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LESSON 1:
Usually called "The Lord's Prayer,"
it is surprisingly a Bible Text often neglected by us
fundamental Bible Believers!
But ... Jesus did begin it with
these clear instructions: "After this
manner therefore pray ye; Our Father ...." Matthew 6:9
Those opening three words,
"after this manner," translate a
single adverb in Greek ... "houtos."
It means, according to a standard
lexicon, "in this way" or "thus" or "like this" or even "in the
same way."
Now I, like most
of you, am a little hesitant when it comes to memorized formal
praying.
But here we are
dealing with the words of Jesus! Paul especially called our
Lord's words "wholesome" in 1st
Timothy 6:3. The adjective here gives us our English word
"hygienic," hence ... healthy and clean words! Paul then adds
that such words will also produce
"godliness" in our lives! That is, proper reverence and
respect and holiness toward God!
It looks to me
like our Lord is telling us to pray, in this case, His very
words!
"After this manner!"
The first time "houtos"
is used in Scripture, in Matthew 1:18, we are told:
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was
on this wise:
When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came
together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost."
Note I've capitalized the English expression for "houtos."
Do you think Luke
was giving us just about what happened when Jesus was
born ... or exactly what happened?
That's the spirit
of "houtos," precisely so!
Then Jesus
continued, "After this manner therefore
pray ye ...."
Even the
"therefore" is significant too.
"Therefore" (in
Greek ="oun") is a conjunction, a "connecting" word, and links
the Disciples' request ("Lord, teach us to
pray." Luke 11:1) to the answer itself ... the Lord's
Prayer.
Technically in
Matthew's Gospel Jesus is preaching His most lengthy sermon
ever. He comes to the subject of prayer and, after several
practical suggestions says, "therefore
...."
See what I mean.
"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be
as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in
the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may
be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when
thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret;
and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:
for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what
things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner
therefore pray ye
...." Matthew 6:7-9a
Now, having
examined the words "after this manner"
and "therefore," we must study the
verb "pray."
"Proseuche,"
found 87 times in the New Testament, is a main word for praying.
It means "to express a wish or desire" ("euchomai") and "to" or
"toward" someone ("pros"). This prefix actually carries the
idea of being toward someone's face ... that close!
"Prayer" here
pictures a man or a woman interceding before God, in His very
Presence (!) ... sharing their wishes or needs and desires with
our Almighty God Himself!
What a thought!
Is is elsewhere Biblical too? Yes!
"Let us therefore come
boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews
4:16
Essentially face
to Face ... with God! That's what is being implied!
And, get this
too!
The verb "pray"
is here a command from our Lord!
It's an
imperative!
He requires us to
pray this prayer!
Have you all
memorized it yet?
Probably so ...
but let's "brush up" on it anyway.
"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."
We will never
know this side of Heaven all these words contain!
But we can sure
try to learn ... with the Holy Spirit's aid!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 2:
Jesus taught us to pray to
"Our Father" in heaven!
Often we do not
realize what an astounding truth the Lord revealed that day!
In fact, the very
idea of God being "Father" to all Believers is quite
breathtaking!
Let me try to
explain what I mean.
Now it is true
that Malachi teaches us about God being our Father, but not in
an individual personal way. Listen:
"Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?"
Here the Prophet is simply saying that we have a relationship
with God, The "Father," due to the fact He created us! No, I am
not teaching some false doctrine here. I am NOT saying every
man is saved due to his very existence! But he is
created by God, his forefather Adam having been directly made
out of the dust of the ground by the Hand of the Almighty! In
that "loose" sense ... Malachi does say we are His "children!"
Again, that has nothing to do with salvation, just creation.
Then, later in
the Old Testament, we see another way mankind is related to God
as Father. At least some of the human race are! I mean the
nation of Israel. Isaiah the Prophet, speaking for his nation,
says: "O LORD, thou art our father; we
are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of
thy hand." (Isaiah 64:8) So ... God "fathered" a
Nation! But, again, this relationship is a long way from what
we now call personal soul salvation! The Nation Israel today is
NOT a saved body of people!
I hope you see
what I am trying to say!
When Jesus taught
that little group of Disciples to pray
"Our Father" He was revealing to us a new relationship!
A relationship in
which ALL who are washed in the Blood, born-again, saved by
Grace are placed "in The Family," the very Family of God!
God is our
Father!
