KINGDOM LIFE Relating to the King Glorify Part 4: SHOW INTRODUCTION Jesus words in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4 are commonly known as The Lord s Prayer. The passage is Jesus response to the disciple s request, Lord, teach us to pray, but is probably more appropriately labeled The Disciples Prayer as Jesus explained to the disciples how they should pray. As a result, God has given us a roadmap on how He would like us to pray to Him. Jesus said this to His disciples: Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Matthew 6:9-13 This passage of scripture promotes deep praise, worship, adoration, and thankfulness toward God. Since Jesus said this is how you should pray and not what you should pray, let s break the passage down into its elemental parts in detail so that we can apply it to glorifying God together. Focus on the particular passage and consider it as a stand-alone prayer. As we work through the passage, there are two distinct sections. Both are about God. The first is a proclamation of who God is and His relationship to us. The second is a proclamation of God as our provider. So we move from praising and worshiping Him for who He is to praising and worshiping Him for how He provides for us. The first section sets up a high view of God for the second. Consider the second section not so much a list of prayer requests but as a list of providential praises that He has already provided for us. That shifts the focus off of our needs and on to praising God in light of His providence. In order to apply this passage to glorifying the King, we must consider the part that we play in the church. You are better with the body of Christ, and the body of Christ is better with you in it. We each have a symbiotic relationship with the body of Christ and each other. The first part of this passage Our Father binds us together as the body of Christ; thus, as we glorify Him individually and then together, we glorify Him as the church! Over the next 12 days, we will take two days to go over each part of the Lord s Prayer. The first day we will internalize it, and the second day we will seek to live it out. Let s get started. Copyright 2014 Make a Mark Ministries Principle 6, Part 4-1
DAY 1 OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN Read and pray the Lord s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13, also printed on the first page). Looking at the statement Our Father in heaven, we see God is both infinite and personal. Consider God s smallness (relationship to me) and bigness (relationship to all). He is King of the Universe, Creator and Lord of All, and Abba (Daddy) at the same time. He is omnipotent, omniscient, timeless, holy, in control of everything, and desires to have a personal relationship with us. Here are just a few of God s characteristics: God s relationship to me Abba Personal Immanent Good Intimate Willing to Hear God s relationship to all things King Infinite Transcendent Great Sovereign Able to Act Meditating on Our Father in heaven, consider the following thoughts: Thank You, God, for: creating me creating the universe being my Abba Father (Daddy) being a powerful God caring about me as a person being in control of everything 2. How does the statement Our Father in heaven affect your posture toward God? 3. What praises do you have for God regarding Our Father in heaven? DAY 2 LIVING IT OUT Read and pray the Lord s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13:13). Take a few minutes and reflect on your responses to Our Father in heaven from yesterday. 2. Considering that Jesus taught us to pray Our Father in heaven, what might it look like if we, the church, fully embraced this truth and lived it out in glory to God? Copyright 2014 Make a Mark Ministries Principle 6, Part 4-2
DAY 3 HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME Read and pray the Lord s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13:13). Looking at the statement Hallowed be your name, we see God is Holy, He is set apart, He is unique. We are to speak, think, live, work, sleep, recreate with His name above all names. Jesus gives us the Greatest Commandment in Mark 12:30: And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The first four of the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20:2-8 state [paraphrased]: I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. He is worthy of our worship. He is sufficient, He is enough, and He is trustworthy. He desires and deserves to be worshiped and glorified by us. Meditating on Hallowed be your name, consider the following thoughts: God You are: Holy Just Worthy of Worship Enough for all my problems Trustworthy 2. How does the statement Hallowed be your name affect your posture toward God? 3. What praises do you have for God regarding Hallowed be your name? DAY 4 LIVING IT OUT Read and pray the Lord s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13:13). Take a few minutes and reflect on your responses to Hallowed be your name from yesterday. 2. Considering that Jesus taught us to pray Hallowed be your name, what might it look like if we, the church, fully embraced this truth and lived it out in glory to God? Copyright 2014 Make a Mark Ministries Principle 6, Part 4-3
DAY 5 YOUR KINGDOM COME Looking at the statement Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, we see God s Kingdom is His reign and His rule. Presently, God is in the process of redeeming all of creation since the fall of Adam and Eve and placing it back under His complete dominion. Once His Kingdom is restored, we will be restored to the original purpose that we were created for. Until all of creation is redeemed, God asks us to submit to His rule with our allegiance, our actions, our relationships, and our prayers. Meditating on Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, consider the following thoughts: God, You are Creator of all God, You are Ruler of all God, You are King I submit to You My money, time, talents are Yours 2. How does the statement Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven affect your posture toward God? 3. What praises do you have for God regarding Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven? DAY 6 LIVING IT OUT Take a few minutes and reflect on your responses to Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven from yesterday. 2. Considering that Jesus taught us to pray Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, what might it look like if we, the church, fully embraced this truth and lived it out in glory to God? Copyright 2014 Make a Mark Ministries Principle 6, Part 4-4
