LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 168

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168

IV. THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS­­—COMMISSION ON THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
4: “This is how you should pray…”

B.
(Pray Psalm 30 if this is a separate session)

(TPP, pages 36-42)

A.
Opening: Pray Psalm 51:7-15
Prayer is a universal practice, but Christians pray “in Jesus’ name,” that is, because of the Gospel of
forgiveness which gives us confidence before God. Christian prayer actually comes as a response to God
who commands our prayers, promises to hear them, gives us actual words to speak, and in so doing, helps
us to know our deepest needs.
This is how you should pray…
Who teaches us to pray? “Jesus!” would be the children’s answer, and they’re right. But does that mean
that the prayers of God’s people before Christ’s coming were inadequate? Not at all, for their faith was in
the Christ to come who was promised and who spoke before His incarnation in the Spirit-given prayers of
Israel.
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Christians pray the psalms and other Old Testament prayers, just as Jesus did when he joined in
temple worship and prayer (Lk 2:41-51; Jn 7:28; Acts 14:23; Col 3:16).
Christians pray personally, just as Jesus did (Lk 9:18; Acts 10:30; Ph 4:5-6).
Christians pray for all—even enemies, just as Jesus did (Mt 5:44; 1 Tim 2:1-2).

More than just example
Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 and Romans 12:4-5 and consider the importance of our incorporation into
Christ. We have the example of Jesus’ prayer practice, but, more importantly, we have been joined to
Christ as members of His body. Therefore, as Augustine says, “when the Body of the Son prays, it
separates not its Head from itself: and it is … our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who both prays for
us, and prays in us, and is prayed to by us” (TPP, 36).
Christ-focused prayer
Read and discuss Psalm 4:3, Romans 8:15, and Galatians 4:6. Our faith is focused on Jesus Christ and
so also Christian prayer revolves around Him. In and with the Son of God, we know the Father. The Holy
Spirit works faith in Jesus Christ and so, by Him, shows us that we are God’s children also and leads us to
call Him “Abba, Father.”
The Son of God has become the Son of man, one with the Father and “He prays for us, as our
Priest; He prays in us, as our Head; He is prayed to by us, as our God” (Augustine, TPP, 36)

Children learn to speak from conversation with their parents. God’s children learn to speak to God from
God. That way of learning is reflected throughout Scripture, but it perfected in Christ. In the revelation of
God in Christ and the gift of the Spirit, we come to see that in a fundamental way, our prayers are to the
Father, through the Son, by the Spirit.
Lord, teach us to pray
Luke 11:1-13 tells of the disciples’ request, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Jesus’ answer, in the following
verses, includes both a prayer and a series of brief glimpses into human behavior that encourage prayer.
In a little book called Psalms: The Prayerbook of the Bible, Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls it “pure grace” that
God teaches us to speak to Him and he reminds us that children of God, just like children of men, learn to
speak by listening. Nowhere is that more true than in the Lord’s Prayer itself.
The way or manner of Christian prayer
Jesus shows us how—the way—to talk to God. He gives us words— “say this”—and he also provides the
“manner” in which God’s children pray, “for that is what we are” (1 Jn 3:1).
Children of God…for that is what we are!
Children talk even before they can articulate words, in cries, babbling, and gestures. They talk without
inhibition in the confidence of childhood, especially to mother and father. So also, there is nothing for the
believer to hide from God. Consider: Psalm 5:1; Psalm 13:1; Psalm 38:9; Romans 8:26. God
encourages our prayer, even though what we ask may often be immature or even foolish.
Our status as children of God
See John 20:17 and Galatians 3:26-27. Note the basis for our claim to be God’s children. It is a revealed
truth, not a human deduction, that we are His. In baptism we are adopted, in Christ Jesus, who brings us
to His Father and makes Him our Father. Nothing is too trivial for our Father.
Encouragement along the way (of prayer)
Sometimes our hearts become cool and we lose our way in prayer through weariness, busy-ness, doubts,
inadequacies, and temptations. The Word of the Lord urges and encourages, showing us again and again
prayer’s simplicity, giving reasons for confidence. Children are persistent—often annoyingly so—but in
His only-begotten Son, the heavenly Father encourages all of His adopted children to be persistent and
earnest in prayer. Read and discuss Luke 18:1-8; Luke 10:2. God knows our frailty (Ps 38:8-9), yet
welcomes our prayers nonetheless. To us, too weak to bear life’s burdens alone, He gives the body of
Christ to pray with and for us and calls us to pray for one another (Lk 9:28; Col 4:2-3; 1 Thess 5:25;
Jam 5:16).
“All the prayers of Holy Scripture are summarized in the Lord’s Prayer, and they are contained
in its immeasurable breadth. They are not made superfluous by the Lord’s Prayer but constitute
the inexhaustible richness of the Lord’s Prayer as the Lord’s Prayer is their summation.” (D.
Bonhoeffer, quoted in TPP, 37.)

