The Lord's Prayer Series, Part 1

Our Father in heaven...

Today we take a look at the first line of the Lord's prayer. The first words of Jesus as he taught us to pray were:

Our Father in heaven,

What do these word mean to you?

Not „do you understand what the words mean“,

but „Do you know God as your Father?"

Do you talk to him as to a Father?

Do you experience him as a Father?

And when we pray these words together as a church, do we think of him as our Father that is, do we think of ourselves as his family?

What do these words mean to God as we say them with all our hearts?

God is surely deeply aware of our thoughts and attitudes when we approach him in prayer.

That is why, when Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he also taught them how not to pray.

Jesus said, when you pray:

„do not be like the hypocrites...

„do not keep on babbling...

That is, do not keep saying repetitive phrases and many empty words. To our surprise, God actually seems to find such prayers boring: a waste of your time and his too.

I say to our surprise, because we think God should like whatever we give him and that he should listen when we ramble on in insincerity or disbelief.

Jesus said „Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.“ (Matthew 6:8)

The disciples were to pray like people who TRUST God because they know him. They were to pray to him as to their FATHER.

Jesus taught the disciples (and us) to pray to God as Our Father, because he was their Creator (and ours). But they were aware that he had also declared himself to be the God and Father of Israel....... and their Saviour.

If we come to God through Jesus his one and only Son, he has declared that he will becomes our God and Father too....... and our Saviour.

So the first thing that Jesus teaches us about prayer is about

our relationship to the one we are speaking to.

We may not be coming to God in an attitude of trust and childlikeness, but God certainly wants us to come that way.

Many people pray, but too many pray as an emotional outlet and not to develop a relationship of trust with God.

As far as God is concerned, a relationship of trust is what prayer is all about.

As we say the first line of the prayer Jesus taught us, „Our Father in heaven,“,

we call him FATHER

The first word in the Lord's prayer in Greek is Father: Pater.

So in prayer we learn about

Fatherhood– that is, real fatherhood,

God's Fatherhood

and we learn to have a right attitude to God.

For some of you, those

who did not have father, or had

a distant father or

an often absent father, or

a harsh or stern father,

or have otherwise had to struggle through life without the security of a loving father,

you may find what I am about to say a little painful.

Yet my prayer is that it will help you to take a step further in knowing and trusting God our heavenly Father.

Jesus himself taught us to pray "Our Father in heaven" .

As children, we often are taught to pray „Dear Lord Jesus“. The Lord Jesus hears this prayer and loves us.

However we ought to know as we grow up to know God more that Jesus' desire was this:

JESUS wanted us to get to know his Father and enjoy the relationship with him that he has.

Jesus said to his disciples (John 16: 26-27)

„On that day, you will ask (the Father)

in my name.

I am not saying that I will ask the Father

on your behalf.

No, the Father himself loves you

because you have loved me

and have believed that I came from God.“

In Greek, the word „Father“ is the first word in the Lord's Prayer. The second word is „our“. There are three key words in the first few words of the prayer Jesus taught us:

- Father

- Our

- Heaven

Prayer therefore begins with being aware.

There are three things we do well to be aware of as we pray... three things to be aware of, we could say, as we enter God's throne room:

1. Father -

God is a loving Father.

Acknowledge the one you speak to as Father.

2. Our -

you are not alone before the throne.

Acknowledge the others who also meet before Him as Family.

3. Heaven -

Heaven is a prayer away.

Acknowledge the one you speak to as the all-knowing, all powerful Creator and sustainer of the Universe.

God says in effect: "I'm not interested in formulas and special words. I want to hear you."

He wants to talk with you and allow your relationship with him to develop

– just like a good father does,

so God our Father listens first when we come to him with words in our heart.

From this verse we see that God is interested in us being aware of him. God wants to teach us how we should approach him and how we should speak to him.

When we come to God the first time, we all bear a picture of Father in our hearts that looks very much like our earthly father. If it was different, we would trust our heavenly Father more.

