Sermons on Matthew 6:13
The various sermons below interpret Matthew 6:13 as a plea for divine protection and guidance in the face of temptation and evil. Both sermons emphasize that the verse is not about asking God to tempt us, as God does not tempt anyone, but rather about seeking deliverance from overwhelming trials and temptations. They highlight the dual nature of the Christian struggle, involving both internal temptations and external evils. The sermons use vivid analogies to illustrate the constant danger of temptation, such as a parent protecting a child or a person blindfolded in a busy street, underscoring the need for God's guidance and protection. This shared understanding reflects a common theological theme of reliance on divine grace and protection in the Christian journey.
While both sermons agree on the need for divine protection, they diverge in their theological emphases. One sermon highlights the trinitarian structure of the Lord's Prayer, focusing on the roles of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in providing for, pardoning, and protecting believers. This approach underscores the comprehensive nature of God's care for humanity through the lens of the Trinity. In contrast, the other sermon emphasizes the various forms of God's grace—common, special, restoring, and saving—as ways God answers the prayer to deliver us from evil. This perspective highlights the multifaceted nature of grace, from God's kindness to all people to the ultimate deliverance through faith in Jesus Christ.
Matthew 6:13 Interpretation:
Seeking Divine Protection: Understanding the Lord's Prayer (Trinity Bible Church) interprets Matthew 6:13 as a request for spiritual protection, emphasizing that the verse is not asking God to tempt us, as God does not tempt anyone. Instead, it is a plea for God to keep us away from situations where the temptation to sin is overwhelming. The sermon highlights the Greek verb used for "temptation" in James 1, which can also mean "trial" or "testing," suggesting that the prayer is about asking for deliverance from trials that could lead to sin. The sermon uses the analogy of a parent protecting a child to illustrate the relationship between God and believers, emphasizing the need for divine guidance and protection.
Deliverance from Evil: Trusting God's Grace (Open the Bible) interprets Matthew 6:13 as a prayer acknowledging the dual nature of the battle Christians face: internal temptations and external evils. The sermon emphasizes that the prayer is not about avoiding temptation entirely, which is impossible, but about not being overwhelmed by it. The preacher uses the analogy of a person blindfolded in a busy street to illustrate the constant danger of temptation and evil, highlighting the need for God's guidance and protection.
Matthew 6:13 Theological Themes:
Seeking Divine Protection: Understanding the Lord's Prayer (Trinity Bible Church) presents the theme of the Trinity in the structure of the Lord's Prayer, where the first three petitions focus on God's glory and the last three on God's grace towards us. The sermon emphasizes the need for provision, pardon, and protection, linking these needs to the roles of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This trinitarian structure is used to highlight the comprehensive nature of God's care for humanity.
Deliverance from Evil: Trusting God's Grace (Open the Bible) presents the theme of God's grace in various forms: common grace, special grace, restoring grace, and saving grace. Each type of grace is described as a way God answers the prayer to deliver us from evil. Common grace is God's kindness to all people, restraining evil and promoting good. Special grace is the strength given to believers during trials. Restoring grace is God's forgiveness and restoration after failure. Saving grace is the ultimate deliverance through faith in Jesus Christ.
Matthew 6:13 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Seeking Divine Protection: Understanding the Lord's Prayer (Trinity Bible Church) provides historical context by referencing the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, as recorded in Matthew 4. The sermon explains that Jesus' temptation was a fulfillment of his mission to succeed where Adam and Eve failed and to prove faithful where Israel was not. This historical insight underscores the significance of Jesus' victory over temptation as a model for believers.
Deliverance from Evil: Trusting God's Grace (Open the Bible) provides historical context by referencing the four horsemen of the apocalypse from the Book of Revelation. These horsemen symbolize different forms of evil—war, violence, famine, and death—that have intruded into God's good creation. The sermon explains that these evils are pervasive in the world and are a reason for the prayer to deliver us from evil.
Matthew 6:13 Cross-References in the Bible:
Seeking Divine Protection: Understanding the Lord's Prayer (Trinity Bible Church) references James 1:2 and 1:13 to explain the dual meaning of "temptation" as both trials and enticements to sin. The sermon also references Matthew 4, where Jesus is tempted in the wilderness, to illustrate the types of temptations believers face: pleasure, pride, and power. Additionally, Genesis 3 is mentioned to show the continuity of these temptations from the beginning of humanity, and 1 John 2 is cited to highlight the worldly nature of these temptations.
Deliverance from Evil: Trusting God's Grace (Open the Bible) references several Bible passages to expand on Matthew 6:13. The sermon mentions James 1:14 to explain how temptation arises from within, and 2 Corinthians 12:9 to illustrate God's grace being sufficient in weakness. It also references Romans 1 to discuss God's restraint on evil and Matthew 5:44-45 to describe common grace. Additionally, the sermon cites Philippians 4:13 and 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 to discuss special grace, and Micah 7:8 to illustrate restoring grace.
Matthew 6:13 Christian References outside the Bible:
Seeking Divine Protection: Understanding the Lord's Prayer (Trinity Bible Church) explicitly references Kevin DeYoung, who emphasizes that the Lord's Prayer is not asking God to tempt us but to keep us away from sin's allure. The sermon also quotes John Stott, who warns against underestimating the devil's strength and overestimating our own, highlighting the need for divine deliverance. Additionally, Charles Corl is cited, emphasizing the need for a savior, not just an assistant, in the spiritual battle against the devil. Andrew Murray is also mentioned for his teachings on prayer, particularly his work "With Christ in the School of Prayer," which encourages believers to seek divine guidance in prayer.
Deliverance from Evil: Trusting God's Grace (Open the Bible) explicitly references Dr. J.I. Packer, who provides a vivid analogy of a person blindfolded in a city street to describe the constant danger of temptation and evil. This analogy is used to emphasize the need for God's deliverance.
Matthew 6:13 Illustrations from Secular Sources:
Seeking Divine Protection: Understanding the Lord's Prayer (Trinity Bible Church) uses the cultural context of North American independence and self-reliance to illustrate the challenge of asking for help in prayer. The sermon contrasts this cultural mindset with the biblical call to depend on God as a loving Father, using the analogy of a child asking a parent for help to emphasize the relational aspect of prayer.
Deliverance from Evil: Trusting God's Grace (Open the Bible) uses the analogy of a hostage tied to a chair and blindfolded to illustrate the helplessness of humans in the face of evil and the need for divine intervention. This metaphor is used to explain the concept of deliverance from evil as something that requires God's action, akin to a rescue operation.