Teach Us To Pray Week 2: Our Father

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 others. 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 when you pray, 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 in heaven,
hallowed be your name.

Matthew 6:5-9

This week we are looking at Jesus’ model of how to pray and really zooming in just on the first sentence: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name.” This single sentence can seem simple, yet its implications are quite profound. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, we are now adopted into His family, making us heirs with Christ. This is remarkable considering that we as humans, are sinful beings and thus should be eternally separated from God. But God loved us so much that He made a way for us to be reconciled back to Him, even going as far as adopting us into His very family.

Now, because of our new status as sons and daughters of the Most High, we are able to come to our Father with a childlike posture. This means, we don’t need to start our prayers like we are strangers to God, but rather with the confidence knowing that He fully understands the cost of our adoption, and still chooses to love us every day. When we pray “Our Father” there is authority, affection, fellowship, and honor between God and us which disarms all of the selfish, prideful, or angry feelings that we may holding onto.

1. What gives your confidence when you pray? Is it how good you are are praying or your relationship with God?
2. Examine your motivation when you pray or when you don’t pray – is it because it is a task or a delight?

Catch up on earlier Teach Us to Pray sermons: Week 1