We are His sons
and daughters ... by faith in Jesus Christ!
Listen to John:
"Behold, what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of
God." 1st John 3:1
The "Father" in
Scripture is the one who provides and protects and, if
necessary, chastens ... yet loves and comforts his own children!
God as Father!
Not because of
creation, not because of nationality, but because of Jesus and
His sacrificial Death on the Cross!
Amen!
By the way,
notice that Jesus said "OUR Father ...!"
This indicates
linkage between the children.
We as Christians
have much in common, including the Same Father!
Yes, the
so-called "Lord's Prayer" is ... in its original setting ...
prayed in a group! Prayed in a small assembly of Believers!
Prayed in a "church!"
That demands that
it be worded "our Father ...."
This teaches
united prayer too!
Prayer flowing
from a tightly knit fellowship of saints!
Jesus even
promised: "If two of you shall agree on
earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be
done for them of my Father which is in heaven." Matthew
18:19
And how would
such a prayer begin?
Obviously,
"Our Father ...."
What a privilege!
Friend, do NOT
use those words lightly!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 3:
Jesus, as He
taught us to pray, carefully reminded us that true prayer must
be directed to "Our Father" above!
"After this
manner therefore pray ye: Our Father ...." Matthew 6:9
Then immediately the Lord mentioned
the fact that our Father is in Heaven.
"Our Father which art in heaven ..."
He prayed.
Why did Jesus emphasize this
specific truth?
I began thinking
about this a few days ago.
Of the Trinity,
the Triune Godhead we serve, different aspects or traits are
linked to The Father, then to The Son and also to The Holy
Spirit. Don't misunderstand me. We worship One God ... but
with a Triune Nature.
Let me show you
one of these distinctions. It accents the fact that Our Father
is in Heaven!
When it comes to
mankind's salvation and sanctification and ultimate
glorification ... God The Father is said to send the Son to
earth to die for sinners! God The Son (Jesus the Christ) obeyed
and was miraculously born of a virgin, lived all His years
sinlessly, died vicariously, arose bodily and ascended
victoriously back to Glory! God the Holy Spirit convicts the
sinner of his sin, births him into the family of God as he
believes on Jesus, and indwells him to mold this new believer
into the image of Christ.
But, notice this
too. In that Work for mankind's salvation ... God The Son had
to leave Heaven and come to earth! God The Holy Spirit
also had to concentrate His Ministry on the inhabitants of this
old sinful planet! He was "poured out" on the Day
of Pentecost and has been here ever since!
BUT God The
Father DID NOT leave Heaven! He never came to earth. He never
was "poured out" upon mankind.
He stayed at
Home!
Maybe Jesus had
these facts keenly in mind when He prayed to His Father ...
IN HEAVEN!
Even in the
parable of the prodigal son ... the Father did not leave town!
He never went into the world or down to the hog pen! He did run
down the road to welcome that returning sinner boy ... but he
did not leave his community!
Now, I'm so glad
Jesus came!
I'm also thankful
the Holy Spirit descended!
But I'm equally
delighted that God the Father never went
anywhere! I'm glad He stayed in Heaven!
There He awaits
us, His children! And one day, maybe soon, we shall be gathered
to "Our Father, Which art in Heaven!"
Think of that the
next time you pray!
We're going to
Heaven ... where the Father is ... and always has been! Jesus,
Who is now Himself in Heaven, prayed this:
"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me,
be with me where I am;
that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for
thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."
(John 17:24) And just where is that? Where is Jesus?
I've already
told you!
In Heaven ...
with the Father!
"Our Father, Which art in Heaven ..."
one day through the Blood of Jesus and faith in His Sacrifice on
Calvary ... we shall be with Thee for evermore!
"In Heaven" too!
Folks, think
about that! And let's worship our Heavenly Father today! The
One Who still is in Heaven!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 4:
The very first
request in the "Model Prayer" Jesus taught us to pray is this:
"Hallowed be thy name."
That's right!
"Our Father which
art in heaven, Hallowed
be thy name."
Surely this teaches us the first
desire of a Believer's heart.
The verb "to
hallow" (in Greek = "hagiazo") means "to set apart" as holy! To
regard as sacred! Here the word is framed as a "passive
imperative," revealing the seriousness of Jesus' petition (a
necessity, not just a request) and also suggesting that
God's Name is to be reverenced by others, not just Himself!
