“The Spirit Helps Us To Pray”

A Biblical Theology of Prayer

Lesson 8

Christ’s Teaching on Prayer

The Lord’s Model Prayer 

“This, then, is how you should pray:    "Our Father in heaven,    hallowed be your name,

 your kingdom come,    your will be done

      on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.

 Forgive us our debts,       as we also have forgiven our debtors.

 And lead us not into temptation,    but deliver us from the evil one”

Matthew 6:9-13

The Lord’s Model PrayerNotice to Online Users

To get the most from this lesson please download the lesson documents

The Lord’s Prayer Worksheet - during the slides you will find 7 places to stop and reflect marked with (Column #). Jot down 3-5 words that amplify the idea being expressed .

The Lord’s Amplified Prayer - after you’ve completed reviewing the slides, the assignment is to rewrite the Lord’s model prayer to make it personal using the words you’ve noted from the worksheet.

Keep in mind that the purpose of the prayer contains both a personal and corporate emphasis. It can be both intercessory through the words “our” and “us” as well as intimately between the Lord and each of us individually.

The goal here is to gain a deeper more meaningful understanding of this model prayer that Jesus gave his disciples when they asked “Lord, teach us to pray.”

Enjoy and be blessed!

The Lord’s Model Prayer“Our” - plural pronoun for a corporate prayer - Why did Jesus starts his model prayer this way?

• Our common problem – “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12)

• Our common solution - “for if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17)

• Our common connection – “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.” (1 Cor 12:12)

The Lord’s Model Prayer“Our” (cont’d) • Our common status – “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with

Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 3:6)

• Our common purpose – “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)

• Our common faith - “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6)

• Our common vision – “All the believers were together and had everything in common.” (Acts 2:44)

The Lord’s Model Prayer“Our Father” - praying to a God who treats us like His very children - What are the characteristics of God that make Him a

Father? (Column 1)

• Our Father’s desire – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16)

• Our Father decides – “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)

• Our Father’s perfection - “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

• Our Father’s rewards – “that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:4)

• Our Fathers knows best - “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” (Matthews 6:8)

The Lord’s Model Prayer“Our Father” (cont’d)

• Our Father forgives - “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14)

• Our Father provides – “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26)

• Our Father is giving – “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11)

• Our Father directs – “for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” (Matthew 10:20)

• Our Father cares – “Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:16)

• Our Father’s residence – “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.” (Matthew 23:9)

The Lord’s Model Prayer‘”Our Father in heaven” – Praying to a God who is out of this world! – what ideas come to mind when you think about heaven?

• It is a place that Jesus came from: “For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” (John 6:38)

• It is a place that Jesus is preparing for us – “There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you.” (John 14:6)

• It is a place where Jesus says our Father observes – “In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16)

• It is a place that Jesus returned to – “Now during the blessing he departed and was taken up into heaven.” (Luke 24:51)

• It is a place where Jesus is seated – “Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We have such a high priest, one who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven” (Hebrews 8:1)

The Lord’s Model Prayer‘”Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name ” – Praying to a God whose Name is to be known throughout all time (Column 2)

Jacob: “Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there.” (Genesis 32:29)

Moses: “For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.” (Exodus 5:23)

David: “So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You.” (2 Samuel 7: 26)

Solomon: “When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and when they turn back to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication to You in this temple (1 Kings 8:33)

The Lord’s Model Prayer‘”Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name ” –(cont’d)

Nehemiah: O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name (Nehemiah 11:1)

Isaiah O LORD, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. (Isaiah 25:1)

Jeremiah: Inasmuch as there is none like You, O LORD (You are great, and Your name is great in might), (Jeremiah 10:6)

Daniel: O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.” (Daniel 9:19)

The Lord’s Model Prayer‘”Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name ” – (cont’d)

Malachi: “ A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’ (Malachi 1:6)

The Lord’s Model Prayer“your kingdom come” - Praying for the manifest presence of God – what might the Kingdom look like? (Column 3)

• The Kingdom is “near” – “From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:17)

• The Kingdom requires right living – “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)

• The Kingdom is about relationship – not religion – “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

• The Kingdom is to be advanced – “As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 10:7)

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The Lord’s Model Prayer“your kingdom come” – (cont’d)

• The Kingdom will advance boldly – “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.” (Matthew 11:12)

• The Kingdom requires childlike faith – “And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)

• The Kingdom requires a break from the world – “Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:23)

• The Kingdom will go global – “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come ” (Matthew 24:14)

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The Lord’s Model Prayer“your kingdom come” – (cont’d)

• The Kingdom is prepared for those who trust and obey – “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34)

• The Kingdom has been assigned to Christ followers - “And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me” (Luke 22:29)

• The Kingdom was what Jesus taught the Church - After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3)

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The Lord’s Model Prayer“your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven” – Praying for God to rule and reign in our lives – How do we achieve it? (Column 4)

• We seek – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

• We ask – “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

• We understand - “Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand” (Matthew 15:10)

• We submit – “Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

• We believe – “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.“ (Matthew 21:22)

• We obey – “and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.“ (Matthew 28:20)

The Lord’s Model Prayer “Give us today our daily bread” Praying for God’s promises of provision – what are those things? (Column 5)

• Basic Needs - “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?” (Matthew 6:25)

• Good Things – “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11)

• Whatever We Ask – “In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (John 16:23-24)

The Lord’s Model Prayer “Give us today our daily bread” (Cont’d)

• His Presence – “and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.“ (Matthew 28:20)

• The Holy Spirit - If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13

• Life – “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.” (John 5:21)

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The Lord’s Model Prayer“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Praying for God’s grace to be made manifest - what are some characteristics of forgiveness? (Column 6)

• Forgiveness has conditions - “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

• Forgiveness is an ongoing process – “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"  Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:21-22)

• Forgiveness must come from the heart – “In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:34-35)

The Lord’s Model Prayer“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (cont’d)

• Forgiveness precedes effectual praying - Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.“ (Mark 11:24-25)

• Forgiveness is to be proclaimed to a world in need – “And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (John 20:22-23)

The Lord’s Model Prayer“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” Praying for God’s sovereign rule to be established - what might it

look like? (Column 7)

• Truth is established – “And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:36-37)

• Understanding is established – “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.” (Matthew 13:19)

• Justice is established - "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:40-41)

The Lord’s Model Prayer“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”

Love is established – “Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire.” (John 8:42-44b)

Next Week

Lesson 9 Prayer in Early Church

Chapters 9 & 10