Learning Prayer
Series: INTIMACY & AWE
Speaker: James Barnett
Date: 16th February 2019
Passage: Matthew 6:1-18
00:00:00 --> 00:00:05 Familiarity breeds contempt.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:11 This is a concept that says that when we are so close to someone or something,
00:00:12 --> 00:00:18 we lose respect for them or we don't have the appropriate awe that we should.
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 I was reading about famous celebrities recently
00:00:22 --> 00:00:26 whose kids just knew them as mum or dad.
00:00:26 --> 00:00:31 And some of them could never understand the fascination with their parents.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:33 I remember reading about Michael Jackson
00:00:33 --> 00:00:41 and his son just couldn't understand why people wanted to come and get a photo with his dad.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:42 His dad was just dad.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:44 Why would you want to get a photo with him?
00:00:45 --> 00:00:49 But then years later they would have a realisation, a shock.
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 Oh, dad is someone famous.
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 I think this is true for many parts of our lives.
00:00:56 --> 00:01:02 There's things we have and things we see every day and they become normalised
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 and we don't realise how amazing they are.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 We're currently in a series on prayer
00:01:08 --> 00:01:14 and we've seen that the world is crying out for an experience of God.
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 Prayer is a global phenomenon
00:01:17 --> 00:01:24 and people all across the world want to talk to a God who listens and responds.
00:01:25 --> 00:01:31 Because in all of us there is that nagging feeling that there is more to this life.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 And so people go chasing for spiritual experiences
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 because we crave more than this life.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:42 People go up mountains, they cross the world,
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 seeking and never finding.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:51 What if the way to experience and talk to this God
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 was right in front of us?
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 But we had become so familiar with it
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 that we've just discarded it.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:00 I'm talking about the Lord's Prayer, of course,
00:02:01 --> 00:02:02 which Debbie just read for us.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 It is such a classic and simple prayer.
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 It's easy for a child to pray.
00:02:09 --> 00:02:10 It's pervasive.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 It's set at weddings and funerals.
00:02:13 --> 00:02:14 It's in movies.
00:02:15 --> 00:02:16 But is it possible
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 that we don't really even look at it anymore?
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 Our eyes just glance over it
00:02:22 --> 00:02:25 looking for something more spiritual,
00:02:25 --> 00:02:26 something deeper.
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 For Christians,
00:02:28 --> 00:02:33 there is a longing to draw closer to the God of this universe
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 who shows us His love through His Son.
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 A longing to come before our Father,
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 to pour our hearts out to Him
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 and to know that He listens and responds and loves us.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 But is it possible that the Lord's Prayer
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 has become so familiar with it
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 that we've discarded it?
00:02:51 --> 00:02:52 Maybe not from our lips,
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 but maybe from our hearts.
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 Today, we are going to stop
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 and we're going to take a few moments
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 to look at the words of this prayer.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 It was a prayer that was taught to the disciples by Jesus
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 and if it was good enough for them,
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 it is more than good enough for us too.
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 We're going to be learning how to pray,
00:03:16 --> 00:03:17 how to talk to God,
00:03:18 --> 00:03:19 and we don't want to forget the very things
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 that Jesus taught us to do.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 So today, we're going to walk through the Lord's Prayer,
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 maybe like the celebrity's children,
00:03:27 --> 00:03:30 there'll be a moment of shock and recognition for us
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 as we see this prayer anew.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 My prayer is that it will encourage us to pray.
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 And I'm hoping and praying that it draws us
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 to talk with God as He is,
00:03:44 --> 00:03:45 as a Father,
00:03:45 --> 00:03:46 and come before Him.
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 So as we have a look at this prayer,
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 it's only appropriate that we do indeed pray.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:51 So let's pray.
00:03:53 --> 00:03:57 God, we thank You that You are our Heavenly Father
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 and we thank You for the privilege it is
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 that we can come and talk to You as Father.
00:04:04 --> 00:04:05 Be with us this morning
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 as we look at this wonderful prayer
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 that Jesus taught us to pray.
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 Help us to reconsider what it means for us
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 and help us to use it
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 to talk to You and draw closer to You, Lord.
00:04:18 --> 00:04:19 Amen.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 And so the context of this prayer
00:04:22 --> 00:04:25 is that Jesus is teaching His disciples to pray,
00:04:25 --> 00:04:29 not like the pagans who babble on and on and on,
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 and not like the Pharisees,
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 who are the hypocrites who get their reward
00:04:34 --> 00:04:35 by praying out in open.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:40 And the prayer starts in a completely radical way.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:44 The great and awesome and majestic
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 and all-powerful God of the heavens,
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 the one who created the world and sustains it,
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 who knows every living being,
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 who placed the stars across the sky,
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 knows how many pieces of hair is in this very room,
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 we get to call Him Father,
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 our Father in heaven.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:09 This is the God who couldn't be approached
00:05:09 --> 00:05:10 by the priests in the Old Testament
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 without blood of a sacrifice
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 so that they wouldn't die.
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 And Jesus teaches us to call this God Father.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:24 Father, it's not just the position of authority in a family,
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 it is also one of intimacy.
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 And so we're called to call God Father.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 It is an incredible privilege
00:05:33 --> 00:05:36 that Jesus tells us to call God Father.
00:05:37 --> 00:05:38 But the flip side of this is
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 we can become too familiar with God.
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 As a heavenly Father,
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 we can forget the awesomeness of God,
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 just like with those celebrity kids.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 Now, the only reason that we can indeed call Him Father
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 and not tremble guilty before Him
00:05:56 --> 00:06:00 as one who is guilty before a judge
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 is because we pray in Jesus' name.