WE are to
hallow His Precious Name!
As an aorist
imperative passive verb, "hagiazo" only occurs three times in
the Bible. Twice in the giving of "The Lord's Prayer" (Matthew
6:9 and Luke 11:2) ... then again in Revelation 22:11.
"He that is unjust, let him be unjust
still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he
that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is
holy, let him be holy
still." Amazing!
Of the 29 times
the verb occurs in any form, it is translated in the King James
Bible "sanctify" 26 times, "be holy" 1 time
and "hallowed" the other 2 times.
Lord, may Thy
great Name be sanctified ... and reverenced ... and respected
... and treated more highly than any other Name ever spoken!
And according to
Scripture, right now the angels of God ... especially the
Seraphim ... are saying: "Holy, holy,
holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is
full of his glory." Isaiah 6:3
That's surely
hallowing His Name!
And, just this
one more thought. Perhaps the "Hallowed
be Thy Name" request is given such a high priority in
this Text (this Prayer) because ... having God in the right
place (first place) is the "secret" to all the rest of life
being in the right order too!
God first ...
then daily bread and love for others and victory over sin!
That's Biblical!
Jesus said in
Matthew 6:33 ... "But seek ye first the
kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things
shall be added unto you."
Amen!
Today, if you
work in public, you will likely somewhere hear the Name of God
being disrespected or ignored or even cursed! When you do, get
off to yourself and pray to your Heavenly Father ... "Lord, in
my heart, hallowed by The Name!"
Both Isaiah and
Peter encourage us to: "Sanctify the LORD
of Hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and
let Him be your dread." That's just another
way of saying ... reverence the Lord God Almighty!
Again I say,
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 5:
Technically
speaking, the "Kingdom of Heaven" has not yet arrived!
It is, I believe, a term Jesus used
for the coming Millennial days of glory that will exist on earth
when Jesus comes again.
Therefore one might say that this
part of the "Lord's Prayer" has not yet been answered!
But it WILL BE some day!
"Thy Kingdom come!"
Jesus not only
prayed that Himself ... but taught us to do so too.
I have do doubt
that Jesus is till praying this prayer yet today! Even as He is
sitting at the Right Hand of God interceding as our Great High
Priest!
"Our Father, Which art in Heaven ... Thy
Kingdom come." Matthew 6:9-10
However, there is
another "kingdom" term used in Scripture also. It's the
"Kingdom of God." That seems to be a bit different in scope ...
broader than the Kingdom of Heaven.
As I've told you
... the "Kingdom of Heaven" is a millennial designation. The
"Kingdom of God" is a reference to the saved of all ages ... all
who have believed and been born again by the Blood of Jesus!
But the good news
is this: using either term and allowing for those definitions
as well ... this prayer will still be answered!
There is coming a
Day when Jesus will, having extinguished the rule of anti-christ,
will rule and reign on this earth for a thousand glorious
years! Read Revelation 20.
And there is also
coming a Day when all humanity who will ever be saved ... will
be "under the Blood" and "written in the Lamb's Book of Life"
and the Kingdom of God will be complete also!
To pray this part
of the "Model Prayer" is to look forward prophetically to those
great days of victory!
Kingdom of Heaven
... Jesus' Millennial Rule!
Kingdom of God
... All the saved of all time gathered under the Father's
Authority!
But there still
is another Kingdom I'd like to mention.
Is Jesus King
today in your life?
In mine too?
Is He making your
decisions?
Forming your
priorities?
Choosing your
friends?
Deciding where
you attend Church?
Ruling your life?
If not ...
consciously make Him King, Lord, Master, Ruler, Guide this very
hour!
"Thy Kingdom
come" sure would be a hard pray of the Lord's Prayer to pray ...
if one was still "holding out" on the dear Lord!
Paul instructed
us ... "And whatsoever ye do in word or
deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
to God and the Father by him." Colossians 3:17
Follow the King
... in everything you do!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
P. S. --- Since we are here studying the
Matthew Text of the Lord's Prayer, and since Matthew speaks on
the Kingdom of Heaven 32 times, I believe Jesus' prayer
"Thy Kingdom come" is in its proper
context a reference to the Kingdom of heaven.
That means that in essence we are praying for
the Second Coming of our Lord! That's when He will initiate His
Millennial Kingdom!
It also means that we are praying for the
Rapture of the Church, which must occur before the Kingdom can
begin!
