All right, if you would turn in your copy of God's Word to the letter to the Philippians. Just read a portion of that tonight as we begin our study on the Lord's Prayer. This will be an introduction tonight to our study and just look at the preface to the Lord's Prayer. as we begin to focus our minds upon that. And I'll read for us from Philippians chapter 4. And I'll begin at verse 1. Let's give attention to God's Word. I entreat you, Odea, and I entreat Synthike, to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the Book of Life. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. As far as the reading of God's word, amen. Would you pray with me? Father in heaven, now as we come before you, the maker, the creator of all things, the one who has loved us from eternity past, you who pour out good things upon your children, Father, we praise you. We thank you for the way you work. We thank you for your word. And now, Father, we ask as we begin this study of the model prayer of Jesus's prayer of, Father, the way he taught his disciples how to pray. Help us, Lord. Helped us not to be a mere intellectual study, but work upon our hearts that we would be those who long to be in communion with you. And do it in such a way that draws us ever closer to your son and our savior, the Lord Jesus. I pray these things in his name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Well, as I said, brothers and sisters, tonight we just want to start our study here on the Lord's Prayer. And whenever you put together these slide presentations, I'm looking at the graphics that they provide for you. And I thought, well, maybe this graphic is a good one, because it looks like it's all connected. And as we think of prayer, it is that which connects us to our triune God. It's that which joins us together. It's that intimate communion that we have with him. It links us to him through his son. And I just thought that that might give us a graphic to even think about prayer, that which joins us very closely to our God. Well, a review, because we've been over this a little bit as we've studied the means of grace. What is prayer? What is prayer? And as we looked at the larger catechism, we read that prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God in the name of Christ by the help of his spirit with confession of our sins and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies. Now the writers of the larger catechism dug into scripture and pulled out all of these things and summed up this definition of prayer for us. We're really not going to be taking this apart tonight because we're headed toward the Lord's Prayer, but I'm giving this to us as a background. As we think about prayer, as we think about what the disciples were asking Jesus to do as he taught them how to pray, and we think very broadly about prayer and what is it that we're doing. We're going before God. We're seeking God's face. And one of our desires should be to draw ever closer to him through prayer. And we know we can't do it outside of the name of Jesus. That none of us are righteous to the point where we can approach God on our own. We must do it in the name of Christ. And we know we need help. We're insufficient in our prayers. We're neophytes, so to speak, in our prayers. No one is ever going to get to the point in this life where they've learned enough, know enough, and have perfected prayer enough that they don't need the help of the Spirit of God. And no one will ever go to prayer without having sins been committed prior to entering into prayer, and even indeed while one engages in prayer and communion with God, with confession of sin and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies. Kind of sums up prayer for us. Doesn't necessarily tell us how to pray. but it tells us what prayer is in a general, a very general sense. Why do Christians pray? Well, that's why I read this passage tonight from Philippians chapter 4. As we consider what was going on in Philippi, as Paul, you know, waits until the end of the letter almost to get to one reason, one significant reason why he's writing to this particular church, what's going on there is there is some discord, there appears to be some disunity, there's a dispute possibly between these two. And one of his purposes in writing to the church is to encourage them, these two, to agree, to set aside their differences, to come together in Christ Jesus, for his purposes, for his kingdom, that their dispute, their disagreements are not lending themselves to the building up of the church. In fact, their disagreements would most likely be tearing the church apart. And thus he writes to them and urges them, even these two, to come together in agreement. And he does that by previously telling them that he longs for them, whose joy is in them, and he asks them to stand firm in the Lord. You cannot stand firm in the Lord if you're in dispute with one another, you're breaking down that firm standing in Christ as you argue, as you debate with one another. Now, I'm not saying that we cannot have good Christian discussion on the doctrines of scripture. We certainly can't. But these appear to be at odds with one another, breaking down the unity of the church. And so what does he follow that with? He follows his intriguing Judea and Syntyche to agree in the Lord immediately with rejoicing in the Lord. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. God is present, the Lord is at hand. Do not be anxious and pray. In everything, by prayer and supplication. With thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. If they were to do this, how do you think that would affect their disputation, their disagreement? If they were to earnestly seek the face of the Lord, if they were not anxious with one another, whether their point or their position was gonna be upheld, whether their interests were going to be the one that won the day or not, if they weren't anxious about anything but took it to the Lord in prayer, If they went to the Lord with much supplication, with thanksgiving, what would that do to their dispute? I think it might crush it. As they go to the Lord with rejoicing, and as the peace of God surrounds them, so much so that it surpasses all understanding, their hearts would be guarded, and their minds against seeking their own interests above that of others. I think that's why Paul follows this dispute that he's uncovered for us immediately or almost immediately with the call to prayer. Why do we pray? Well, it's commanded. But it's also good for the body. It's good for the soul. It's that which draws us ever closer to Christ. And as we come closer to Christ, our disputes with one another fade. Our unity increases. Why do Christians pray? Oh, there's so much benefit, brothers and sisters. I think the real question is, why do we not pray? Well, when did prayer begin? Was this something of the New Testament? Was this something that Paul made up in here in his letter to the Philippians? Obviously not. Obviously not. We see prayer throughout the Old Testament. We've read about it. We've read about Nehemiah's prayer. We've read about Ezra's prayer. There are prayers throughout the Psalms. Well, I'm suggesting that prayer might have begun even back in Genesis with Seth. I know that Cain prayed. He certainly spoke to God. He didn't like God. At least, from what we can tell, it didn't appear that he liked God. But Seth, Seth, the one that, in a sense, replaces Abel. What do we read of Seth? For Adam knew his wife again, and she bore him a son named Seth. For God appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed. And as for Seth, to him also a son was born, and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord. I think that's prayer. Isn't that what we do as we pray? Aren't we calling upon God by His name? We're going to read that here in a minute. Aren't we calling Him to hear us? Are we pleading with him to hear us? And as we call upon him in his name, we're recognizing who he is and what he's done in our relationship to him. The men began to call on the name of the Lord as soon as Seth has a son born to him. Do you see the connection between God fulfilling his promises to multiply and fill the earth, subdue it, have dominion over it? And here now Seth, Seth the son of Adam who takes the place of Abel, now he has a son and they can see that God is being faithful, that they are filling the earth and now they call upon him. Prayer goes back a ways, brothers and sisters. It's not a new invention. It's not something that we came up with, certainly not something that Paul came up with. It's a natural outflowing of our being created in God's image and being given access to him through his son, the Lord Jesus. What's the problem then? You might say, well, who said about a problem? Who said that there was a problem? Well, Paul tells us there's a problem. There's a problem with our prayers, isn't there? Romans 8, chapter, excuse me, chapter 8, verse 26. Likewise, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses. First of all, we see that we're weak. We know that we are corrupt. We know that we still have a sin nature. We know that as Christians, as brothers and sisters in Christ, as followers of Christ, our chains to sin have been broken. We know that Jesus Christ has defeated sin. He's defeated death. And yet, as Paul explains in the chapter before this one in the letter to the Romans, we still battle with sin, don't we? We're still sinners saved by grace alone. And so that's part of the problem, isn't it? That our sin is mixed in with our prayers and we're weak. We might even take that word weakness and think that it kind of applies to our sin. Kind of applies to the old man who still resides within. If we didn't have that old man, I think we would get rid of that word. If the old man still didn't reside within us, if that war wasn't going on, that irreconcilable war between the new man and the old man, there wouldn't be this weakness. And there wouldn't be any problems with prayer. We would have perfect communion and union with our triune God. But we don't have that yet. We will have that in glory. But today, we have weakness. And Paul recognizes it. The Spirit also helps in our weakness for, or we could use the word because maybe, because we don't know what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. We're weak, corrupt, we still have that sin nature. We need the work of the Spirit. Praise God that he gives them to us. God has provided help, hasn't he? We just read it. He's provided his spirit. But he's also given us direction in our prayers. He's given us the spirit, but God has also given us help. Where? The scriptures. 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. Now, I didn't make that up. It came out of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, number 99. So God has not left us to fend for ourselves as we go to prayer and always given us this whole word, all of scripture, All of scripture can be used and should be used to direct us in prayer. But as we started, we're gonna study that special rule of direction that Christ taught his disciples commonly called the Lord's Prayer. Now don't forget that it's not just the words of God, it's also the spirit of God. Those two together are God's help to us in prayer. Well, remember, the disciples asked for help. They noted that they needed help, or else they wouldn't have asked. These were men, some of them who were very bold, some of them who were very prideful, just like us. And yet, they asked for help. I came to pass, this is Luke chapter 11, as he, meaning Jesus, was praying. And remember how often the disciples would have seen their Lord and Master go to prayer. What an example that would have been. Jesus Christ constantly seeking communion with his Father. Maybe even being close enough to hear. in the past as he was praying, Jesus was praying in a certain place, when he sees that one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. You know, they could have left that last part off. But they were, they were disciples of Jesus. And they kind of saw some parallels between themselves and the disciples of John, although there were really no parallels. Jesus is unique. He's the God man. So he said to them, when you pray, say in heaven. The disciples asked for help. And Jesus gave it to them, he directed them, didn't he? Well, here's the the Lord's Prayer, as recorded by Matthew in his gospel in chapter six, that's part of the Sermon on the Mount, kind of right in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount. And here it is, we'll just read it. In this manner, therefore, pray. This is Jesus's direction to his disciples. 