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 Jesus, the Father's Son,
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 the one who was raised to God's right hand,
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 He is now intervening for us.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:13 He's saying,
00:06:14 --> 00:06:15 these ones,
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 these ones I've adopted into my family,
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 these ones,
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 even these ones in Chatswood,
00:06:21 --> 00:06:22 I have died for them.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 These ones come into our family.
00:06:26 --> 00:06:30 The only reason that we can call God Father
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 is because we approach Him in Jesus' name.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 That's why when we often finish praying,
00:06:37 --> 00:06:37 we say,
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 in Jesus' name,
00:06:40 --> 00:06:40 Amen.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 It's not some kind of magic formula
00:06:43 --> 00:06:46 that makes God have to hear us.
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 It's because of the finished work of Jesus.
00:06:49 --> 00:06:49 Jesus,
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 we are adopted into God's family.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 How else could we approach God
00:06:56 --> 00:07:00 other than by being adopted into His family?
00:07:01 --> 00:07:02 And so this prayer,
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 this first line of the prayer,
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 sets us up for the whole prayer.
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 It recalls God's position as Father.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:13 It reminds us of the Son's work in salvation,
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 and so we come adopted into His family
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 with the rights of a son.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:23 We could be coming to God as a harsh judge
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 who may listen to us,
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 who may give us mercy and forgiveness,
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 but the God that Jesus reveals
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 is not like that.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 He is a loving Father
00:07:34 --> 00:07:37 who delights to hear the rest of our prayers
00:07:37 --> 00:07:38 because we're one of His kids.
00:07:39 --> 00:07:40 We're part of the family.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 And so if we were to look at nothing else,
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 if we were to pray nothing else,
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 if we were just to dwell on this one line
00:07:49 --> 00:07:50 of the Lord's Prayer,
00:07:51 --> 00:07:55 it would begin to implant in our hearts
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 a comforting trust of God.
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 That the God that Jesus reveals to be our Father,
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 He is not distant,
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 but He is close to us.
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 When we are struggling,
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 when we can pray nothing else in our lives,
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 when we are crying out to God,
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 sit on this one line,
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 that God is our Father,
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 and that because of His grace and love for us,
00:08:21 --> 00:08:25 we can indeed come before Him.
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 And so we have this introductory first line,
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 our Father in Heaven.
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 And after that, we have our first request,
00:08:34 --> 00:08:37 that God's name would be hallowed.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 It's a strange word.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 The only other time I can think of it
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 is in one of the Harry Potter books.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 It's a strange word,
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 but it just effectively means holy.
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 This is not a prayer for God's name
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 to be holy or special.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 God's name already is holy.
00:08:55 --> 00:09:01 But this is a request that we recognize who God is.
00:09:02 --> 00:09:07 That He is a Father that we only come to as children,
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 and we want Him to be seen for who He is.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:13 We want Him to be seen as holy.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 And so hallowed be your name is a request.
00:09:17 --> 00:09:22 It's a request that we would make God seen to be holy.
00:09:22 --> 00:09:25 May my words and actions show you, God,
00:09:25 --> 00:09:26 that you are holy.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:30 As a Christian, I'm a bearer.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 We are bearers of God's name.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 We are carriers of His name.
00:09:34 --> 00:09:34 Christians.
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 God, keep me from dishonoring your name.
00:09:40 --> 00:09:42 Praying this places us in a position
00:09:42 --> 00:09:47 where we're not desiring that our names would be famous,
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 but that God's name would.
00:09:49 --> 00:09:54 It shows a heart that is captivated by God's awesomeness
00:09:54 --> 00:09:58 and a desire for others to see Him.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 It's not a desire that people would see how great I am.
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 It's not that, you know, James Barnett,
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 that name, that person, he's great.
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 No, no, no.
00:10:07 --> 00:10:10 It's that God's name would be great.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:15 But we don't always hallow God's name.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:18 It's more than taking God's name in vain.
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 It's even more than blaming God.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 But it's far worse when we forget who He is.
00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 It's the lack of gratefulness and gratitude
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 that springs from a selfish heart.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:35 And so to hallow God's name as this second request prays of us
00:10:35 --> 00:10:38 is not just to show that God is good and holy,
00:10:38 --> 00:10:43 but to have a heart that is full of joy and gratitude towards Him.
00:10:43 --> 00:10:48 And so far in these two first lines of the Lord's Prayer,
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 we come to God as a Father,
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 grateful to Him,
00:10:54 --> 00:10:57 and then we request that God's kingdom would come.
00:10:58 --> 00:11:01 Now, God is, of course, ruling right now.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 He is ruling in His kingdom.
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 This is not a request that God would come,
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 as if He isn't ruling now,
00:11:09 --> 00:11:15 but it's a request that God's kingdom would come into our lives
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 and into the rest of the world.
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 This prayer is one of lordship.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 God, I want you to be the Lord of my life.
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 You are a loving Father
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28 because of your son I'm adopted into your family.
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 And so this part of the prayer asks
00:11:31 --> 00:11:35 that we would live as one of His kids in His family.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:40 It's a prayer that God would extend His lordship
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 over all of our lives.
00:11:43 --> 00:11:46 It's a yearning that God would have lordship
00:11:46 --> 00:11:48 over every part of our lives
00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 so fully that we'd want to obey Him
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 with all of our hearts
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 and with all of our minds
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 and with our bodies with joy.
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 Because we are made to serve God.
