Grant Avenue Baptist Church
2215 Grant Avenue
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
(310) 376-7890
Pastor David Wilson
Pastor’s Cell Phone (310) 213-4586
Deacon Mike Chavez (310) 379-9058
The Lord’s Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer about submission to Almighty God. Once we view it in that context we have a deeper understanding of why it is an important model for our prayers. A believer who understands the model and applies its principles to his attitude and his relationship with God cannot help but draw closer to God.
I. As we pray “Our Father” we submit to the relationship God desires to have with us.
In the old Testament, there are very few references to God as our Father. This is almost distinctly a New Testament Teaching. Occasionally we will see God using fatherhood as a picture, but it is almost never a title for God.
It is my own personal opinion that this is because Jesus brought along with him the authority to bring believers into the “family of God.” John declares that he gave the power to become the sons of God to those who believe in Him. (John 1:11) Paul wrote that is an important work of the Holy Spirit to cause us to cry out “Abba” or Father. (Romans 8:12-16). Salvation is the key to being able to genuinely refer to God as our Father.
As we begin to understand the proper role of a father we can understand what sort of relationship it is that He desires to have with us. A father loves his children, provides for them, and disciplines them. God wants to do all of these things for us.
II. As we Pray “Who Art in Heaven” we submit to His position as being over all.
Have you read in the book of Revelation how the Angels watch God’s judgment falling on the Earth and they STILL declare that he is Holy and Righteous? Their viewpoint of being in Heaven (as well as being in God’s presence) gives them the ability to see that God’s response to man’s sinful rebellion is just.
Heaven’s viewpoint is much different than ours. We can see our own personal circumstances and those of the world around us. However, we fail to comprehend all that is going on in the world because our viewpoint is extremely limited.
When we recognize that God’s viewpoint is unlimited, that He is above all of the strife and turmoil, that he sees how ALL of the circumstances fit together, we are prepared to worship Him as the God who sees all and truly knows all. His position in Heaven gives Him the viewpoint.
The position of being in Heaven powerfully demonstrates that God is the Supreme King and Lord. His throne is above all other thrones.
III. As we pray “hallowed by Thy name” we submit to His holy reputation.
Today, nobody is certain how we should pronounce the name of God. One of the reasons is that because of their great respect for the name of God the Jewish scribes declined to write God’s name in full, choosing to leave out the vowels. When the translators of the Old Testament came to the this problem, they were stumped for a bit. How would they translate this name into English if the vowels were missing? Their decision was to replace the name of God with the word “Lord” written in all capital letters.
The Scribes would take up a fresh pen when they wrote even one letter of the abbreviated name of God that they used. They would stop and bathe themselves after writing each letter. They did not want to disrespect the name of God in any manner. They took the commandment that we are not to use the Lord’s name in a vain manner serious.
Most of us would never swear or use God’s name as a curse word. It just would be out of character. Still, there are ways that we bring disrespect upon the name of God.
Perhaps one of the best examples of disrespect for God can be found in Isaiah 6. When Isaiah saw his great vision of the Lord in the temple, his concern for his own personal sin was in regards to his lips. He knew that he had spoken improperly. The only clue as to that improper speech was the death of Uzziah. The people (and Isaiah) apparently complained that Uzziah had been a good king and that God’s judgment had been overly harsh.
When we express doubt that God knows what he is doing we are speaking disrespect. When we doubt that God is acting in a loving manner on our behalf we demonstrate a lack of respect for the name of God. When we complain about the lot in life that God has apportioned us we are disrespecting the righteous and holy name of God.
IV. As we pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done…” we submit ourselves to His goals and purposes.
The Pharisees could easily have prayed this portion of the prayer because their idea of seeking God’s kingdom would have been to see an overthrow of the Roman government. Jesus meant for this concept of desiring to see God’s will done to be more personal. That is one of the reasons he expounded upon this idea later in the chapter. (Matthew 6:33)
Seeking God’s kingdom requires sacrifice. You must set aside your own desires in order to seek God’s kingdom. This is one reason I can’t go to baseball games or stay out late at game conventions on Saturday night. What I have to do on Sunday morning is so important that I have to be prepared to sacrifice the fun that I may want to have.