Whether our father was good, bad or indifferent – no father is or was perfect. Yet this is not the only reason we may find it difficult to approach God as our FATHER in prayer. The Bible teaches us that before we turn to God in repentance, we have been following our „Father“ the devil. In Ephesians 2:1 Paul writes:

„As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

in which you followed the ways of this world

and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,

the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.“

Even the disciples did not know God personally as Father until Jesus revealed him. Philip said to Jesus (John 14:8):

"Show us the Father and that will be enough for us".

Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father....

He also said (v.11):

"Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;

Another time, (John 6:46), Jesus said:

"No-one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father."

Jesus revealed to us the loving heart of his Father. The love was more than anyone could understand.

We have our idea of what a father is like from men. Only Christ, the son of God, gives us the faithful picture of true fatherhood. His Father was living within him.

In order to pray as God likes us to, we need to realise that prayer is about a relationship. We need to be aware of whom we are coming to and how we must come.

We must see what Jesus did. We need to hear what Jesus is saying about what his Father in heaven is like ... and then through Christ come to the Father confidently.

God was also Father in the Old Testament.

In both the reading in Jeremiah 31 and Psalm 80 that we read before this message, we see that God raises up for himself a man, a son, who revives and brings Israel back to himself. This person is Jesus.

We read in Psalm 80:17-18

"Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself.

Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call upon your name."

It is Jesus who can restore Israel and restore us to a trusting relationship with God our Father. Satan destroyed our natural childlike trust in God. Jesus alone is able to restore that relationship, because he alone lived a sinless life. Only Jesus Christ could approach God the Father on our behalf. Now we ourselves can draw near to God through him.

In the passage that was read to us from the prophet Jeremiah, chapters 30 & 31, we see God describing himself as Israel's father . Here the picture of God as Father is clearly shown.

In the last verse we read, (31:9) God explains the reason for his ACTIONS in bringing Israel back home (as described in the verses before verse 9). He gives the following reason

For I am a father to Israel , (NASB)

Because I am Israel's father (NIV)

And Ephraim is my firstborn son (NIV)."

This verse tells us something:

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT FATHERHOOD IS LIKE, THEN SEE HOW GOD ACTS TOWARDS ISRAEL and towards the whole world. The ultimate proof of God's love for Israel and his love for all mankind is that he gave his only Son for us all. His LOVE never changes.

In conclusion, I would like to share some lessons on the character and actions of a father as taught us in Jeremiah. Here we see what God is like as Father.

1.

Jeremiah 31:7b (7-8)

`O LORD , save Your people ,

the remnant of Israel .'

2.

Jeremiah 31:9

They will come with weeping

This speaks of

the PAIN of a father's DISCIPLINE.

compare Hebrews 12:11 (& 6).

3.

Jeremiah 31:9

they will pray as I lead them back (NIV)

And by supplication I will lead them; (NASB)

Note: „pray“ and „supplication“ (to make a plea) are translating same word. Most translations join this verb in the sentence with God – according to these translations God is the one pleading.

4.

Jeremiah 31:9

I will lead them besides streams of water

This speaks of

the PLENTY of a father's PROVISION

compare Mt 6:8

Jeremiah 31:9

On a level path where they will not stumble (NIV)

Quality: level, not bumpy

On a straight path in which they will not stumble ; (NASB)

Quality: straight, not crooked

This speaks of

the PROMISE of a father's VISION.

A good father has the best in mind for his child.

Then this description of God's actions as father finishes with these wonderful words:

Jeremiah 31:9

For I am a father to Israel , (NASB)

Because I am Israel's father (NIV)

And Ephraim is my firstborn son (NIV)."

When we pray to „Our Father in heaven“, we can remember that the Father is truly one who gives:

The PEACE of a father's PROTECTION

The PAIN of a father's DISCIPLINE

The PLEA of father's TRAINING

The PLENTY of a father's PROVISION

The PROMISE of a father's VISION

In Christ Jesus we have access to the Father.

Pray after me:

"Our Father in heaven

today through Jesus Christ your Son,

we are loved by you like Christ is.

Today I put my trust in you and claim my rights as a child of God. Together, Father, through Christ, we desire to receive with childlike trust:

the PEACE of your PROTECTION

the PAIN of your DISCIPLINE

the PLEA of your TRAINING

the PLENTY of your PROVISION

the PROMISE of your VISION

in Jesus´ worthy name. Amen.“

God bless you,