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 We are made to serve Him with our bodies,
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 with our hearts,
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 with our desires,
00:12:05 --> 00:12:05 with our spirit.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:11 But we can choose to let God's kingdom reign in our lives.
00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 We can let Him partially reign in our lives.
00:12:16 --> 00:12:20 It would be like someone that appears to be a model citizen.
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 I'm going to pick on Dan
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 because Dan's in front of me
00:12:23 --> 00:12:27 and because he's reporting to me now as a U13er.
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 So, you know, I think that's okay.
00:12:29 --> 00:12:29 Is that okay, Dan?
00:12:30 --> 00:12:33 Let's say Dan is a model citizen of Australia.
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 Upstanding citizen.
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 What does an upstanding citizen do?
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 He always follows the road rules.
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 He never speeds.
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 He never risks a parking fine.
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 He's always back to his car early.
00:12:45 --> 00:12:48 So he looks like a model citizen,
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 always paying his tax on time.
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 Have you ever paid tax, Dan?
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 You probably will this year.
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 Do you remember what that was like?
00:12:55 --> 00:12:59 So he appears to be a model citizen.
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 But at home,
00:13:01 --> 00:13:04 he flaunts the rules.
00:13:05 --> 00:13:08 You know, there's other people's mail that comes to his house
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 and he's always opening it up,
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 which is illegal, it turns out.
00:13:13 --> 00:13:16 He's illegally downloading videos and movies
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 out of impatience for them to be released here.
00:13:18 --> 00:13:21 He's making counterfeit money on the side.
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 He'll pay tax out of that, I'm sure.
00:13:24 --> 00:13:27 It appears that he's a very good citizen of Australia,
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 but secretly,
00:13:30 --> 00:13:34 he's just out to make his own patch a little better
00:13:34 --> 00:13:37 at the expense of everyone else.
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 It's not that hard to imagine for us.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:44 We all have those nooks and crannies,
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 those parts of our lives
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 that we don't want other people to look into.
00:13:49 --> 00:13:52 Parts of our lives that either fill us with pride
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 so we don't want to hand that over to God,
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 or maybe it brings us shame.
00:13:58 --> 00:14:01 And so we don't want the light of day to be shone on it.
00:14:01 --> 00:14:07 But this part of the prayer calls for God's kingdom to come
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 into all of our life.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:14 Our actions, our words, our feelings, our desires,
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 even our secret desires.
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 And we can only do that,
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 we can only bring this prayer to God
00:14:22 --> 00:14:25 because he is, as that first line said,
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 he is an approachable father.
00:14:28 --> 00:14:31 But that's not the only aspect to God's kingdom coming.
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 We want to see God's lordship extend
00:14:34 --> 00:14:38 over our lives, but also across the world.
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 To see the whole world
00:14:40 --> 00:14:44 know the love that we have as God's children.
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 It truly is a wondrous gift.
00:14:47 --> 00:14:50 It's not one that's diminished when we share it,
00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 but it instead grows from us
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 out to the rest of the world.
00:14:55 --> 00:14:58 It was Isaac's birthday during the week,
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 and it's always interesting watching
00:15:00 --> 00:15:04 other kids on one of the kids' birthdays.
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 If you've got more than one kid,
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 you would know what this is like.
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 Because our other two,
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 well, one of them in particular,
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 felt like they were missing out.
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 You know, one has all of these presents.
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 Where is my present?
00:15:20 --> 00:15:22 They feel like they're missing out
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 because presents can't be shared
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 on a birthday.
00:15:25 --> 00:15:27 But that's not the gift of the gospel.
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 It actually grows
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 as we share it.
00:15:32 --> 00:15:34 We don't, you know,
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 want to need to hold on to it
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 because it will be
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 stolen by someone else.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:42 This gift that God has given us
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 to be brought into his family
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 grows and extends
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 as we share it.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 We don't need to be selfish
00:15:48 --> 00:15:48 with this gift.
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 So as we start,
00:15:51 --> 00:15:51 we pray
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 to an approachable,
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 awesome,
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 and holy Father.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 We want to place ourselves
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 into his family
00:15:58 --> 00:16:01 under his rules
00:16:01 --> 00:16:01 with his kingdom
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 extending over our lives
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 and we want to see
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 this kingdom spread out.
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 And so being in God's kingdom
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 means that we will then pray
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 your will be done.
00:16:13 --> 00:16:16 Jesus teaches
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 the disciples
00:16:17 --> 00:16:17 and us
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 this final
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 part of the prayer
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 that orients us to God.
00:16:21 --> 00:16:23 These opening parts
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 of the prayer
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 are all about us
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 and God.
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 We've reminded ourselves
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 that God,
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 he's the Father,
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 he's awesome,
00:16:30 --> 00:16:32 his kingdom should be
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 over our lives
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 and the whole world
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 and now Jesus says
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 to ask
00:16:36 --> 00:16:38 for God's help
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 to do his will
00:16:38 --> 00:16:40 and not our will.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 This is incredibly hard.
00:16:43 --> 00:16:45 because I like
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 doing my will.
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 I'm sure it's true
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 for all of us.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 If you've ever
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 tried to
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 choose a movie
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 to watch
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 or
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 a place to go
00:16:56 --> 00:16:56 and eat
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 with a group of people,
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 you will know
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 how hard it is
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 when everyone
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 wants their will
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 to be known
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 above others.
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 the only way
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 to pray
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 this prayer
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 your will
00:17:10 --> 00:17:10 be done
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 with any meaning
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 is if we remember
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 the one we are
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 praying to.