And the tribulation must run its course too!
And the antichrist will have been defeated
before "Kingdom Days" arrive!
So will Armageddon have been fought and won
by Jesus!
And I'm not mentioning the Judgment Seat of
Christ and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, events that will
occur in Glory while the Tribulation unfolds on earth!
Yes, the short prayer
"Thy Kingdom come" involves a lot!
We are praying for more than we realize!
But we are also praying as Jesus taught us to
pray!
And that's good enough for any Believer!
But, lest I fail to be "complete" in our
discussion, may I add this thought. In a real sense too
the Lord God is King over all the earth anyway! There's
comeing as day when ... "at
the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the
earth." Philippians 2:10
Psalm 47 twice thunders:
"For the LORD most high is
terrible; he is a great King over all the earth."
(Verses 2 and 7)
And Psalm 83 prays:
"That men may know that thou, whose
name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all
the earth."
Amen!
Look what's been drawn before our very eyes:
concentric circles of Kingdom Rule!
God ... King over all earth!
Yet ... King over the Redeemed in a special
way!
Yet again ... God the Son as King over a
thousand year Reign of Righteousness on this very planet!
King of the Jews too!
Then ... If we're living godly lives, He's
King over our individual hearts!
Blessed be His Name!
LESSON 6:
When the Lord
Jesus taught us to pray to our Heavenly Father
"Thy will be done in earth, as it is in
heaven," He no doubt revealed the true longing of His
Heart!
The "root" of the noun "will"
involves one's deepest desire!
May God's desires and God's delights
and God's plans be done on earth!
The verb "be
done" translates an imperative form of "ginomai" which means "to
come to pass" or "to come into existence."
Jesus by faith
reverently insists that this be done! That's the significance
of the imperative mood, folks!
This is bold
praying!
God's Will ...
completely done ... on earth?
Yes!
Even
"as it is in heaven!"
Think of it!
In Heaven ...
there are no false gods! No unfaithful preachers either! No
irreverence or blasphemy against Almighty God!
Neither is there
any hatred or strife! No robberies or murders! Not even any
unkindness!
No jails or
courts or police!
And some day ...
when Jesus comes again ... these serene qualities will be
abundantly present on earth too!
Let me, using the
words of John the Apostle in Revelation 21:4 tell you some more
things that will be lacking in Heaven.
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there
shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither
shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed
away."
Could such bliss
ever be "in earth, as it is in heaven?"
Oh, yes ... when
Jesus rules and reigns!
God's Will does
not allow for a number of people either! They will not be in
heaven! "For without are dogs, and
sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and
whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."
And on earth ...
some golden daybreak ... that crowd just mentioned will be
absent too!
I suspect some
folks just won't be happy when all the bars are closed and
liquor is vanished and narcotics eradicated! When righteousness
is supreme and wickedness is squelched!
Oh, yes ... one
more thing! In heaven right now there is praise ... PRAISE ...
LOTS OF PRAISE TO GOD!
And that's also
headed to earth some day ... maybe soon!
When Believers
pray this portion of Jesus' Model Prayer ... we are identifying
with Jesus' longing and yearning!
Heaven on earth!
This is the end
result of it all: "He that is unjust, let
him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy
still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and
he that is holy, let him be holy still." Revelation
22:11
An eternity of
purity!
Oh, dear Lord ...
bring it to earth!
Doesn't your very
heart "warm" fervently to the idea?
"Our Father, Which art in heaven ... Thy Will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven!"
Won't things be
different then?
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 7:
Our Lord taught us to pray about
everything!
He even included
“our daily bread!”
“Give us this
day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11
The verb “give” is expressed as an
imperative, thus highlighting the urgency involved here!
Father,
without Thy provision … we shall perish!
exactly how Jesus lived too. During
His days of “Temptation” from satan, He fasted for nearly seven
weeks. And, at the end of that time, when He “hungered” … still
He would not provide food for Himself! Jesus waited and trusted
His Father to do so, to give Him “daily bread!” Jesus rebuffed
the temptation of the devil to "turn stones into bread" …
patiently waiting for heavenly provision.
Still
later, in John 4, Jesus had “meat to eat” that the disciples
could not fathom! He indeed sought sustenance from our Father
in Heaven!
But,
Preacher Bagwell, is it necessary … in 2006 … to pray such a
dependent prayer? For “our daily bread?”
