Part 12
6. Our Lord teaches us to say: _"Our_ Father who art in heaven." He reminds us of the fact that _all true believers are children of God, and that all children of God pray for and with each other._ "One God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all." Eph. 4,6. I am not the only one praying to God, but a great host of fellow-men, all my brethren in Christ, are praying with me and for me. In Christ's name I pray to my Father in heaven for and with all my brethren; should I not therefore with all confidence ask my dear Father, as dear children ask their dear father?
REMEMBER:--
1. _Always pray in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior. Through Him alone God is your true Father, and you are His true child. In His name you may and should ask your Father in heaven as dear children ask their dear father._
2. _As God's child through Christ pray to your Father without fear and doubt, with the firm, confidence that He will hear and accept your prayer._
3. _The Father to whom you pray is the heavenly Father, the almighty God. To Him we pray with all confidence that He not only will, but also can answer our prayers and help us in all our troubles._
MEMORIZE:--
_Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God._ 1 John 3,1.
_For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named._ Eph. 3,14.15.
_One God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all._ Eph. 4,6.
QUESTIONS.
1. Of what does the Third Part of our Catechism treat? 2. Why do we call this prayer the Lord's Prayer? 3. On what occasion did the Lord teach His disciples this prayer? 4. Why do we Christians use this prayer so often? 5. But it is not enough to recite this prayer if we would use it correctly; what else is needed? 6. Whom do we address when we say "Our _"Father"?_ [tr. note: punctuation is correct] 7. Why did Jesus teach us to use the name Father in this prayer? 8. How does God become our Father, and how do we become His children? 9. In whose name should we therefore always pray? 10. Who only can really pray to God? 11. Of what is a child certain when he asks his father for something? 12. What may we confidently expect when we pray to our dear Father? 13. Of what do the words "who art in heaven" remind us in our prayer? 14. Our Father to whom we pray is the almighty God; what can He therefore do regarding our prayers? 15. Why does our Lord teach us to say, _"Our_ Father"?
LESSON 40.
The Lord's Prayer.
The First Petition.
Which is the First Petition?
_Our Father who art in heaven. 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 be 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 a holy life according to it. This grant 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!_
1. _"Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name,"_ this is our first petition. It is a matter of utmost importance that God's name be hallowed among us; for this reason our Lord teaches us to pray for it in the first place. _"God's name is indeed holy in itself."_ God has a name above every other name. In heaven and earth there is no name higher or more sacred than the name of our heavenly Father; no name can be compared with it. It is holy in itself. We cannot and we need not _make it holy._ What, then, do we ask for in this petition? Since the name of our Father in heaven is so holy and so exalted, we pray _that it may be holy among us also,_ that we, His children, may hold it sacred and use it rightly both in words and deeds.
2. _How is this done?_ We shall place God's name above every other name in heaven and on earth and hold it holy, sacred, only when we rightly _know God as He is, and what He has done and will do for us His children._ God has revealed Himself and His great name _only in His Word._ There alone we learn to know our heavenly Father and the great things He has done for our temporal and eternal welfare. We shall hold His name holy and sacred "when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity." God's Word must be preached among us without the admixture of any human thoughts and errors, just as God has given it to us, just as it reads. In God's Word we learn how great God, our Father, is, the perfectly holy and just God, and yet gracious, ever ready to forgive all our sins and heal all our transgressions, when we come to Him in the name of Christ; the almighty Ruler of heaven and earth and yet our dear Father in Christ, who pities those that fear Him, as a father pities his children Ps. 103,13. The more we learn from His Word how great our God is, the more we shall hold His name sacred, the more we shall exalt and praise it.