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 And there'll be a quote
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 on the screen
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 from Tim Keller.
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 He says,
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 unless we are
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 profoundly certain
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 God is our
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 Father,
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 we will never
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 be able to say
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 thy will be done.
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 Unless we are
00:17:29 --> 00:17:31 profoundly certain
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 God is a Father,
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 we will never
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 be able to say
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 thy will be done.
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 Otherwise,
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 God is just going
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 to be some kind
00:17:38 --> 00:17:40 of impersonal cloud
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 forcing us
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 to obey Him
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 out of some
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 mysterious will
00:17:44 --> 00:17:46 or nefarious plot.
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 Like a child
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 submitting to a parent
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 out of fear
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 of punishment,
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 we'll only obey
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55 this distant God
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 until we can flee.
00:17:58 --> 00:18:00 But a child
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 will submit
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 out of love
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 and trust
00:18:02 --> 00:18:04 and they'll
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 continue to come
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 back if the
00:18:07 --> 00:18:07 parent is a
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 loving Father,
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 if our God
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 is a loving
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 Father.
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 If we can't
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 say your will
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 be done from
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 the depths of
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 our heart,
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 we will never
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 know peace.
00:18:19 --> 00:18:21 We will always
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 be trying to
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 enforce our
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 will onto the
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 world and the
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 people around
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 us.
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 But that is
00:18:29 --> 00:18:29 beyond us.
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 Only God
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 has that kind
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 of control
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 and that's
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 why we
00:18:35 --> 00:18:35 submit to
00:18:35 --> 00:18:35 Him.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 These first
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 petitions bring
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 us before God
00:18:41 --> 00:18:41 as a Father
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 who is awesome,
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 whose kingdom
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 we want to
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 spread across
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 our lives
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 and it's all
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 about God.
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 It's a God
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 centered prayer.
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 It protects
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 our hearts
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 from self
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 centeredness.
00:18:57 --> 00:18:57 Otherwise,
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 when we pray,
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 we would
00:19:00 --> 00:19:00 just start
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 by praying
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 for the
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 things that
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 we want
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 and that
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 list could
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 be unlimited.
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 And so
00:19:08 --> 00:19:08 Jesus has
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 taught us
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 in this first
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 half of the
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 way to pray
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 that it's
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 about recognizing
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 that God
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 is our
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 true food,
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 He is our
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 wealth,
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 He is our
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 happiness,
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 and now
00:19:19 --> 00:19:21 recognizing who
00:19:21 --> 00:19:21 our God
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 is and what
00:19:23 --> 00:19:23 He has done
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 for us,
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 now we bring
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 our list of
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 prayers to
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 God.
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 But this
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 is in
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 light of
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 who He
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 is,
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 it's a
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 new frame
00:19:32 --> 00:19:32 of heart.
00:19:33 --> 00:19:33 And so
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 we pray,
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 give us
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 today our
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 daily bread.
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 It's a
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 prayer for
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 necessity,
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 it's not a
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 prayer for
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 luxury.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 Bread was
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 a staple,
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 much like
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 rice is
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 for many
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 cultures,
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 it's not
00:19:48 --> 00:19:48 fancy,
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 it's basic,
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 it's a
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 way of
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 asking God
00:19:52 --> 00:19:52 for our
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 basic
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 needs.
00:19:55 --> 00:19:55 The early
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 church
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 father,
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 Augustine,
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 thought that
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 this prayer
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 was a
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 smaller part
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 of a
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 prayer from
00:20:00 --> 00:20:00 Proverbs
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 30 verse
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 8.
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 Let me
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 read,
00:20:04 --> 00:20:04 it's a
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 request of
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 God,
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 keep
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 falsehood
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 and lies
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 far from
00:20:09 --> 00:20:09 me,
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 give me
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 neither
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 poverty
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 nor riches,
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 but give
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 me only
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 my daily
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 bread,
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 otherwise
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 I may
00:20:17 --> 00:20:17 have too
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 much and
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 disown
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 you and
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 say,
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 who is
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 the
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 Lord?
00:20:21 --> 00:20:21 Or I
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 may become
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 poor
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 and steal
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 and so
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 dishonor
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 the name
00:20:26 --> 00:20:26 of my
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 God.
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 It's a
00:20:28 --> 00:20:28 prayer with
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 such a
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 recognition
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 of our
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 failures,
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 that we
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 are weak
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 if we
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 have a
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 little,
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 and we
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 are weak
00:20:35 --> 00:20:35 if we
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 have a
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 lot.
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 God,
00:20:38 --> 00:20:38 only give
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 me as
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 much as
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 I can
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 handle.
00:20:42 --> 00:20:42 Have
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 any of
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 us prayed
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 like that
00:20:44 --> 00:20:44 before?
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 Can any
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 of us
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 actually say
00:20:47 --> 00:20:47 we've
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 limited
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 how much
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 we've
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 requested
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 of God?
00:20:50 --> 00:20:50 God?
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 I'm
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 sure my
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 prayers
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 and our
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 usual
00:20:54 --> 00:20:54 prayers
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 are more
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 God,
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 please bless
00:20:56 --> 00:20:56 me,
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 bless me
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 more and
00:20:58 --> 00:20:58 more,
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 money's
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 tough,
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 fix that
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 problem,
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 bless me
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 financially
00:21:02 --> 00:21:02 please.
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 But this
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 is a
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 prayer that
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 is such
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 a reminder
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 of what
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 we already
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 have.
