`HOW’S YOUR PRAYER LIFE? AFTER ALL WHEN JESUS SAID, WHEN YOU PRAY. NOW HE SEEMED PRETTY DEFINITE AT THIS POINT, HE DIDN’T SAY, IF YOU PRAY,
INSTEAD HE SAID WHEN YOU PRAY. HE SEEMED PRETTY CONVINCED THAT CHRISTIANS WOULD PRAY. AND HE SAID THAT WHEN WE PRAYED
THAT WE SHOULD NOT PRAY LIKE THE HYPOCRITES OR THE HEATHEN.
NOW THE WORD HYPOCRITE IS ACTUALLY THE GREEK WORD FOR ACTOR, AND IT LITERALLY MEANS ONE WHO WEARS A MASK. AND SO CHRIST IS SAYING DON’T PRAY LIKE SOMEONE WHO IS PLAYING A PART. YOU EVER SEE SOMEONE WHO HAS A VERY DEFINITE PRAYER VOICE, NEAT HUH? CHRIST SAID THAT THEY STOOD ON THE CORNER AND PRAYED. NOW CHRIST IS NOT DENOUNCING PUBLIC PRAYER, HE SAYS NOT JUST THAT THEY STOOD ON THE STREET CORNER AND IN THE SYNAGOGUE AND PRAYED BUT HE TELLS US THAT THEY DID IT FOR A VERY SPECIAL PURPOSE. THAT THEY MIGHT BE SEEN BY MEN.
AND SO AS WELL AS NOT PRAYING LIKE THE HYPOCRITE, CHRIST ALSO CAUTIONS US NOT TO PRAY LIKE THE PAGAN USING MANY WORDS. THE KJV, AND NKJV USE THE PHRASE, VAIN REPETITION. I WONDER IF THAT COULD MEAN PRAYING WITHOUT PAYING ATTENTION. YOU’VE PRAYED THE PRAYERS SO LONG THAT YOU CAN SAY THEM WITHOUT REALLY THINKING ABOUT
THEM. IT’S JUST LIKE A REPETITION OF WORDS, ONE WORD AFTER ANOTHER. AND SO CHRIST SAYS DON’T BE LIKE THEM EITHER.
AND SO HE’S LAID OUT HOW WE SHOULDN’T PRAY AND NOW HE LAYS DOWN HOW WE SHOULD PRAY, BEGINNING WITH MATTHEW 6:9 (NIV) "THIS, THEN, IS HOW YOU SHOULD PRAY:AND CHRIST GOES ON TO LAY DOWN THE MOST FAMOUS PRAYER IN THE HISTORY OF MAN. MOST OF US COULD REEL IT OFF BY ROTE. INDEED IN MANY CHURCHES THEY PRAY THE LORD’S PRAYER EVERY SUNDAY.
A FUNNY STORY, TONY CAMPOLLA IS THE HEAD OF THE SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT AT EASTERN COLLEGE IN PHILADELPHIA, HE TELLS HOW AS A
YOUNG ASSISTANT PASTOR HE GAVE THE PASTORAL PRAYER ONE SUNDAY MORNING AFTER HE’D BEEN OUT LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AND SO HE SAID HE WAS PRETTY WELL IN AUTO PILOT. AND SO HE GOT TO THE LAST PHRASE WE HE SAYS IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD WHO TAUGHT US TO PRAY, OUR FATHER. . . AND WHAT HE ACTUALLY SAYS IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD WHO TAUGHT US TO PRAY, NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP. LET’S LOOK AT THE LORD’S PRAYER.
OUR FATHER. IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT CALLING "GOD" FATHER IS A TOTAL SUMMATION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. THE VALUE OF THAT STATEMENT IS THAT IT SETTLES ALL OF OUR LIFES RELATIONSHIPS.
1) IT SETTLES OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNSEEN WORLD. MISSIONARIES TELL US OF THE BURDEN LIFTED FROM THE SHOULDERS OF PRIMITIVE PEOPLE WHEN THEY LEARN THIS CONCEPT. THE RELIEF THEY EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY DISCOVER THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD. HOW REFRESHING IT IS ONLY HAVE TO LOOK UP TO ONE GOD. IN MANY OF THESE CULTURES THERE ARE HORDES OF GODS, AND EACH ONE HAS TO BE SATISFIED. THERE’S THE GOD OF SUN,
RAIN, HILLS, VALLEYS, ROCKS AND TREES. THE WORLD OF THE HEATHEN IS CROWDED WITH GODS, EACH ONE HOSTILE, JEALOUS, AND GRUDGING. AND THEN WHEN THESE PEOPLE DISCOVER THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD, WITH
THE NAME AND NATURE OF FATHER. IMAGINE THE RELIEF.
AND I REALIZE THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS FOND MEMORIES OF THEIR FATHERS AS A KIND AND LOVING PROTECTOR, BUT TO THE MAJORITY OF THE WORLD, FATHER CARRIES WITH IT POSITIVE CONNOTATIONS.
