Martin Luther's Catechism on the Lord's Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven.
What does this mean? God would thereby [with this little introduction] tenderly urge us to believe that He is our true Father, and that we are His true children, so that we may ask Him confidently with all assurance, as dear children ask their dear father.

The First Petition: Hallowed be Thy name.
What does this mean? God's name is indeed holy in itself; but we pray in this petition that it may become holy among us also.

How is this done? When the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we as the children of God also lead holy lives in accordance with it. To this end help us, dear Father in heaven. But he that teaches and lives otherwise than God's Word teaches profanes the name of God among us. From this preserve us, Heavenly Father.

The Second Petition: Thy kingdom come.
What does this mean? The kingdom of God comes indeed without our prayer, of itself; but we pray in this petition that it may come unto us also.

How is this done? When our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead a godly life here in time and yonder in eternity.

The Third Petition: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.

How is this done? When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow the name of God nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in faith unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.

The Fourth Petition: Give us this day our daily bread.
What does this mean? God gives daily bread, even without our prayer, to all wicked men; but we pray in this petition that He would lead us to know it, and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.

What is meant by daily bread? Everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as meat, drink, clothing, shoes, house, homestead, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful magistrates good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.

The Fifth Petition: And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
What does this mean? We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor deny such petitions on account of them; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them; but that He would grant them all to us by grace; for we daily sin much, and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. So will we verily, on our part, also heartily forgive and also readily do good to those who sin against us.

The Sixth Petition: And lead us not into temptation.
What does this mean? God, indeed, tempts no one; but we pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us, so that the devil, the world, and our flesh may not deceive us, nor seduce us into misbelief, despair, and other great shame and vice; and though we be assailed by them, that still we may finally overcome and gain the victory.

The Seventh Petition: But deliver us from evil.
What does this mean? We pray in this petition, as in a summary, that our Father in heaven would deliver us from all manner of evil, of body and soul, property and honor, and at last, when our last hour shall come, grant us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this vale of tears to Himself into heaven.

Amen.
What does this mean? That I should be certain that these petitions are acceptable to our Father in heaven and heard; for He Himself has commanded us so to pray, and has promised that He will hear us. Amen, Amen; that is, Yea, yea, it shall be so.

We Do Not Labor in Vain

"The prophet Isaiah would have us to fight against this temptation. [To believe that there is no reward for the righteous.] Even though the whole world should laugh the godly to scorn, and the wicked triumph over them, yet for all that he faithful should not be astonished, but say to themselves, "No, no, the righteous man shall not lose his labor; he shall not be deceived of his expectation when he depends wholly upon the promises of God." (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy 27:11-15)

Westminster Catechism on the Lord's Prayer

Q98: What is prayer?
A98: Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to his will in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies.

Q99: What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?
A99: The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called The Lord's Prayer.

Q100: What doth the preface of the Lord's prayer teach us?
A100: The preface of the Lord's prayer, which is, Our Father which art in heaven, teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us; and that we should pray with and for others.

Q101: What do we pray for in the first petition?
A101: In the first petition, which is, Hallowed be thy name, we pray, That God would enable us and others to glorify him in all that whereby he maketh himself known; and that he would dispose all things to his own glory.

Q102: What do we pray for in the second petition?
A102: In the second petition, which is, Thy kingdom come, we pray, That Satan's kingdom may be destroyed; and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it; and the kingdom of glory may be hastened.

Q103: What do we pray for in the third petition?
A103: In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven, we pray, That God, by his grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things, as the angels do in heaven.

Q104: What do we pray for in the fourth petition?
A104: In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread, we pray, That of God's free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them.

Q105: What do we pray for in the fifth petition?
A105: In the fifth petition, which is, And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, we pray, That God, for Christ's sake, would freely pardon all our sins; which we are able to be rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.

Q106: What do we pray for in the sixth petition?
A106: In the sixth petition, which is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, we pray, That God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.

Q107: What doth the conclusion the Lord's prayer teach us?
A107: The conclusion of the Lord's prayer, which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen. teacheth us, to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power and glory to him.

And, in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.

Take Up and Read: Thursday Edition

Pastor Paul Tripp explains why pastors tend to get depressed and burn out. I thought point number one was excellent and one that wives should be taught as well.

