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The Lord's Prayer |
| Matthew
6:5-15 |
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| A
Four-Part Teaching By Pastor Paul Sundell, IMF Coordinator of Missions Field Services |
The subject here is obviously prayer. Jesus found it necessary not only to warn His followers against certain dangers in connection with prayer, but also to give them positive instruction.
May I say that here we face one of the most vital subjects in regards to our Christian life. Prayer is beyond any question the highest activity of the human soul. Man is at his greatest and highest when, upon his knees, he comes face to face with God.
We take note simply in passing that the negative warnings come first. It alerts us to the possibility that prayer can be misused or even abused. We do well to hear what Jesus is saying.
To quote another, “When a man is speaking to God he is at his very acme. It is the highest activity of the human soul, and therefore, it is at the same time, the ultimate test of a man’s true spiritual condition. There is nothing that tells the truth about us as Christian people so much as our prayer life.”
Prayer is undoubtedly “the ultimate test,” because a man can speak to others with greater ease that he can speak with God. How many among us have not known what it is to find that, somehow, we have less to say to God when we are alone, than when we are present with others? It’s when we are alone with God that we really know where we stand in a spiritual sense. Yes, it is the ultimate test of our true spiritual condition.
The flip side of that is to discover that when we examine closely that characteristic of all the godliest people the world has ever known has been that they not only spend much time in private prayer, but have also delighted in it.
Because it is of such vital importance to us, there is surely a greater need for guidance at this point than at any other.
We can take note of the fact that John the Baptist obviously felt its importance and hence taught his disciples to pray. Later, when the disciples observed Jesus in prayer, there was just something there that made such a deep impact on them that they petitioned the Lord, “Lord teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).
Have you ever felt that you would like to be able to pray as He prayed? Have you ever felt dissatisfied with your prayer life, and longed to know more and more what it is to truly pray? That is an encouraging sign!
We commonly call this “The Lord’s Prayer.” It is a perfect synopsis of our Lord’s instruction on how to pray, and what to pray for. If we will take the time to closely examine this model prayer, we will discover that Jesus was teaching them (and us) what certainly seem to be the great central principles which He was anxious for them to learn and appropriate.
Let me make some observations that we can think about. First, is that this prayer was undoubtedly a pattern prayer. Note carefully the words which introduce it: “After this manner therefore pray ye…” (Matt. 6:9) So, when you come to God, this is the kind of way in which we are to pray. The amazing and extraordinary thing about it is that it really covers everything in principle. There is, in fact, a sense in which you can never add to the Lord’s Prayer; nothing is left out.
To say that this prayer is all-inclusive and is the perfect summary simply means, therefore, that it really does contain all the principles. We could say that the prayer He taught is a kind of skeleton. The basics for all of life are all there, and it is left to us to simply put some “flesh” on the bones. All we do is take these principles and employ and expand them, and base our every petition on them.
Now, I realize that Jesus here is teaching His disciple ---then and there. But let me be quick to add---this prayer is obviously meant not only for the disciples, but for all Christians in every place and every time. Jesus speaks to us---here, now---exactly as He spoke to the people who were about Him at that particular time.
So, in this brief beginning, let us summarize what we may learn at this point, and that is that there is nothing more exalted, and more elevating, than this wonderful prayer which the Lord Jesus taught His people. And considering the context, He taught it, not that they might just repeat it mechanically for the rest of their lives, but rather that they should say to themselves, “Now there are certain things I must always remember when I pray. I must not rush into prayer; I must not start speaking at once without considering what I am doing. I need something more than a mere impulse or feeling. I need to always bear in mind that here are the headings for my prayer. Here is the skeleton on which I have to put some flesh. Here is my guide for praying.”
Next
time we can consider something of how to pray and what to pray for. But
for now, let me challenge you to give serious thought to this whole matter
of prayer---meeting with God face to face.
†
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