Our Lord’s Prayer Intercessory Retreat 2005 Childhaven Matthew 6: 9-13 Our Father Who is in heaven Hallowed be Your Name Your kingdom come Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever Amen. Father He is the most magnificent of all • • • • His love His character His ways His sovereignty Our Relationship builder 1. Presuppositions: 1. Good relationship with our Father (vertical) 2. Good relationship with our neighbours (horizontal) Family, colleagues, local church, friends 2. Implications: 1. Representation of various families: Tribe (genetic), people (cultural), nation (political), work (professional) 2. Healthcare: relationism, not socialism or capitalism 3. Repentance: individualism, self-sufficiency 4. The Christian care-giver = human being = primarily a relationship builder (vertically and horizontally) Who is in Heaven Allegiance 1. Who Theism: one, personal, infinite God who is actively involved in history 2. Heaven Biblical cosmology 1. Includes heaven + hell 2. Cosmos has ≥ 10 dimensions 3. Longing for new heaven / earth 4. Repentance: Egoism, materialism, monism, idolatry 5. The Christian caregiver’s primary allegiance is to Jesus Christ Christ-centred life at home, church, profession Hallowed be Your Name Character 1. Hallowed: 1. Holy God: Absolute, Unique, Jealous 2. Holy followers: Be holy for I am holy The Christian caregiver desires Christ-like character 2. Your Name: 1. 2. 3. 4. Reveals Him Study His Names Praise Him Declare His Lordship over healthcare 3. Repentance: Pride, pluralism, perversion, impurity, immorality Your kingdom come Visionary 1. Father’s kingdom: 1. Primarily eternal = vertical not of this world 2. Secondarily temporal = horizontal visible manifestations 3. Living in broken reality on the brink of eternity: 1. Soon perfection will come, but not yet 2. Strive for the maximum manifestation of Father’s kingdom now 2. Repentance: Own kingdoms 3. The Christian caregiver has inspiring vision for God’s kingdom in the workplace Your will be done Transformer 1. Your will be done 1. Repentance + Renewal + Revival + Reconciliation + Reformation = Transformation 2. On earth as in heaven 1. God’s will in all areas of life: includes profession 2. Integrity = applying God’s will consistently to all areas of my life both inwardly and outwardly 3. Pluralism has affected all of us earnest combined effort to break free 3. Repentance: Obstinacy, knowing better than God, stiff-necked-ness, 4. The Christian caregiver is an agent of transformation Father’s will: What is it? 1. For all men: salvation in Christ 2. For all Christians: 1. Character mandate: to become Christ-like and to behave Christ-like 2. Creational mandate: to rule over God’s creation (includes all healthcare activities) 3. Commission mandate: as you go make disciples of all nations 3. transforming people transforming society Give us this day Servant 1. Trusting our Lord and Master to provide We function best: 1. 2. 2. 3. Weakness that brings us to God is strength Gratitude (A grateful heart lives to pray and prays to live) 1. 2. 4. 6. The good things that bring joy and restoration The hard things that produce character Generosity 1. 5. Dependence on God Interdependence on one another Giving is a major source of joy Repentance: salvation by works, stinginess, covetousness, greed, worry The Christian caregiver serves others, using what has been received from God Forgive us… Motivation by grace 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. By nature I am not OK, I am a lost sinner All guilt needs to be dealt with Live out of forgiveness received Give expensive forgiveness Repentance: Self-righteousness; selfjustification; bitterness; unforgiveness 6. The Christian caregiver is motivated by grace not by guilt Expensive Forgiveness / Reconciliation Guilt exists Where laws have been broken in the relationship between parties such as individuals, tribes, peoples, nations Whether the parties feel guilty or not All guilt needs to be dealt with adequately: Personal, social, legal, theological Importance of reconciliation between the parties Lead us not into temptation Soldier 1. Not invincible but vulnerable professional 2. We need guidance for living the kingdom 3. Learn how to handle temptation, James 1 1. Recognize, resist, rejoice 4. Spiritual warfare according to Ephesians 6 5. Repentance: Compromise; back-sliding; selfreliance 6. The Christian care-giver perseveres in the battle against our three enemies: Satan, the flesh (sarx) and the world (Babylonian system) Ephesians 6: Principles of battle 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Fight from victory not for victory Not the many but the few Losing a battle is not losing the war Battling is wrestling with a tough opponent Constant communication with the General Weapons of offence and defence No turning back Areas to deal with in the battle • • • • • • Mammon generous release of resources Lust purity Pride humility Corruption integrity Moloch against killing and for healthy life Deception / lies of Satan truth of God – Alternative therapies – False teaching about healing • The curse of decay and stagnation which comes over those who are slack in serving God, Jer 48 Yours is the kingdom… Worshipper 1. Praise the Lord anyhow 2. Repentance: Not my/our glory 3. The Christian caregiver brings the manifest presence of God into situations of suffering through worship What does our Lord’s Prayer mean for the Christian caregiver? • Our Father: relationship builder • Who is in heaven: allegiance to Christ • Hallowed be Your Name: Christ-like character • Your kingdom come: visionary • Your will be done: transformer • Give us this day: servant • Forgive us: grace-motivation • Lead us not into temptation: soldier • Yours is the kingdom: worshipper Will you say Amen to our Lord’s Prayer?