That’s
the point, folks!
This
petition teaches us to acknowledge our total dependence on the
Lord! Without Him, we could do nothing! And without Him, we
would have nothing either!
We
are to live like servants, possession nothing of our own, but
looking to Him to supply every need!
“Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the
heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of
their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her
mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he
have mercy upon us.” Psalm 123:1-2
Is
God able to feed such a number, all the saved on earth at any
given time? Well, He fed the millions of Jews in the wilderness
for 40 years, didn’t He? See Psalm 78:19.
He
feeds the birds too … and all the little animals, big ones too!
“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they
reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth
them. Are ye not much better than they?” Matthew 6:26
Furthermore,
as we obey Him and delight in His way, He promises …
“so shall thy barns be filled with plenty,
and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” (Proverbs
3:10) Now, that’s daily bread!
Yes,
the God who fed Elijah by the brook … or by the widow’s hand …
can feed us too!
Every
meal we eat should be “blessed” prayerfully, acknowledging our
Father’s provision too! Paul, in First Timothy 4:5, calls this
“sanctifying” our food to the glory of God!
And,
by the way, the concept of “daily bread” removes any thoughts of
“hoarding” food or accumulating vast supplies for selfish
purposes.
Of
course the Lord Jesus never commends opulent wealth in any way
that I can remember! He taught that riches are like “thorns”
that “choke” the seed of God’s Word! See Matthew 13:22 where we
are told: “He also that received seed
among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of
this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and
he becometh unfruitful.”
One
more thing … even though we can and should trust God for “daily
bread,” He still expects us to WORK for a living! Paul had to
write the Thessalonians, apparently suffering from a
considerable group of non-working Christians, that
“if any would not work … neither should he
eat!” Here’s 2nd Thessalonians 3:10
“For even when we were with you, this we
commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he
eat.”
I
am so glad God cares about every area of life!
And
that includes … “our daily bread!”
Reversing
the normal order He generally used, here in the “Model Prayer”
our dear Saviour placed “daily bread” ahead of “forgiveness”
itself! See: “Our Father which art in
heaven … Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our
debts (sins) ….” Matthew 6:9,11 and 12
Maybe
Jesus is simply saying that we must be alive (daily bread) in
order to pursue further areas of godly living … including
forgiveness and mercy and the kindness that flows from them!
Let
us all today pray it!
“Give
us this day our daily bread!”
Depend
on Him for everything!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 8:
It has often
been said that the Scripture which is generally called "The
Lord's Prayer" has no reference to the Cross of Calvary!
No mention of
the Blood Atonement!
No Redemption
or Salvation!
But that
"criticism" is simply wrong!
The Model
Prayer Jesus taught us to use in our devotional lives DOES
contain a phrase that makes Jesus' Death on the Cross an
absolute necessity!
"Our Father ...
forgive us our debts."
What does that
mean?
"And forgive us our
debts."
The verb
"aphiemi" combines two Greek expressions. "Apo," the
prefix, means "away" or "away from." And ""hiemi" means
"to send." When God forgives our sin He, having devised a
righteous Plan of Salvation through the Blood of Jesus,
judicially sends our iniquities far far away! As far as
the east is from the west! He places them into the very
depths of the sea! He "washes" them away! They are
gone forever!
This can only
happen as a result of Jesus' substitutionary Death on the old
rugged Cross!
The Lord's
Prayer, if fully answered, leans fundamentally on the Hill
called Calvary and what Jesus did there for you and me!
Otherwise,
there is no forgiveness ... at all!
The noun
"debts" pictures sin as something we have done that wronged God
Himself! We shortchanged His Glory! He have fallen
short of His Plan for our lives!
The word for
"debts" is "opheilema" and means "something owed" to someone.
And, of
course, Jesus paid that debt ... that "sin" debt ... on our
behalf!
He ransomed
us!
He redeemed
us!
What "price"
did He pay?
His very Life
was sacrificed!
Every drop of
His precious Blood was shed!
He "bought" us
with such a Death!
Here's the
Gospel in one short clause!
"And forgive us our
debts."
Then also,
even as Christians, when we slip and trespass against His Word,
forgiveness is still available! John the Disciple,
writing to Believers, said: "If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
1st John 1:9
Apparently
this is a prayer,
"forgive us our
debts," we are to pray
regularly!
We sure do not
want unconfessed sins to be a part of our daily living!
