The Example of Prayer (Part 1)

Key Scripture

James 2:17 – “So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all—it is dead and useless.”

One of the clearest expressions of living faith is prayer.
In Matthew 6, Jesus not only tells us how not to pray, but He also teaches us precisely how to pray.

Matthew 6:9–10 – The beginning of the Lord’s Prayer.

**Before the Prayer: How Not to Pray**

Before giving the model prayer, Jesus warns against improper approaches:

Don’t be a hypocrite
Don’t exalt yourself before people
Pray in secret
Don’t babble meaningless repetitions

Jesus clears away the wrong methods so He can show the right one.

“You Should Pray Like This”

Matthew 6:9a – “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven…”

Jesus has told us how not to pray—now He shows us how true prayer begins.

1. The Family of Prayer – “Our Father”

“Our”

Jesus doesn’t say “My Father,” but “Our Father.”
Prayer is rooted in community, not isolation.
God’s people are united as one family with one Father.
This reminds us:
- We are not alone.
- We belong.
- We have others to depend on during hardship.
- Even when we disagree, we return to unity because we share the same divine ancestry.

“Father”

Greek: Pater
Aramaic: Abba – an intimate word like “Daddy.”

This was revolutionary.
No one before Jesus addressed God with such closeness.

Israel’s Previous Experience of God

God on Mount Sinai
God in cloud and fire
God in the tabernacle
God in the Holy of Holies

Jesus transforms the relationship:
God is still holy—but now He is also Father.

2. The Majesty of Prayer – “In Heaven”

Ouranios – the dwelling place of the divine.

This phrase reminds us:

God is above us.
He is not like us.
He has authority and perspective we do not have.

He is both Father and majestic King.

3. The Praise of Prayer – “Your Name Be Honored as Holy”

Matthew 6:9b

John Bunyan once said:
“You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”

Jesus now introduces the first petition of seven.

“Your Name”

In Scripture, a name reflects:

A person’s character
Their nature
Their authority

Examples:

Emmanuel – God with us
Elisha – My God is salvation
Beelzebub – Lord of the flies
Nathanael – God has given

God’s “name” is everything He is.

“Honored as Holy”

Holy = set apart, distinct.

We honor God because He is:

All-powerful
All-knowing
Ever-present
Creator
Designer
Healer
Perfect, wise, loving, sovereign

Psalm 99:3 – “Let them praise Your great and awe-inspiring name. He is holy.”

Prayer begins with worship.

4. The Purpose of Prayer – “Your Kingdom Come”

Matthew 6:10a

This is the second petition.

A Fervent Greek Tense

This phrase demands urgent action:
“Let Your kingdom come now!”

What does it mean to pray for God’s Kingdom?

Praying for Christ’s return
Praying for God’s reign to be fully established

Revelation 11:15 – The kingdom of the world becomes the kingdom of Christ.

When God’s kingdom comes:

His name is honored
His authority is recognized
All worship Him

5. The Submission of Prayer – “Your Will Be Done”

Matthew 6:10b

This is the third petition.

It acknowledges:

God knows best.
God’s will is better than ours.
We submit as Jesus did:
“Not my will, but Yours be done.” — Luke 22:42

“On Earth as It Is in Heaven”

Heaven is the model of obedience:

Immediate
Joyful
Complete

Jesus is saying:
“Father, make earth look like heaven.”

Summary

The beginning of the Lord’s Prayer teaches that prayer must be:

Relational – Our Father
Reverent – In heaven, holy is Your name
Worshipful – honoring God first
Kingdom-focused – Your kingdom come
Submissive – Your will be done

Prayer starts not with our needs, but with God’s glory.

The Example of Prayer (Part 1) | Matthew 6:9-10