2) IT SETTLES OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE SEEN WORLD. THAT IS IN THE WORLD OF SPACE AND TIME WHERE WE LIVE. IT IS EASY TO VIEW THIS AS A HOSTILE WORLD AND A HOSTILE LIFE SPAN THAT WE HAVE. WITH SUFFERING
AND DEATH, AND UNEXPLAINED MISERY. BUT IF WE CAN BE SURE THAT BEHIND THIS WORLD IS NOT AN UGLY JEALOUS MOCKING GOD, BUT A GOD
CALLED FATHER, THEN EVEN THOUGH THERE WILL REMAIN MYSTERIES WE WILL REALIZE THAT BEHIND IT ALL IS A THING CALLED LOVE.
YOU SAY "BUT PREACHER WHAT ABOUT STUFF LIKE PAIN, WHAT DOES A LOVING FATHER GOD HAVE TO DO WITH PAIN?" GOOD QUESTION, PAIN IS PART OF GOD’S MASTER PLAN. IT REALLY IS, YOU SEE THINGS LIKE PAIN HAVE
THEIR PLACE IN THIS WORLD AS WELL. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE YOU’LL READ AN ARTICLE OR SEE SOMETHING ON THE TELLY ABOUT SOMEONE WHO WAS BORN WITHOUT PAIN SENSORS. THE STORY OFTEN GOES ON TO TELL ABOUT THE DAMAGE THAT THEY INCUR TO THEMSELVES WHEN THEY BREAK A LIMB OR TOUCH A HOT SURFACE AND DON’T REALIZE IT. YOU BREAK YOUR LEG
YOU DON’T WALK ON IT BECAUSE IT HURTS. BUT WHEN IT DOESN’T HURT AND YOU CONTINUE TO WALK YOU DO A PILE OF DAMAGE.
PAIN IS GOD’S WARNING SIGNAL, IT’S TELLING YOU SOMETHING. AND IF YOU DON’T LISTEN THEN YOU HURT SOME MORE. SURELY YOU’VE HEARD OF A NAGGING PAIN? WELL MAYBE IT’S TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. PAIN CAN BECOME A BAD THING, JUST TALK TO SOMEONE WITH CHRONIC PAIN, BUT TIME BEYOND MEASURE IT HAS SAVED YOU FROM SOMETHING FOR WORSE. TO CALL GOD, "FATHER" IS TO SETTLE OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE.
3) IT SETTLES OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR FELLOW MAN. IF GOD IS FATHER TO YOU, AND IF GOD IS FATHER TO ME, THEN GOD IS FATHER TO ALL BELIEVERS. CONTRARY TO POPULARBELIEF CHRIST DID NOT TEACH US TO PRAY, "MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN" INSTEAD IT WAS "OUR FATHER" PLURAL.
IT IS VERY SIGNIFICANT THAT WITHIN THE LORD’S PRAYER THE WORDS, I, ME AND MINE ARE NEVER USED. INSTEAD CHRIST USES THE WORDS, WE, US AND OURS. GOD IS NO MAN’S POSSESSION, AND HE BELONGS TO NO ONE
DENOMINATION. THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD IS COMPLETELY DEPENDENT ON THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE BELIEVERS.
WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT IF WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE GOD AS FATHER, THEN THOSE OTHERS AREN’T SOME DISTANT COUSIN OR IN-LAW THEY ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS. NOW MY FOLKS ALWAYS GOT A LITTLE UP TIGHT AND UPSET WHEN MY SISTER AND I FOUGHT, I WONDER HOW THE HEAVENLY FATHER FEELS WHEN HE SEES HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS FIGHTING DOWN HERE?
4) IF WE BELIEVE THAT GOD IS FATHER THEN IT SETTLES OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OURSELVES. IF YOU ARE IN THE LEAST BIT HUMAN THEN YOU GOTTA ADMIT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE DON’T LIKE OURSELVES VERY MUCH FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER. AND THAT’S NO PROBLEM IF YOU VIEW YOURSELF THE WAY THE HUMANIST VIEW THE HUMAN RACE AS JUST A HIGHER ANIMAL.
YET IF WE CAN GET A GRIP ON THIS CONCEPT OF A FATHER GOD, AND A GOD THE FATHER THEN THIS PUTS EVERYTHING INTO A PROPER PERSPECTIVE. NO LONGER ARE WE JUST A MERE ANIMAL, BUT NOW WE ARE CHILDREN OF THE
CREATOR.
5) IT SETTLES OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. IT IS NOT THAT IT REMOVES THE MIGHT, MAJESTY AND POWER FROM GOD. IT’S NOT THAT IT MAKES GOD ANY LESS GOD. BUT IT DOES MAKE THAT MIGHT AND MAJESTY AND POWER
APPROACHABLE. THERE’S A STORY TOLD ABOUT A ROMAN EMPEROR WHO RETURNED TO THE CAPITAL CITY, AND AS THE CROWD STOOD ON THE STREET CHEERING A LITTLE BOY BURST THROUGH THE CROWD AND MADE A DASH FOR THE EMPEROR’S CHARIOT. WELL BEFORE HE GOT VERY FAR HE WAS SCOOPED UP BY A CENTURIAN WHO SAID DON’T YOU KNOW THAT IS THE EMPEROR. TO WHICH THE LITTLE BOY REPLIED, HE MAY BE YOUR EMPEROR BUT HE’S MY FATHER.
