Understanding God as our Father is foundational to meaningful prayer. This relationship is not natural but granted through faith in Jesus, transforming our approach to God from ritualistic to relational. This intimacy assures us of our identity as God's children, enabling us to approach Him with confidence and love. As believers, we are adopted into God's family, and this familial bond transforms our approach to prayer and worship. The request, "Lord, teach us to pray," reflects a collective yearning for deeper communion with God. Jesus responds by providing a model prayer, emphasizing the intimate address of God as "Father." This term signifies a profound relationship, one that is not naturally ours but is granted through faith in Jesus Christ. [02:28]
Galatians 4:6-7 (ESV): "And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."
Reflection: How does viewing God as your Father change the way you approach Him in prayer today? What specific aspect of your relationship with Him can you deepen?
Day 2: Reverence for God's Name
"Hallowed be your name" calls us to revere God's name, which represents His essence and character. Unlike casual use of names in our culture, God's name signifies His eternal, self-existent nature. Our words should reflect this reverence, avoiding superficial or manipulative use of His name. In a culture where names are often used casually, the biblical perspective sees names as deeply significant. God's name, "I AM," reveals His eternal, self-existent nature, distinguishing Him from all other so-called gods. Our words, worship, and witness should reflect this reverence for God's name. [09:33]
Psalm 29:2 (ESV): "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness."
Reflection: In what ways can you ensure that your words and actions today reflect a deep reverence for God's name?
Day 3: Worship Focused on God
True worship is centered on God, not ourselves. It seeks to glorify Him, not to satisfy our preferences. Our primary concern in worship should be whether it pleases God, not whether it pleases us. This shift in focus transforms our worship experience and aligns it with God's purposes. Worship is not about our preferences or desires but about glorifying God. Our focus should be on pleasing Him above all else, seeking to glorify Him in all that we do. [30:00]
Hebrews 12:28-29 (ESV): "Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."
Reflection: How can you shift your focus in worship today to ensure it is centered on God and not on your own preferences?
Day 4: Witnessing to Hallow God's Name
Evangelism aims to glorify God by leading others to worship Him. It's not just about conversion but about making disciples who honor God's name. Our witness should reflect a deep reverence for God, seeking to bring others into a relationship where they too can hallow His name. Ultimately, the goal of evangelism is not merely conversion but the glorification of God through the worship of His people. As we live out our faith, may our lives be marked by a deep reverence for God's name, manifesting in our words, worship, and witness. [39:00]
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
Reflection: Who in your life can you share the message of God's glory with today, and how can you do so in a way that honors His name?
Day 5: Spiritual Life and Activity
To truly worship and hallow God's name, we must be spiritually alive, assisted, and active. This involves being filled with the Spirit, using our voices to praise God, and living out our faith in a way that honors Him. Our spiritual vitality is essential for genuine worship and witness. This divine transaction is not just a change in external circumstances but a profound spiritual transformation that assures us of our identity as God's children. [35:10]
Ephesians 5:18-20 (ESV): "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to ensure that you are spiritually alive and active in your worship and witness?
Sermon Summary
In Luke 11, we find Jesus teaching His disciples about prayer, a request made by one disciple on behalf of all. This request, "Lord, teach us to pray," reflects a collective yearning for deeper communion with God. Jesus responds by providing a model prayer, emphasizing the intimate address of God as "Father." This term signifies a profound relationship, one that is not naturally ours but is granted through faith in Jesus Christ. As believers, we are adopted into God's family, and this familial bond transforms our approach to prayer and worship.
Understanding God as Father is crucial. Without this relationship, the Lord's Prayer becomes a mere ritual, devoid of significance. Romans 8:15 highlights this transformation, where believers receive the Spirit of sonship, enabling them to cry out, "Abba, Father." This divine transaction is not just a change in external circumstances but a profound spiritual transformation that assures us of our identity as God's children.
The phrase "Hallowed be your name" in the Lord's Prayer calls us to revere God's name, which represents His essence, character, and attributes. In a culture where names are often used casually, the biblical perspective sees names as deeply significant. God's name, "I AM," reveals His eternal, self-existent nature, distinguishing Him from all other so-called gods.
Our words, worship, and witness should reflect this reverence for God's name. In our words, we must avoid using God's name superficially or to manipulate others. In worship, our focus should be on pleasing God rather than ourselves, seeking to glorify Him above all. Our witness, too, should aim to hallow God's name by leading others to become worshipers of Him.
Ultimately, the goal of evangelism is not merely conversion but the glorification of God through the worship of His people. As we live out our faith, may our lives be marked by a deep reverence for God's name, manifesting in our words, worship, and witness.
Key Takeaways
1. existent nature. Our words should reflect this reverence, avoiding superficial or manipulative use of His name. [09:33] 3. Worship Focused on God: True worship is centered on God, not ourselves. It seeks to glorify Him, not to satisfy our preferences. Our primary concern in worship should be whether it pleases God, not whether it pleases us. This shift in focus transforms our worship experience and aligns it with God's purposes.
4. Witnessing to Hallow God's Name: Evangelism aims to glorify God by leading others to worship Him. It's not just about conversion but about making disciples who honor God's name. Our witness should reflect a deep reverence for God, seeking to bring others into a relationship where they too can hallow His name.
5. Spiritual Life and Activity: To truly worship and hallow God's name, we must be spiritually alive, assisted, and active. This involves being filled with the Spirit, using our voices to praise God, and living out our faith in a way that honors Him. Our spiritual vitality is essential for genuine worship and witness.