Justin Taylor has some thoughts on the death of John Stott. I read two of Stott's books recently, Between Two Worlds and The Sermon on the Mount. Both were excellent, with Between Two Worlds being one of the best books on preaching I have read in a long time. The Christian world has lost an elder statesman.

John Piper talks about Stott's ability to open up the Bible and show the treasures inside and how that affected Piper's ministry.

Finally, Tim Challies talks about how buying his Honda Civic made him think about consumerism and choices. This article makes me want to trim down my choices.

Malachi 2:10-16

I have such a hatred of divorce that I prefer bigamy to divorce. Martin Luther

God is the witness to every marriage ceremony, and will be the witness to every violation of its vows. Thomas V. Moore

The statistics on divorce are alarming. By now, we have heard them so often that the news bounces off us and has no impact. Even if you take a best case scenario, divorce is rampant in American culture and in the American church. At the best divorce is around 30% in the American church and some put it over 50%. It should come as no surprise that Satan, the master tactician, continues to attack one of the central ways God advances his kingdom. Without a unified home, there is no raising of godly children, there is no picture of Christ and the Church to the outside world, and there is no strengthening of the Church. Satan doesn’t hate marriage. He hates God, Christ, and His Kingdom. Very few things destroy the work of the kingdom as quickly as failed marriages. However, what may come as a bit of surprise is that the desire to be loosened from our marriage vows is not a new sin. Jesus addresses this head on in Matthew 5:31-32 and 19:3-12. And now in our study of Malachi we come to chapter 2, which contains one the most extensive teaching on divorce in the Scriptures.

This third disputation in Malachi continues the theme of Israel’s unfaithfulness. Unlike in 1:6-2:9, the people under God’s microscope are not just the priests, but all of Israel. This section is the most famous in Malachi because it deals directly with divorce. It is not hard to understand, but the applications are very important and frequently ignored.

The key phrase God uses to describe Israel’s attitude is that of faithlessness or treachery. The term is used in verses 10, 14, 15, and 16. Israel’s faithlessness is seen in two areas. First, instead of marrying Israelite women who worship God, they marry pagan wives. (2:11-12) God calls this profaning the covenant. Malachi says that the Lord will cut off from among the people anyone who marries a pagan. Notice that, just like our earlier passage, the Israelites are still bringing offerings, despite living in sin. (vs. 12) Second, the wives they have they treat with contempt and divorce with ease. (2:13-16) Notice here that marriage is referred to as a covenant. It is clear from Ephesians 5 that if marriage is similar to the relationship between Christ and his church then it is a covenant. But only here in Malachi and in Proverbs 2:17 is the word covenant used in describing marriage. God says both that unfaithfulness in marriage and the failure to marry godly wives show a general unfaithfulness by Israel where they do not live as if God is their father. (vs. 10)

Applications
• Our faithlessness in relationships shows our faithlessness to God. The Apostle John says the same thing in I John 4:20. We see the connection here between the first and second great commandments. (Matthew 22:35-40) At no point can we say we love God, if we hate those around us, especially our wives and children.

• The state of our marriages shows the state of our hearts. Divorce and treating our wives with contempt means we are far from God. We lament the divorce rate in America and we should. But there are many Christian marriages where the husbands treat their wives poorly. God considers this treachery and will not let it go unpunished. Just because you are not divorced does not mean your marriage is thriving.

• Christians are to marry Christians. The intermarrying of Christians with pagans will bring a curse upon God’s people. Paul makes this same point in II Corinthians 6:14-18.

• Weeping, tears, and emotion are not a substitute for obedience (vs. 13-14) This does not mean we never weep or cry out to God, but we must want to obey him as well. Mere display never pleases God. He does not accept it if it does not lead to growth in obedience.

• Marriage is a covenant and therefore is not to be entered into lightly, nor to be exited easily. There is no stronger bond in Scripture than a covenant. The way we treat the vows we make on our wedding day says a lot about our character. Do we see the vows as flexible and easily abandoned? Or do we believe that they are unto death?

• One clear purpose of the marriage covenant is the raising of godly children. (vs. 15) There are more reasons for marriage than this, but to exclude this reason it to gut marriage of one of its primary purposes. A marriage that purposely excludes children is a marriage in rebellion against God.

• God hates divorce. (vs. 16) Unfortunately, the American church does not. Thus we sit under the curse of God.

