Sermon Central
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The Greatest Prayer Ever Prayed Series
Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jul 12, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: The Lord’s model prayer shows us that prayer is just Talking to Him, prayer is Asking, and prayer is Praising. It must begin and end with Him! A free download link is included to formatted text and PowerPoint Template.
The Greatest Prayer Ever Prayed
The sermon on the mount is the greatest sermon ever preached, preached by the greatest preacher who ever lived. And within is this wonderful model of prayer.
It’s a misnomer to call this The Lord’s Prayer…it’s actually the disciples prayer and should be a model for our prayers in concept. What I would call the Lord’s prayer is in Jn. 17.
v. 12 In the middle of this great prayer is sin, and the need for forgiveness. This isn’t the Lord’s Prayer…He never sinned.
This prayer is not intended to be recited only. It’s fine to memorize it, but it’s vain repetition if we only say it over and again, w/out applying the principles and structure of it to all our real, sincere praying. It’s a simple outline, a skeleton to put the meat on. We should employ and expand these things into our own personal prayer lives.
This prayer can be divided into 3 parts:
If we wanted to use big words, we’d call it the Invocation, the Supplication, and the Adoration. But I think prayer should be simple…simply me talking to God, so let’s use small words:
Prayer is talking, asking, and praising…
A. Prayer is talking.
v. 9 Principle #1--Prayer is like a child talking to his father.
It’s nice that we can call God our Father…but in those days it was a radical new concept. In the OT, God was never referred to as Father…no one in the OT was ever called a “child of God.” Rather, servants of God. And that we are, but now more!
Prayer is just talking. This takes a lot of the mystery out of prayer. Not everyone can look to the heavens and cry out, “Father.” One of the most damnable heresies on earth is the false teaching of the ‘universal Fatherhood of God’ and the ‘universal brotherhood of man.’
“We’re all God’s children,” they say. I know what they mean, but it’s not Biblically correct. And now I’m not politically correct. We are all God’s creation, but not all God’s children. Jesus turned to a group of religious Jews one day and said, ‘ye are of your father, the devil.’
There are children of God and of the devil…what’s the difference? Whether you’ve been born again into the family of God!
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.
How would you feel if you saw my son approach me in the lobby and heard him say, “O thou most noble father: could’st thou spare a slight segment of thy illustrious post service chronology, to hear a humble petition, albeit brief? Fein I would navigate to the abode of mine acquaintance, thy servant, Joshua of the house of Roger and Joleen, to partake of frozen custard on a stick, flavorized with the product of the cocoa bean.” How many of you would think he was nuts? Truly, he would say, “Can I ask you a question, dad? May I go to Joshua’s for chocolate ice cream?”
Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. said, “when I go to God with a need in my life, it’s as simply as saying, Pappy, please pass the biscuits.” I’m not saying we should ever be flippant or frivolous…but just like a child to his father.
v. 9 “which art in heaven” This presents a problem in the minds of some, tragically, who had a bad experience w/ their earthly father. Well, our Heavenly Father is different…the best father you could ever imagine.
Principle #2--Prayer is like a subject talking to a King.
v. 9 “hallowed be Thy name.”
v. 10 “Thy kingdom come.”
Every child should be a loyal subject, who respects and reveres his king. Hallowed means to hold in high esteem.
Don’t you hate to hear God’s name taken in vain, or His name drug thru the mud? It’s offensive, and we should shut it down in person or shut it off in our living rooms!
And so, before we ever make our requests, we politely address our King!
“Thy Kingdom come.” We are supposed to pray for the end, which is actually the beginning of God’s kingdom on earth.
Principle #3--Prayer is like a servant talking to his master.
v. 10 In heaven it all happens God’s way…but the god of this world, the devil, has other plans for the earth. We are to pray for God’s will to be done here, despite that.
If you need to be saved, it’s God’s will that you do so. But not Satan’s.
“God is not willing that any should perish…” [2 Pet. 3]
If you need to get right w/ God, it’s God’s will…but will you? I pray so! That’s why we pray for God’s will in all matters, and not our own.
