The Lord’s Prayer - “Our Father” (Part 1)

“Our Father”

In Matthew 6, Jesus sat down with his disciples and began to teach them how to pray. He began with two simple words that taught them everything He wanted us to know about approaching God in prayer. Those two words changed forever the way that the world would look at Him. They are, "Our Father.”

This was ground breaking stuff to a world that thought of God only as “Almighty God” or "Most Holy Lord.” Israel was a nation that possessed the very name of God but they were afraid to even speak it for fear of offending Him.

Consider what Jesus chose to teach us here. When Jesus prayed a prayer that was to be a model for His church for the rest of recorded time, the very first word out of His mouth was OUR. He made Himself a part of the earthly equation when He did that. He could have said MY Father and excluded us. Or He could have said YOUR Father and distanced Himself from us. But, He didn’t. He said “Our Father” and made it known that He is in this with us. He is one of us. The Bible hammers this home to us in these verses:

Philippians 2:5-8

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God … emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant and … humbled Himself.”

Hebrews 4:15

“We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

John 1:1-14 describes Jesus as “becoming flesh and dwelling among us.” He “came into the world,” giving us the right to become children of God. And Hebrews 2:17 tells us why: “To be made like His brethren in all things.”

Jesus entered the battle with us so that He could win the war for us. God is OUR Father. Jesus wants you to be clear about that before you utter a single word of prayer to Him.