Lesson 9
The Lord’s Prayer
Jesus taught us The Lord’s Prayer or The Our Father prayer to help us understand what it means to live as God’s children.
“Our Father who art in Heaven” means that we acknowledge that Jesus’ Father in heaven is also our Father. We trust that God the Father is our loving and caring Father, and He shares His life and love with us through His Son Jesus Christ.
“Hallowed be thy name” means that we bless and worship God who is all holy. God’s name is holy, therefore we live our lives according to His word and commandments. We also do not take God’s name in vain, by swearing or using bad language.
“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” means that we want God’s Kingdom in heaven to be here on earth as well. We can do that by sharing the Gospel and God’s love throughout the world. The kingdom of God on earth means that all people on earth live according to God’s will; in other words, that all people live according to the way God wants us to live.
“Give us this day our daily bread” means that we ask God for the things that we need each day. God does not give us everything we want or ask for, but we trust that God gives us everything that we need.
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” means that we ask God to forgive us our sins in the same way that we forgive others who sin against us. Asking God to forgive us and, at the same time, forgiving others help us to live as God’s children.
“And lead us not into temptation” means that we ask God to help us to choose to do what is good, and to avoid situations that make us do what is bad. We believe that God will help us if we ask Him.
“But deliver us from evil” means that we ask God to protect and to save us from all kinds of evil – bad things, bad situations and bad persons especially the devil.
Questions:
- Why did Jesus teach us to pray The Lord’s Prayer?
- How do we keep God’s name holy?
- What does the kingdom of God here on earth mean?
- True or False. If we pray every day, God will give us everything we want or ask for.
- True or False. We can still be God’s children even if we do not forgive others.
- What are we asking God when we say “deliver us from evil”?