LAST SUNDAY'S SERMON NOTES
Read Peter's preaching notes....
“The Father We Share”
Matthew 6:5-15
5/22/22
LP is, rightly, central to understanding & practice of prayer
Jesus’ response when, according to Lk, disc asked “teach us to pray”
ie how to speak w/, communicate w/ God
to pray in spirit Jesus taught, meant to be prayed together, not to be offered individually
Reason? feature of LP we often overlook/miss/ignore
often, when consider LP, focus on each phrase, aka petition: fine & good: should do so
but should also notice common thread that runs through almost all of them
can’t pray LP by saying I/me/mine: have to say we/us/our
each part of prayer reminds us not on sp journey alone
share this path of pilgrimage to God w/ each other
this awareness reshapes each line of prayer Jesus taught
OUR FATHER: To call God Father, claim intimate relationship w/
but not something can do individually: lots of talk about accepting JX as personal Savior
true if mean personal, direct, intimate relationship w/
but not true if mean individ, private, one-on-one, to exclusion of everyone else
your personal relationship w/ God automatically connects you to others
you are now part of a family: your heavenly Father has many children
to sit at his table, dwell in house, enjoy love, means do so w/ bros & sis to right and left
as Zeph says, we serve God shoulder to shoulder
HALLOWED BE THY NAME: very 1st thing we tell him in prayer
Expr of desire we share w/ all of God’s people: for God to be glorified & exalted
THY KINGDOM COME: desire of God’s authority to reign supreme
not just that I personally know as king, but that all of creation will come under Lordship
God’s k’dom pretty pathetic if I was only citizen in it!
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
For 3rd time, petition about what we desire for God, not selves
start this way good indication can’t heed Jesus’ instruction if think prayer all about self
haven’t gotten to heart of how share faith & LP w/ others: it’s coming!
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD
Notice 1st, emph on daily, constant reliance upon God
can also notice: prayer for bread: daily staple of life: not seeking extravagance & luxury
although God out of his great love for us often provides that as well
but frequently fail to notice: give us/day our daily bread: not only for selves but everyone
many people struggling to meet most basic human needs
whether refugees in Ukr, those exp’ing famine in horn of Afr
but ~9% of people in Butler Co not sure where next meal will come from
these are people who should come to mind when pray for our daily bread
FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS
BTW, other churches use different wording (trespass, sin)
“debt” best way to trans Gr: sense of financial obligation; what we owe God, each other
praying for God to release us from our obligations to him
for simple reason: humanly impossible for us to fulfill
as pray for this, pray also for ability/courage to do same for those under obligation to us
but Jesus didn’t teach us “forgive me my debts as I forgive others”
but us: takes prayer to whole new level: we have shared debts/obligations/sin
more than what you personally do: shared, corporate, societal sin
aspects of community & nation tainted by sin
to ask God to forgive, must 1st own up to
also next step: we as society, community, nation called upon to forgive
individs, groups w/in society, other nations who have done wrong to us/offended us
refuse to let go of wrongs, real or perceived, that others have committed
don’t care where you are on political spectrum: venom all around
exactly what Jesus meant: told us to pray for ability to forgive debtors
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION: yes, plenty of personal opportunity to be tempted
hits me 20 X before even eat breakfast, but Jesus had more in mind when taught
people around us also struggling w/ temptation: how be part of God leading away from?
in what ways are we actually creating/presenting that temptation?
