“Our Father”“Our Father”

The Lord’s Prayer – Part 3

“Our Father”

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:

“Our Father…”

Matthew 6:7-9a ESV

The Lord’s Prayer

Empty Phrases

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.”

(v. 7)

Empty Phrases

“The emperor Caesar, Galerius, Valerius, Maximanus, Invictus, Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, Germanicus Maximus, Egypticus Maximus, Phoebicus Maximus, Sarmenticus Maximus (x5), Persecus Maximus (x2), Carpicus Maximus (x6), Armenicus Maximus, Medicus Maximus, Abendicus Maximus, Holder of tribunical authority for the 20th time, emperor for the 19th, consul for the 8th, Pater Patriae Pro-Cosul…”

Simple and Direct

“Our Father…”“Do not be like them, for your Father knows

what you need before you ask him.” (v. 8)Prayer is not

A magical formula For getting something out of God For getting God to do something

Simple and Direct

“There is more religion in some men’s curses than in some men’s prayers, especially if the former is

sincere and the latter perfunctory.”

– J. W. MacGorman –

Simple and Direct

Abba “Father” Aramaic, in the Greek NT

Many religions have a sacred language Judaism: Hebrew Islam: Classical Arabic Christianity: ???

Prayer can be offered in any language

Honest Prayers

Here are the two best prayers I know: "Help me, help me, help me," and

"Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Anne Lamott, Traveling Mercies

“Our Father”

No qualifiersNot just a God of individualsAbba

Expression of respect and familiarityNot just a metaphor or an adjective

Identity and relationship Defined by the Prodigal Son parable

“In heaven”