After all, the
Psalmist said "If I regard iniquity in my
heart, the Lord will not hear me." Psalm 66:18
And then we
should add: "He that covereth his
sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh
them shall have mercy." Proverbs 28:13
What a God we
serve!
He, seeing our
hearts, is able to richly forgive ... simply honoring our
heartfelt faith in His precious Son Jesus the Christ!
How thankful
we should be that, as the Psalmist again said of the Lord:
"There is forgiveness with thee,
that thou mayest be feared." Psalm 130:4
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 9:
It is just assumed in the Bible that
when a man is forgiven of God ... all the "load" of his sin
taken away ... purged and forgotten ... that that same
individual will be kind and forgiving to any who might "wrong"
him as he walks life's pathway!
In other words,
since the Lord God has forgiven us so much ... then, surely, we
will be willing to forgive our fellow man!
If the Lord by
Grace has erased my millions of sins ... can I not forgive my
brother his half a dozen sins against me?
This attitude
surfaces in such a critical place as The Lord's Prayer!
There Jesus
taught us to pray ... "And forgive us our
debts, as we forgive our debtors." Matthew 6:12
See!
In the light of
God's great forgiveness shed abroad in our lives ... it is a
"given" that we will forgive those who shortchange us along the
way!
Here's how Paul
put worded it in Ephesians 4:32. "And be
ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
Jesus, in Matthew
18, once told a Parable to further illustrate this great truth.
"Therefore is the kingdom of heaven
likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his
servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto
him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he
had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife,
and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The
servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord,
have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of
that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and
forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found
one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and
he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying,
Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his
feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I
will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into
prison, till he should pay the debt."
Now what do you
think of that man?
Here's what
happened next. "So when his
fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came
and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after
that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I
forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: shouldest
not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as
I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to
the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him."
Then the Lord
said: "So likewise shall my heavenly
Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not
every one his brother their trespasses."
The Lord places
quite a high value on forgiveness it seems!
In essence, this
part of "The Model Prayer" requires a forgiving spirit on our
part.
Without it,
further prayer is useless.
It will not be
heard.
At least that's
the case according to Psalm 66:18. "If I
regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."
Lord, thou hast
so graciously forgiven us ... may we therefore be forgiving of
others as well.
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 10:
It's perhaps the "strangest"
petition in the whole prayer, the "Lord's Prayer."
Father ...
"lead us not into temptation."
As a student of Scripture one would
quickly remember the words of James here.
"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for
God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man."
James 1:13
God never has and
never will "allure" a man or woman to sin! He just does not
entice anyone into iniquity.
He is a Holy God
Who is ... "of purer eyes than to behold
evil, and canst not look on iniquity." That's according
to Habakkuk 1:13.
Then, what does
Jesus mean when He commands us to pray certain "temptations" our
of our lives?
"Lead us not into temptation."
Let me try to
explain it this way.
When a "test" or
a "trial" comes into a Believers' life, he or she must realize
the potential for such an event. The Devil would like that
trial to cause the Christian to stumble, to sin, to fail, to
dishonor God! Then the trial would have to be classified as a
"temptation" to sin!
But God would
desire that same trial to cause the Christian to become stronger
and bolder in his faith and purer in his life and closer to the
Holy Spirit too! Then that trial would have become a "test" to
reveal deepening character and maturing faith in our Lord!
The noun Jesus
used for "temptation" here is "peirasmos" and means an
opportunity to "prove" oneself strong in the Lord! Without the
"exam" ... you can't make a good grade! No test ... no
approval! (The root verb here is "peiro" and means "to pierce"
through something! A "test" from God is a spiritual biopsy ...
revealing what we're really made of spiritually!)
Therefore such
"temptations" are opportunities to either "pass" or "fail" in
our Father's most recent training program!
Having said that,
we must realize that God is in final and full control of every
area of our lives. He even guides our steps day by day. And,
being Almighty, He can certainly direct us away from spiritually
dangerous places and treacherous circumstances!
The verb for
"lead" us not into temptation, "eisphero," literally means "to
carry someone into" a certain situation! It's subjunctive in
mood too, suggesting that it is Jesus' longing and desire that
we should not face sinfully inviting circumstances!
Here I believe
one may say: It's good to face temptation and not
yield! But, it's
better not to even have to face it in the first place!
"Lead us not into temptation."