• Divorce is equal to violence. (vs. 16) What is interesting about this is many modern socially minded Christians who shout from the rooftops against violence are perfectly fine with divorce. How odd, since according to Malachi, they are one and the same.

• Twice in this section the men of Israel are urged to take heed to their spirit. (vs. 15 and 16) Divorce and contempt for our wives arise out of the heart. There may be external factors, such as finances, that put pressure upon a marriage, but in the end divorce comes from sin that has taken up residence in the heart. As Proverbs says, we must keep/guard our heart. (Prov. 4:23)

Tearing the Body of Christ into Pieces

"Concerning the outward order of things, [worship and preaching] we know that our Lord Jesus Christ would have men to assemble themselves together. I grant we are not bound all to be in one place, and men also preach in various churches in one town. Why? Because the whole world cannot be present to hear one sermon. Yet for all that, because of our slowness we are so bound that we must gather ourselves together in the name of God. He who wants to stay at home, despising the common order, and says, 'I can read at home and edify myself sufficiently there,' that man breaks asunder the unity of the faith and tears in pieces the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, with all his strength." (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy 27:1-10)

Heidelberg Catechism on the Lord's Prayer

Recently I have been preaching through the Lord's Prayer. I have found the catechisms from the reformation to be a great help throughout the sermon series. Here is the section on the Lord's Prayer from the Heidelberg Catechism.

Q: 116. Why is prayer necessary for Christians?
A: Because it is the chief part of thankfulness which God requires of us and also, because God will give his grace and Holy Spirit to those only, who with sincere desires continually ask them of him, and are thankful for them.

Q: 117. What are the requisites of that prayer, which is acceptable to God, and which he will hear?
A: First, that we from the heart pray to the one true God only, who has manifested himself in his word, for all things, he has commanded us to ask of him; secondly, that we rightly and thoroughly know our need and misery, that so we may deeply humble ourselves in the presence of his divine majesty; thirdly, that we be fully persuaded that he, notwithstanding that we are unworthy of it, will, for the sake of Christ our Lord, certainly hear our prayer, as he has promised us in his word.

Q: 118. What has God commanded us to ask of him?
A: All things necessary for soul and body; which Christ our Lord has comprised in that prayer he himself has taught us. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Q: 119. What are the words of that prayer?
A: Our Father which are in heaven, 1 Hallowed be thy name. 2 Thy kingdom come. 3 Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 4 Give us this day our daily bread. 5 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 6 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Q: 120. Why has Christ commanded us to address God thus: "Our Father"?
A: That immediately, in the very beginning of our prayer, he might excite in us a childlike reverence for, and confidence in God, which are the foundation of our prayer: namely, that God is become our Father in Christ, and will much less deny us what we ask of him in true faith, than our parents will refuse us earthly things.

Q: 121. Why is it here added, "Which are in heaven"?
A: Lest we should form any earthly conceptions of God's heavenly majesty, and that we may expect from his almighty power all things necessary for soul and body.

Q: 122. Which is the first petition?
A: "Hallowed be thy name"; that is, grant us, first, rightly to know you, and to sanctify, glorify and praise you, in all thy works, in which thy power, wisdom, goodness, justice, mercy and truth, are clearly displayed; and further also, that we may so order and direct our whole lives, our thoughts, words and actions, that thy name may never be blasphemed, but rather honored and praised on our account.

Q: 123. Which is the second petition?
A: "Thy kingdom come"; that is, rule us so by thy word and Spirit, that we may submit ourselves more and more to you; preserve and increase thy church; destroy the works of the devil, and all violence which would exalt itself against you; and also all wicked counsels devised against thy holy word; till the full perfection of thy kingdom take place, wherein you shall be all in all.

Q: 124. Which is the third petition?
A: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven"; that is, grant that we and all men may renounce our own will, and without murmuring obey thy will, which is only good; that every one may attend to, and perform the duties of his station and calling, as willingly and faithfully as the angels do in heaven.

Q: 125. Which is the fourth petition?
A: "Give us this day our daily bread"; that is, be pleased to provide us with all things necessary for the body, that we may thereby acknowledge you to be the only fountain of all good, and that neither our care nor industry, nor even thy gifts, can profit us without thy blessing; and therefore that we may withdraw our trust from all creatures, and place it alone in you.