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 do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. This particular version comes from the New King James. I forgot to put that credit down here. There are different versions, as we know, as we have different versions of the Bible. So there will be slight differences in the way that the model prayer, the Lord's Prayer, is given to us. Some versions don't have the last sentence, for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. That doesn't exist in all manuscripts. So some versions have it, some versions don't. If you have an ESV, you don't have that. But it does exist in the New King James Version as well as the New American Standard. Well, that's the Lord's Prayer. And it's our intention to fix our minds upon studying this. So for the next six weeks or so, maybe seven, I don't know, we plan to study the Lord's Prayer. And we're planning also on using the Westminster Shorter Catechism all along that we should grow in our individual and collective ability by the work of the Spirit to pray rightly. Now, I'm not suggesting we're not praying rightly today. But I think this study will help us, each one of us, as we go to the throne of grace, whether we're doing it individually, whether we're doing it collectively. I think this is going to increase our desire to prayer, pray. And I think this is going to increase our confidence in prayer. I think it's going to increase our union and communion with our God. And I think and I'm praying that this is going to make us more like Jesus. That's the purpose. That's what we're doing. We're always trying to become more like Jesus. Well, tonight, the preface to the Lord's Prayer. Well, what does the preface of the Lord's Prayer teach us? If we're looking at the Westminster Shorter Catechism, number 100, the answer would be the preface of the Lord's Prayer, which is, our Father, which art in heaven, teaches 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. That's a lot in those six words. But I think they have something. I think the writers of this question and answer have something. And so we're going to follow them tonight and try to pull out of the preface to the Lord's Prayer all the teaching here that they set before us. Three points tonight. Number one, pray as a child to your Heavenly Father. Number two, pray to God as the only one who is ready and able to help. We might also put willing in there. and pray to God with and for others. And I might add there, in faith. First, pray as a child to your heavenly Father. Well, where does this come from? Where do they pull this from? Our Father who art in heaven. Clearly, they're pulling it out of the title given, the title used, the title that was taught to the disciples to be used as we enter into prayer, our father. Father. Romans 8. Verse 14, for as many as are led by the spirit of God. These are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by which we cry out, Abba, Father. The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And as children, as adopted children now because of what Jesus Christ has done, we can come We can come before the throne of grace saying, and knowing it's true, our Father. That we can approach the God of creation, the one who made the heavens, the stars, and everything in them, the one who made the earth, the one who made us. We can come to this one. The only divine one, the only one who is worthy of worship. and call Him our Father. The Spirit speaks to us as the Spirit abides within us. He's the one bearing witness that we have this ability, that we've been given the name son or daughter, that we've been drawn into the family of God, that we're sitting at the King's table. Remember Esther. as she was named queen. As she was selected amongst all of these virgins to become the queen, the one whose head now received the crown. She couldn't even go into the king without his permission. Without him extending the royal scepter to her, she would have been struck dead if she entered into even close to his presence. But we can go to the Father, we can go to the God of the universe because He's our Father, because He's adopted us, because He even calls us into that union and communion. Yes, we go to Him as one of His children because the Spirit testifies to us that we are indeed the child of God. What does that give us, that imagery give us, as we think of that? Well, we can think of our own childhoods. Some of you might be listening are children. And you think of your relationship to your parents. Child is helpless, especially an infant. completely dependent upon and in need of fatherly love and watch care and protection and provision. That's the picture that we have. going to a Father, going to our Heavenly Father as one who is completely helpless, completely dependent, and so desires His fatherly love, watch, care, protection, and provision. Isn't that what we do in prayer? Isn't that what we confess in prayer, even if we don't do it expressly? We should do it expressly. But even if we don't, that's our condition. That's how we're coming. And a good child, a good son or daughter, approaches his or her father with reverence and with respect, recognizing, appreciating, and celebrating the position that their father holds before them. Isn't that how we go to God with reverence? Not as this grandfather figure that the world conjures up. Or daddy. Well, we can use that title, but if we use it and it causes us to picture God as a as something