The Lord's Prayer: A Model for Intimate Connection
Summary
In today's gathering, we delved into the profound significance of the "perfect prayer" as taught by Jesus in Matthew 6:9-13. This prayer, often referred to as the Lord's Prayer, serves as a model for how we should approach God in prayer. It begins with acknowledging God as our Father, emphasizing the intimate relationship we have with Him through Jesus Christ. This relationship is not just a distant, formal connection but a close, personal bond where we can call Him "Abba," a term of endearment akin to "Daddy." This is a radical shift from the Old Testament understanding, where God was seen as distant and approached through rituals and sacrifices.
The prayer continues by focusing on the holiness of God's name, reminding us to keep His name sacred in all we do. It calls for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, highlighting our role in bringing God's kingdom to our daily lives. This is not just a future hope but a present reality, as we have a foretaste of the kingdom through the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.
We also explored the importance of daily dependence on God, asking for our "daily bread," which signifies both our physical needs and spiritual nourishment. This daily reliance on God keeps us grounded and focused on the present, rather than being consumed by worries about the future.
Furthermore, the prayer teaches us about forgiveness, both receiving it from God and extending it to others. This is crucial for maintaining a healthy spiritual life, as holding onto grudges can hinder our relationship with God and others.
Finally, we are reminded to seek God's protection from temptation and deliverance from evil. This acknowledges our vulnerability and the need for God's strength to overcome the challenges we face.
Key Takeaways:
- Intimacy with God: The Lord's Prayer begins with "Our Father," highlighting the intimate relationship we have with God through Jesus. This relationship allows us to approach God with confidence, knowing we are His children and He is our loving Father. [17:21]
- Holiness and Reverence: We are called to keep God's name holy in all aspects of our lives. This means living in a way that reflects His character and brings honor to His name, both in private and in public. [18:03]
- Daily Dependence: Asking for our daily bread reminds us of our need for God's provision every day. It encourages us to live in the present, trusting God for our needs and not being consumed by worries about the future. [42:08]
- Forgiveness and Release: Forgiving others as we have been forgiven is essential for spiritual health. Holding onto grudges can hinder our relationship with God and others, so we must release those who have wronged us into God's care. [44:36]
- Protection and Deliverance: We acknowledge our need for God's protection from temptation and deliverance from evil. This part of the prayer reminds us of our vulnerability and the importance of relying on God's strength to overcome challenges. [45:48]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:00] - Introduction to the Perfect Prayer
- [03:30] - The Importance of Prayer
- [06:45] - Our Father: Intimacy with God
- [10:15] - Hallowed Be Your Name: Holiness and Reverence
- [13:50] - Your Kingdom Come: Present and Future Reality
- [18:03] - Daily Bread: Dependence on God
- [21:47] - Forgiveness: Releasing Others
- [25:27] - Your Will Be Done: Surrendering Our Will
- [30:12] - Overcoming Life's Challenges
- [35:40] - The Power of Nevertheless
- [42:08] - Living in the Present
- [44:36] - The Prayer of Intercession
- [45:48] - Protection from Temptation
- [46:45] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Matthew 6:9-13
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Observation Questions:
1. What is the significance of starting the Lord's Prayer with "Our Father" according to the sermon? [17:21]
2. How does the sermon describe the shift in understanding God's holiness from the Old Testament to the New Testament? [18:03]
3. What does the sermon suggest about the role of daily dependence on God in our lives? [42:08]
4. How does the sermon explain the importance of forgiveness in the Lord's Prayer? [44:36]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of God as "Abba" or "Daddy" change the way believers approach prayer? [17:21]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that believers can bring God's kingdom into their daily lives? [18:03]
3. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between daily prayer and spiritual nourishment? [42:08]
4. How does the sermon interpret the request for protection from temptation and deliverance from evil in the Lord's Prayer? [45:48]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your personal prayer life. How can you incorporate the intimacy of addressing God as "Our Father" into your daily prayers? [17:21]
2. Consider your daily actions and decisions. How can you ensure that you are keeping God's name holy in all aspects of your life? [18:03]
3. Identify one area in your life where you need to rely more on God's provision. What steps can you take to trust Him more for your daily needs? [42:08]
4. Think of a person you need to forgive. What practical steps can you take this week to release them into God's care and let go of any resentment? [44:36]
5. Reflect on a recent temptation you faced. How can you seek God's strength to overcome similar challenges in the future? [45:48]
6. How can you actively participate in bringing God's kingdom to your community or workplace this week? [18:03]
7. What specific actions can you take to align your will with God's will in your daily life? [27:15]
Devotional
Day 1: Intimacy with God through Prayer
The Lord's Prayer begins with the words "Our Father," which signifies the intimate relationship believers have with God through Jesus Christ. This relationship is not distant or formal but is characterized by closeness and personal connection, allowing believers to approach God with confidence and affection, calling Him "Abba" or "Daddy." This is a significant departure from the Old Testament view of God as distant and approached through rituals and sacrifices. Understanding God as a loving Father transforms how believers engage in prayer, fostering a sense of security and belonging. [17:21]
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 loving Father change the way you approach Him in prayer today?
