The Lord's prayer - teach us to pray

Luke 11:1 (NIV)
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

We will be looking with the eyes of "teach us how to pray".

We start with who we are praying to.

Luke 11:2 (NIV)
He said to them, "When you pray, say: " `Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.

Abba - why was this word used, what specifically did this mean? Do we think of it as God being our Daddy? - the word that a baby in a place of vulnerability would use. Although Abba now means Daddy this is not the word that was used at the time.

Does this give us a casual relationship with God?

What does this mean now, a word that Jewish sons would use throughout their whole life. It echoes with authority.

Abba was listened to and honoured. It still indicates a very intimate relationship.

First example of God being a father.

Exodus 4:22-23 (NIV)
Then say to Pharaoh, `This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, [23] and I told you, "Let my son go, so he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.' "

We are dependent on God but this comes from salvation.

We have a precious right to call God father through the saving grace of Jesus.

Do we believe that God has chosen us and called us to be His own. He has saved us and wants us.

In Jesus time sons followed fathers and was apprentice to Joseph. Jesus often talks about how He has learnt from His father.

When we call God our father we are calling ourselves His apprentice who wants to work for Him. It has consequences for what we do.

Luke 11:2 (NIV)
He said to them, "When you pray, say: " `Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.

Holy is your name.

Holiness is an unattractive word because we know that we are not Holy and feel a distance between us and God.

We can sometimes feel with God that we can't come face to face with Him because of our sinfulness.

This can be the root of a problem with prayer for us, especially if we are not in the habit of prayer.

We come to God often feeling aware of our own sin and weaknesses.

Isaiah 6:1 (NIV)
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.

God was well aware of Isaiah's unholiness when He arrived. 

Jesus knew what people were like before He came to earth.

He doesn't stay away from us. Holiness does not compete with God's love and some times one wins. Eg. We do something bad today and God's holiness wins over His love for us.

Luke 11:2 (NIV)
He said to them, "When you pray, say: " `Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.

God comes and meets us when we are not Holy. We come confident that He is close.

Luke 11:2,4 (NIV)
He said to them, "When you pray, say: " `Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. [4] Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. ' "

We find in the praying of this prayer that we grow into this prayer.