may 21 2023
May 21st 2023, Easter 7
First Reading: Acts 1:1-11 (Print in the bulletin)
Psalm: Psalm 69:1-18
Epistle: 1st Peter 4:12-19, 5:6-11
Gospel: John 17:1-11
Sermon Text: 1st Peter 5:6-7
Sermon Title: Lord’s Prayer
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Save me O God; for the waters have come up to my neck … I am weary with crying out … my prayer is to You, O Lord … answer me in You saving faithfulness”. (Psalm 69:1, 3a, 13) “Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you”. (1st Peter 5:7) Jesus said, “Pray then like this; Our Father in heaven”. (Matthew 6:9a) We continue our study of the Small Catechism today by speaking of prayer, using the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer as our guide.
In the Gospel, our Lord Jesus teaches and shows us by example, as He offers up prayers for the disciples before His crucifixion saying, “Holy Father, keep them in Your name … that they may be one, even as we are one”. (John 17:11b) In the psalm, David is in dire need and cries out to the Lord for forgiveness and rescue from his enemies; “Save me, O God … in the abundance of Your steadfast love, answer me in Your saving faithfulness”. (Psalm 69:1a,13b)
In the Epistle reading, the Apostle Peter tells us, His people, “humble yourselves” (1st Peter 5:6a) before God and to literally throw or “cast all your anxieties (fears) upon Him, for He cares for you”. (1st Peter 5:7) This too is both a command and an invitation to God’s people, to prayer in all circumstances and there are many such exhortations to pray in Holy Scripture. “Pray without ceasing” (1st Thessalonians 5:17) as Paul declares.
Of course, we are to pray only to the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and not to the gods or idols of any other religion; not to saints or angels, or anything else that God has created. Also, only those who believe in Christ; trusting in His atoning death on the cross for the forgiveness of sins, have the assurance that He will answer their prayer. As Luther wrote, “without faith in Christ, no one can pray even one word … which is pleasing to Him”. (Commentary; John 14:13-14) James also wrote, we are to pray, “in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts … must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord”. (James 1:6-7)
Also, extemporaneous prayer (or so-called “prayer from the heart”) is neither better, nor worse than formal, written prayers as some Christians teach. Both types of prayer are appropriate and have their place. For the Lord’s Prayer itself is a formal prayer, as are Psalms and other Scriptures that people have prayed for centuries. Other external matters, such as whether one stands, kneels, or lies prostrate when praying, or folds their hands or closes their eyes; are also neither commanded nor forbidden in Scripture.
The Lord’s Prayer begins, “Our Father, who art in heaven”. Luther explains it in this way saying, “God tenderly invites us … with all boldness and confidence … to ask Him as dear children ask their dear Father”. (Small Catechism, Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer, explanation) The fact that Jesus uses the word our Father here, indicates that God loves us and wants us to pray to Him confidently and without fear, for the psalmist declares, “As a Father shows compassion to His children, The Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him”. (Psalm 103:13)
Now, let us treat the remaining petitions of the Lord’s Prayer briefly and clearly, for in them “all the needs that continually beset us; each one so great that it should impel us to keep praying for it all our lives”. (Luther, Large Catechism, par. 34) Next, we pray, “Hallowed be Thy name”. This petition is related to the 2nd Commandment, for we are praying “for exactly what God demands in this commandment”; (Luther) “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God”.
But how do we keep God’s name holy among us? First, when we teach God’s Word in its truth and purity, for the Scriptures declare, “Let him who has My word, speak My word faithfully”. (Jeremiah 23:28) “Your Word is truth”. (John 17:17b) Second, when we live according to God’s Word as we are commanded to do by Jesus, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven”. (Matthew 5:16) So, in this petition we are praying for the perseverance of pure doctrine among us. Contrary to the opinions of some in the church, true doctrine matters.
On the other hand, we profane God’s name when we do the opposite of these; when we teach or tolerate teaching that is contrary to the Word of God. The Lord says, “I am against those who prophesy lies … and lead My people astray by their lies and recklessness”. (Jeremiah 23:32) Again, false teaching is a breaking of the 2nd Commandment and dishonors God’s Holy Name.