In Luke 11:1, what specific request do the disciples make of Jesus, and how does this reflect their understanding of prayer? [01:44]
According to Romans 8:15, what transformation occurs in believers that allows them to call God "Abba, Father"? [04:04]
How does the name "I AM" in Exodus 3:14 distinguish God from other so-called gods, as explained in the sermon? [19:24]
What cultural differences in the significance of names were highlighted in the sermon, and how do they relate to the reverence of God's name? [12:03]
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Interpretation Questions:
How does understanding God as "Father" change the way believers approach prayer, according to the sermon? [02:28]
What does it mean to "hallow" God's name in the context of our daily lives, and why is this important for believers? [09:33]
How does the sermon suggest that true worship should be focused, and what implications does this have for personal and corporate worship? [30:00]
In what ways does the sermon propose that evangelism is connected to the glorification of God's name rather than just conversion? [39:00]
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Application Questions:
Reflect on your personal prayer life. How can you deepen your understanding of God as "Father" to transform your prayers from ritualistic to relational? [02:28]
Consider the way you use God's name in your daily conversations. Are there instances where you might be using it superficially or manipulatively? How can you change this to reflect a deeper reverence? [23:12]
When you participate in worship, what is your primary focus? How can you shift your mindset to prioritize pleasing God over personal preferences? [30:00]
Think about your approach to evangelism. How can you ensure that your efforts are aimed at glorifying God and leading others to worship Him, rather than just seeking conversions? [39:00]
Identify one area in your life where you struggle to live out your faith actively. What steps can you take to become more spiritually alive and active in hallowing God's name? [35:10]
Reflect on a recent worship service you attended. Did you focus more on your personal enjoyment or on whether God was glorified? How can you prepare your heart differently for future worship experiences? [31:26]
Choose one specific way you can witness to others this week that reflects a deep reverence for God's name. How will you implement this in your interactions? [39:00]
Sermon Clips
Understanding God as Father is crucial. Without this relationship, the Lord's Prayer becomes a mere ritual, devoid of significance. Romans 8:15 highlights this transformation, where believers receive the Spirit of sonship, enabling them to cry out, "Abba, Father." This divine transaction is not just a change in external circumstances but a profound spiritual transformation that assures us of our identity as God's children. [00:03:22]
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now hold it there for just a moment. This is so vitally important. What the Bible is saying is this: that what we are not by nature we become by grace, and as a result of the miracle of God's working within our lives, we do not simply exchange one set of external circumstances for another one posture for a new religious posture. [00:04:23]
Without the intimacy of knowing God as my Father through faith in His Son, then I will not understand the absolute necessity for reverencing His holy name. Now every so often someone will notice our cornerstone which is out there at the main entryway on the left-hand side as you walk into the building and may stand and look at it and see there Psalm 138 and part of verse 2. [00:08:28]
When we think of God's name, we think of God. You cannot think of His name in isolation from His essence, from His character, and from His attributes because it is by means of the disclosure of the name of God that we are made aware of the fact that the Lord is the faithful one, the Lord is El Elyon, that the Lord is Jehovah Sit Can You, that the Lord is Jehovah Jaire, that He is our provider. [00:09:33]
True worship is focused on God and not on ourselves, and the test of worship which hallows God's name is not whether it pleases us but whether it pleases Him. You see, this would be a major revolution in many of our lives if we attended upon the opportunities of worship with our primary thought being, "Oh God, I hope that you will be pleased as a result of us gathering today and hallowing your name." [00:30:00]
The real objective in evangelism is not that people would be converted, but it is that God would be glorified. Well, that's enough. That's enough. Tonight will come to your kingdom come. For now, we will pause in prayer. If you'd like to talk concerning any of these things in our prayer room through the doors to my right and your left, you will find others who are very willing to meet with you and think through some of these implications. [00:41:00]
The phrase "Hallowed be your name" in the Lord's Prayer calls us to revere God's name, which represents His essence, character, and attributes. In a culture where names are often used casually, the biblical perspective sees names as deeply significant. God's name, "I AM," reveals His eternal, self-existent nature, distinguishing Him from all other so-called gods. [00:12:03]
Our words, worship, and witness should reflect this reverence for God's name. In our words, we must avoid using God's name superficially or to manipulate others. In worship, our focus should be on pleasing God rather than ourselves, seeking to glorify Him above all. Our witness, too, should aim to hallow God's name by leading others to become worshipers of Him. [00:39:00]
Ultimately, the goal of evangelism is not merely conversion but the glorification of God through the worship of His people. As we live out our faith, may our lives be marked by a deep reverence for God's name, manifesting in our words, worship, and witness. [00:35:10]
To truly worship and hallow God's name, we must be spiritually alive, assisted, and active. This involves being filled with the Spirit, using our voices to praise God, and living out our faith in a way that honors Him. Our spiritual vitality is essential for genuine worship and witness. [00:35:10]
The Spirit of God testifies to us that we are the children of God, that when we sing hymns and when we read the psalms and when we think of these things, there is this amazing transaction and dimension in our lives which says to us, "You know, this is true of you." [00:06:09]
Evangelism is never an end in itself. In John chapter 4, Jesus says that the Father is seeking worshipers, not converts. Worshipers. How do I know that I'm converted? I worship. Open my lips, open my mouth, that my lips may declare your praise. If we open our mouths and we don't declare His praise, why in the world would we ever believe that we're converted? [00:39:00]