he's not. As the creator of the universe, as one who's all-powerful, as one who is and has been offended by our sin, as one who is so powerful he can forgive us of our sins. We don't go to him in that way. We're not going to him in the right way as our father. We approach with respect and reverence. And a child is thankful and grateful. for his father's presence, his father's kindness, his father's mercy and love. We come with much thanksgiving. Isn't that what a child does, a good child, a good son or daughter, recognizing what their earthly father has done for them? Consistently, constantly loving, watching over, protecting, kindly loving. That's how we go to our father. That's the picture of a child coming to a father. I've used Thomas Watson's book, The Lord's Prayer, in much of this presentation. You'll see various quotes from him. And here, as he's thinking through what it means for us as children to go to God as our father, and speaking very specifically of reverence, it's part of the honor of a son. It gives to a father that he fears to displease him. Going to God in reverence and respect is right and good. And if we don't, we're going to Him in a way that is displeasing. When we speak well of God, set forth His renown, display the trophies of His goodness when we ascribe the glory of all we do to Him, When we are the trumpeters of his praise, this is honoring to our Father in heaven and a sure sign of a childlike heart. You see what Watson is saying? As we go to God, we're giving him the praise. We're honoring him with all that we have, with all that we've done. We're ascribing it to him, if it's a good thing. such that he would have the glory. We're recounting all of his goodness, and as Watson puts it, his trophies of goodness. That's honoring God. That's coming to him as a child that reveres him. Not only do we come to God as a child, recognizing him as our heavenly father, revering him. But we also come to him as that one who is able to help. He's able to help us. He's not weak. He's not frail. He's not without ability. He's not without knowledge. He's not without wisdom. He has all of these things. And yet he's the only one who can help, truly help. Don't we see that in Psalm 139? We could go out through the whole Psalm and just pick out all the ways in which God's made us, and thus he's the one who's intimate with us, and he knows us, and because he made us, he really and truly is the only one who can help us. Lord, You have known, excuse me, searched me and known me. You know my sitting down, my rising up. You understand my thoughts afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down. And are acquainted with all my ways, for there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, oh Lord, you know it all together. Somebody asked a question. I think one of the last times we were care about praying silently. Here, we see God knows. Even before a word hits our tongue, it's on our heart. He is the one who understands our path, who knows our thoughts, He knows us so intimately. And because He knows us in this intimate way, He is the only one who we can bring our prayers, our petitions to, who can truly help us. Why do I say that? Because He knows us. He knows what we need and He gives it to us in His good and perfect timing. We might ask for something. He might desperately want something. And if it's not within his will, he won't give it to us in that time. Why? Because he knows us. He knows what we need. And thus, he is the only one who is truly able to help or consider Again, the Sermon on the Mount. As Jesus is wrapping up his preaching, what's he talking to them about? He's talking to them about God, about his fatherliness, and about how he truly cares for his children. much more than earthly fathers? Or what man is there among you? If his son asks for bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then being evil, really enjoy the contrast in the way that Jesus Christ puts this. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him? He's ready to hear, brothers and sisters. He knows what's on our hearts. He knows what we need. And He, as our Heavenly Father, not only hears, but He is able to and will help. He gives good things. He pours out good gifts from heaven upon us in abundance, not according to our wills, but according to his perfect and holy will. Yes, he is able to help. Here's what Thomas Watson has says to us as he quotes scripture. And I thought it best for us really to dig into those verses that he quoted here. If God be our father, no real evil shall befall us. What's he mean by that? Well, he's quoting Psalm 91, because you have made Lord who is my refuge, Even the most high, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you. Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways. Next portion of this psalm, Satan quotes to Jesus as he tempts him. But think of that. As you have been taken into the house of God, as you've been taken into the king's home, as you've been adopted, as you've taken refuge in him, no evil will befall you. As Jesus is sending out his disciples, he tells them, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. That's the promise that we have. Watson says it is not said no trouble, and he recognizes that Christians experience trouble. Christians experience pain. Christians experience suffering. Christians experience hurt. And so Watson puts it in context. It's not said no trouble, but no evil. God's children are privileged persons. They are privileged from being hurt of everything. As God brings hurt or suffering upon us, it's for our good. And so even in that, maybe even especially in that, as the thorn was placed in the side of Paul, it was that which he prayed for that would be removed three times. And the Lord said, no, my grace is sufficient for you. Paul was being built up. It was painful. He was suffering, being tormented by Satan. It was good for Paul, he's kept from boasting. No evil shall befall you. Is God able to help? Yes. Does he help? Yes. So much so that no evil shall befall you. And