Thursday, January 17, 2013
The Lord's Prayer Part II - Talking to the Father about the Family, Part 12 of 61
TEXT: "In this manner, therefore, 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 this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:9-11).
IDEA: The Lord’s Prayer may be misnamed.
PURPOSE: To help listeners appreciate why the Lord’s Prayer might better be called, “The Disciples’ Prayer.”
Do you think the Lord’s Prayer might be misnamed?
We call the prayer “The Lord’s Prayer,” but it is a prayer that Jesus Himself could not have prayed.
I. How much of the Prayer could Jesus have prayed?
He called God “My Father” (Matthew 26:39).
He prayed that He would “Glorify Your Name” (John 12:28).
He was deeply involved in proclaiming the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 4:17).
He gave thanks for the food when He fed the five thousand and the four thousand (Matthew 14:13-21, 15:35-38).
II. Could Jesus have prayed the next petition: “Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors?”
He did forgive his debtors (Luke 23:34).
He could not have prayed with integrity, “Forgive us our debts . . .”
III. Perhaps this prayer should be called, “The Disciples’ Prayer.”
It is the Lord’s Prayer in that our Lord taught us to pray this prayer.
Should we begin a campaign to change the name of the prayer?