3. It is not enough that God's Word is taught and preached among us in its truth and purity, that we only hear it; we must also, as God's children, _lead a holy life according to it. By a holy life we honor the name of our Father._ If a child disobeys his father, if he leads a bad life, committing sins and crimes, he will not only bring dishonor upon himself, but he will also disgrace his father's name. Remember how the sons of Eli, the high priest, brought dishonor upon their father's fair name. 1 Sam. 2,12. When, on the other hand, a child is obedient to his father, doing the will of his good father, leading an upright and honest life, his father will be honored by the good deeds of his son. We are children of God. We confess that He is our true Father. If we were to lead an ungodly life, how would His name be dishonored among men! But when we live according to our Father's Word and will, if we live in accordance with the Word of God, our friends and neighbors will see our good works. By our godly life we shall help others, too, to know and honor the great name of God. Our Savior says: _"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven."_ Matt. 5,16.--By our own strength we cannot preach the Word of God in its truth and purity among us, nor can we by our own strength lead a holy life according to it; therefore we pray: _Grant us, O Heavenly Father, the pure doctrine of Thy Word and a Holy life according to it._
4. As the name of our Father is glorified here on earth by the preaching of His pure Word and by our holy life, so it is dishonored by _false doctrine and an ungodly life._ In our sinful hearts we are always inclined _to teach and live otherwise than God's Word teaches,_ and thus to profane the name of God. _"Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonorest thou God. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you."_ Rom. 2,23.24. Therefore we pray: _Preserve us, O Heavenly Father, for Christ's sake, from false doctrine and an ungodly life!_
REMEMBER:--
_We pray in this petition:_--
1. _Dear Heavenly Father, grant that we may always teach Thy Word in its truth and purity, and that we may always live in accordance with it, so that Thy name may be hallowed among us!_
2. _Dear Heavenly Father, preserve us from ever teaching and living otherwise than Thy Word teaches!_
MEMORIZE:--
_Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven._ Matt. 5,16.
_Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonorest thou God. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you._ Rom. 2,23.24.
QUESTIONS.
1. Why does Christ teach us to pray in the first place that God's name may be hallowed, held sacred, among us? 2. How is God's name in itself? 3. Why do we nevertheless pray that His name be hallowed? 4. What must we know before we shall hold God's name sacred as we should? 5. Where has God revealed Himself? 6. How, therefore, is God's name hallowed among us? 7. How must God's Word be taught among us? 8. What does it mean to teach God's Word in its truth and purity? 9. What, furthermore, is necessary if we wish to glorify our Father's name? 10. In what way is God's name honored by a godly life? 11. What does our Lord say Matt. 5,16? 12. Who profanes God's name among us? 13. From what do we ask God to preserve us? 14. What are the two things for which we pray in the First Petition?
LESSON 41.
The Lord's Prayer.
The Second Petition.
Which is the Second Petition?
_Our Father who art in heaven. 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 hereafter in eternity._
1. _"Thy kingdom come,"_ that is the Second Petition. We pray for the kingdom of our heavenly Father. In the Second Article of our faith we already heard of a kingdom, the _kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ._ There we learned that our Lord has redeemed us from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, in order that we may be His own, and in His _kingdom_ live under Him in everlasting innocence, righteousness, and blessedness. _Christ's kingdom and our Father's kingdom is the same thing._ Christ established this kingdom by His sufferings and death. All that believe in Christ belong to this kingdom. Christ is their Lord and King; He governs them, bestowing upon them in His kingdom all His gifts: forgiveness of sins, the grace of God, true righteousness, peace with God, etc. He protects them against all their enemies, against sin, Satan, and death. We also call this kingdom of our Father the _Kingdom of Grace,_ or the _true Christian Church._ It has its beginning here on earth; but when our Lord and King will come again at the Last Day, He will lead it to His glory in heaven. Then we shall call this kingdom the _Kingdom of Glory._
2. Our Lord teaches us to pray for the _coming_ of this kingdom. True, _"the kingdom of God comes indeed without our prayer, of itself."_ Christ lives and reigns, and He gathers His congregation through the Gospel from all nations, and He will lead it to its heavenly glory even if we do not pray for it. But still the Lord teaches us to pray for the coming of His kingdom. We pray _"that it may come to us also."_ It is God's will to give _us_ His kingdom. Our Lord says: _"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."_ Luke 12,32. But God wants us to _pray_ for His good gifts. We pray in this petition that our Father's kingdom may come to us also, that we, too, may belong to His kingdom and remain in it, _"here in time and hereafter in eternity."_
3. _"How is this done?"_ How does the kingdom of God come to us? The kingdom of God comes to us only through faith in Christ. Only those who believe in Him can enter the kingdom. But _"I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Christ, or come to Him."_ (In what part of your Catechism did you learn this?) To bring us to Christ is _the work of the Holy Ghost._ He has called me to Christ and His grace by the Gospel. _"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."_ John 3,5. The kingdom of God, therefore, comes to us _"when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead a godly life."_ The Holy Ghost can and will graciously, by the Gospel, work within our hearts, so that we believe God's holy Word, believe in Jesus Christ, our Savior; and in this way the kingdom of God will come to us.
