Disciple’s Prayer – Matthew 6:9-13 Submitted by Kay Crumley
The Disciple’s Prayer is sometimes called the Model Prayer. What comes to mind when you hear the word model? There are models we build from kits like cars, there are models who walk around showing the newest fashions, there are architectural models of building projects, and there are models that we shape our lives upon. Each of us have experienced behaviors that we see in our parents, even when we vowed not to follow that pattern. As children we learn to speak, walk, and react based on our parents’ behavior patterns. I am guilty of promising myself I will never do something that I found undesirable in my parent and then catch myself doing that exact thing. Models are important and sometimes unintentional. However, for today’s study we are looking at an intentional model that Jesus’ disciples requested, and Jesus demonstrated. Luke 11:1 the disciples asked Jesus to “teach us to pray.” His answer is recorded in Luke and in Matthew. In Matthew we find the ‘Disciple’s Prayer’ in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount. It is a prayer for His followers to pray. Prayer is central to Jesus’ teaching.
Belief in the goodness of God will shape our prayer life. Why would anyone pray to God unless they have faith, trust in His characteristic of being good. God is good, John 3:16.
How NOT to pray: Jesus admonished us to NOT pray as the hypocrites prayed, Matt 6:5 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. When we pray to be heard and approved of by man, we are not pleasing God. Jesus used this example of what was incorrect to show us what is the right way to approach the Father. Instead, we are to go into a private place and voice our praise and petitions to Him. When our prayers are genuine and personal, He hears and answers.
God’s personal nature: Jesus reveals the personal nature of God the Father in vs 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Our God knows His children. He knows what we need and how to provide. We pray because we trust Him to bless us. He may not answer in our timing, but He will do as He as promised.
Pray in His Name: He is personal and at the same time, Almighty. Vs. 9 ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, He is our Father, that’s personal, intimate. Yet, at the same time we see He is the Almighty God in Heaven. We are to honor Him as Holy. We submit to His will and to His Kingdom in vs. 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. God wants our obedience to His plan; His will is best for us while we’re here. ‘God’s will’ refers to the redemptive and moral intent of God for His people. We begin our prayer by glorifying Him, asking for His Kingdom to be here on earth and submitting to His will not our own.
Provisional Nature of God: Jesus shows the ability of God to provide our most basic need in vs.11 Give us today our daily bread. Matt 7:7-11 Jesus told the disciples that if we ask, seek, and knock, God responds to us. He gives good gifts to His children.
Forgiving Nature of God: God provides our physical needs and guides us tend to our relational needs. He teaches us to love one another. Vs 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Jesus willingly took the punishment due us because of our sin. That gift of forgiveness demands that we forgive others. The way we show love for Him is forgiving others. However, we really do need Jesus’s help to forgive.
God’s Nature is Good: God is good, this world is broken. God will never tempt anyone to do evil, James 1:13-15. He will protect us from evil vs 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. We can be overwhelmed by evil, the evil one. When temptation turns into sin, it can lead to awful places we could never have imagined ending up in. Jesus was tempted in Matt 4:1-11. How did He combat that temptation? He used scripture to counter Satan’s temptations. His knowledge of the Word and praying the Word were two of His greatest protections against Satan. Some translations end that verse with the reason we must trust the goodness of God. Vs 13b for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. He is more powerful than any other kingdom on earth or in the heavenlies. He alone deserves our honor and we must give glory to Him alone.
