Question 35 :: What is the Lord's Prayer?

Answer:

The Lord’s Prayer is a model prayer teaching disciples how to pray.

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Children:

The Lord’s Prayer is an example prayer for us.

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Matthew 6:9-13

This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 

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Commentary:

The Lord’s Prayer should be understood as an example, a pattern, of how to pray. It gives us the “ingredients” that should go into prayers we offer. Included in the Lord’s Prayer is adoration: “Hallowed be your name” Jesus is telling us to worship God, and to praise Him for who He is. Confession: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” reminds us to confess our sins to God and to turn from them, and also to forgive others as God has forgiven us. Thanksgiving: “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is a reminder to us that we are to pray for God’s plan in our lives and the world, not our own plan. And supplication: “give us today our daily bread.” We are encouraged to ask God for the things we need in life.

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Further Study:

Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:1-4; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 John 1:9