The Lord’s Prayers: Week 4

Sermon begins at about 19 minutes

Pastor Andrew Schmidt continues a sermon series as part of our Year of the Lord theme for 2024. This series is called, “The Lord’s Prayers” and it focuses on the prayers that Jesus prayed, with the traditional Lord’s Prayer as a base. During this series you’re encouraged to pray the Lord’s prayer every day!

Audio: (posted on Tuesdays)

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Sermon Notes:

Jesus' instruction to pray 'gives us this day our daily bread' is loaded with meaning and provides a variety of ways to focus our prayers.

Give us what we need today.

Most generally we pray for what we need today and trust God will provide it. When we are overwhelmed (especially by the future) it is good to focus on God giving us what we need for the day which can bring peace where we have anxiety. 

Give us what we need today physically.

We need bread, food, health, etc. All of these are items Jesus gives in the Matthew account of the feeding of the 5000 (Matthew 14:13-21).

Give us what we need today spiritually.

Jesus quoted, when fasting, that man doesn't live by bread alone but by every word that comes from God (Matthew 4:1-4). It's not just our bodies that need daily provision but our souls as well. 

Give us what we need today.

I don't just pray for what I need today but also for the needs of others. Especially this prayer should remind me of God's concern for those without the basics of food, clothes, safety, etc. And I should try to be the answer to this prayer in some way (Matthew 14:16). 

Give us what we need today: Jesus.

Jesus tells us he is the bread of life (John 6:48-51). We can receive life from Him that is outside of us but can be taken into us and become part of us just like with food and drink. This is a picture of what happens by the power of the Holy Spirit when we take communion in faith.