally: Thy will be! – as in heaven and on earth.

The word will represents the Hebrew word ratzon ( )צוןר Ratzon means: • Desire • Favour • Good pleasure Luk 2: 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

God created according to His will Rev 4: 11 Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.

on earth as it is in heaven ως εν ουρανω και επι της γης os en ourano kai epi tes ges The Greek text literally says, as in heaven and on earth.

Heaven and Earth together comprise the totality of God’s creation. Gen 14: 19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; ”

Jesus told us to pray as God did in creation. The word BE [yehi ( ])יהי is found in Gen 1: 3 when God commanded light to be! • When we pray for God’s will to be done we must command it to be done. • We are to pray for ourselves as well as for others this way.

Jesus used this word when He prayed • • For a sick person (Mat 8: 13) For blind men (Mat 9: 29) For a demon possessed girl. (Mat 15: 28) For himself to do God’s will. (Mat 26: 42)

Jesus’ resurrection is the beginning of God’s new project not to snatch people away from earth to heaven but to colonize earth with the life of heaven. That, after all, is what the Lord’s Prayer is all about. NT Wright