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 That we
00:21:11 --> 00:21:11 have
00:21:11 --> 00:21:11 everything.
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 We've
00:21:13 --> 00:21:13 been adopted
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 into God's
00:21:14 --> 00:21:14 family,
00:21:14 --> 00:21:14 we have
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 God
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 himself.
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 what do
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 we need
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 more
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 zeros in
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 our bank
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 statement
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 for,
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 for however
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 many years
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 we have
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 left on
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 earth?
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 Because
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 ultimately
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 we don't
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 need
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 status and
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 comfort
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 here.
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 We need
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 God as
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 our Lord
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 and Father.
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 And so
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 we move
00:21:36 --> 00:21:38 from requesting
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 the basic
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 things that
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 we need
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 and we
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 move to
00:21:42 --> 00:21:42 requesting
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 relationships.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 Firstly,
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 with God,
00:21:46 --> 00:21:46 and then
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 with others.
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 Forgive us
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 our debts
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 as we
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 have also
00:21:52 --> 00:21:52 forgiven
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 our debtors.
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 To request
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 that our
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 debts
00:21:56 --> 00:21:58 from God
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 would be
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 forgiven.
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 This is
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 still mind
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 boggling for
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 me.
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 To actually
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 say to
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 God,
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 you should
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 forgive me.
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 You should
00:22:06 --> 00:22:08 forget all
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 the times
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 I've wronged
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 you.
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 We can
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 only do
00:22:12 --> 00:22:14 that because
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 of the one
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 that we
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 are in
00:22:16 --> 00:22:16 debt to.
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 Jesus'
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 sacrificial
00:22:19 --> 00:22:19 death on
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 the cross
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 is the
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 only way
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 to approach
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 God as
00:22:23 --> 00:22:23 a father
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 and for
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 us to
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 have the
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 audacity,
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 the shamelessness
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 to say,
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 God,
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 please forgive
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 me.
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 Forget all
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 the times I've
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 wronged you.
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 Please forget
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 all the times I
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 will wrong you.
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 This brings
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 an amazing
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 freedom.
00:22:38 --> 00:22:41 And yet
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 we can
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 find it
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 difficult
00:22:42 --> 00:22:44 to come
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 before God
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 and to
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 confess
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 because that
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 means we
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 need to
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 admit that
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 we've done
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 something wrong
00:22:50 --> 00:22:52 to someone
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 outside of
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 us,
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 that we
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 can't cope
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 on our
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 own,
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 we can't
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 be good
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 enough on
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 our own.
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 No one
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 likes that
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 feeling of
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 being wrong,
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 no one
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 likes that
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 feeling of
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 admitting to
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 someone else
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 that we
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 have been
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 wrong and
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 yet this
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 prayer
00:23:09 --> 00:23:11 embraces it.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:12 God,
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 I have
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 wronged
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 you.
00:23:15 --> 00:23:17 I am
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 the one
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 to blame.
00:23:19 --> 00:23:19 I am
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 the one
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 who has
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 broken this
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 relationship
00:23:22 --> 00:23:22 with you,
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 God,
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 and yet
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 you offer
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 to forgive
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 me.
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 Martin
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 Luther said
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 that if we
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 find confession
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 difficult,
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 the heart
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 is not right
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 with God
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 and cannot
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 draw
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 confidence
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 from his
00:23:37 --> 00:23:37 gospel.
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 If we
00:23:39 --> 00:23:39 find confession
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 difficult,
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 the heart
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 is not
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 right with
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 God and
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 we cannot
00:23:44 --> 00:23:44 draw confidence
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 from his
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 gospel.
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 Confession
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 should bring
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 confidence and
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 joy because
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 it sends us
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 back to our
00:23:52 --> 00:23:52 need for
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 God's
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 grace,
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 the very
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 heart of
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 the Christian
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 faith.
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 And here,
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 Jesus rightly
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 links our
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 relationship with
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 God with
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 our relationship
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 with other
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 people.
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 forgive us
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 our debts
00:24:07 --> 00:24:07 as we
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 forgive those
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 who we
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 are indebted
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 to.
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 And so
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 if we
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 have seen
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 our sin
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 and God's
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 radical
00:24:15 --> 00:24:15 forgiveness
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 of us,
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 we will be
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 able to
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 forgive others.
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 God
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 reconciles
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 and heals
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 our relationship
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 with him,
00:24:24 --> 00:24:26 but he does
00:24:26 --> 00:24:26 that with
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 people too.
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 Our God
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 is one who
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 reconciles
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 and heals
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 relationships.
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 He heals
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 us and
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 makes us
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 able to
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 forgive and
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 reconcile with
00:24:37 --> 00:24:39 others, to
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 be a community
00:24:40 --> 00:24:40 that is
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 treasuring
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 Jesus
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 together.
00:24:44 --> 00:24:46 But if
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 we haven't
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 fully understood
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 our sin
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 and the
00:24:49 --> 00:24:51 gift of
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 grace and
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 sought forgiveness
00:24:53 --> 00:24:53 from God,
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 we are not
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 going to be
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 able to forgive
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 others.
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 not even
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 that, maybe
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 we won't
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 even see
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 the need
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 to forgive
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 other people.
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 Wouldn't it
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 be a terrible
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 shame if
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 people were
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 to describe
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 us as
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 people who
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 held grudges?
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 I'm not
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 sure if you
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 know someone
00:25:12 --> 00:25:12 who holds
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 grudges or
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 whether that's
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 been said of
00:25:14 --> 00:25:16 you, he
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 always holds
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 grudges.