DAY 7 GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD Looking at the statement Give us this day our daily bread, we see our Father provides us in all we need to survive and thrive, even without asking, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him Jesus tells us (Matthew 6:8b). He is omnipotent, omniscient, timeless, and holy. We should have a posture of thankfulness towards our provider. Yes, we may have struggles; we may want more or think we need more than we have. Jesus tells us, Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on (Luke 12:22-31). And about the birds, Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!, and in fact that do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink; your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Knowing our relationship to our Father in heaven and His purpose and providence, we can understand what it is to ask in Jesus name so that, Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you (John 16:23b). Meditating on Give us this day our daily bread, consider the following thoughts: Thank You, God, for providing for me fulfilling my needs Help me be thankful for what I have Help me not worry about the future Give me wisdom 2. How does the statement Give us this day our daily bread affect your posture toward God? 3. What praises do you have for God regarding Give us this day our daily bread? DAY 8 LIVING IT OUT Take a few minutes and reflect on your responses to Give us this day our daily bread from yesterday. 2. Considering that Jesus taught us to pray Give us this day our daily bread, what might it look like if we, the church, fully embraced this truth and lived it out in glory to God? Copyright 2014 Make a Mark Ministries Principle 6, Part 4-5
DAY 9 FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS Looking at the statement Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors, we see because God is Holy and we turn our back on Him, choosing our own way, we sin against Him. If He were to dismiss our offense with no payment, because He is a just God, He would cease to be God. God chose to redeem us and restore us to the original purpose we are created for by paying our debt himself. Jesus told us, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Grace is unmerited favor: that which we do not deserve, but desperately need. Our desperation along with God s intervention equals amazement at His Grace. Are you amazed at His Grace? Jesus tells us about the second Greatest Commandment (Mark 12:31), You shall love your neighbor as yourself. And when in a position to actually judge a woman caught in adultery, Jesus simply said, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her (John 8:7). We are in no position to judge others. Meditating on Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors, consider the following thoughts: Thank You, God, for redeeming me Thank You for making a way so I can be with You Help me forgive and not judge others Help me see others as You see them 2. How does the statement Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors affect your posture toward God? 3. What praises do you have for God regarding Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors? DAY 10 LIVING IT OUT Take a few minutes and reflect on your responses to Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors from yesterday. Copyright 2014 Make a Mark Ministries Principle 6, Part 4-6
2. Considering that Jesus taught us to pray Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors, what might it look like if we, the church, fully embraced this truth and lived it out in glory to God? DAY 11 LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION Looking at the statement Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, we see that although God has withdrawn part of His complete rule and reign over His kingdom, He has not completely removed His protection from His kingdom. Until then we are behind enemy lines, because God allows Satan to exist within His kingdom until He reclaims it. Jesus said The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). And In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world (John 16:33). God has equipped us with an ally, the Holy Spirit, behind enemy lines who is to be our counselor in times of trouble. As Jesus was preparing His disciples before He was crucified, He told them When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth (John 16:13a). Paul shares with us No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13). Meditating on Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, consider the following thoughts: Thank You, God, for protecting me for having Your hand upon us for the Holy Spirit for encouraging me 2. How does the statement Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil affect your posture toward God? 3. What praises do you have for God regarding Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil? Copyright 2014 Make a Mark Ministries Principle 6, Part 4-7
DAY 12 LIVING IT OUT Take a few minutes and reflect on your responses to Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil from yesterday. 2. Considering that Jesus taught us to pray Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, what might it look like if we, the church, fully embraced this truth and lived it out in glory to God? Copyright 2014 Make a Mark Ministries Principle 6, Part 4-8