eFollowingJesusJan24 - The Lord's Prayer (read Matthew 6:5-15)

   "When you pray." - not if you pray!  Assuming we would pray several times daily, he offered a memorable, simple model of how to talk with God.  How merciful!  From our Lord we learn the pattern, the content of prayer.

   We address God not as a remote potentate, but as Father, "Abba," an intimate term children young and old used for their dad.  God is "our" Father; we join hands with others, including those who can't or don't pray!

   Jesus' prayer is not just "Help me, give me."  Its first movement is to extol the greatness of God.  We seek, not my agenda, but "thy kingdom come."  And how profound is the prayer for forgiveness if all hinges on how merciful we are to others?

   A wise way to use the Lord's prayer is to pause and personalize each sentence.  "Forgive us our trespasses - such as."  "As we forgive those - such as."  "Lead us not into temptation - especially."  The prayer is brief, but notice that even though Jesus evidently used few words in prayer, he logged much time in prayer.

   Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven.  Give us our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

James

james@mpumc.org

Sunday's sermon on Matthew 5:1-12 (the "Beatitudes") may be heard on our web site.

Here is the full text of Matthew 6:5-15 -  5: "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6: But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7: "And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8: Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9: Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11: Give us this day our daily bread; 12: And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors; 13: And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. 14: For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; 15: but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

The full eFollowingJesus series (thus far!) may be found on our web site.