4. The Holy Spirit does not only bring us to Christ, so that we, through faith, enter the kingdom of God, but He also _preserves us in the true faith;_ by means of the Gospel He gives us strength to prove our faith _by a godly life_ and thus remain in the kingdom to the end. He will lead us to the glory of our Lord, to the kingdom of glory in heaven. _"The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom."_ 2 Tim. 4,18. By the Holy Spirit the kingdom of God comes to me _"here in time"_ (the Kingdom of Grace) _"and hereafter in eternity"_ (the Kingdom of Glory). In this petition we especially pray our heavenly Father to grant us _the most precious gift --His Holy Ghost._
5. But we do not only pray that the kingdom of God would come to _us_ and remain with us, we also pray that it may come to _all men_ who as yet are not members of this kingdom. We pray that all men may become true believers in Christ through the preaching of the Gospel. This work, preaching the Gospel to all nations, we call _mission-work. The Second Petition is the great mission-prayer of the Church._ The Lord admonishes us: _"Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that He will send forth laborers into His harvest."_ Matt. 9,38.
REMEMBER:--
1. _In this petition we pray: Dear heavenly Father, grant me Thy Holy Spirit that by His grace I may believe in Jesus Christ, my King, and by faith in Him lead a godly life, so that I may be with my Savior in His kingdom, here in time and hereafter in eternity._
2. _Do not forget to pray for our missions when you say this petition. Mission is the work our Lord has entrusted to all Christians, saying: "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature."_ Mark 16,15.
MEMORIZE:--
_Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom._ Luke 12,32.
_Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that He will send forth laborers into His harvest._ Matt. 9,38.
_The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom._ 2 Tim. 4,18.
QUESTIONS.
1. How did Christ establish His kingdom on earth? 2. Who belongs to it? 3. Who is Lord and King of this kingdom? 4. What does Christ bestow upon His own in His kingdom? 5. From whom does He protect and against whom does He defend us? 6. What do we also call the kingdom of Christ? 7. What will Christ do with His kingdom when He shall come in His glory at the Last Day? 8. What shall we then call this kingdom? 9. What does our Lord teach us to pray in behalf of His kingdom? 10. What, indeed, is true concerning the coming of His kingdom? 11. Why do we nevertheless pray for His kingdom? 12. How does the kingdom of God come to us? 13. Why do we need the Holy Ghost for this purpose? 14. The Holy Spirit does not only bring us to Christ and into His kingdom, what does He also perform in us? 15. What do we call the work for which we are especially praying in this petition?
LESSON 42.
The Lord's Prayer.
The Third Petition.
What is the Third Petition?
_Our Father who art in heaven, 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 God's name nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and preserves us steadfast in His Word and faith unto our end. This is His gracious and good will._
1. We pray in this petition that the will of our Father in heaven may be done. _His will is a good and gracious one._ Being the will of our heavenly Father, how could it be otherwise than good and gracious? He wills, or desires, that His name be hallowed among us, that His kingdom may come to us and all men, or, in other words, _that all men be saved. "God will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."_ 1 Tim. 2,4. He earnestly desires that His saving Gospel be preached to all men, that all men, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, may believe in Christ and through Him have eternal life. This is most assuredly the good and gracious will of our heavenly Father.
2. We pray that this will of our Father _may be done on earth, that it may prevail. "The goo 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,"_ that His gracious will may prevail against all such as try to hinder our salvation.
3. _How is the will of our heavenly Father done?_ Our Catechism answers: _"When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not lat us hallow God's name nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh."_ There is an evil counsel and will here on earth. It is the will of the _devil,_ the _world,_ that is, all godless men, who are in the service of Satan, and of the _flesh,_ our own sinful heart, which is always in accord with Satan and the world. These our enemies do not want us to hallow God's name, to come into Christ's kingdom or to remain therein, to remain steadfast in faith, to remain true to Christ, our Savior. Theirs is an evil will, which desires to _lead us astray from God, our Father, into sin, into the power and the kingdom of the devil._ If their evil will and counsel prevails, we are lost. Against these mighty enemies we are powerless; we ourselves have no strength whatever to resist them and their temptations. Therefore we daily pray our Father in heaven to break and hinder their evil will and counsel, in order that they may not be able to fulfil their evil desires.
