First Lutheran Church
July 24, 2022 – Pentecost 7C
Luke 11:1-4[Jesus] was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”
Sermon
“Teach Us To Pray”
Rev. Greg Ronning
In today’s appointed Gospel, Jesus has just finished praying. Luke, more than any other of the gospel writers, emphasizes the importance and centrality of Jesus’ prayer life. Time and time again the disciples have seen Jesus pray. It was part of his daily spiritual practice, it was part of his worship life in the synagogue, it was always a very present practice in important moments, and there were times when he would simply excuse himself, step away into a time of solitude, a time of contemplative prayer for preparation and renewal. The disciples have witnessed the importance of prayer, the power of prayer, the results of prayer, and so it is on this occasion they ask Jesus, “Lord teach us to pray.” Jesus responds with what has become known as, “The Lord’s Prayer.” As you may have noticed, in the Gospel of Luke, we get an abbreviated version of this prayer. The more familiar version, the one we all know so well, the version we use in our worship, is found in the Gospel of Matthew.
Jesus begins, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name.” God is not an old man, looking down on us from the heavens. God is not a person, not a man, not a woman; God is God, something totally “other.” Perhaps the apostle John says it best, God is love.” Yet Jesus encourages us to pray to God as Father, “Our Father,” as a parent who knows us and loves us. In doing so we are reminded that faith is lived out in relationship. God is not a strange other, but something very near to us. “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.” (1 John 4:16b). Father is not a word that defines God, but rather a word that describes God and our relationship with God.
The father – child relationship can be complicated. It is true now, and it was true back then. Luke’s gospel was written for a primarily Greco-Roman audience, one that experienced their fathers very differently than those with a Jewish background. Fathers in the Greco-Roman culture had complete control over their children and grandchildren until the day they died, imposing their will in all matters of life, - even on occasion, life and death itself. In today’s text Luke introduces us to a different kind of father; a generous, loving, and attentive father figure. When we pray, we are reminded that our relationship with God is not based on fear but centered in love. Whatever our experience, whatever our relationship with our father was like, in God we have a loving parent. Ultimately “God is love.”
While Luke begins simply with “Father,” it is worth mentioning that when we pray “The Lord’s Prayer,” we begin, as the prayer in the Gospel of Matthew begins, with “Our Father.” It’s important to note that “The Lord’s Prayer” begins by placing us in community. It is not “My Father,” but “Our Father. It is not a prayer written for the individual, but a prayer written for the faith community. When you pray, it’s comforting to remember that you are not alone, that you belong to a family. In Christ, in with and through baptism, because “God so loved the world,” -we are all the beloved children of God. Context is everything, when you pray, place yourself in the right context, the place where you belong – the family of God.
Jesus’ teaching on prayer continues, “hallowed be your name. ”In this petition we approach God with a joyful reverence much like Mary does in the Magnificat, “My soul proclaims your greatness O Lord, and my spirit rejoices in Thee.” In doing so, we don’t make the name of God holy, as Martin Luther points out in the catechism, it is already holy. But in acknowledging God’s holy name we are also committing ourselves to a life that is holy. Again, we echo the words of Mary, “And Mary said, I am the servant of my God, I live to do your will.”
Which leads us into the next teaching, the next petition, “Your kingdom come. ”This is the really big one, the radical one; we are reminded that prayer is not ultimately about our wants and needs, but about the coming of the kingdom of God. Don’t get me wrong, God wants and desires to hear our all our needs. But ultimately our shopping lists of concerns needs to be placed within the context of the kingdom. Seek ye first, the kingdom of God, and its righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you, allelu, alleluia.”
When we pray, we are called to mindful of the kingdom. In Luke Jesus describes the life and nature of the Kingdom in his first public words, in his sermon in Nazareth, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Prayer involves both speaking and listening, our petitions and the call of the kingdom. I often discover the answer to my prayers when I am reminded of the values and the vision of God’s kingdom. I speak and I listen. I listen to the scriptures and that still small voice. “Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” It has a way putting things into perspective, it helps me make decisions, it calls my life forward with meaning and purpose. I’m reminded that it’s not all about me, it’s all about the Kingdom of God.
