(Audio and Text)
Title: How to Pray, Part 3
If you will, allow me for a moment to touch on something personal before we begin:
After last week’s sermon I received much encouragement from several of you as I am attempting to give you a Christ-centered tool on “How to Pray”. That encouragement always lifts my spirits because is reminds me how God can work through imperfect vessels to share a perfect word. But one comment in particular was very convicting to me. One of our young men, an academic to be sure, approached me and told me that he’s heard the Lord’s Prayer taught several different times in sermons and books, sometimes even more thoroughly than what we are doing, but what he really appreciated was the transparency and personal prayer examples that I gave after each section.
The reason that comment means so much to me is this: I never want their to be a Clergy/Laity split between us. I think that is one of the huge issues of the reformation and I think in some ways it’s crept back into even protestantism. The greatest gift I can give to you is my Holiness, but it has to be authentic, not presumed holiness. If I am up here giving off a well-rehearsed aura of holiness than an I a deceiver. I think it would be much more beneficial for all of us, if you saw me as I am, with all of my warts, faults, and foibles. Because when you can see me like that, you can see what god is doing to me, and have hope that he can and will and is doing the same work in you.
I am not transparent with you merely for the sake of effect. I’m transparent with you because if I ask you to be held to the teachings of scripture, if I ask you to hold me, as your pastor to the full counsel of God’s word, then I can’t put up a front. Who I am in this pulpit must also be who I was last night when some of the fellas (and ladies) from the church were over last night watching TV. And who I am as I preach this morning needs to also be who I am when I will (Lord willing) watch the Superbowl later tonight.
For these reasons I’m honored to be able to be transparent with you.
(pray/read)
- Forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors
POINT: Forgiveness
We recognize that forgiveness flows from the Father to us and should also flow from us to others.
We recognize that we are ABLE to forgive only because we’ve been forgiven.
We have no right to ask God to forgive us if we are unable or unwilling to forgive those who have offended us.
Other Thoughts?
Example: “Jesus you are my savior. And that terms bears much meaning. Before I was born, or had done anything right or wrong, you saved me from an unbearable destiny. While I lived my first 19 years in darkness you preserved me for the day when you beckon my heart to come to you. Over the last 15 years you have saved me from myself, from habitual sin, and continued to bear with my continued foolishness. Without your blood, I am nothing, I am unworthy of such a gift. As it has been given to me, over and over and over again effectually, Lord, allow me to give this gift to others. Other people do owe me, they are rightly called my debtors, but no one owes me anywhere near as much as I owe you. And you have chosen to forgive me. Let me emulate you to others in grace by forgiving them. Let me not get caught up on little things, so the enemy may gain ground. But when I find myself frustrated, disappointed, or simply mad at another, let me be reminded that your anger should burn against me every second of my sinful existence, but you refrain, you withhold, you endure me. Let me endure others, that your name may increase.”
- “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”
POINT: Protection, Realization, and Sustenance
We acknowledge our inability to always see temptation on our own.
We realize the reality of Satan and his plan.
We recognize that Satan can overpower us should we stray.
We praise God that one of the ways he works with us is by sustaining our walk over the course of time.
We trust God and we distrust ourselves.
Other Thoughts?
Example: “Father, my eyes are weak and easily fooled. I am like Isaac, playing the fool for Jacob. I am admittedly, and ashamedly, so easily duped into temptation. I claim, ‘I can watch that movie, I can listen to that song, I can drive past that billboard, I have a right to have that conversation…’ And on and on and on while Satan delights in my folly. As much as I’ve seen your grow me, I’ve also seen me continue to be a fool. Like a dog returns to his vomit how often I return to sin. And not just sin, but the same sin, over and over and over, Oh Lord, WHY do you preserve me? Why do you sustain me? What have I done that you would continue to allow me to play the role of the prodigal son seventy-thousand times in one lifetime? I do not see temptation well. It sneaks up on me because I’m tired, or not paying attention, or making bad decisions before the event. I need you to lead me down a path where it is difficult for temptation to stage an ambush. This, of course, begins and resided in the idea that I surround myself with you, that I do not stray from this path for adventures of my own, but that I find contentment and joy in you and you alone. May temptation become foolishness to me, simply because nothing else but you looks desirable.”
- “For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and glory forever. Amen.”
POINT: Proper Recognition
We recognize that all things are property of the father. At best we are stewards of his property.
Our God is indeed a King, with limitless power, and everything about his existence is worthy of glory and adulation.
HE IS THE ANSWER. (What’s your question?) In other words, we rightly presume all truth and answer can and will be revealed in our God alone.
Other thoughts?
Example: “Lord, I pray what I pray because I recognize to whom I’m praying. I recognize the very special circumstance that must take place for me to even have the ability to come before you in prayer. I understand that were it not for your sovereign design and your son’s subsequent blood, I would be praying into the vanishing air, my words would be nothing but meaningless vapor. But you have given me life, you have given me a calling, and you have done this not randomly, not arbitrarily, but with purpose, the greatest purpose a human being can endeavor in: your kingdom coming, your power guiding, you glory as the right and righteous result. Oh Lord, I am so unworthy of such a task. Yet you give it to me, you are my king, I must accept, do not let me, let you down.”
Close:
v.14 Jesus offers a reminder reading back into his model prayer about the importance of our ability to forgive others. Jesus is not saying this as a works requirement. What he’s saying is, “If you have been forgiven, and you truly understand what that means, then the natural result of that is for you to forgive others and extend grace to them, just as the father has to you.”
In other words, the mark of a true believer lies in their ability to truly forgive others. Grace is not an possession, it is, in fact, and infection which marks the believer. But do we act like that? Or do we act like we are superior because we’ve been forgiven. You want to really know the answer to that question? Ask a non believer which of those two options they think is true of us.