Read Matthew 6:5–15 CSB
“Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 6But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. 8Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.
9“Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. 10Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us today our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
14“For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. 15But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.
Discussion
- While many have rightly memorized “The Lord’s Prayer” (vs. 9-13), it is commonly used only as a rote prayer said repeatedly without understanding and not used as Jesus intended. Rather, his words are to be, as some have described, a “scaffolding” for prayer, or an outline for the kinds of things we should pray for, even on a daily or frequent basis.
- How does vs. 9, “pray like this,” support this view of a scaffolding or outline for prayer?
- The first phrase is, “Our Father in heaven.” Why is addressing God as our Father important to acknowledge in prayer? What are a few Scriptures that reveal God is now the heavenly Father for everyone who believes?
- “Your name be honored as holy.” What does “holy” mean? What are the implications for us to worship God as holy? How does this knowledge affect our prayers?
- “Your kingdom come.” What does it mean to pray that God’s kingdom come? Why should we pray this? And why should we pray, “your will be done on earth as in heaven”? When you pray this tomorrow morning or the next day, and as the Lord answers your request, how will your day be different, e.g., how will your plans, words, thoughts, and actions be different?
- “Give us this day our daily bread.” Not many of us have so few resources that we are desperate to daily call on God to provide for us, but this doesn’t mean we still don’t need him to be our Provider. How does this prayer shape our need for “bread”, e.g., income to buy basic needs? How does it impact temptations of anxiety over money? What can tempt us to think we don’t need the Lord to provide for us?
- “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Why is forgiving other so important in our relationship with God that Jesus tells us this as part of his framework for regular prayer?
- “Do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Why is praying for this so important as we strive to live holy lives for Christ? How will our day be different when we pray this by faith and our Father answers?
Application
- How will you use Jesus’ prayer to provide an outline of the kinds of things you should pray for?
- As a group, pray together with Jesus’ specific instructions in mind.
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