Hallowed Be Your Name - Matthew 6:9b Series

Matthew 6:5-15 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.

Introduction

Aren’t you glad someone decided to ask Jesus the question, “Which is the greatest commandment?” The Author of the Bible did not leave us to guess about which is the most important command. Sometimes I wonder what Jesus would have said if someone had asked Him, “Which is the greatest promise in all of Scripture?” I do not know how Jesus would have answered that question but I think it is very likely He would have pointed to Ezekiel 36:23. In that chapter the Lord is talking about the future restoration of Israel, and in verse 23 He makes this promise:

Ezekiel 36:23 I will hallow my great name, which has been profaned among the nations

The Day is coming when instead of God’s name being profaned everywhere in the world it will be hallowed.

Isaiah 29:23 they will hallow my name; they will hallow the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

The fulfillment of that great promise is recorded in my favorite verse in the whole Bible – Revelation 5:13.

Revelation 5:13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"

I believe that is not only the climax but also the purpose of all world history. Every being in existence offers exuberant praise to the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes people will try to put something in perspective by saying, “In the grand scheme of things, what does it really matter?” And the answer to that question for most things is, “This current issue, in the grand scheme of things doesn’t really matter at all.” But whether people hallow or profane the name of God really does matter in the grand scheme of things. In fact, that is really the crux of the issue in the grand scheme of things – it is the whole purpose of the grand scheme of things. The whole point of the whole creation and all of history is to arrive at that moment when all of the Creation hallows the name of the Lord. So it is no surprise that this is the first thing Jesus teaches us to ask for in prayer.

Heavenly Father

Not exactly like human fathers

We have been studying through the Sermon on the Mount and last week we began the Lord’s Prayer, and we started by exploring the significance of the fact that Jesus taught us to address our prayers to the Father. When we think of the Person listening to the prayer as being like a father to us it draws our attention to all the various marks of fatherly love – such as the special access we have to Him, His love for us, care for us, provision, protection, discipline, etc. And it enables us to understand the beautiful mixture of fear and intimacy that are so uniquely combined in a child’s love for his father.

So the good news is God is a lot like an earthly father. And today we get the even better news – and that is God is not exactly like an earthly father. They are earthly, but Jesus tells us to pray, Our Father in heaven. The word is actually plural (in the heavens). Our fathers have limitations, but the One who dwells in the heavens does not.