The Awesomeness of The Lord's Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer… Everybody (Christian) thinks they know what it is. But how many know where it’s found, or what it means?
It’s found in two places in the New Testament. Matthew 6:9b-13 "9b) Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10)Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11) Give us this day our daily bread. 12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13) 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"
It is also found in Luke 11. Luke 11:1b-4 "1b) Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. 2) And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3) Give us day by day our daily bread. 4) And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."
We class these two passages as “The Lord’s Prayer.” In actuality, this should be considered “The Disciple’s Prayer.” The true Lord’s Prayer is found in John 17. But, could they not be two instances of Jesus trying to teach us how to begin our days? In prayer?
In one instance, Jesus was trying to teach His apostles how to pray. In the other instance, He was responding directly to the request of “teach us to pray…” (Luke)
As western Believer’s, we have combined both instances into one prayer that we tend to recite without realizing the awesome meanings in our Lord’s phraseology. We recite:
"Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen."
Sounds good, doesn’t it? But do any of you know the awesomeness of it?
“Our Father which art in heaven…” (KJV)
When Jesus was physically walking the earth before His crucifixion, Hebrew thought about God was never seeing Him as (a) Father. Jesus opens with OUR --- Father… Our… Every Believer’s Father. Jesus’ first - one - word links every Believer together. God is OUR…
I am a Spirit Filled Believer and Follower of the Lord Jesus Christ! Though I, personally, believe all the gifts of Christ (five-fold-ministry), as well as the gifts of God and the gifts of the Spirit are just as valid today as when they were first revealed (I have yet to find in the Bible a date as to when any of these have ceased), it does not make me any different from another Believer who does not see things this way. Our first thought, and foremost action, should always be that we are spiritually linked because we first believed in our hearts and have confessed with our mouths that Jesus Christ IS Lord! We are linked through Jesus Christ our Lord to OUR Father!!
|