We dishonor God’s name by our lives as well, whenever we act contrary to His Word and commandments by an openly wicked life; as Paul wrote; “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you”. (Romans 2:24) Keep in mind that when we pray this petition, we are praying that those who oppose the preaching of Jesus as the only Savior would be defeated, that we would not listen to those who teach “destructive heresies … and exploit you with false words”. (2nd Peter 2:1a, 3a)
Next, we pray, “Thy kingdom come”. We know that God’s kingdom will come, with or without our prayer, “but we pray in this petition that it may come among us also”. His kingdom comes among us when “by His grace, we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity”. (2nd Petition explanation)
The kingdom of God also comes when others are brought into His kingdom by faith, through baptism and the preaching of the Word and again when He comes again in glory to take us home. So, the Apostle Paul pleads, “pray for us that the Word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored”. (2nd Thessalonians 3:1a) Luther also said, “we must strengthen ourselves, against unbelief and let the Kingdom of God be the first thing for which we must pray”. (L. C. Lord’s Prayer. par. 58)
“Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”. In this petition, we pray that God would, “hinder every plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature (which oppose the good and gracious will of God). His will is also done when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die”; so we pray He would rule our hearts and minds in the church. We pray for this because we have enemies who will “inflict every possible grief and misfortune on us”. (L. C. Lord’s Prayer, par. 65)
Here, we are also praying against our own sinful flesh in this petition, that God would correct/discipline us as needed; that our hearts would not be hardened against His will. The book of Proverbs teaches, “Do not despise the discipline of the Lord or be weary of His reproof, for the Lord reproves the one whom He loves”. (Proverbs 3:11-12a)
“Give us this day our daily bread”. We know that God gives daily bread, which includes literally everything we need for our body and life, “to everyone, even without our prayers, even to evil people”. So, here we pray that we would realize that our entire life and that of everyone else depends on God, “and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving”. (4th Petition, explanation) Jesus taught this saying, “He makes the sun rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust”. (Matthew 5:45) He also taught us to “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these (material) things will be added unto you”. (Matthew 6:33)
The word “daily” is important here too; for it teaches us “not to worry about the future, but to be content (in the present) in the confidence that the Lord will give us what we need”. (4th Petition explanation) Again Jesus said, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself”. (Matthew 6:34) In the Epistle today, Peter also said, “Cast all your anxieties on Him, for He cares for you”. (1st Peter 5:7)
In the fifth petition we pray, “forgive us our trespasses”. Here, we pray that God would not deny our prayers because of our sins, “for we are neither worthy of the things for which we pray … for we daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment”. (5th Petition, explanation) We pray for forgiveness because we cannot pray confidently or in a good conscience without it. We pray for forgiveness, because we will never reach a point in this life where we do not need His forgiveness, each and every day.
Thus says the Lord through the Apostle John, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us”. (1st John 1:8) This is why we acknowledge and confess our sins in the liturgy saying; “I, a poor miserable sinner”. The psalmist declared, “I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and You forgave the iniquity of my sin”. (Psalm 32:5) “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. (1st John 1:9)
We pray also “as we forgive those who trespass against us” so that “we will sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us”. (5th Petition, explanation) Jesus told Peter to forgive his brother not seven times, but “seventy times seven”. (Matthew 18:22b) Do not think that this is unimportant addition, for Jesus said “if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”. (Matthew 6:15)
Luther adds, “if you do not forgive, do not think that God forgives you”. (Large Catechism, Lord’s Prayer, par. 95) Therefore, we are exhorted repeatedly in Holy Scripture to “forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32) and “As the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive”. (Colossians 3:13b) When we forgive others, it shows that we truly believe that God has forgiven us. On the other hand, when we refuse to forgive and be reconciled, it shows that we do not believe that God forgives us. When we do not forgive, our souls are in great danger.
Next we pray, “Lead us not into temptation”. Of course, God never tempts to sin, for Scripture says, “God Himself tempts no one” (James 1:14a); but He does test us in various ways in order to strengthen our faith in Him. Temptations to sin come from three places; Satan, the world, and our own sinful flesh. All of three of these attempt to deceive us into “false belief and other great shame and vice”. (L. P. Sixth Petition, explanation)
As believers in Jesus, we are not only to pray, but also to fight against these temptations; so in this petition, we are asking our Father in heaven to give us strength to resist and overcome temptation. The Word of God declares, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation”. (Mark 14:38a) “if sinners entice you, do not consent”. (Proverbs 1:10) “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires”. (Romans 13:14)
In his Large Catechism, Luther also wrote, “God gives us power and strength to resist temptation, even when it is not removed or ended … to feel temptation is not the same thing as yielding to it … we cannot be harmed by the mere feeling of temptation, as long as it is contrary to our will and we would prefer to be rid of it”. (L. P. 6th Petition, par. 106-108) God has also promised to “provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it”. (1st Corinthians 10:13b)
Lastly, we pray “deliver us from evil” (or the evil one). Peter spoke of the evil one, the devil in this way in the Epistle, “as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith”. (1st Peter 5:8-9a) We indeed “Walk in Danger All the Way” (LSB # 715) as we sang in the sermon hymn this morning.
“Here we pray not only that the Lord would rescue us from every evil in this life, but especially “that when our last hour comes, He would give us a blessed end and graciously take us from this valley of sorrow to Himself in heaven”; (L. P. 7th Petition, explanation) where “He will wipe away every tear from our eyes and death shall be no more”. (Revelation 21:4a) Our gracious Lord has promised this to all who trust in Him alone; “to bring us safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory, forever and ever. Amen”. (2nd Timothy 4:18b)
In this wicked world, ruined by sin, our gracious Lord helps us to endure the troubles that He allows to come into our lives, “for it is through many tribulations that we must enter the Kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Remember when “a messenger of Satan” was sent to attack the Apostle Paul, and he asked the Lord three times for help, the Lord responded, “My grace is sufficient for you; for My power is made perfect in weakness”. (2nd Corinthians 12:9a)
Here it is good to acknowledge that prayer is indeed hard work for most people, and Luther said that for him; “prayer is more difficult than preaching”. Many of the church fathers agreed, saying that no work on earth is as difficult as praying. Since prayer can be so difficult, even though it is commanded by God and is necessary for the Christian life, Scripture contains many exhortations to pray.
In closing, let us hear a few of these biblical encouragements to pray. The Lord declares through the psalmist, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you”. (Psalm 50:15.) The Apostle Paul taught, “Be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12) and “In everything, by prayer and supplication, let your requests be made know to God”. (Philippians 4:6) The writer of Hebrews said, “Draw near to the throne of grace with confidence”. (Hebrews 4:16) And again from our Epistle reading today, “Cast all of your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you”. (1st Peter 5:7) Amen.
The peace of God …