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 That guy, he
00:25:18 --> 00:25:18 just doesn't
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 forgive anything.
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 Imagine if
00:25:21 --> 00:25:23 God held
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 grudges
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 against us.
00:25:25 --> 00:25:28 And yet
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 our self
00:25:29 --> 00:25:29 righteous
00:25:29 --> 00:25:31 hearts and
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 the hardness
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 of hearts
00:25:32 --> 00:25:34 gets in the
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 way of
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 understanding
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 what God
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 has given
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 to us and
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 the forgiveness
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 he offers.
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 And it
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 stops us from
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 holding out
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 that love to
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 others.
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 Our Father
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 is a God
00:25:47 --> 00:25:47 who heals
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 relationships
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 with us and
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 him and us
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 and other
00:25:50 --> 00:25:52 people between
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 one another.
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 Praying this
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 prayer,
00:25:54 --> 00:25:56 pushes us
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 to go and
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 seek forgiveness
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 from others.
00:26:00 --> 00:26:02 To forgive
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 others in
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 light of
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 God's
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 radical
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 forgiveness.
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 We've
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 prayed so
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 far to God
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 requesting bread,
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 asking God
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 help me depend
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 upon you for
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 all things.
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 We've
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 prayed,
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 Father
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 forgive me
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 when I
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 don't depend
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 on you.
00:26:22 --> 00:26:24 and now
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 we pray
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 lead us
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 not into
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 temptation,
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 deliver us
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 from the
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 evil one.
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 This prayer
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 is acknowledgement
00:26:31 --> 00:26:33 of all that
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 is in between,
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 that life
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 is one of
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 temptation
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 and responses
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 to it.
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 The Bible
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 tells us that
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 God will
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 test us
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 to craft
00:26:44 --> 00:26:44 us into
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 his people,
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 burning off
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 our selfishness
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 to reveal
00:26:49 --> 00:26:49 humility,
00:26:49 --> 00:26:51 burning off
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 ignorance
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 to reveal
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 knowledge
00:26:53 --> 00:26:55 of God.
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 But this
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 is a prayer
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 that we
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 would
00:26:58 --> 00:27:00 not walk
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 into temptation,
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 that we
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 would not
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 actively
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 entertain
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 sin.
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 From one
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 side comes
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 the temptation
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 of riches
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 and power
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 that makes
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 us forget
00:27:13 --> 00:27:13 God
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 and our
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 need for
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 him.
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 The opposite
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 is a
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 temptation
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 of poverty
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 and thinking
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 that God
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 is not
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 there,
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 he is not
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 listening.
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 The other
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 way is
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 temptation
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 of the
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 flesh
00:27:24 --> 00:27:26 that says
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 what my
00:27:27 --> 00:27:27 body
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 craves
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 is better
00:27:29 --> 00:27:29 than what
00:27:29 --> 00:27:29 God
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 wants
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 for me.
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 This
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 prayer
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 asks
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 that we
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 would walk
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 a narrow
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 line
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 between
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 all of
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 these.
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 That we
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 would walk
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 close to
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 him,
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 turning the
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 eyes of
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 our hearts
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 away from
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 these
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 temptations
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 and drawing
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 closer to
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 him.
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 And when
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 we've
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 moved
00:27:49 --> 00:27:49 through
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 all of
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 the steps
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 of this
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 prayer,
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 it indeed
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 helps us
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 to do
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 so.
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 So we
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 pray to
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 an amazingly
00:27:56 --> 00:27:58 loving,
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 approachable
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 father who
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 is awesome
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 and holy.
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 We want
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 to place
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 ourselves in
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 his family
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 to be
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 spreading
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 his kingdom
00:28:07 --> 00:28:09 in the
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 knowledge that
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 he provides
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 all that is
00:28:12 --> 00:28:12 necessary,
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 especially
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 forgiveness
00:28:14 --> 00:28:16 and relationship
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 with others.
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 Jesus
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 so that we
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19 can then
00:28:19 --> 00:28:21 walk
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 his way.
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 Jesus
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 didn't teach
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 this to be
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 a formula
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 for us.
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 It is a
00:28:27 --> 00:28:27 wonderful
00:28:27 --> 00:28:27 prayer,
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 but it's
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 not that we
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 should just
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 say these
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 words and
00:28:32 --> 00:28:32 think job
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 done,
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 tick.
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 More than
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 that, it
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 contains a
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 structure, a
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 pattern for
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 us, which is
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 really helpful
00:28:40 --> 00:28:40 to bring
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 before God.
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 Martin
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 Luther
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 described
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 praying
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 through the
00:28:44 --> 00:28:44 Lord's
00:28:44 --> 00:28:44 prayer is
00:28:44 --> 00:28:46 riffing on
00:28:46 --> 00:28:46 the Lord's
00:28:46 --> 00:28:46 prayer.
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 To take
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 the words,
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 it's like a
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 musician like
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 the Andy,
00:28:51 --> 00:28:53 playing around
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 on a chord,
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 moving around,
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 to take the
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 words of the
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 Lord's prayer
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 and to pray
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 around them,
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 to riff on
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 the Lord's
00:29:04 --> 00:29:04 prayer.
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 And so
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 even something
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 simple like
00:29:07 --> 00:29:09 praying for
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 our daily
00:29:09 --> 00:29:11 bread, well
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 this is a
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 prayer that says
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 thank you God
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 that I have
00:29:13 --> 00:29:15 a job, so
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 that I have
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 money, so
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 I can go to
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 the shop and
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 buy bread.
