We have just come out of a week of Revival Services during which I preached every Sermon on the famous Bible Text often called “The Lord’s Prayer.”
Truth be told, in an almost inexplicable way, I FEEL REVIVED! And I am the evangelist! Truthfully, there is POWER in the Word of God as administered by the Holy Spirit of God!
I learned that the Lord’s Prayer is situated mid-way through the Sermon on the Mount. Yes, almost exactly half-way! Is our Lord patently teaching us that “central” to the Christian life is PRAYER, the spiritual discipline of praying?
I also learned that many Bible Teachers do not term Matthew 6:9-13 as “The Lord’s Prayer!” Rather, and perhaps more accurately, they term it “The Model Prayer.” Or some even, “The Disciples’ Prayer.” By any name or title, however, it is effective, inspired and applicable to life today!
In Luke’s account of the Prayer … our wrongdoings are called “sins.” While Matthew terms them “debts.” One possible reason for this difference (I believe even these minor “changes” are approved by the Holy Spirit! “All Scripture,” recall 2 Timothy 3:16.) “Debts” are things we have NOT paid. “Omissions” in our life. While sins are definitely things we have “done,” have “committed.” And there we have the two major categories of offenses against our great and loving God!
What?
Sins of “omission,” things I should have done, but did not! And then sins of “commission,” things I did which were best left undone!
Wow!
By the way, Luke relates the Prayer in his 11th Chapter, first paragraph. There Jesus is praying and once finished His Disciples ask for a “Lesson” in prayer! Hence “the Lord’s Prayer.”
While in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus is preaching, teaching when the Prayer is introduced! So, I deduce our Lord may have communicated the Prayer more than once in His earthly Ministry.
I am not sure that he Himself prayed it personally! (“Forgive us our sins?” HE HAD NONE! HE WAS SINLESS! But … He was extremely well aware of our sins! In fact, that is why He came to earth. To save old sinners!)
Enough said, written, I hope!
Enough to incite YOU to study this great (and short) Text of Scripture.
Let’s all join around the “Throne of Grace” right now and pray it …
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
Again I affirm, God answers Prayer!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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