Watson also calls us to remember the promises of God, as we're thinking of God helping us, as the one who is able and who does help us. If God be our Father, all the promises of the Bible belong to us. His children are called heirs of the promise. The promise of pardon is for them. The promise of healing is for them. The promise of salvation is for them. Do you see? Is God able to help? Yes. We've got all the promises of God. Yes, He's our Heavenly Father. We come to Him as a child in reverence and giving Him honor and glory. He's the one who's able to help us and we go to him as that one who's fulfilling his promises. God makes all his children conquerors. This might be the most amazing thing of all. Watson writes, they conquer themselves. He who conquers himself is stronger than he who conquers the stoutest ramparts. The saints conquer their own lusts. They bind the princes in fetters of iron. They conquer the world. Not sure I would have said it that way, that saints conquer their own lusts. I think it's the spirit working in us that enables us to conquer our lusts. Brothers and sisters, we're praying to the One who has made us more than conquerors through Jesus Christ. We're praying to the One who has given us victory over the world through our faith. Is He able to help? Of course. He's the only who's able to help. We should keep that in our minds every single time we go to prayer, every single time. Well, the last portion, the third point that the writers of the Shorter Catechism bring out is that we should be praying with and for others. Now, there's a backdrop to that. We'll get to it here in the next slide. But notice, notice the use by Jesus of the word our, our Father. He does not say, pray like this, say my Father. No. He uses our, plural. Watson writes that our Father denotes faith. And so that's where we need to go first. As we think about praying with and for others, we need to, as Watson puts it for us, think of this as praying first in faith. And as we do, we join together with one another to pray with and for. Watson writes, faith is a necessary requisite in prayer. Do we think about that? We should. He says faith is the chief spice or ingredient. Now he's thinking of the incense. that was in the tabernacle and the temple. It had these various spices, a particular mix that God had established and given to Moses that was to be used for the incense and only for the incense. And thus it created a particular smell as it was as it was lit on fire or ignited so that it would smoke and waft up and be that constant symbol of prayer ascending up to God, God the Father. And so Watson is saying, you know, faith is like an ingredient within that incense that's so necessary and without it, it's not even prayer. Makes it go up to Lord as a sweet incense. Let him ask in faith. Comes from James chapter one, verse six. In all our prayers to God, we should exercise faith. Watson writes, faith baptizes prayer. It gives it a name. It's called the prayer of faith. Watson goes as far as to say, without faith, it's speaking, not praying. Faith is standing behind each and every one of our prayers. It must. Well, Watson asks this really good question. How do we know? How may we really know? that we truly pray in faith? Here's his answer. When faith and prayer is humble, then you're praying by and with faith. And he cites the example of the Pharisee and the publican who go to prayer. The presumptuous person hopes to be heard for some inherent worthiness in himself. Isn't that who the Pharisee was? Pharisee stood and prayed, I fast twice a week, I get tithes of all that I possess. Thank God that he wasn't like these sinners. He prayed not in humbleness. but with a presumption that he was worthy to stand before God and pray. He was not praying as a humble man, as one with a contrite heart, but the publican did. He stood far off. He wasn't even willing to come close. He couldn't even raise his eyes up. He was so smitten by his sin. that he couldn't even raise his eyes up, he did not understand himself as being worthy in himself to approach God. He would beat his chest or breast saying, God be merciful to me, a sinner. It's such a great example for us. Wonderful teaching of how we go to prayer in humble faith. Well, as we do so, as we do so, then we are enabled to pray with and for others. You see that our Father, Watson pulls out of that, that it must be a prayer said in faith, because no one can say our Father if they're not trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. No one. So as you come in faith, as you pray in faith, then you can pray with and for others, and then the hour has additional meaning, doesn't it? Hour is collective. It's not just my Father. He's the Father of all who believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ. So there's a sense in which this is a collective prayer, isn't there? Isn't it? It certainly points us to praying by faith, but it also indicates that as we pray, it's good and right to pray with other believers so that we can say with one another, our Father. We're also pointing to the need for praying for others. Doesn't that take us right back to Philippians 4, where these two are having this dispute with one another. And as you pray for one another, that breaks down those barriers that have been created. As we pray for one another, we're lifting up the interests of others above our own. And it's breaking down the barriers that we create with one another. Our Father should remind us that we're not alone. Like Elijah thought he was the last one, God had to remind him that he wasn't. We're not alone. There are many followers of Jesus Christ. Within our local body, within our presbytery, within our denomination, across the globe. In this preface, calls us to remember our brothers and sisters in prayer, to lift up their needs above our own, to pray for them in faith. Well, brothers and sisters, that's just a skimming over even of the preface to the prayer. Next week, Lord willing, we'll jump into the first petition. Hallowed be thy name. Amen.