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 Thank you
00:29:20 --> 00:29:22 for our
00:29:22 --> 00:29:24 society that
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 has farmers
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 and produces
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 wheat to
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 make bread
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 and that these
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 shops can be
00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 open when I
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 need it.
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 It is a
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 prayer that
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 thanks God
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 for all of
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 these conditions
00:29:35 --> 00:29:38 that can
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 sustain us
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 and cares
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 for us.
00:29:40 --> 00:29:43 this stands
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 in contrast
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 to the way
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 we might
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 ordinarily
00:29:47 --> 00:29:47 pray, the
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 way we might
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 default to
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 prayer.
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 Often our
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 prayers can
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 just be
00:29:52 --> 00:29:52 completely made
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 up on the
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 spot.
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 Maybe it's
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 not reflecting
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 the God
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 who is
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 revealed in
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 the word
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 to be,
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 but our
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 prayer just
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 comes from
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 our needs
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 and who
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 we are.
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 We can
00:30:07 --> 00:30:07 get carried
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 away with
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 what we
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 think we
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 need and
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 forget what
00:30:11 --> 00:30:11 we already
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 have.
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 If left to
00:30:14 --> 00:30:14 ourselves,
00:30:14 --> 00:30:14 we'll just
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 pray what
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 comes into
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 our mind
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 and then
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 we'll get
00:30:18 --> 00:30:18 distracted with
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 what comes
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 into our
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 mind.
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 If we
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 take the
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 structure of
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 the Lord's
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 prayer and
00:30:24 --> 00:30:24 riff on it,
00:30:26 --> 00:30:26 maybe say
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 the line and
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 then pray
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 based upon
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 that,
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 it forces
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 us to use
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 the full
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 language of
00:30:33 --> 00:30:33 prayer,
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 of confession,
00:30:36 --> 00:30:36 of praise,
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 of request.
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 Praying the
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 Lord's prayer
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 requests that
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 the gospel
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 would be
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 moved forward.
00:30:43 --> 00:30:43 It pushes
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 us to
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 accept from
00:30:44 --> 00:30:46 God what
00:30:46 --> 00:30:46 he chooses
00:30:46 --> 00:30:49 to confess
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 even when
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 we don't
00:30:50 --> 00:30:50 want to.
00:30:52 --> 00:30:52 Praying the
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 Lord's prayer
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 like this
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 forces us
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 to look for
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 things and
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 to thank
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 God and
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 praise him
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 in good
00:30:59 --> 00:31:02 times and
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 in bad
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 times.
00:31:04 --> 00:31:04 It presses
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 us to
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 repent and
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 seek forgiveness
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 during
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 prosperity and
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 success.
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 It disciplines
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 us to keep
00:31:12 --> 00:31:14 every part of
00:31:14 --> 00:31:14 our lives and
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 to give every
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 part of our
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 lives to
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 God.
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 It combines
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 the warmth
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 and comfort
00:31:20 --> 00:31:22 of praying to
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 a God who
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 is a father
00:31:23 --> 00:31:25 with passionate
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 pleas for
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 our desperate
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 needs.
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 I think this
00:31:30 --> 00:31:30 prayer is like
00:31:30 --> 00:31:32 a really full
00:31:32 --> 00:31:34 meal that
00:31:34 --> 00:31:36 has vegetables
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 that are good
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 for building
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 up the
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 function of
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 the brain
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 and the
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 body.
00:31:39 --> 00:31:39 It's got
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 protein for
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 muscles.
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 It's got
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 carbohydrate for
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 energy.
00:31:44 --> 00:31:44 And it's a
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 good meal that
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 has all of
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 these in the
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 right amounts.
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 Can anybody
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 think of a
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 good meal like
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 this?
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 Anybody?
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 Sorry?
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 What's a good
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 meal that's got
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 all of these in
00:31:57 --> 00:31:59 good parts?
00:31:59 --> 00:32:01 I've heard
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 someone say a
00:32:02 --> 00:32:04 Big Mac and
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 I want to slap
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 that person on
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 the wrist.
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 The sugar to
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 carb content to
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 protein vegetable
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 is way out.
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 I like to think
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 of like a nice
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 roast because
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 my family comes
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 from England
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 and the Sunday
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 roast you've got
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 some kind of
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 meat, you've
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 got green
00:32:20 --> 00:32:22 vegetables, you've
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 got maybe some
00:32:23 --> 00:32:23 kind of white
00:32:23 --> 00:32:25 potato carb or
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 sweet potato or
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 pumpkin, that kind
00:32:27 --> 00:32:27 of thing.
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 I also see
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 wonderful different
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 types of hot
00:32:30 --> 00:32:32 pot that do
00:32:32 --> 00:32:32 this.
00:32:33 --> 00:32:33 It's veggies,
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 it's meat, it's
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 carbs, it's
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 balanced.
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 But sometimes,
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 I think that's
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 what a good
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 prayer should be
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 like.
00:32:44 --> 00:32:45 It's not just
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 one type of
00:32:46 --> 00:32:46 prayer, it's a
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 full prayer.
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 But sometimes
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 we pray like
00:32:50 --> 00:32:52 fast food.
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 It's the,
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 whoever said
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 that, the
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 Big Mac of
00:32:56 --> 00:32:56 prayer.
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 You know, we're
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 tired, we're
00:32:58 --> 00:33:00 busy, we don't
00:33:00 --> 00:33:02 really care about
00:33:02 --> 00:33:02 what we're
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 praying, and so
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 we quickly grab
00:33:04 --> 00:33:06 that Big Mac and
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 it's gone in three
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 seconds.