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5: Jesus’ prayer priorities—I

B.
(Pray Psalm 122 if this is a separate session)

(TPP, pages 42-52)

A.
Opening: Pray Psalm 113
We pray as children speaking to their Father because our elder Brother urges it, showing us both our
relationship to our Father and also our relationship with each other as brothers and sisters.
God welcomes all His children’s prayers—so does what we say in prayer matter?

The Second Petition: “Thy kingdom come” (Matt 6:10)
There is an awful lot of bad stuff in the world. Hmmm. Is God king or not?
God hallows His name by His Word—made flesh and spoken. Now the question is will the Word impact
our lives? Or would we rather have some other ruler? (Is 26:13) How does this happen?
What is the kingdom all about?

Certainly, our life of prayer is not restricted, but set free because our Father wills to hear us. Every
sincere, heartfelt prayer is welcomed by our heavenly Father—whether it is the simplest spontaneous
prayer of a child or the most eloquent prayer of a great theologian. But the freedom to pray freely in our
own words according to our heart’s concerns does not mean that we have no need to grow and mature in
how and what we pray. The Word of God teaches not only a way of prayer—free and heartfelt—but also
words for prayer that show us the heart of God.

It’s good news! (See Mt 4:23.) Matthew 13 is all about the kingdom and its mysterious nature—see vv.
11, 24, 31, 44. Many miss it; Satan hates it; its power is mysterious; and its future makes it priceless.
Matthew 18:1-4 shows us who fits into the kingdom. So how does it come to us? By the Spirit as He
hallows the name for us (Jn 3:5; Rom 14:17).

Look at the following New Testament references and the Old Testament reference that accompanies it:
Matthew 27:46 (Ps 22); Luke 23:46 (Ps 31); Matthew 21:16 (Ps 8:2); Matthew 22:44 (Ps 110); John
10 (Ps 23, Ps 95). These verses show us that our Lord prayed and memorized psalms, the prayers of
Israel. Praying with Jesus means praying Scripture and so praying the book of Psalms and, of course, the
Lord’s Prayer also (Mt 6:7-13).

When the Spirit works faith in God’s Word, God’s kingly rule comes to us. Only by faith do people
become joyful citizens of His kingdom (1 Cor 12:3). Of course, God is ruling in other ways, too, in such
things as nature and government (a kingdom of power, not grace). And, also, we prayer for the final,
complete coming of His kingdom on the last day (Rev 11:15).

The First Petition: “Hallowed be thy name” (Mt 6:9)

The Third Petition: “Thy will be done” (Mt 6:10)

Why is God’s holy name a priority? What is he teaching us? How might 1 Timothy 2:4 fit? Discuss this
comment from Luther: “In this petition God becomes everything and man becomes nothing.” “God” only
means the real God when the real God tells us who He is and what He intends and does for the world—as
His Word teaches and enriches us (Col 3:16).

Luke 11:1-4 does not have this petition, which summarizes the first two. A holy name plus kingdom
presence equals the accomplishment of God’s will. Because God allows rebellion, his will isn’t done
automatically. That’s the difference between heaven and earth and the reason we pray (or struggle; see
Gen 32:28), since we are seeking God’s promised future.

What’s in a name?

The will of God

Leviticus 20:3 shows us that the right use of God’s name is serious business. He sets His face against
those who profane it. Leviticus 19:12 reminds us that either His name is hallowed or it is profaned. Note
how He names himself: “I am who I am” or, as it can also be translated, “I will be who I will be” (Ex
3:14). We, in contrast, are who God has made us to be.

Read 1 Timothy 2:3-4. God’s will is something far too deep for us in many ways. But one thing is crystal
clear: His loving will for people to have His salvation.

How is the name hallowed?

“He breaks and hinders every evil plan of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature… and when He
strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die” (Small Catechism). An unholy trinity of
Satan, human rebellion, and individual sin would destroy us, but God’s will is to keep us safe with Him
(Ps 40:8; Ph 2:13; Jam 1:18).

Ez 36:23 says literally: “I will hallow my great name.” God hallows His name by making Himself known
in Word and sacred sign (the sacraments). So Luther explained: “God’s name is hallowed when the Word
of God is taught in its truth and purity and we, his children, lead holy lives.” His name is hallowed as He
speaks to us and we speak back in Jesus’ name in prayer, for Jesus has “inherited” this holy name (Hb
1:4).
“If anyone suffers as a Christian…let him glorify God in that name” (1 Pet 4:16).

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2016 Convention Workbook

The kingdom comes when…

God’s will is done when…

“We are capable of receiving His [God’s] works and His counsels only when our own counsels
have ceased and our works have stopped and we are made purely passive before God, both with
regard to our inner as well as our outward activities.” (Luther, quoted in TPP, 51.)

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