Today we do not
have the fear of sin that we so badly need to live holy lives.
I wish David had
prayed one day, "Lord keep me off the roof tonight! Let me not
see anything that would lure me to sin."
In a way the
Psalmist catches the essence of Jesus' teaching when he prays to
the Lord: "For Thou art my Rock and my
Fortress; therefore for
thy name's sake lead me, and guide me."
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 11:
Jesus taught us to ask our Heavenly
Father to "deliver us from evil."
Matthew 6:13
This is a
critical part of what we often call "The Model Prayer."
The verb
"deliver" translates "ruomai" in Greek and means "to rescue!"
Using this same
word "root," Paul calls Jesus "the
Deliverer" in Romans 11:26.
He knows how to
deliver His own from sin!
And Peter, using
"Lord's Prayer" language, writes "The Lord
knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations."
Yes!
I am going to go
so far as this: The Lord can restrain a man from
sinning! Look at what He says to the heathen king Abimelech,
who was about to sexually "touch" Sarah the wife of Abraham:
"And
God said unto him
in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of
thy heart; for I also
withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee
not to touch her." I have capitalized the words I
want you to notice! (Genesis 20:6) God here literally just put
the brakes on a man's potential lust!
That kind of God
can surely "deliver us from evil!"
And the Psalmist,
speaking directly to our Lord God, provides another example:
"Surely the wrath of man shall praise
Thee: the remainder of
wrath shalt Thou restrain." Psalm 76:10
God can restrain
sin!
Jesus' heart
longs for our victory over evil. He prayed so in His longest
recorded season of intercession, John 17.
"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but
that thou shouldest keep
them from the evil."
If Jesus prayed
that for us ... it is certainly logical that we should pray it for
ourselves too!
Every day ... our
sincere prayer should rise ... "Lord, today guide me around any
evil that might be waiting just ahead! Rescue me from such
ungodliness I pray!"
And then lastly, the
word "evil" here is "poneros." It specifically means "active"
wickedness! Sin that is on the rampage ... spreading wildly and
infecting and poisoning the hearts and lives of men and women
across the earth.
Christian friend,
from such turn away!
Many who have
fallen into grievous sin just might have been able to avoid it
all ... if ... just if ... they had prayed!
"Our Father Which art in Heaven ... lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil!"
He will!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 12:
Have you ever
noticed that the two New Testament accounts of "The Lord's
Prayer" differ slightly?
Especially is the difference seen in
their closing words.
Matthew records Jesus as ending with
these words: "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."
While Luke only has ...
"And lead us not into temptation; but
deliver us from evil."
Of course both accounts give the
true essence of the prayer. Neither omits any petition or
request that Jesus taught us to use.
So ... are those closing words
that important?
Yes!
Matthew, in carefully supplying us
with the closing benediction, has no doubt followed the Lord's
direct Will. "For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." Matthew
6:13
The opening word "for" (in Greek = "hoti")
is expressed in the King James Version as "because" 173 times!
Lord, Our Father in Heaven ... Thy
Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, give us daily bread, forgive us
our sins, lead us not into temptation, deliver us from evil ...
BECAUSE ... "Thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."
These word give further impetus to
the whole Prayer!
They explain the power behind it!
Why are we able to sincerely pray
"Thy Kingdom come?"
Because
His is the Kingdom! We are just asking the Lord to claim His
Own possession, His Own Kingdom! "Thine
is the Kingdom!"
But how can we pray asking Him to
feed us (and all the countless other Believers on earth)
"our daily bread?"
Because
His is the Power too! "Thine is the
Power!" He is the all-powerful or onmipotent God!
And how can we possible beg that His
Name be hallowed, reverenced and worshipped really?
Because
His is the glory! He is God! He is worthy!
"Thine is the Glory!"
It looks to me like these final
words load us with further ammunition, further promises, further
reasons ... to pray the Model Prayer more effectively!
Praise be to God!
When Job, that exceedingly godly man
of Old Testament days, prayed to God he used "arguments" to help
move the Hand of God! "Oh that I knew
where I might find Him! that I might come even to
His Seat! I would order my cause before Him, and fill my
mouth with arguments. I would know the words which
He would answer me, and understand what He would say unto me."
Job 23:3-5
Truly Jesus closed His "Model
Prayer" by giving us three of the very best "arguments" one
could ever employ in the great ministry of intercession!
Use them!
What can't God do?
