Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13)
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The Lord's prayer in Matthew is part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Yet, in Luke it is given to Jesus' disciples when one of his disciples requested him to teach them to pray just as John the Baptist taught his disciples.
In Matthew, before Jesus gave his disciples the Lord's prayer, he taught them about prayer.
Jesus tells them: "When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them.
What He is telling his disciples and us is that prayer is not to show off in public but to be answered by God. And the prayer is in most cases a private matter and a private conversation between God and me.
Thus. Jesus tells his disciples: "When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then, your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you."
Then, Jesus teaches them another thing about prayer: "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again. Don't be like them, because your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him!"
Praying for one subject until it is answered is different from babbling on and on without confidence.
Thus, you can keep on praying on one prayer topic without doubt and with confidence until it is answered.
In Matthew, before Jesus gave his disciples the Lord's prayer, he taught them about prayer.
Jesus tells them: "When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them.
What He is telling his disciples and us is that prayer is not to show off in public but to be answered by God. And the prayer is in most cases a private matter and a private conversation between God and me.
Thus. Jesus tells his disciples: "When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then, your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you."
Then, Jesus teaches them another thing about prayer: "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again. Don't be like them, because your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him!"
Praying for one subject until it is answered is different from babbling on and on without confidence.
Thus, you can keep on praying on one prayer topic without doubt and with confidence until it is answered.
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Then, Jesus teaches his disciples the Lord's prayer.
Like other prayers, this Lord's prayer is also not for the corporate or group use but for the private use.
The Lord's prayer is for our daily lives.
The Lord's prayer consists of two main sections--"you" and "we" sections.
The "you" section is about God--the prayer of adoration to God.
The "we" section is about us--the petition for our lives.
The Lord's prayer starts with "Our Father who is in Heaven"
This tells us to whom we shall pray. We pray to our God who is in Heaven.
As a matter of fact, God is not only in Heaven but also in every place because He is the omnipresent God.
But here Jesus teaches God's superior and transcendent character.
Yet, God is the Father who wants to have an intimate relation with each one of us.
The First prayer in adoration is "Hallowed (or Sanctified) be Your Name."
We are not the ones who can make God's name holy. God's holiness is not dependent upon us. His holiness is unchangeable and eternal.
Thus this prayer is our wish that God's holy name may be revealed in our lives and thus we may properly glorify Him.
The Second prayer in adoration is "Your Kingdom come."
God's Kingdom is the domain where God governs wholly.
Our households and our church can be God's Kingdom on earth when we completely obey to God.
Thus, God's Kingdom can come in our families and in our church that are on earth when we yield ourselves to our Lord.
The Third prayer in adoration is "Your Will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven."
Heaven is the place where God's Will is always realized.
God's Will will be realized here on earth, in our church, in our households when we are willing to listen to God's Word and honor His Will.
Then, the Lord's prayer moves on "we" section which also consists of three prayers.
The First prayer in our petition is "Give us this day our daily bread."
This prayer is to acknowledge that God is our provider and sustainer.
God provided the Israelites with manna and quails when they marched in the wilderness for forty years before they entered into the Canaan land, the land flowing with milk and honey.
The God of Israel is also the God of all believers today and provided us with daily bread every day.
The Second prayer in our petition is "forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors."
Some people may think that they don't have any debts to God--that is, they are not sinners.
They may not commit any visible sins or wrong-doings.
But, the Bible tells us that sins include all our wicked thoughts and mind--greed, hatred, impurity, evil desire, passion, covetousness, wrath, slander, and foul talk, etc.
Nobody is free from these things.
Apostle John tells us in 1 John 1:8-9: "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
God will forgive us all our debts.
But to be forgiven our debts by God, we should also forgive our debtors.
Jesus in verses 14-15 tells us: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
The Third prayer in our petition is "lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil."
forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors."
We are frequently exposed to temptation because of our human weaknesses.
And sometimes we find that it is very hard not to be tempted. Thus, we need God's help not to be tempted and to win over it when we are tempted.
Jesus tells his disciples in Matt. 26:41: "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation."
Sometimes we may be tempted because our excessive greed." Thus, we need to remove our greed by the help of the Holy Spirit.
Even when we are tempted due to our human weaknesses, we need to pray to God for His help. Then, He may deliver us from evil.
Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure."
Then, the Lord's prayer ends with exclamation: "For Thine, is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory forever. Amen."
Like other prayers, this Lord's prayer is also not for the corporate or group use but for the private use.
The Lord's prayer is for our daily lives.
The Lord's prayer consists of two main sections--"you" and "we" sections.
The "you" section is about God--the prayer of adoration to God.
The "we" section is about us--the petition for our lives.
The Lord's prayer starts with "Our Father who is in Heaven"
This tells us to whom we shall pray. We pray to our God who is in Heaven.
As a matter of fact, God is not only in Heaven but also in every place because He is the omnipresent God.
But here Jesus teaches God's superior and transcendent character.
Yet, God is the Father who wants to have an intimate relation with each one of us.
The First prayer in adoration is "Hallowed (or Sanctified) be Your Name."
We are not the ones who can make God's name holy. God's holiness is not dependent upon us. His holiness is unchangeable and eternal.
Thus this prayer is our wish that God's holy name may be revealed in our lives and thus we may properly glorify Him.
The Second prayer in adoration is "Your Kingdom come."
God's Kingdom is the domain where God governs wholly.
Our households and our church can be God's Kingdom on earth when we completely obey to God.
Thus, God's Kingdom can come in our families and in our church that are on earth when we yield ourselves to our Lord.
The Third prayer in adoration is "Your Will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven."
Heaven is the place where God's Will is always realized.
God's Will will be realized here on earth, in our church, in our households when we are willing to listen to God's Word and honor His Will.
Then, the Lord's prayer moves on "we" section which also consists of three prayers.
The First prayer in our petition is "Give us this day our daily bread."
This prayer is to acknowledge that God is our provider and sustainer.
God provided the Israelites with manna and quails when they marched in the wilderness for forty years before they entered into the Canaan land, the land flowing with milk and honey.
The God of Israel is also the God of all believers today and provided us with daily bread every day.
The Second prayer in our petition is "forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors."
Some people may think that they don't have any debts to God--that is, they are not sinners.
They may not commit any visible sins or wrong-doings.
But, the Bible tells us that sins include all our wicked thoughts and mind--greed, hatred, impurity, evil desire, passion, covetousness, wrath, slander, and foul talk, etc.
Nobody is free from these things.
Apostle John tells us in 1 John 1:8-9: "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
God will forgive us all our debts.
But to be forgiven our debts by God, we should also forgive our debtors.
Jesus in verses 14-15 tells us: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
The Third prayer in our petition is "lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil."
forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors."
We are frequently exposed to temptation because of our human weaknesses.
And sometimes we find that it is very hard not to be tempted. Thus, we need God's help not to be tempted and to win over it when we are tempted.
Jesus tells his disciples in Matt. 26:41: "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation."
Sometimes we may be tempted because our excessive greed." Thus, we need to remove our greed by the help of the Holy Spirit.
Even when we are tempted due to our human weaknesses, we need to pray to God for His help. Then, He may deliver us from evil.
Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure."
Then, the Lord's prayer ends with exclamation: "For Thine, is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory forever. Amen."
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We shall cite the Lord's prayer in our daily lives to keep our good and intimate relationship with God every day.
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