Jesus continues teaching us how to pray, “Give us each day our daily bread.” I must confess this is usually not my prayer. My prayer is more like, “Dear Lord, give me all the resources that I might need for the rest of my life.” I hope and pray that I might win the lottery! Because that would solve all my daily bread issues! In this petition Jesus is inviting us to step away from fear and scarcity and into the realm of love and abundance. We are invited to trust God in all things, “like the lilies of the field and the birds of the air.” We are invited to turn away from a life of worry, and trust in the tender mercies of God. Theologian Meda Stamper writes, “The prayer recognizes that we do need the essentials, but only enough of them, not dangerous excess. Inherent in the petition, beyond the hope that we will neither worry nor hoard, is a desire to be so fully awake to the day-to-day things of life that we will not miss Jesus’ presence with us by the power of the Spirit, even in the breaking of our bread. ”Praying for “daily bread,” wonderfully and gracefully makes us truly alive in the present moment.
The teaching on prayer continues with another challenging petition, “And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.” We all know that it is easier to ask God for forgiveness than it is to practice forgiveness with those who have wronged us. What we often don’t realize, or remember, is that the act of forgiveness is not just a gift we give to others, but perhaps even more significantly, it is a gift of God that we give to ourselves. When we are able to forgive others, we are able to let go of all the anger, resentment, bitterness, and pain that we hold. Grasping tightly to these negative emotions and feelings is never a good thing, while letting go of these things can bring about healing and peace .So it is forgiving is a gift to us.
In addition to that, practicing forgiveness is a powerful way to witness to our faith, proclaim the Gospel, and help usher in the kingdom of God. It just might be, that in your act of forgiving another, in the act of modeling God’s love and mercy to someone else, others might experience the grace of God in a way that might transform their life. Forgiveness is a gift, even a gift that God gives to others through us. Practicing forgiveness is certainly not easy, but it is truly life giving. In Christ we are forgiven, may we forgive ourselves, may we forgive others; and in doing so, may the grace of God be revealed into the world around us.
Jesus concludes his teaching, “And do not bring us to the time of trial.” Life is not easy; it is filled with trials and temptations. In the Gospel of Luke Jesus’s glorious baptism is followed by forty days in the wilderness where he was tested by the devil. How does Jesus withstand the devil?
Jesus prays to the “Father. ”He remembers his baptism, that he is beloved, that God is like a generous, gracious, ever present, parent.
Jesus prays, “hallowed be your name.” With reverence and joy he gives thanks that in the holiness of God he has been made holy, and that into that holiness he too has been called.
Jesus prays, “Your kingdom come.” He stays focused on the Kingdom, he holds the scriptures that reveal the values and mission of the kingdom in his mind and his heart. His prayers align him with the kingdom of God.
Jesus prays for “daily bread.” He is not tempted by scarcity but leans into the abundance of God, he is not tempted to make bread by magic, he is not tempted to hoard, but instead trusts in the one who provides.
Jesus prays to be “forgiven” and seeks to forgive others. He resists the temptation to be empowered by revenge, the carnal power of this world. He is content with grace and mercy, kindness and humility, the practice of “forgiveness.”
For Jesus, “The time of trial” is met in the act of prayer, embracing and engaging, “The Lord’s Prayer.” May it be the same for each of us.
In the early church, the followers of Jesus were instructed by the Apostles to pray “The Lord’s Prayer” - three times a day. That’s probably still a good idea. May this powerful way of praying, remind us that we are … the Beloved Children of God, … Siblings in Christ, … Made Holy for Holy Work, … Align us with the Coming of the Kingdom and all Righteousness,… Forgiven and Empowered to Forgive Others, … and in all these things, Bold and Faithful - amid all that life has in store for us. “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”