“How We Should Then Pray,”  Matthew 6:5-15

vv. 5-8… This prayer focuses on God’s Divinity, Sovereignty, and Fatherhood.  God’s children are to pray with sincerity, in a manner that is honoring to God.  We should not pray to be heard by men, nor with “meaningless repetition” like the pagans who babble on with many words.

Nor should we recite or repeat prayers thoughtlessly; for  nowhere in the NT is a prayer used in a repetitious or ritualistic manner.  And we don’t have to convince God of a need we have, for He knows what we need, even before we ask Him!

v. 9a This Prayer is a guide telling us How, to Whom, and for What, we are to pray.

v. 9b  Our Father in heaven:

God is the Creator of all but the Father only of those who come, through Jesus Christ, into the Family of God (cf. John 1:12-13; Gal. 3:26).

v. 9c  Hallowed be Your name:

God’s name is Holy and we are to revere, honor and glorify Him.  We must prayerfully acknowledge Him in every detail of our thoughts, our words, and our actions (cf. Col. 3:17; 1Cor. 10:31).

v.10  Your kingdom come, Your will be done on

earth as it is in heaven:

God’s sovereign rule in heaven is not being exhibited on earth.  Men sin, men die, and men go to hell; even though it is not God’s will for people to sin, die, or go to hell.

God commands us to pray His will be done on earth:

  • God desires everyone to repent, believe and be saved (1Tim. 2:3-4; 2Pet. 3:9-10).
  • God commands His children (believers and followers of Christ) to obey His Word with a willing heart in all that we do (Rom. 12:1; 2Pet. 3:11-12).
  • God is allowing sin to run its course and Satan to have his way, for a time; but sin and Satan will end just as God determined, and all who rejected Jesus Christ will go to Hell (2Pet. 3:3-7; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10, 15).

v. 11 Give us today our daily bread.

Bread is symbolic of the sustenance we need for our physical and our spiritual needs.  Jesus is the bread of life (John 6:35-41) who came down from the Father in heaven.

Our Provider is the Father, and His servant Jesus Christ is His Provision.  We ask God to supply our basic needs through Jesus Christ, and the schedule for God’s provision is daily, not weekly, monthly or yearly, but daily; and very often it is moment by moment.

v. 12… Forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors.

This is not talking about financial debts, it is talking about sin, our spiritual debt to God, paid in full by Christ. Sin separates man from God and is man’s greatest enemy.  Therefore, man’s greatest need is forgiveness, and that is what God provides when we confess our sinfulness (Rom. 10:13; 1John 1:8, 10).  Because the Father is forgiving, His children are to be forgiving (Eph. 4:32).

 

v. 13…  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

This has to do with temptations, trials and testing, through which we are enticed to sin.  God tempts no man, but He does allow us to be tested (James 1:13-14; 4:8-9); and so we appeal to God to place a guard over and around our eyes, ears, mouth, feet, and hands — so that, whatever we do, where ever we go, we will not give in and do that which is sinful (1Cor. 10:13; Rom. 12:9).

We are all weak at times, when tempted to sin, and we need God’s help to avoid the traps and snares set by the world, the devil, and our flesh; God has provided all we need to succeed (2Tim. 3:16-17; Rom 12:2; 2Pet 1:3-4).

We live in a cursed world and evil is all around us.  Our flesh is weak and we are not equipped in our human resources to combat sin.

Therefore, we are to confess our need for the protection and deliverance that only God can give.

This great and divine lesson in prayer concludes with a reminder of how our own genuine and heartfelt forgiving of others, while at the same time being willing to receive their forgiveness, gives testimony and illustrates that we have indeed received the Father’s forgiveness.

…For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen! [This addition to verse 13 is not found in the earliest manuscripts, but seems to be taken from 1Chronicles 29:11-13, ” Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.  Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. 
In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.  Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.”

 

vv. 14-15… For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive you.

God has forever removed the eternal penalty of sin from all true Christians.  However, sin does effect our present joy and ability to serve God, therefore, we confess our sins in order to receive day-to-day cleansing from sin that corrupts us, and in order to that we stay intimate with God.

Hebrews 12:5-7 tells us that God disciplines us as sons and daughters when we disobey Him; therefore we confess our sins (1John 1:9) in order to receive dad-to-day cleansing, like washing our hands after contact with something dirty, although the rest of our body is clean.

Having received God’s forgiveness, we forgive others; for an unforgiving spirit is inconsistent with one who has been forgiven (Matt. 18:32-35).

Our prayers should exalt God’s Name, God’s Kingdom, and God’s Will, at the same time, they are to express thanksgiving toward God for His unconditional love, forgiveness, and eternal life; but also for His daily provisions, guidance and care…