The Lord’s Prayer unites us, though our churches and even theologies can sometimes separate us. Catholic or Protestant, conservative or liberal, for a brief moment in worship, praying the Lord’s Prayer together unites us.
One theologian stated, “The Lord’s Prayer really is the creed that most connects the world’s Christians.”
However, we all at one time or another utter the Lord’s Prayer without thinking. We’ve memorized it, yet we don’t fully understand the depths of its content. We prayed it publicly together, although how often do we pray behind closed doors alone?
Regimen can reduce the Lord’s Prayer and we miss out what Jesus taught when His disciples asked Him, “Teach us to Pray.”
Today, I would like us to re-think anew the Lord’s Prayer. Reflect upon its beauty and ask yourself why church leaders such Martin Luther and St. Augustine observed thatthere was nothing more wonderful in the entire Bible than the Lord’s Prayer.
Consider its influence for our lives and think through its poetic frame as both Divinity and Humanity are interwoven.
First, let’s look at its context found in Matthew’s account of the Beatitudes. The disciples are experiencing Jesus’ description of the Kingdom of God which compels their desire for further instruction on prayer. Their observation, “No one had ever prayed like Jesus.”
The disciples knew His prayers were different, intimate and personal, humble, and the outcome produced supernatural results.
These men had likely prayed all of their lives. Their Jewish heritage required them to be discipled in the practice of prayer. Some historians say the average Jew, during the time of Jesus, prayed between three and four hours a day.
Their request to Jesus was not about scheduling prayer or eventhe quantity or quality of prayer. They craved to experience the intimate communion Jesus had with the Father that they witnessed first hand.
So what is it about the Lord’s Prayer that compelled His disciples to write it down, cause it to be modeled for generations, and, in itsunique simplicity, tie us together and bind us united with Him?
Charles Spurgeon described it like this:
“Jesus designed it in such a way that it would pass safely through the ages without being tampered with. He arranged it with consummate skill, so that it could not be twisted or distorted. Nor, adapted to any man made system, that in fact it would carry the whole Christ Message.”
There are five petitions included in the Lord’s Prayer.
First: Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
The first word Father, in the Lords Prayer is “Abba” which is the Aramaic name used by Jewish child for his or her father. Literally, “Abba” means “Daddy”.
No one before Jesus dared to think or teach that we could approach God in such an intimate way. That’s one of thereasons the disciples were stunned by the way Jesus prayed.
Rabbis spoke of God as the Father of the people. But Jesus was teaching them to address Godas their own personal Father. In Jesus’ day, “Father” included the concepts of Love, Care, Responsibility, Discipline, the Hopes and Dreams of one’s children, Respect and Blessing.
Today, in the west, our fatherhood concept is but a shell of the powerful concept that Jesus communicated through this simple word. “Our Father, Abba, Daddy”
We can talk to Our Father with great intimacy, love and devotion, Jesus not only prayed this way, He taught His disciples to pray this way, too.
Second: Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Ushering in God’s Kingdom is part of His perfect will in our individual lives. The Lord’s Prayerinforms us that it’sthe Father’s desire to bring heaven’s glory to His created order.
I’ve recently read, “We should not look like we’re going to heaven, instead we should look like we are coming from heaven.”
We long to see His kingdom. We want thechaos we live in to cease and to be replaced by Godly order. We want God’s intervention, yet, when we look at scripture, God desires a partnership.
Scripture reminds us that we belong to God’s kingdom.We find it’s here, yet its full reign is still to come. Our Father desires us to be participators—for us to live and work with Him to establish it.
A synergistic work between God and man takes place in prayer. It is interactive, reciprocal, and collaborative.
This places us on the cutting edge of kingdom living. Wherever we go, every personwe see has kingdom implications. If our desire is to see His kingdom come we will be aware of the kingdom before us, ushered in through our love and obedience and through the power of His prayer.
As we pray for His kingdom,we are submitting our lives. We exclaim “Give us what we need to do our part, to make this present day kingdom come.”
Third: Give us this day our daily bread
From the Gospel of John, we are reminded that Jesus himself is the Bread of Life; “He who comes to Me will not hunger and He who believes in Me will never thirst.”
That simple word “bread” carries with it the shared meals with Jesus during His life, before His death and after His resurrection.
It contains the multiplication meal, the Emmaus meal, the Lakeside meal, and the Eucharist meal. The bread of Christ has both spiritual and physical significance. Throughout the gospels, we see this Divine engagement of Christ as He took, blessed, broke, and gave to the masses.
It is the daily bread of justice, yet we must not forgetit is also the daily challenge of the injustice of the hungry. Could it be that God’s Kingdom Come involves a fair distributionof God’s nourishment for all Gods people?
This prayer represents the literal hope for enough breadtoday, which has been ancient dream of the Earth’s “have not’s.” Jesus, in this prayer, teaches us that we are dependent upon Him for our daily bread.
Fourth: Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
Sin is a sense of separateness from God and is the major tragedy of the Human experience.
In the Lord’s Prayer, we see a sequence of Divine forgiveness and then human forgiveness.
This is the invariable rule by which God dispenses pardon.
Forgiveness is another synergistic work of the Trinityin our lives. It enables us to not only be forgiven, but to be forgivers.
When we comebefore Him unwilling to forgive, harboring dark and revengeful thoughts, how can we expect God to show us mercy, when we are unwilling to show it to others?
An overbearing spiritshould not be used to oppressa debtor, especially if it greatly distresses a wife, child, widow or orphan.
For all the thingswhich we need to find forgiveness, might our greatest sin be our lack of human forgiveness?
Jesus,as He was crucifiedprayed “Father forgive them for they know NOT what they do.” Jesus demonstrated not to seek retribution or revenge, but offered a better way.
Jesus teaches us to love our enemies, and to pray for those who persecute us, so that we may be sons of “Our Father in Heaven.”
Fifth: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
In the previouspetition, “Forgive us our Debts” the request ismade that ourpast sins would be forgiven. Now, a plea is made that we would not be “led into temptation” thus avoiding evil.
God is not the prime-mover behind all temptationsnor does He lead usinto a life that is free of it. Rather, He teaches us to depend on Him for necessary strength.
New and powerfultemptations await uson our path, ever ready to throw us downif we are not prepared. Temptations come toserve forself-glory and self-gratification instead of for loving God.
It is interesting that the petitionsof the Lord’s Prayerend inthis way. Knowing God can deliver usfrom the Evil One and bring redemption is a powerful reminder ofthe Gospel that changes lives.
God’s power to bring His goodness to a desperate world gives us tremendous Hope.
You and I can be “Hope Bearers” to those who experience the dark, oppressed existence that seems impossible to overcome.
As we conclude the Lord’s Prayer, we are reminded again who sits on the throne. The Kingdom is His, the Power is His, and the Glory is His forever.
Charles Spurgeon said, “The entire Christ message is carried in this prayer.”
You see Jesus knew the Disciples needed this prayer, the church needed it, and the truth is—we all need it. May we live it out.