Matthew 6:5-15
Luke 11:1-13
For the past two weeks, we've been studying Jesus' teachings on the subject of prayer. In part one, we talked about Jesus' example of prayer and how prayer is necessary to having a victorious Christian life.
Last week, we began an examination of the Lord's Prayer. First of all, we discussed the fact that the Lord's Prayer should be prayed in and of it self. Second, we examined the way in which the Lord's Prayer is a model, guide, or pattern of prayer.
We saw that we should incorporate praise and adoration into our prayers, as well as thanksgiving. Also, we saw that we should pray for the will of God to be done on earth just as it is always done in heaven.
Now, let's pick up our discussion of the Lord's Prayer as a model. Jesus says in Matthew 6:11, "Give us this day our daily bread." Jesus is saying that it is definitely right and proper for us to pray that the Lord will meet our needs in this life.
All of us have basic requirements that need to be meet just to live. We need food, clothes, water, etc. Jesus expects us to pray for the provision of these things.
A lot of us, however, pray for things we want but don't really need. I don't think that praying about these things is totally out of bounds if kept in the proper perspective. We don't want all of our prayer time taken up with a litany of things we want God to do for us. Praying in this way seems to be rather self-centered, and I believe that Jesus teaches us to focus on the other and the needs of the world more than focusing on our own satisfaction. We need to keep things in the proper perspective.
Jesus continues His teaching with verse 12 of Matthew 6 where He states, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." All of us need forgiveness from the sins we commit. I don't know about you, but the harder I try, it seems the more I slip up. Thankfully, as I John 1:9 says, " If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Confessing our sins restores our fellowship with the Lord. If we have unconfessed sin in our lives, our relationship with the Lord can't be what it is supposed to be.
However, forgiveness works two ways. As God for Christ's sake has forgiven us, we should forgive one another. As Jesus says in Matthew 6:14-15, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses.
If someone who has offended us repents and asks forgiveness, we as Christ's followers are obligated to forgive. Otherwise, when we commit a sin against God and ask His forgiveness, we won't be forgiven.
Jesus speaks about this same principle in Matthew 18:21-35. Peter comes to Jesus and asks if he should forgive someone up to seven times. Jesus says that Peter should forgive not seven times but seventy times seven times. To illustrate His point, Jesus tells Peter a story. A man owed a huge debt he couldn't pay to his master. This man begged and pleaded to have his debt forgiven, and his master graciously forgave the huge debt that was owed.
Later, a fellow servant came to the servant who'd been forgiven and asked for the forgiveness of a small debt. The servant who'd been forgiven wasn't gracious. He had his fellow servant thrown into debtor's prison.
This didn't set well with the other servants who reported the situation to the master. The master revoked the servant's forgiveness and tossed him into prison because the servant wasn't willing to forgive his fellow servant.
Jesus sums it up in Matthew 18:35, "So also my heavenly Father will do to everyone of you , if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
Those of us who have put are trust in Jesus have been forgiven from the debt of our sin. How can we not forgive others?
The Lord's Prayer continues with a request for deliverance from temptation and evil. When we pray, we need to ask the Lord to not allow us to be placed in a situation that will cause us to fall into sin. We also should pray that if temptation does come, that we will find a way to avoid sin and follow Christ fully.
We also need to pray for protection. There are many forces of evil at work in the world. Let us always remember to pray for God's protection for our family and loved ones.
Finally, Jesus concludes the Lord's Prayer with praise and adoration once again. He says, "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever." I repeat, we can never praise the Lord enough for all that He has done and accomplished on our behalf.
If you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I hope you will invite Him into your life this week.
Next week, Lord willing, we will continue with part four of Jesus' teaching on prayer. Amen.
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