Since He is the King of Kings, the
Owner of the Kingdom!
"For Thine is the
Kingdom."
What can't God give?
Since He possesses all power!
"For Thine is the
Power!"
Why can't God be worshipped and
exalted to the Highest, His Name being hallowed?
Since, after all, He is Possessor of
all Glory!
"For Thine is the
Glory!"
What a great three-fold closing to
this perfect prayer!
"Prefect," Preacher Bagwell?
Yes, we have a Perfect Saviour ...
One Who could only teach a perfect Prayer!
A perfect Prayer that ends with its
own powerful reasons for every request to be honored!
Amen!
Opps!
That's how the Prayer ends too!
"Amen!"
The word means Truth!
Let it be so, Almighty
God!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 13:
"For ever!"
The Lord's Prayer ends with those words!
"For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." Matthew
6:13
In Greek that's "eis tous aionas."
It means "into the ages."
Never ending!
God's Kingdom is eternal!
His Power is everlasting!
And His Glory is perpetual!
Eternality is His Nature!
This prayer actually closes pleading the attributes of Almighty
God!
God, could you grant these requests ...
...
because Thou art the King of all the kingdoms!
...
because Thou hast all power! Thou art omniscient!
... and
because thou art the Possessor of all Glory, Glory in the
highest!
Amen!
By pleading God's very essence in prayer, Jesus has taught us to
follow the most powerful Old Testament intercessors too!
Abraham pled for Sodom (50 righteous souls ... all the way down
to 10 righteous souls) based on God's righteousness!
"That be far from thee to do after
this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the
righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee:
Shall not the Judge of
all the earth do right?" Genesis 18:25
And in Exodus 32:1-14 Moses prayerfully persuaded God not
to smite the rebellious idolatrous nation of Israel due to the
Honor of His Great Name! "And
Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy
wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth
out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty
hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For
mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains,
and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy
fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou
swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply
your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have
spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit
it for ever." Wow! Then ...
"The LORD repented of the evil which he
thought to do unto his people." Moses pled the
faithfulness of God to His precious Word!
And after the defeat at Ai, Joshua in prayer reminded the Lord,
"For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall
hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our
name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?"
See! He's pleading God's Good Name and His glorious
character! Joshua 7:9
Learn the Traits, the Attributes, the Character of God!
Then plead His Essence in prayer!
That's what Jesus taught us to do right here!
Plead His Royalty!
Plead His Power!
Plead His Glory!
"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my
name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."
Jesus said this in John 16:24
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 14:
We've been studying "The Lord's
Prayer."
I just noticed
how it begins ...and ends!
It starts with
this request: "Hallowed be thy Name!"
That petition contains a bit of praise to God!
It ends with
"Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and
the Glory for ever!" And those words are pure praise for
sure!
Get it?
It begins and
ends with ... praise!
Praise to God!
Praise invites
God's Presence!
He inhabits our
praises!
The Psalmist said
so!
"But Thou art holy, O Thou
that inhabitest the praises of Israel." Psalm 22:3
It's called "inclusio"
when a Passage begins and ends with the same thought!
Well, the Lord's
Prayer incorporates "inclusio" then!
Maybe that's how
we should pray too!
I'll say it this way. There's just no
doubt about it either!
Praise empowers our prayers!
Remember that folks!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 15:
Jesus ended "The
Lord's Prayer" with one word!
"Amen"
That's all,
"amen!"
It is a Greek
word as Jesus spoke it, spelled exactly as it is in English,
"amen."
But the Greeks
"borrowed" it from the Jews!
It's the Hebrew
word for "truth!"
In Hebrew it is
spelled "amen" as well!
It signified that
which is faithful!
That which is
stable!
That which is
reliable!
And this very
word undergirds the whole Lord's Prayer!
God's precious
Name being Hallowed ... His Kingdom coming ... His Will being
done ... His "daily bread" being given ... His Sacrifice on
Calvary providing forgiveness ... and His power leading us away
from evil ... all are viable requests BECAUSE they rest on the
Veracity (the Truth) of Almighty God!
After all HIS is
the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory ... for ever!
AMEN!
This beautiful
"amen" serves as the foundation for the whole Prayer!
It, with all its
petitions, rests upon God's unwavering "amen," His very Truth!
Glory to His
Name!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
WHAT A
TEXT, THE "LORD'S PRAYER!"
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