Q: 126. Which is the fifth petition?
A: "And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"; that is, be pleased for the sake of Christ's blood, not to impute to us poor sinners, our transgressions, nor that depravity, which always cleaves to us; even as we feel this evidence of thy grace in us, that it is our firm resolution from the heart to forgive our neighbor.

Q: 127. Which is the sixth petition?
A: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"; that is, since we are so weak in ourselves, that we cannot stand a moment; and besides this, since our mortal enemies, the devil, the world, and our own flesh, cease not to assault us, do you therefore preserve and strengthen us by the power of thy Holy Spirit, that we may not be overcome in this spiritual warfare, but constantly and strenuously may resist our foes, till at last we obtain a complete victory.

Q: 128. How do you conclude your prayer?
A: "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever"; that is, all these we ask of you, because you, being our King and almighty, are willing and able to give us all good; and all this we pray for, that thereby not we, but thy holy name, may be glorified forever.

Q: 129. What does the word "Amen" signify?
A: "Amen" signifies, it shall truly and certainly be: for my prayer is more assuredly heard of God, than I feel in my heart that I desire these things of him. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. If we believe not, yet he is faithful: he cannot deny himself.

Take Up and Read: Tuesday Edition

Toby Sumpter strikes again, reminding us of the real danger of lust and pointing us to Christ for a remedy.

Pastor Leithart shows how higher education, despite its rhetoric, often teaches students to despise the average man.

Here is how Vern Poythress helped his boys become men. I have not done it as Poythress did, but there are some good building blocks in his plan.

Finally, one evanglical has decided that evangelism is a bad thing. He would rather take the easy, comfortable, non-threatening route and just talk to people about jesus. He has found talking to them about Jesus instead of asking them to repent and convert is easier and more compelling. He has also found that when you treat Jesus as just a model for leadership the Muslims listen. I do not know much about this guy, but I can guarantee you is not going to get stoned or beaten for his faith.

Sermon Outline: Matthew 6:11

Christ Church of Morgantown
6th Sunday of Trinity
July 24th, 2011
Sermon: The Lord’s Prayer: The Fountain of All Good
Matthew 6:11

(The audio can be found here.)

Exordium
So far our Lord has led us through the most mighty aspects of our prayer. We have ascended the heights and looked out. What do we see? God name’s should be a great priority in our prayers. We see his mighty Kingdom and we give thanks that we are in it and pray for it to grow through evangelism and discipleship. Finally, we saw that God’s will should be a great priority in our prayers. We saw that are many obstacles to God’s will being done. When we pray, “Thy will be done,” we are praying that these obstacles would be removed. We pray that we would renounce our will and seek that which pleases God.

It is easy after these first three petitions to fall into a trap of thinking that God is so high and mighty that he does not care about our daily existence. His name is so holy that he has no time for us. His Kingdom is so great that we are a but a particle of dust in the great and mighty Kingdom of Heaven. His will so perfect and good that we are mere mortals who cannot compare. This feeling is good. God is Mighty and exalted.

But we run the risk of forgetting he is also our Father. He has drawn near to us. He dwells with us. He cares for us. The next petition Christ gives to us reminds us that God is not just a King, but he is also a Father.

Remember as we move forward that we are not leaving God behind. We are not leaving God’s name and Kingdom and will behind us and now focusing on our needs. We begin with God’s name and kingdom and will and then the requests we make must fit into what we have already prayed.

Example: Give me my daily bread in a way that hallows your name, builds your kingdom and accomplishes your will.

Exegesis

Theological foundations/assumptions for this prayer request. (Prods to prayer.)

Our Father Cares About the Most Mundane Aspects of Our Lives
Nothing was as normal as bread in Israel. It was the staple food.

Bread [is a symbol] for everything necessary for the preservation of this life, like food, a healthy body, good weather, a house, home, wife, children good government and peace. Martin Luther

The early church fathers felt this too mundane and thus interpreted this as referring to the Lord’s Supper. But this surely misses the point, not just of this verse, but of this entire chapter.

Psalm 104
I Peter 5:7

Our Father Cares for Us Continually.
His attention to our lives does not waver and does not grow slack. Day by day he looks down upon us and provides for our needs. His eye never wanders from us.
Illustration: Losing sight of my children.
Illustration: Psalm 139

We may not feel like his care for us is continual. We may feel that he has forgotten us, but that is why God’s Word directs us not our feelings. There is never a moment when God is not overseeing our lives.