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 It doesn't cost us
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 much, but it
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 gives us even
00:33:10 --> 00:33:11 less.
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 It doesn't
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 satisfy the body
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 and it just
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 leaves you feeling
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 hungry, maybe a
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 little bit sick.
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 It's okay to have
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 fast food
00:33:21 --> 00:33:23 occasionally, but
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 imagine if it was
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 just Big Macs.
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 I'm pretty sure
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 there's a movie
00:33:27 --> 00:33:28 made about this
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 where a guy only
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 ate fast food.
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 Imagine what it
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 would do to your
00:33:32 --> 00:33:32 health.
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 It would be
00:33:34 --> 00:33:37 terrible if we
00:33:37 --> 00:33:39 just prayed fast
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 food prayers,
00:33:40 --> 00:33:42 focused on us.
00:33:44 --> 00:33:45 Our spiritual
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 health would be
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 terrible.
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 If it was just,
00:33:47 --> 00:33:48 I'm too busy, I
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 don't have time to
00:33:49 --> 00:33:51 pray a full prayer,
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 I'm just going to
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 quickly fire something
00:33:53 --> 00:33:53 up.
00:33:53 --> 00:33:55 Our prayer, our
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 relationship with
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 God will be
00:33:57 --> 00:33:57 shallow.
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 Our prayer life
00:34:00 --> 00:34:00 would be
00:34:00 --> 00:34:03 unsatisfying and
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 it would leave us
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 wanting more.
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 We wonder why we
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 don't have healthy
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 relationships with
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 God, but look at
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 what we are putting
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 into our prayer
00:34:12 --> 00:34:13 lives.
00:34:15 --> 00:34:17 Don't forget the
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 awesomeness of the
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 Lord's prayer out of
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 familiarity.
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 Pray the Lord's
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 prayer because it
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 is a full meal
00:34:24 --> 00:34:26 that will sustain
00:34:26 --> 00:34:28 our souls and
00:34:28 --> 00:34:28 bring us into
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 relationship with
00:34:29 --> 00:34:29 God closer.
00:34:30 --> 00:34:30 Let me pray.
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 Heavenly Father,
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 I thank you that
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 we have the joy
00:34:38 --> 00:34:40 of calling you
00:34:40 --> 00:34:42 Father and that
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 we have this
00:34:43 --> 00:34:45 wonderful full
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 meal of a
00:34:46 --> 00:34:48 prayer from your
00:34:48 --> 00:34:49 son Jesus.
00:34:49 --> 00:34:51 God, help us
00:34:51 --> 00:34:53 not to forget
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 what this prayer
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 is out of
00:34:55 --> 00:34:55 familiarity.
00:34:56 --> 00:34:57 But Lord, we
00:34:57 --> 00:34:58 ask that we
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 would use this
00:34:59 --> 00:35:01 prayer not
00:35:01 --> 00:35:02 just as a
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 structure, not
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 just as words
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 to say, but
00:35:05 --> 00:35:07 as a way to
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 remember who
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 you are and
00:35:08 --> 00:35:09 what you have
00:35:09 --> 00:35:11 done and all
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 of the wonderful
00:35:12 --> 00:35:12 gifts that you
00:35:12 --> 00:35:13 give to us
00:35:13 --> 00:35:14 every day.
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 Father, help us
00:35:17 --> 00:35:18 to constantly
00:35:18 --> 00:35:19 be reminded
00:35:19 --> 00:35:22 of who you
00:35:22 --> 00:35:22 are and the
00:35:22 --> 00:35:23 fact that we
00:35:23 --> 00:35:25 can bring our
00:35:25 --> 00:35:26 requests and our
00:35:26 --> 00:35:27 desires to you
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 and that you
00:35:28 --> 00:35:29 love us and that
00:35:29 --> 00:35:30 you listen to us
00:35:30 --> 00:35:31 and you respond.
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 God, it will not
00:35:34 --> 00:35:36 be easy starting
00:35:36 --> 00:35:37 to pray.
00:35:37 --> 00:35:39 Lord, we need to
00:35:39 --> 00:35:40 learn how to pray.
00:35:40 --> 00:35:42 give us the
00:35:42 --> 00:35:43 encouragement and
00:35:43 --> 00:35:44 the comfort to
00:35:44 --> 00:35:45 challenge one
00:35:45 --> 00:35:46 another, to be
00:35:46 --> 00:35:47 talking about our
00:35:47 --> 00:35:48 prayer lives with
00:35:48 --> 00:35:49 one another, that
00:35:49 --> 00:35:50 it would not just
00:35:50 --> 00:35:52 be a secret thing,
00:35:52 --> 00:35:53 but it would be a
00:35:53 --> 00:35:54 thing we do as
00:35:54 --> 00:35:56 family as we
00:35:56 --> 00:35:57 seek to know you
00:35:57 --> 00:35:58 and to draw closer
00:35:58 --> 00:35:59 to you, Lord.
00:35:59 --> 00:36:00 We ask this in your
00:36:00 --> 00:36:01 son's name.
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 Amen.
00:36:03 --> 00:36:05 As Nick said, I'll
00:36:05 --> 00:36:06 be at Pishon
00:36:06 --> 00:36:07 Cafe this Wednesday
00:36:07 --> 00:36:08 morning at 7 a.m.
00:36:08 --> 00:36:09 if you would like
00:36:09 --> 00:36:10 to join me to
00:36:10 --> 00:36:11 continue learning
00:36:11 --> 00:36:12 how to pray.