The Lord’s Prayer II — Its Meaning for Us

Author: Freedom D.
Date: February 17, Sunday Sermon
Speaker: Lead pastor
Title: The Lord’s Prayer II
Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13

Last time we covered the background of the Lord’s Prayer; today we go further into what the Lord’s Prayer means for us.

Before today’s sermon, I want to review the “3-O’Clock Lord’s Prayer” practice. I know many of you appreciate it — that morning and evening prayer aren’t enough; Jesus had felt absent during the working day. I also know some of you find it hard — even the choice to engage in devotional life is full of struggle.

This year, GSKL and BMCC have together chosen Scripture and spiritual discipline as the year’s theme. So what is devotional life, and how do we begin?

What Is Devotional Life?

Devotional life begins with being still and entering one’s inner self. To know one’s inner self is devotion. The aim is for life to have “more Jesus” — and this requires time to manifest.

Busy lives make devotion difficult. That is precisely why we deliberately choose to recite the Lord’s Prayer at three in the afternoon — to set aside a time for Jesus, so we can encounter him in the midst of our day.

The Practice

The Lord’s Prayer carries deep meaning: structurally three desires (God’s name, kingdom, will) and three petitions (bread, forgiveness, deliverance). Praying with three desires is to commit ourselves to God’s purposes; praying with three petitions is to entrust our human needs.

When we pray it daily at three p.m., we set ourselves apart from the world in that moment. The Spirit shines light on us to separate us from darkness. The difficulty of the practice depends on how much we love the Lord, how much we long for his Kingdom to come. After completing the practice each time, encourage one another, stay connected.

When Jesus asked Peter three times “Do you love me?” — we are asked the same. May we respond with three willingnesses, three desires, three calls.

We close with a hymn: “The Lord’s Prayer (Please Teach Us to Pray)” — by the Tongxinyuan (Same Heart Circle).