Day 2: Living a Life of Holiness and Reverence
The Lord's Prayer calls believers to keep God's name holy, emphasizing the importance of living in a way that reflects His character and brings honor to His name. This involves both private and public aspects of life, where actions, words, and thoughts align with God's holiness. By prioritizing reverence for God's name, believers are reminded to live with integrity and purpose, ensuring that their lives are a testament to God's sacredness and glory. [18:03]
1 Peter 1:15-16 (ESV): "But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"
Reflection: In what specific ways can you honor God's name in your daily interactions and decisions today?
Day 3: Embracing Daily Dependence on God
The request for "daily bread" in the Lord's Prayer highlights the need for daily dependence on God for both physical and spiritual sustenance. This dependence encourages believers to focus on the present, trusting God to provide for their needs rather than being consumed by worries about the future. By seeking God's provision each day, believers cultivate a mindset of gratitude and reliance, recognizing that every good gift comes from Him. [42:08]
Matthew 6:34 (ESV): "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to trust God for provision today, and how can you actively practice this trust?
Day 4: The Power of Forgiveness and Release
Forgiveness is a central theme in the Lord's Prayer, where believers are called to forgive others as they have been forgiven by God. This act of releasing others from their wrongs is essential for spiritual health, as holding onto grudges can hinder one's relationship with God and others. By choosing to forgive, believers experience freedom and healing, allowing God's love to flow through them and restore broken relationships. [44:36]
Colossians 3:13 (ESV): "Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."
Reflection: Who is someone you need to forgive today, and what steps can you take to begin this process with God's help?
Day 5: Seeking God's Protection and Deliverance
The Lord's Prayer concludes with a plea for protection from temptation and deliverance from evil, acknowledging human vulnerability and the need for God's strength. This part of the prayer reminds believers of the spiritual battles they face and the importance of relying on God's power to overcome challenges. By seeking God's guidance and protection, believers are equipped to navigate life's difficulties with confidence and resilience. [45:48]
Ephesians 6:11-12 (ESV): "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
Reflection: What is one temptation or challenge you are facing today, and how can you seek God's strength and protection to overcome it?
Quotes
When you're praying, it's not for display when you're praying it's not to draw attention to yourself amen when you're praying it's not so that you can get the applause or the praise of man but when you're praying you go into your secret place and you begin to seek god in that secret place and god who knows all things that you do in secret shall reward you openly. [00:00:03]
Jesus is already starting off the prayer with what worship he's already starting off before he comes into the presence of god worship and praise this is a prayer of worship church he's saying our father but he's including all of them as well because he doesn't say my father he's saying our father because i'm about to make a way where there seems to be no way for you to have communion with him. [00:08:02]
We enter his gates with thanksgiving and we enter his courts with what with praise why is that because it's acknowledging the awesomeness of god amen we're acknowledging that he is our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name that means holy is our father's name and holy is his name to be kept by us so everything we do in this life we're to keep god's name holy before us. [00:11:56]
He is my father but now he's going to become your father oh my gosh he included that r so you start to break these things down he says he's our father now and i could understand i could imagine they're sitting here with all the law and all the rituals and all the ceremonies and all of the rosaries we got all of what you think you have to do to get to the father. [00:15:34]
You have a father who has adopted you into the family of god and now you're a son and now you are a daughter that means your position has changed church you're in the family you're in the family of god now come on and give them some praise hallelujah that's why jesus is bringing this whole thing into a different place that's why it's called the perfect prayer. [00:18:19]
He says, taste and see that the Lord is good. Taste the powers that are to come that what you see is being demonstrated right now is the power of the Holy Ghost and the anointing. The anointing of the Holy Ghost, Father, I pray that thy kingdom come, but I know the kingdom of heaven is here because there is a foretaste, a partial, our salvation, all of what's being promised to us has not been done yet, but we're working towards that. [00:20:48]
I want your will to be done. I want to be all that God has called me to do and call me to be. So, Lord, I'm I'm praying that you sanctify me. There's the sanctification process. And I was talking to the sister in Christ the other day about this and that the will of God, I will be done on earth as it is is in heaven. It doesn't matter what's coming on me. [00:35:32]
You don't want to give over to the season and the trial you're walking through. Because the thing that happens when you're in that season, listen to me by the Holy ghost. You want to reach out to the world to find the comfort you're looking for. You want to reach out to that. You want to reach out to this. I want to bring some comfort. So it eases the stress and the trial and the season I'm going through. [00:37:42]
Give us this day our daily bread so that means we should be praying every day and seeking God every day I love he didn't say give us this week so you pick Monday for your prayer he says every day you should be approaching me every day you should be asking do you know this is a type a similarity of what happened in in the wilderness with Israel. [00:42:02]
And sometimes us, as a people of God, we live in the tomorrow and we don't live in today. Even when you're talking with someone, they're already on tomorrow and they're not even present. Thank you, Pastor. Y 'all getting this? Give us this day our daily bread. [00:42:08]
But so every day I got to ask God for his washing, cleansing power of the blood over me. Well, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't sin. Oh, oh, Pharisee, Sadducee, religious people say that. [00:44:08]
Forgive us our sins. Hallelujah. As we forgive those in verse 13, I'm going to get through this church and we're going to finish here and lead us not into everybody say temptation. The word temptation means testing testings of all kind. I love this because he's saying, keep us from being tested. [00:45:48]
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