there are temptations we share: fall into those sins we just asked to be forgiven for
idols we create together, tempted to serve together: addictions & greed, to be sure
but idols can be good things been given too much power & prestige in lives
nation, status, family, financial well-being
when favorite cause becomes more important to you than loving neighbor, God
DELIVER US FROM EVIL: whether impersonal force or personified as devil: “Evil One”
not enough to seek for you personally to be protected from evil: deliver us
recognize how evil is threatening/destroying lives of others: entire groups of people
human trafficking: sexual exploitation, forced unpaid labor: massive modern slavery
warfare & its terrible effects: corporate greed that deny people basic human rights
eg fair wages for reasonable working conditions
that’s the “us” evil Jesus taught us to pray about
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, POWER, GLORY FOREVER
After delving into such dark, terrible, ugly aspects of human life we share,
return to where we began: God’s lordship & glory
can pray to God about such terrible troubles that we share,
because know that we live under his k’dom authority
are protected by his power, marvel at his glory: will never end
AMEN: Shared response
something that, together, we offer w/ entire being
Matthew 6:5-15
5/22/22
LP is, rightly, central to understanding & practice of prayer
Jesus’ response when, according to Lk, disc asked “teach us to pray”
ie how to speak w/, communicate w/ God
to pray in spirit Jesus taught, meant to be prayed together, not to be offered individually
Reason? feature of LP we often overlook/miss/ignore
often, when consider LP, focus on each phrase, aka petition: fine & good: should do so
but should also notice common thread that runs through almost all of them
can’t pray LP by saying I/me/mine: have to say we/us/our
each part of prayer reminds us not on sp journey alone
share this path of pilgrimage to God w/ each other
this awareness reshapes each line of prayer Jesus taught
OUR FATHER: To call God Father, claim intimate relationship w/
but not something can do individually: lots of talk about accepting JX as personal Savior
true if mean personal, direct, intimate relationship w/
but not true if mean individ, private, one-on-one, to exclusion of everyone else
your personal relationship w/ God automatically connects you to others
you are now part of a family: your heavenly Father has many children
to sit at his table, dwell in house, enjoy love, means do so w/ bros & sis to right and left
as Zeph says, we serve God shoulder to shoulder
HALLOWED BE THY NAME: very 1st thing we tell him in prayer
Expr of desire we share w/ all of God’s people: for God to be glorified & exalted
THY KINGDOM COME: desire of God’s authority to reign supreme
not just that I personally know as king, but that all of creation will come under Lordship
God’s k’dom pretty pathetic if I was only citizen in it!
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
For 3rd time, petition about what we desire for God, not selves
start this way good indication can’t heed Jesus’ instruction if think prayer all about self
haven’t gotten to heart of how share faith & LP w/ others: it’s coming!
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD
Notice 1st, emph on daily, constant reliance upon God
can also notice: prayer for bread: daily staple of life: not seeking extravagance & luxury
although God out of his great love for us often provides that as well
but frequently fail to notice: give us/day our daily bread: not only for selves but everyone
many people struggling to meet most basic human needs
whether refugees in Ukr, those exp’ing famine in horn of Afr
but ~9% of people in Butler Co not sure where next meal will come from
these are people who should come to mind when pray for our daily bread
FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS
BTW, other churches use different wording (trespass, sin)
“debt” best way to trans Gr: sense of financial obligation; what we owe God, each other
praying for God to release us from our obligations to him
for simple reason: humanly impossible for us to fulfill
as pray for this, pray also for ability/courage to do same for those under obligation to us
but Jesus didn’t teach us “forgive me my debts as I forgive others”
but us: takes prayer to whole new level: we have shared debts/obligations/sin
more than what you personally do: shared, corporate, societal sin
aspects of community & nation tainted by sin
to ask God to forgive, must 1st own up to
also next step: we as society, community, nation called upon to forgive
individs, groups w/in society, other nations who have done wrong to us/offended us
refuse to let go of wrongs, real or perceived, that others have committed
don’t care where you are on political spectrum: venom all around
exactly what Jesus meant: told us to pray for ability to forgive debtors
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION: yes, plenty of personal opportunity to be tempted
hits me 20 X before even eat breakfast, but Jesus had more in mind when taught
people around us also struggling w/ temptation: how be part of God leading away from?
in what ways are we actually creating/presenting that temptation?
there are temptations we share: fall into those sins we just asked to be forgiven for
idols we create together, tempted to serve together: addictions & greed, to be sure
but idols can be good things been given too much power & prestige in lives
nation, status, family, financial well-being
when favorite cause becomes more important to you than loving neighbor, God
DELIVER US FROM EVIL: whether impersonal force or personified as devil: “Evil One”
not enough to seek for you personally to be protected from evil: deliver us
recognize how evil is threatening/destroying lives of others: entire groups of people
human trafficking: sexual exploitation, forced unpaid labor: massive modern slavery
warfare & its terrible effects: corporate greed that deny people basic human rights
eg fair wages for reasonable working conditions
that’s the “us” evil Jesus taught us to pray about
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, POWER, GLORY FOREVER
After delving into such dark, terrible, ugly aspects of human life we share,
return to where we began: God’s lordship & glory
can pray to God about such terrible troubles that we share,
because know that we live under his k’dom authority
are protected by his power, marvel at his glory: will never end
AMEN: Shared response
something that, together, we offer w/ entire being
Old Union Presbyterian Church | 200 Union Church Road, Mars, PA 16046
724-538-8672 | OldUnionChurch@gmail.com
724-538-8672 | OldUnionChurch@gmail.com