Praying with the disciples # 3

Matthew 6: 9-13

In In this prayer, which is sometimes called ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, Jesus teaches the disciples that prayer is the expression of our total dependence upon God for all things

9 Jesus teaches the disciples to ‘pray like this’:

1/ Matthew 6: 9 ‘Our Father in Heaven’

* God is our loving Father – who delights in providing for and protecting us, His children

2/ Matthew 6: 9 ‘May Your Name be kept holy’

* God’s Name is holy – we are to honor God’s Name at all times

3/ Matthew 6: 10 ‘May Your Kingdom come soon’

Q. What is God’s Kingdom?

A. God’s Kingdom is the invisible presence of God’s supreme authority on Earth and in Heaven

* God has supreme authority on Earth and in Heaven

Firstly, we need to understand that God’s Kingdom cannot be seen, it is the invisible presence of God’s supreme authority

Luke 17: 20 ‘Some of the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the kingdom of God come?” Jesus answered, “God’s kingdom is coming, but not in a way that you can see it.”

Secondly, we need to understand that God’s Kingdom is in 2 places/locations

On earth:

God’s Kingdom is within His people/His supreme authority on Earth is within us!

God said to His people, in the Old Testament times, (Exodus 19: 6) ‘You are My Kingdom’

In (Revelation 1: 6) ‘He has made us to be a kingdom’

Jesus said there is only one way to personally experience God’s Kingdom – and that is, to be ‘born again’

John 3: 3 “Unless you are born again, you can never get into the Kingdom of God.”

When we are born again we become members of God’s Kingdom on the Earth

And as a member of God’s Kingdom I am subject to God’s supreme authority in ‘my’ life

I love how the Apostle Paul said this

Galatians 2: 20 ‘The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me’

Dear friends, as we pray ‘may your Kingdom come soon’, we also have a responsibility to act on that prayer by sharing the Gospel of salvation with the lost, that they too may be saved and enter the Kingdom of God!

In Heaven:

As we pray ‘may your kingdom come soon’ we are also praying for the soon return of Jesus to the Earth, and when that happens, God’s supreme authority will be unlimited on Earth as it is in Heaven!

When Jesus, the King of God’s Kingdom’ returns to the Earth, 2 things will happen

Firstly, Jesus will bring everlasting judgement upon all sinful people on the Earth

Revelation 11: 15-18

Secondly, Jesus will bring everlasting blessings to us His people

Revelation 21: 1-7

Let us pray with the disciples

Matthew 6: 9-11

Praying with the disciples # 2

Matthew 6: 9-13

In In this prayer, which is sometimes called ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, Jesus teaches the disciples that prayer is the expression of our total dependence upon God for all things

9 Jesus teaches the disciples to ‘pray like this’:

1/ Matthew 6: 9 ‘Our Father in Heaven’

* God is our loving Father – who delights in providing for and protecting us, His children

2/ Matthew 6: 9 ‘May Your Name be kept holy’

* God’s Name is holy – we are to honor God’s Name at all times

What is God’s Name?

God has made Himself known to us in Jesus Christ

Colossians 1: 15 ‘Christ is the visible image of the invisible God’

Romans 9: 5 ‘Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And He is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen’

Therefore, we keep God’s Name holy by honoring the Name of Jesus

HERE ARE 8 REASONS TO HONOR THE NAME OF JESUS

1/ My salvation depends on honoring the Name of Jesus

Romans 10: 9-10 ‘If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved’

John 3: 18 ‘There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Him. But anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged for not believing in God’s One and Only Son

2/ My fellowship with God depends on honoring the Name of Jesus

1 John 3: 23-24 ‘And this is His commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with Him, and He with them. And we know He lives in us because the Spirit He gave us lives in us’.

3/ My eternal security depends on honoring the Name of Jesus

John 17: 11 ‘So keep them by the power of the name that you have given Me’.

‘Keep’ = safe from loss

4/ My relationship with God depends on honoring the Name of Jesus

1 Corinthians 6:11 ‘you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God’.

Illustrate: married husband and wife
Relationship is right = happy
Relationship is not right = unhappy

5/ My physical health depends on honoring the Name of Jesus

Acts 3:16 ‘Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed’

6/ Getting my prayers answered depends on honoring the Name of Jesus

John 16:24 ‘You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive’

Illustrate: Many Christians today don’t want to give offense to other people by saying the name of Jesus

So they pray like this – ‘Dear God…amen’

For me; I would rather offend people than offend God

7/ My witness depends on honoring the Name of Jesus

Acts 9:15-16 ‘But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man (Paul) is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel’

Acts 4:12 ‘There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved’

8/ I want to honor the Name of Jesus because if I don’t God will squash me like a bug (insect)

Revelation 6: 15-17, Revelation 14: 14-20

Let us pray with the disciples

Matthew 6: 9-11