Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer

1. Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer Luke 11:1-4

2. Luke 11:1-4 (KJV) 1And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. 2And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3Give us day by day our daily bread. 4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

3. Lord, Teach Us To Pray • BBC hosted a program – about religious experiences of children • Boy who’s parents suffered a terrible accident • "I wanted to pray but didn’t know any prayers." • "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." - Lord Alfred Tennyson • Prayer sustains society more than any other factor. • Prayer is a spiritual discipline. • Strenuous • Frustrating • Demanding • Physically • Mentally • Emotionally • In Luke’s account, the disciples are learning a lesson on how to pray

4. The Lesson Begins • Luke mentions that Jesus was “praying in a certain place.” (Luke 11:1) • Disciples were looking for advice on how to pray • Maybe they saw deficiencies their own lives compared to the One whom they sought? • The need for pray may be natural for believers, human weakness brings us to His side to learn. • Prayer is communion with God. • As we grow, prayer is no longer a way to ask God for things. • It is an act of submission to His will. • Prayer is about God impressing us, not the other way around. • If way gain nothing more from prayer that communing with Him – should be enough!

5. What is “The Lord’s Prayer?” • Some believe the Lord’s Prayer is a recitation. • There is no magic in this prayer. • Mechanical recitation is empty and meaningless. • Jesus warns us not to “not keep babbling like pagans who think they will be heard because of their repetitive prayers" (Mt 6:7). • This prayer = model for a life changing experience • As we truly pray this prayer-with understanding-we may find it changes our lives. • Greek – This prayer has a sense on intensity to it. • There is more power in prayer than all the armies of the world.

6. How the “Lord’s Prayer” Example can CHANGE Us! • Some people think of prayer as a parachute: • They’re glad it’s there, but they hope they never have to use it. • In prayer we rely on God • Those who don’t pray are trusting in their own, limited resources. • Some people turn to God only when their fragile foundations are shaking, and they discover it is God who is doing the shaking.  • C.S. Lewis once confessed that he was grateful God hadn’t given him everything he wanted: "I don’t know where I’d be if I’d gotten all I asked for!" Prayer may not change our situation, but it changes us. If our request is wrong, God says "No." If our timing is wrong, God says "Slow". If we are wrong, God says "Grow", and if our request is right, our timing is right, and we are right, God (usually) says "Go!" In John’s first epistle he cautions that our prayers need to be "according to God’s will" (5:14).

7. The Lord’s Prayer as a Guide for Ours. • There’s no "spiritual frosting" in the Lord’s Prayer. It avoids : • pompous, high-sounding phrases • BUT sticks to simple, meaningful concepts. • As our outline indicates: • we begin with God’s glory • then we bring up our needs. • It’s been said, "When God is first, prayer makes sense." • Jesus never mentions: • Posture in prayer • Places to pray • The manner in which we pray (stern, jovial, etc.) • Whether our eyes should be opened or closed • A specific time to pray • In Matthew’s account (6:9-13) • He never says “PRAY THIS” • But “Pray LIKE this.”

8. The Lord’s Prayer as a Guide for Ours. • Lord’s Prayer is a blueprint for prayer-a flexible model, not a rigid formula.

9. People NOT Praying • Some people do not pray the Lord’s Prayer because they see it as an empty, religious ritual • It can be IF not careful • There’s another reason people avoid this prayer. Praying this prayer places some demands on ourselves… • It is a risky prayer: • I cannot say "our" if I’m living only for myself. I cannot say "Father" if I don’t try to act like His child. I cannot say "Who art in Heaven" if I am laying up no treasure there. I cannot say "hallowed be Thy Name" if I am not striving for holiness. I cannot say "Thy Kingdom come" if I’m not doing my part to hasten that day. I cannot say "Thy will be done" if I am disobedient to His word.

10. People NOT Praying I cannot say "in earth as it is in Heaven" if I’m unwilling to serve Him here and now. I cannot say "give us this day our daily bread" if I’m not relying on Him to provide. I cannot say "forgive us our debts" if I harbor a grudge against someone. I cannot say "lead us not into temptation" if I deliberately place myself in its path. I cannot say "deliver us from evil" if I haven’t put on the whole armor of God. I cannot say "Thine is the Kingdom" If I am not loyal to the King as His faithful subject. I cannot attribute to Him "the power" if I fear what people may do. I cannot ascribe to Him "the glory" if I am seeking honor only for myself. I cannot say "forever" if my life is bounded completely by the things of time (John MacArthur)

11. Conclusion • The question for us all is this-what are we relying on? • When we rely upon education, we get what education can do; • When we rely upon skill, we get what skill can do; • When we rely upon technology, we get what technology can do; • When we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do; • When we rely upon prayer, we get what God can do.