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN GOD IS NOT ONLY OUR FATHER, BUT HE IS OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. YOU SAY OK, BUT WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT
MAKE. THESE LAST TWO WORDS ÂIN HEAVEN BRING TWO TRUTHS TO OUR ATTENTION.
1) THEY REMIND US OF THE HOLINESS OF GOD. IT IS VERY EASY TO CHEAPEN AND SENTIMENTALIZE THE WHOLE IDEA OF FATHERHOOD. IT’S EASY TO MAKE OUR FATHER AN EXCUSE FOR AN EASY GOING COMFORTABLE RELIGION. WELL YOU KNOW HE’S A GOOD FELLOW AND ALL WILL BE WELL. AND THAT’S EASY TO DO IF WE JUST SAY OUR FATHER. BUT WHEN WE SAY IN HEAVEN IT REMINDS US THAT HE MAY BE OUR FATHER BUT HE NOT OUR OLD MAN.
THE GOD WHOM WE CALL FATHER, BECAUSE HE IS IN HEAVEN MUST BE APPROACHED WITH AWE, RESPECT AND REVERENCE. THE LOVE IS THERE
BUT SO IS THE HOLINESS.
2) THEY REMIND US OF THE POWER OF GOD. THESE TWO WORDS PUT GOD’S LOVE AND GOD’S POWER IN THE SAME PLANE. IT PUTS THEM SIDE BY SIDE. GOD’S POWER IS MOTIVATED BY GOD’S LOVE, AND GOD’S LOVE IS MOTIVATED BY GOD’S POWER. OUR FATHER ALWAYS GUARDS, PROTECTS, AND WILL ALWAYS SHOW US THE WAY. GOD’S LOVE IS BACKED BY HIS POWER AND
THEREFORE CAN NEVER BE FRUSTRATED OR DEFEATED.
WHEN WE PRAY OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN WE ARE REMINDED OF HIS HOLINESS, AND WE’RE REMINDED OF HIS POWER WHICH MOVES IN LOVE.
LOVE WHICH HAS BEHIND IT, THE UNDEFEATABLE POWER OF GOD.
HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME, TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSIONS TRANSLATES THIS MAY YOUR NAME BE KEPT HOLY. NOW IN ORDER TO PERIODICALLY SHOW YOU MY GRASP OF THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE I TELL YOU THINGS LIKE THE GREEK FOR THE WORD HALLOWED IS HAGIA-ZESTHIA, AND IT COMES FROM THE ADJECTIVE HAGIOS WHICH IS TRANSLATED HOLY BUT LITERALLY MEANS,
DIFFERENT OR SET APART.
AND SO THE TEMPLE WAS DIFFERENT THEN OTHER BUILDINGS, THE SABBATH IS DIFFERENT THEN OTHER DAYS, THE ALTAR IS DIFFERENT THEN ORDINARY THINGS AND THE PRIEST IS DIFFERENT OTHER MEN. AND SO WHAT THIS
SCRIPTURE IS SAYING IS THIS "LET GOD’S NAME BE TREATED DIFFERENT THEN ALL OTHER NAMES, LET GOD’S NAME BE GIVEN A POSITION WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE.
NOW AGAIN WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THERE IS SOME JEWISH THOUGHT HERE. YOU SEE IN HEBREW YOUR NAME IS NOT JUST WHAT YOU’RE CALLED BY BUT IT ALSO DESCRIBES YOUR PERSONALITY.
AND SO ABRAHAM MEANS FATHER OF MULTITUDES, AND ISSAC MEANS HE LAUGHS, AND JACOB HEEL GRABBER, AND SIMON IS A REED WHILE PETER
IS A ROCK.
PSALMS 9:10 (NIV) THOSE WHO KNOW YOUR NAME WILL TRUST IN YOU, FOR YOU, LORD, HAVE NEVER FORSAKEN THOSE WHO SEEK YOU.
PSALMS 20:7 (NIV) SOME TRUST IN CHARIOTS AND SOME IN HORSES, BUT WE TRUST IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD.
NOW THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT IN TIMES OF DIFFICULTY WE REMEMBER WHAT GOD’S NAME IS , LET’S SEE WHAT WAS THAT AGAIN, OH YEAH JEHOVAH, JEHOVAH RIGHT. NO WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT IN TIMES OF DIFFICULTLY THAT WE WILL REMEMBER THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF GOD. AND WE WILL TRUST NOT JUST IN HUMAN RESOURCES BUT ALSO IN THE POWER AND LOVE OF GOD.