4. God sincerely desires us to be saved, to obtain eternal life. But our Lord says: _"He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."_ Matt. 24,13. We cannot endure by our own strength. _"Ye are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation."_ 1 Pet. 1,5. Therefore we pray our dear Father to _"strengthen and preserve us steadfast in His Word and faith unto our end."_ We ask Him for Christ's sake to grant us strength to remain steadfast in His _Word,_ to continue to hear, read, and use it. By means of the Gospel the Holy Spirit will _preserve our faith_ in our Lord and Savior; through faith He will give us strength gladly to do His will and to live according to His commandments. In this way God will preserve us _unto our end,_ to our dying hour, and thus His gracious and good will is done.
5. God, our dear Father, _directs and guides our whole life_ according to this will of His to lead us to salvation. For this purpose our Father sometimes will permit _sufferings and troubles_ to come over us. In such times especially we should pray: _"Thy will be done,"_ my Father! Give me strength to remain steadfast and faithful in all sufferings and cheerfully to submit to your gracious will. Even our Lord Jesus Christ prayed in the hour of His deep agony: _"Not as I will, but as Thou wilt."_ Matt. 26,39.
6. The _first three petitions_ belong together. They are connected by the words _"on earth as it is in heaven."_ We pray that our Father's name may be hallowed on earth as it is hallowed in heaven, that His kingdom may come to us on earth as it is in heaven, and that His gracious will may be done among us on earth as it is done in heaven. _We ask our heavenly Father for His heavenly gifts._ These gifts we most urgently need, and therefore our Lord teaches us to pray for them first of all.
REMEMBER:--
1. _We pray in this petition: My dear heavenly Father, break and hinder every evil will of my enemies, the devil, the world, and my own flesh, that I may hallow Thy name and Thy kingdom may come to me._
2. _My dear heavenly Father, strengthen and preserve me in Thy Word and in true faith unto my end, to my dying hour, that Thy gracious and good will may be done._
MEMORIZE:--
_God will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth._ 1 Tim. 2,4.
_Ye are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation._ 1 Pet. 1,5.
_He which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ._ Phil. 1,6.
QUESTIONS.
1. We pray that God's will may be done among us. What is God's will toward us? 2. What is this will, therefore, called in our Catechism? 3. This good and gracious will of God is indeed done without our prayer; why do we nevertheless pray that it may be done? 4. There is an evil will and counsel against us, the children of God. Whose will is this? 5. What is their evil will and desire against us? 6. Why must we ask God to break and hinder their evil will? 7. God earnestly desires us to be saved, to obtain eternal life. Who only will be saved and obtain eternal life? Matt. 24,13. 8. By whose power are we kept unto salvation? 1 Pet. 1,5. 9. How do we, therefore, pray? 10. Why is it necessary for us to remain steadfast in the Word of God? 11. Unto what time will God preserve our faith through the Gospel? 12. Why does God sometimes permit suffering and trouble to come over His children? 13. How should we pray especially in such times? 14. What gifts do we pray for in the first three petitions? 15. Why does Christ teach us to pray first of all for His heavenly gifts?
LESSON 43.
The Lord's Prayer.
The Fourth Petition.
Which is the Fourth Petition?
_Our Father who art in heaven, Give us this day our daily bread._
What does this mean?
_God gives daily bread indeed without our prayer, also to all the wicked; but we pray in this petition that He would lead us to know it and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving._
What, then, is meant by "daily bread"?
_Everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like._
1. For _our daily bread_ our Lord bids us pray in this petition. By daily bread everything is meant that _belongs to the support and wants of our body,_ everything we need to support our life. Our Catechism enumerates quite a number of such things. For all these things we pray as far as we need them for our daily bread. We do not pray for _riches,_ for many comforts or luxuries, but for that which we need. We pray: _"Give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me, lest I be full, and deny Thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain."_ Prov. 30,8.9. The apostle says: _"Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content."_ 1 Tim. 6,8.