A MODEL FOR PRAYER
MATT 6: 7-18 (cf Luke 11:2-4)
In this section, in contrast to hypocritical or empty praying, Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray and fast rightly.
Amy Jill Levine, says in her book Sermon on the Mount, a beginner’s guide to the Kingdom of Heaven: “All conversations with God are a form of prayer. Prayer can praise, it can lament or demand or accuse. Prayer suggests relationship…and says that we are still connected and that we have not walked away. Prayer in anger is not hypocrisy, it is honesty. Prayer that asks “why” is not a sign of disbelief, it expresses our human resistance to chaos (see Psalm 22 and Psalm 42:9).”
Again we are reminded in verses 5-8 that Jesus says to pray in secret and not to pray to be seen and heard by others. Amy-Jill Levine: “Showing off in prayer is nothing new, despite the fact that it is annoying to pretty much everyone except the showoff. The grace before meals at public events that goes on for fifteen minutes may be the most common example, but the implication is: show off on earth and you do not need a heavenly recognition.”
God our Father - Matt 6:9
Abba is the Aramaic term that means Father and evokes images of paternity: a protector, provider, ever-loving and compassionate God that has our best interest in mind. It did not have the same meaning as daddy (as some would say).
Is God Father of all peoples?
I believe not all peoples and religions can say Yahweh God is their Father.
John 8:41-44 says: “You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but He sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires…
So let’s see who has the privilege of calling God Abba, Father, as Jesus calls God Father?
- John 1:12-14: But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
- Rom 8:14-16: For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God… you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father.
- Gal 3:26: For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.
So those who have placed their faith in Jesus has the privilege of calling Yahweh God, Father.
Hallowed be your name - Matt 6:9
Why does God’s name need to be kept holy?
- Yahweh God is the set-apart Creator whose ways and thoughts are way above ours. His very name, Yahweh, is therefore holy and wherever and whenever His name is mentioned, it represents God himself.
- God wants us to keep, to recognize, and to acknowledge his name as holy as He is due respect.
- As Believers we bear the name of Jesus and it’s through our character that we represent or carry his name as holy.
- To misrepresent Him is to profane and bring shame to his name; to honor and obey is to keep his name holy.
Carmen Imes on the BibleProject points to Ezekiel 36, where God’s name had been profaned and needed to be restored.
- Ezekiel 36:22-23: 22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. 23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am Yahweh, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.
To profane God’s name means bringing dishonor, showing a lack of respect or irreverence through our actions or character when representing the Almighty God.
Carmen Imes says it’s not so much about using God’s/Jesus’ name as a cuss word, (though I think that too is dishonoring his name) but it’s about how we behave as his children, how we represent him to our neighbors in not bringing shame to his name.
Forgive us our debts/sins/trespasses - Matt 6:12 (see Luke 11:4)
- Could mean forgiving an economic debt (as in man who forgave someone his debt in Matt 18:22-25).
- Sin/trespasses is referred to as a debt and a burden that is lifted when we are forgiven, or a debt that is paid at the cross (sin) - Col 2:13-14.
Lead us not into temptation (or testing or trial) - Matt 6:13
Temptation is the strong desire or allure to do something, often seen as wrong, unwise, or against one's better judgment
- Temptation often involves a choice that goes against principles, values, or self-control.
- Act of influencing someone to do wrong/temptation (like cheating or stealing).
- Or the thing that causes that desire, like a delicious cake or eating junk food.
Temptation in the Bible is an enticement or invitation to sin, often presented as a lure of pleasure or gain, coming from Satan who is actively trying to lure people away from God. Essentially, it's the pull towards immediate gratification that might jeopardize future well-being or moral values.
Sin occurs only when one yields to the temptation, with the key distinction being that God tests faith (trials) but never tempts people to do evil.
Matt 26:41: Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Testing: the action or process of testing or checking someone or something.
- Diagnostic testing in patients.
- Revealing a person's capabilities by challenging them for strength and weakness.
- Checking the quality, performance, or reliability of (something), especially before putting it into widespread use or practice.
- Judge or measure someone's proficiency or knowledge by means of an examination.
Biblically - we see James 1:13-15 - God does not tempt us but scripture says God our Father does test his children
- Gen 22:1 God tested Abraham
- Job was tested to prove that God’s bragging about him was well founded
- God tested his people in the wilderness. Deut 8:2: And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. Or
Ex 16:4 – I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way, I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.”
- Jesus was led by the spirit to be tested (or tempted?) by the satan the tempter? – Matt 4:1
So God can test us to see if we will stand firm in our faith thru the worst times to see if we will love, obey, fear him through all circumstances and remain faithful.
Trials are tests of character or ability, often seen as opportunities to prove one’s qualities, character or faith. In essence, a trial is the test itself designed to reveal inner strength or develop spiritual maturity.
- James 1:2-3: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness
- James 1:12... 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Tribulation is the severe suffering experienced during that test or hardship. It is the more intense, prolonged periods of suffering, severe distress, anguish or oppression, often resulting from external forces like persecution (usually for one’s belief), significant physical and mental torment, or war making tribulation a deeper, more painful form of trial.
Trials or tribulation can test your trust in God. Sometimes it can be so severe that some lose their faith. Even in the book of Revelation God cuts the tribulation short or else no flesh would be left.
- • If God does not tempt us to do evil, and if it is beneficial to be tempted (if that’s the right translation) as James 1:2 says, then what is the purpose of praying “lead us not into temptation?”
- • We know God tests his children, so should we pray ‘lead us not into the testing’ or ‘do should you bring us to the time of trial or testing…’ or ‘do not allow us to be led into temptation that it overwhelms us, but rescue us from the evil one.’ (Message from the Sermon on the Mount).
Yes, our faith needs to be tested so we can grow strong, and as someone says ‘an untested faith is a weak faith,’ but as Hard Sayings of the Bible writes: ‘some tests are so severe that our faith could not withstand the strain. Therefore, we pray not to be brought into test of such severity, because if our faith gave way under the strain that might involve us in moral disaster, it would bring discredit on the name of the God who we call our Father-Hard Sayings of the Bible.
Bruce Wilkinson (your daily walk): “Storms make for strong trees; testings make for strong Christians.”
Our forgiveness from God with our unwillingness to forgive others - Matt 6:14-15. Does it mean no forgiveness for the unforgiving?
- We know that God is a forgiving God (Micah 7:18, Jonah 4:2), and the gospel is a message of forgiveness, therefore it is expected that those who are forgiven will show forgiveness.
- But what if we do not forgive? Will God revoke his pardon as in the parable in Matthew 18:22-35?
- Have you ever prayed Matt 6:14-15 and Luke 11:4-‘forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us’ (RSV) knowing that at the same time we cherish an unforgiving spirit toward some else?
