The Lord’s Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer is recorded for us in Scripture in both Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4.

In Matthew’s account, the Lord’s Prayer follows Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Then, in the verses immediately preceding the Lord’s prayer, Jesus teaches on the importance of being genuine in prayer. That we’re to seek to please God rather than make a show for others and that we’re to pay mind to what we’re praying and not let our brains go on autopilot.

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. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
[Mat 6:5-8 NIV]

9 “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as [it is] in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
[Mat 6:9-13 NKJV]

Luke’s account gives us less context but begins with His disciples approaching Jesus and asking Him to teach them how to pray.

2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as [it is] in heaven. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.”
[Luk 11:2-4 NKJV]

He then continues on through verse 13 impressing upon them the importance of being persistent in prayer… to be bold and shameless… to confidently expect God to answer your prayers.

5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
[Luk 11:5-13 NIV]

Observations

  1. Read each statement of the Lord’s Prayer one by one, What makes each passage significant? Why might Jesus have included it?
  2. What do you think is the significance to the order of the phrases?
  3. Do any of Jesus’ statements in Luke 11:5-13 challenge your way of thinking about what prayer ought to look like?
  4. Do any of Jesus’ statements in Matthew 6:5-8 challenge your way of thinking about what prayer ought to look like?
  5. How will you pray differently tomorrow?