Seeking God’s kingdom requires putting God first and the preferences of others often have to go before my own personal desires as well.
The believer should never say he is seeking God’s kingdom if he isn’t sacrificing. Seeking is an ACTION. It takes effort. It is an act of our will in submission to God. It is more than desiring to see God’s will done in our lives as well as around us. It is submitting to God’s will.
V. As we pray “Give us this day our daily bread” we submit ourselves to seeking his daily provision for our lives.
The Psalmist David did an excellent job of describing this principle of seeking God’s provision in the 23rd Psalm. He described that in his relationship with God that his experience had been ample provision.
Towards the end of Matthew chapter six Jesus reminds us that we need to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness in order to see God as being active in meeting our needs. Matthew 6:33 establishes our responsibility as seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness and then declares that God’s response is to meet our daily needs.
Seeking God’s provision is not a substitute for work, however. In Exodus 20, God gives that command that we are to work six days and rest on the seventh. In Ephesians 2:10 Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus that if a man would not work he was not to eat.
Adam worked in the Garden of Eden. He must’ve worked there for at least a number of days, as God established a pattern of walking with Adam in the cool of the evenings. Work was not the curse.
The children of Israel had to work to gather the manna that God sent to provide for them. He provided, but they had to work for it.
Expecting God’s provision is also not a substitute for wise spending habits. If we live in debt we may discover that we are asking Bank of America, Citibank, or some other financial entity to meet our needs when we are short of funds. I am not saying we should not use credit, but I believe if it is used then it should be used wisely. If a person cannot use credit wisely, he should never use credit. Do not waste what God provides for you.
VI. As we pray “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” we submit to our own personal responsibility before God to forgive others.
There are two sins which plague the believer. Most believers won’t have to deal with sexual immorality, though some do fall into it. Most believers will not have to work to avoid drunkenness. Drug abuse just isn’t a real problem for the church going crowd. People in churches seem to struggle with two major sins: gossip and unforgiveness.
When we pray this portion of the prayer we acknowledge our own sin before God and our need for forgiveness. We also acknowledge our responsibility to forgive others. By doing so, we submit to God and recognize that we need to demonstrate godly character by forgiving others.
Ephesians 4:31-32 says “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. “
An unforgiving heart is incompatible with submission to God. In Matthew 18:21-35 Jesus tells the parable of the unmerciful servant. Over and over again in Scripture Jesus talks about sorting out relationship problems. It didn’t matter to Christ whether you were the offended party or the offending party, in various places he established your responsibility to sort out the offense.
People will hurt you. Often, it will be those you love the most. How you handle that hurt will tell us how much God is working in your life. How you deal with those who hurt you will either demonstrate a heart that is in submission to God or a heart that is in rebellion against God. Unforgiveness is rebellion.
VII. As we pray “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” we are submitting ourselves to following God’s leadership.
Once again, the Psalmist David describes this principle of the leadership of God in the 23rd Psalm. The 23rd Psalm refers to the rod and the staff as providing comfort as God leads us through places that are difficult. The shepherd’s rod provides comfort both as a weapon for defense against those who would do us ill, but also as a tool for discipline, to poke us back into the place where we belong.
It is hypocritical to ask God to deliver you from evil if you plan to immerse yourself in evil surroundings, evil companions, and evil activities.
Psalm 1 declares that there has to be something of a separation between the blessed man who bears fruit and those who are evil.
Some texts declare “deliver us from the evil one” a reference to Satan. How can we expect to be delivered from Satan’s authority if we are doing things in our lives that grant him authority over us.
Whenever we begin to rebel against God we are falling into Satan’s power. It becomes easier for Satan to lead us by confusing our thinking or our emotions.
James writes “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) Do you see the two-step process to rid ourselves of the devil’s influence? 1) Submit to God. 2) Resist the Devil. You cannot truly do one without the other.
VIII. As we pray “For Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever, Amen” we are submitting to God in worship.
The Angels gather around the throne of God and sing songs that attribute to God the power and the glory forever. When we pray, we also submit to God by making bold declarations about his power, his glory, his honor.
The Lord’s prayer is all about submission. Are you prepared to submit to God in every area of life?
