Codebreakers Series

Code Breakers

Matt 6:9-15

8/4/2013

An Enigma machine was any of a family of related electro-mechanical rotor cipher machines used for the encryption and decryption of secret messages. Enigma was invented by the German engineer Arthur Scherbius at the end of World War I. The early models were used commercially from the early 1920s, and adopted by military and government services of several countries — most notably by Nazi Germany before and during World War II. Several different Enigma models were produced, but the German military models are the ones most commonly discussed.

During the war, British code breakers were able to decrypt a vast number of messages that had been enciphered using the Enigma. The intelligence gleaned from this source, codenamed "Ultra" by the British, was a substantial aid to the Allied war effort.[7]

The exact influence of Ultra on the course of the war is debated; an oft-repeated assessment is that decryption of German ciphers hastened the end of the European war by two years

T.S. God’s Kingdom rule was first established at creation; it was attacked by Satan at the fall; now it is being restored on earth through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. He who defeats Satan, death, and sin! He is establishing his Kingdom.

T.S. As the disciples gain more understanding and insight about this kingdom he is establishing, they begin to ask more and more questions. Eventually the issue of prayer emerges. How you pray in this new kingdom became a topic of discussion.

Sometimes Jesus raised it.

In Matt 6:5-15 he explained that his followers would pray differently than the established religious icons of the day.

Matt 6:5-15

5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9 "This, then, is how you should pray:

"'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today our daily bread.

12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'

14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

In Luke 11 the Disciples raised it.

Luke 11:1-4

11 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

2 He said to them, "When you pray, say:

"'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.

3 Give us each day our daily bread.

4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

And lead us not into temptation.'"

P.S. The kingdom of God changed how the people of God pray.

I. What was. . . Jewish Tradition

There was a need for prayer and a need for practice.

A. The Purpose

The biggest purpose of prayer was to raise the awareness of God in your life and the role that God plays in your life. (not to merely bring requests).

B. The Practice

If you want to do something well, you have to practice it continually, even when you don't feel like doing it.

Personal recitation of Berakhot: Blessings. Jewish tradition demanded 100 prayers of Blessing a day.

There were are types of berakhot: ones recited before enjoying a material pleasure, ones recited before performing a commandment and ones recited at special times and events.

Groups Minyans: at least 10 people who are obligated to fulfill the commandment to recite the prayers. A complete formal prayer service could not be conducted without a quorum of at least 10 adult Jewish men; that is, at least 10 people who are obligated to fulfill the commandment to recite the prayers. Prayed on behalf of all Jews. Most of those prayers were attributed to the Scribe Ezra 2500 years ago.

II. What will be. . . Kingdom Changes

A. Both personal and group prayer expressions remain.

1. Personal Prayer

Matt 6:5-7

5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.