Our entire life from beginning to end is dependent upon God.
God alone sustains our lives. Not men, not money, not possessions, nor our bosses, but only God keeps us. This fact is easy to forget because our lives are so easy.

John Calvin: It is indeed the true proof of our faith when we ask nothing but from God, and not only acknowledge him to be the only fountain of all blessings, but feel that his fatherly kindness extends to the smallest matters, so that he does not disdain to take care even of our flesh.

Our prayer life will grow as our dependence upon God grows. If we think we earn things. If we think our bank accounts and health are there because we have earned them. If we think that our next paycheck is dependent upon us then we will not pray.
Illustration: George Mueller

We pray daily because we so easily forget the kindness of God. If Christ told us to pray for our yearly bread, we would forget God. And we do don’t we.

What if God takes away our daily needs, such as food, money, health and home? What if God does not answer this prayer?
Remember your daily necessities are gifts, not rights. You are not owed them. You have no right to them. God can and does take them away.

But why? Why would God remove these most basic necessities? Well, if God takes away one gift from his children he intends on giving them another. God removes something from our lives to give us something better, usually a deeper walk with Him. God never removes things to tear us into pieces. His point is never to destroy.
1. Josh’s bike accident.
2. Job and the Apostle Paul

We pray daily that God would provide for our needs.
This is not a prayer for luxury. It is not a prayer for mansions and cars and big, fat bank accounts. It is a prayer for our daily needs. When we understand who God is then will not fear bringing before him our needs. You should never be ashamed of asking God for things that you need. If Christ tells us to ask for our daily bread then all else is there for the taking. What do you need day by day? Bring it before his throne. He wants to hear and provide for you. He wants to see you depending upon him.
Proverbs 30:7-9
Here is a great difference between our God and the gods of the ancient world.
As your learn to pray do not neglect either aspect. Do not forget the great aspects of the Christian life. Pray big prayers. Teach your children to pray great prayers. But also learn to pray for the normal things of life. God wants us to pray for both.

We daily thank him for his provision.
Americans are notoriously ungrateful. We have so much, so very much. Our homes are outfitted with things the Emperor could not have imagined. Yet we grumble, we complain. Why? We think it is earned or deserved instead of a gift from God. If we are dependent upon God for our daily bread then we are dependent upon him for everything. But we don’t view things that way.

Thanksgiving and gratitude will flow naturally when we know that all things from his hand. He is the fountain of all good.

WLC: Q104: What do we pray for in the fourth petition?
A104: In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread,[1] we pray, That of God's free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life,[2] and enjoy his blessing with them.[3]


HC Q: 125. Which is the fourth petition?
A: "Give us this day our daily bread"; that is, be pleased to provide us with all things necessary for the body, that we may thereby acknowledge you to be the only fountain of all good, and that neither our care nor industry, nor even thy gifts, can profit us without thy blessing; and therefore that we may withdraw our trust from all creatures, and place it alone in you.

Pastors' Words or God's Words

"Pastors are not appointed to set forth whatsoever doctrine seems good to themselves, or to bring men's souls into subjection and bondage to them, or to make laws and articles of faith at their own pleasure; but rather only to bring about the rule of God that His Word may be hearkened to." (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy 27:1-10)

Kevin DeYoung on Friendship

Here are three good posts on friendship by Kevin DeYoung.

Why Friendship is Good.

Are You a Fake Friend?

Are You a Foul Friend?

While you are thinking about friendship why don't you pick up Steve Wilkins' excellent book Face to Face from Canon Press. The best book on hospitality and friendship I have read.

The Need for Sanctification

Really, I think most of us need to read a good book on sanctification. We have unrealistic hopes of the absence of temptation in this life, and this is primarily because of the Campus Crusadification of doctrine (which really means the destruction of doctrine) that's taken over the Church in these United States the past seventy-five years or so. The Church has become the parachurch and she has no doctrine of sanctification--and therefore no doctrine of the Church. There are few pastors; men ordained today have no expectation of being shepherds because, again, we have no doctrine of sanctification and so we need no shepherds. We have no elders exhorting, rebuking, or disciplining the flock because, again, we have no doctrine of sanctification. We have no doctrine of the Sacraments--and specifically the Lord's Supper--because, again, we have no doctrine of sanctification. (The Bayly Brothers)

Read the whole post here.