The Lord's Prayer

THE LORD’S PRAYER (MATTHEW 6:9-15)

There once was a ship in the middle of a ferocious storm. Everyone knew they were in grave danger of sinking, and were working madly to keep the vessel afloat. For hours, mighty waves thrashed the deck over and over, and the torrential winds threatened to shatter the mast at any moment.

Finally, the grizzled old captain called out to the crew. “Does anyone here know how to pray?”

One man, a brave young sailor on his first voyage, stepped forward. He was thinking of the passage in the New Testament that recounted how Jesus calmed a storm with one word and saved the lives of his terrified disciples. “Yes sir,” he said. “I know how to pray.”

“Wonderful!” the captain bellowed. “Then you pray while the rest of us put on life jackets. We’re one short.”

The Lord’s Prayer is the most popular, precious and powerful prayer in church history. The verb “pray” (proseuchomai) is repeated six times in Matthew 6 (Matt 6:5 twice, 6 twice, 7, 9), more than any chapter in the Bible. In the context of verses 1-8, Jesus was critical of phony prayers that are charming, clever or choreographed, and not candid, consistent or closeted. Jesus opposed hypocrites who prayed to be seen (v 5) and pagans who repeat themselves to be heard (v 7). Instead he offered an alternative that is God-pleasing and people-centered, and self-remedying. There are seven imperatives in the Lord’s Prayer, twice in verses 9 (pray, hallowed) and 10 (come, done), and once in verses 11 (give), 12 (forgive) and 13 (deliver).

How important is prayer to you? What kind of prayer pleases God? How does prayer define us? How does prayer shape our lives and impact other people?

Affirm His Holiness

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. (Matt 6:9-10)

First, “hallowed” is an imperative and not an invitation, therefore His name is to be uplifted and upheld, not downsized or downtrodden. The verb “hallowed” means “sanctify” or “set apart.” It implies acknowledging and adoring God’s great name, honor and nature, not undermining or undoing it.

The phrase “the name of the Lord” communicates and conveys allegiance, authority and affection. We are to minister (Deut18:5, 7), bless (Deut 21:5) and walk (Mic 4:5) in the name of the Lord, not blaspheme the name of the Lord (Lev 24:16) or take the name of the Lord thy God in vain (Ex 20:7, Deut 5:11), swear by the name of the Lord (Isa 48:1). Instead, the name of the Lord is to be called upon (Gen 4:26, Ps 102:21), proclaimed (Deut 32:3), praised (Ps 7:17), remembered (Ps 20:7),feared (Ps 102:15, Isa 59;19), loved (Isa 56:6) and trusted (Zeph 3:12), not to be given to another (Isa 42:8), despised (Mal 1:6) or defiled (Ezek 43:8), polluted or profaned (Ezek 20:39, 36:20).

There are clever ways people take His name in vain or to manipulate others, including Internet scammers (“My late husband left $10 milion..”), cults, prosperity gospel preachers who promise you health and wealth in God’s name, self-proclaimed prophets, and politicians.

Holiness is the single most mentioned attribute of God. The popular nouns of “power” (koah) is mentioned 126 times in the Old Testament, wisdom (hokmah) as many as 140 times and glory (kabowd) 200 times, but “holy” is mentioned 464 times, more than double the noun “glory,” and more than the terms of power, wisdom and glory added together. The verb “hallowed” is derived from the noun “holy,” so “hallowed” means to make holy or to consecrate, to regard, respect, or render Him as holy. God’s name means more than His title; it is testimony to Him. It does not mean designation, but dedication to Him. God’s name reveals His attribute, authority and acts. As His children and creation, handiwork and heirs, servants and sheep, we are to be allegiant to Him, to have affection for Him, and to make acknowledgment to Him

“Come” is the next imperative, a command and not a choice, a surrender and not a suggestion. It is the deepest desire to see the consummation and coming of His reign, rule and revelation. The phrase “Thy kingdom” is synonymous with glory and power (Ps 145:11). Kingdoms and world powers will change, crumble and collapse, but His kingdom is fitting, final and forever. Come is a longing and an invitation, not eagerness but expectation, not an appeal but an anticipation, not an ambition but an assurance.

Unlike the plural “kingdoms” of the world (Matt 4:8, Luke 4:5) that Satan offered to Jesus, but the kingdom of God is singular and superior. God’s kingdom is not wrought by three F grades - fighting (John 18:36, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place”), or food (Rom 14:17, “The kingdom of God is not characterized by eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”) or flesh (1 Cor 15:50, “I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable”). Jesus’ kingdom values are characterized by righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17) and of power (1 Cor 4:20), not talk (logos). The single most important value in His kingdom is not relationship, but righteousness (Matt 6:33, Rom 14:17, Heb 1:8). Christ will end and destroy all dominion, authority and power (1 Cor 15:24) when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father. The kingdom of God not of this world; it is a heavenly kingdom (2 Tim 4:18) and an everlasting kingdom (2 Peter 1:11).