LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY

An 8-week sermon series through the Lord’s Prayer

“Lord, teach us to pray…” (Luke 11:1).

Prayer is not our natural disposition. Though young children will cry out in need to mom or dad, we quickly gravitate toward independence, and away from dependence, as we grow. Yet prayer involves total and complete dependence on God, and so it is something we must learn, again and again.

Jesus is gracious and eager to teach us. He wants us to pray. He longs to teach us to pray. When we come to him as learners, as followers, we can be sure that he will meet us where we are and teach us what we long to know.

Remarkably, Jesus prayed! The One who formed heaven and earth. The One who sustains all things by the word of his power. The One through whom and in whom and for whom all things exist. If our Lord prayed, how can we not?

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name;

your kingdom come;

your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For yours is the kingdom, and the power,

and the glory forever. Amen.

Over eight weeks, we will consider the substance of the Lord’s Prayer - prayerfully seeking to infuse that substance into our own prayers. We will seek to mold our prayers by our Lord’s model prayer, communing with our Father God as Jesus himself did.

Week 1 - Our Father In Heaven (Matthew 6:9a)
Week 2 - Hallowed Be Your Name (Matthew 6:9b)
Week 3 - Your Kingdom Come (Matthew 6:10a)
Week 4 - Your Will Be Done (Matthew 6:10b)
Week 5 - Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread (Matthew 6:11)
Week 6 - Forgive Us Our Debts (Matthew 6:12)
Week 7 - Lead Us Not Into Temptation (Matthew 6:13)
Week 8 - Kingdom, Power, Glory (1 Chronicles 29:10-11)

Recommended Resources On Prayer

The Lord's Prayer

Kevin DeYoung
Learning from Jesus on What, Why, and How to Pray. Beginning January 19th, copies will be available for purchase at the Connect Desk.
Order here.
Beginning A Praying Life

Paul E. Miller
A pocket-sized primer for those new to prayer, reigniting a passion to pray, or developing a consistent prayer life. Beginning January 19th, copies will be available for purchase at the Connect Desk.
Order here.
Prayers Of A Parent - Series

Kathleen B. Nielson
Written for parents, each book has 31 prayers, brief reflections, and Scripture selections for meditation.
Order here.
Valley of Vision

Arthur Bennett.
A collection of prayers and reflections from the Puritans, long used as devotional reading and meditation for Christians.
Order here.
Psalms In 30 Days

Trevin Wax
Adapted from a centuries-old approach to reading the Psalms by providing a "Morning," "Midday" and "Evening" pattern, following the Scriptural precedent for praying three times a day.
Order here.