Matthew 6:9-13 Lord, Teach Us To Pray PRAYER IS ABOUT RESTING“Our Father Which Art In Heaven” I. THEY SPEAK ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP Our Father A. God is called “our Father.” Gen. 1:26, And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. God became the Father of the human race in creation. John 8:44. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 3:3, Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 7. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. When the new birth does take place, we are immediately adopted into His family, Rom. 8:15; For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Gal. 4:5-7; To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 1 John 3:1-2. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. This new relationship opens up access into His presence as our Father. B. Most ancient religions could not conceive of God as a “Father.” The Jews understood it better than most, but they had many names for God; names which they often used when they prayed. For instance, a man in need would pray to "Jehovah-jireh", Gen. 22:14, which means, "The Lord will provide." If they were anxious, they would call on "Jehovah-shalom", Judges 6:24, which means "The Lord our peace." If they were lonely, or afraid, they might call on "Jehovah-shammah", Eze. 48:35, which means "The Lord is there." If they need leadership, they would call on "Jehovah-rohi", Psalm 23:1, which means "The Lord our Shepherd."
If they were sick, they would call on "Jehovah-rapha", Exodus 15:26, which means "The Lord our healer." When Jesus instructed His men in prayer, He told them to forget the formulas and the complicated names, but to just call on the “Father.” C. Since God is our Father, He carries us in His heart and has our best interests at heart. God not only births us into His family, but He had the will, the resources and the ability to Father us. He has promised to sustain us, supply us and care for us until we arrive home in glory, Matt. 10:29-31; Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Phil. 4:19. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Psa. 24:1; The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Psa. 50:10, For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. Eph. 3:20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, D. Thank God He is our Father and He has called us into His presence, Jer. 33:3; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Matt. 11:28; Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Heb. 4:16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. II. THEY SPEAK ABOUT A REALITY Which Art A. We serve a God Who exists Personally Heb. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. B. We serve a God Who exists Presently “is.” He is not a God Who was. He is not a God Who will be some day. But, as He told Moses in Exodus 3:14, His name is “I AM that I AM!” As the “I AM”, He does not dwell in the past, nor does He exist in the future, but God is always in the right now! C. We serve a God Who exists Practically Since God is real, and since He changes not, you and I can approach Him with confidence, resting in His reality. III. THEY SPEAK ABOUT A REALIZATION In Heaven A. When the Bible tells us that our Father dwells “in Heaven,” it is telling us that He occupies a place of honour, glory and power. Since He is in Heaven, He is above the evils and the problems of this world. Since He is in Heaven, He is in a position to respond to our petitions. Since He is in Heaven, He is in a position to be exalted by those who dwell below. B. This suggests a thing or two we need to take into account when we pray. 1. We should enter His presence humbly – Our Father is God! He made this world. He is holy. He is wonderful. When we enter, we can only do so through Jesus, our Saviour and Mediator, 1 Tim. 2:5. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 2. We should enter His presence confidently – James 1:6-8; But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 3. We should enter His presence worshipfully – 4. We should enter His presence hopefully – Our Father is already in our heavenly home and He awaits our appearance there. Therefore, when we pray, we are merely turning our attention toward home. It is said that when Cicero was banished from Rome and when Demosthenes was banished from Athens that each would weep when they looked toward home. C. Thank God that He is there and not here! When we pray, we are allowed to leave the burdens of the world behind for a time and enter into His presence. We are afforded the opportunity to step out of our reality into His for a little while. Job 1:20-21 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. IV. THEY SPEAK ABOUT A RESPONSIBILITY Our Father A. When we pray we have a responsibility to pray as part of a family. B. When we pray we have a duty to pray as part of a family. Gal. 6:2; Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Phil. 2:4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Rom. 12:15; Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. C. When we pray we have a sympathy to pray as part of a family I should pray that God will do that which is best for His family and for His glory, even if it isn’t what I want! He isn’t only “my Father,” He is “our Father!” D. When we pray we have a dignity to pray as part of a family (Ill. It was a law among the Romans that no one should approach the Emperor’s tent at night, “If the petition be for himself, let him die;"
