Audio Sermons

Our Heavenly Father

Life B-P Church Worship Service, 18^th June 2023

Text: Matthew 6:7-13

• Prayer is the breath of our spiritual life which comes from God.
• There are four lessons that we can learn about our relationship with God from the Lord’s Prayer:

1.    The Great Privilege of Calling God Our Father

• God has revealed Himself as the Father of His people. (Jeremiah 31:9; Isaiah 64:8)
• Jesus referred to God as His Father or as our Father 51 times. (e.g. Mark 14:36 cf. Romans 8:15)
• Only those who stand in a covenant relationship with God through Jesus Christ are His children. (cf. John 8:44; 2 Cor 6:18; John 1:12)

2.  The Great Confidence of Having a Father in Heaven

• The words ‘heavenly’ and ‘in heaven’ teach us that God is sovereign over all creation. (cf. Deuteronomy 10:14)
• And yet He listens to our humble requests. (cf. Isaiah 57:15)
• Realising this will give us great confidence in Him and what He is able to do for us.

3.  The Great Priority of Our Father’s Glory

• The first three petitions of the Lord’s Prayer deal primarily with God’s glory – His name, His kingdom and His will.
• These are placed before the petitions which deal with our needs.
• But the prevailing trend of the world is to put our needs first.

4.  The Great Love of Our Father

• God knows our needs even before we ask Him. (v.8)
• But He wants us to ask Him before He grants them, in order to deepen our relationship with Him. (cf. Luke 11:9-13)
• His fatherly love for us makes Him take great delight in our prayers.

Questions for Reflection:

1.  How can these lessons be a great encouragement to fathers?

2.  How can these lessons help children who do not have good fathers?

3.  What is the best thing that fathers and mothers can do for their children?