Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: Matthew 6:5-15; Ephesians 6:18
Memory Verse: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6(Pre-K to grade 3)
"Now it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, that one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples'" (Luke 11:1) Word received: That is a prayer I delight to answer: "Lord, teach me to pray." I want my people to come to me with that prayer. I will teach them.
Jesus had a good deal to teach about prayer but the most powerful part was his example. He would daily find time to be alone with his Father in Heaven and he only did what he saw his Father doing and "whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say." (John 12:50b) Growing in the Spirit means growing in our relationship to God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), growing in obedience and in our likeness to his character.
In his teaching in Matthew 6, Jesus expects that his disciples will have regular times of private prayer. "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." (Matthew 6:6) Word received: Come to me, my people, come to me. I want you to come into my presence without distractions. Find a quiet place and a quiet time where you can be alone with me.
Jesus asks us--who are we doing our prayers for?--and our giving--and our good deeds? Are they done to be seen and praised by others? for our own satisfaction? or for God? Jesus' guideline is to do them privately--and our Father will see and reward us.
"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward." (Matthew 6:5) Word received: Remember the Pharisee who "prayed thus with himself" and the tax collector who "would not even look up to heaven." They were two men in the same place doing the same thing, but their prayers were utterly different. Both were praying about themselves, but the Pharisee prayed with pride and the tax collector with humility. I want you to pray with humility when you come into my presence.
Another guideline of Jesus was--no long prayers, no fancy phrases or vocabulary. Why? First, we are not to show off. This reminds me of the comment about a famous preacher, "It was the finest prayer ever offered to a Boston audience." Secondly, God already knows what we need--and even want--before we ask, but he wants us to ask!
"And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words." (Matthew 6:7) Word received: Remember your cry to me as you awoke, "Dad, I really want to go," and how I answered that prayer by sending you and Jean and the other children to Brereton's wedding in Japan. It was few words, but they were words from your heart and I answered them.
"Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him." (Matthew 6:8) Word received: Come to me with your requests, I already know your needs; I already know your heart's desire. I AM a father who delights to have his children come to him.
Now look at the pattern of prayer Jesus taught us. The first three requests are about God's glory, but the first phrase calls God "Our Father"! One of the striking things Jesus did was to teach his disciples to call God their Father in heaven. This way of referring to God is unusual in the Old Testament. He is also our Father. We are part of a family of God and we pray for them also. [Calling God "Father" is considered blasphemous by Muslims as being too intimate with God.] But in Jesus, we too can have a family and personal relationship to God. There is almost an epidemic of fatherlessness in our society and discovering God as Father is a very healing thing.
Note: Consider reading the Lord's prayer from the "Good News Bible" at the end of the study guide so it will be a little less familiar and therefore fresher.) The phrase "on earth as it is in heaven" belongs to all three requests: "May your Name be held holy", "May your kingdom come" (the rule of God), "May your will be done".
The rest of the requests are about us.. "Give us today our needed bread". This goes with Jesus' teaching about not being anxious about future needs because God knows our needs and cares for us. He will provide what we need and we can trust him.
"Forgive us our debts/sins as we forgive other's debts/sins against us. Jesus continues with this idea in verses 14-15. God means what he says about the need to forgive. Unforgiveness will block God's forgiveness and will also block healing. Peter asked Jesus how many times he had to forgive someone and Jesus' answer was "70 times 7" meaning no limit. We do not want limits on God's forgiveness of us! Remember what God told Samuel (1 Samuel 16:7) that people look on the outside but God knows the heart!
The next request is about being delivered from "evil" or "the evil one" and not leading us into hard testing. James 1:13 says God does not tempt anyone. However he does allow it--to strengthen us and purify us, just as Jesus was tempted/tested so that Jesus would be prepared for the temptations that would come during his ministry. ("Test" and "tempt" are the same word in the original.) Notice how Jesus handled his temptations by the Devil--with fasting and prayer and by using the Word of God, the "sword of the Spirit". (Matthew 4:1f) In Gethsemane, Jesus warned his disciples to pray that they would not enter into the temptation that was coming. But they went to sleep instead! (Matthew 26:41) "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation".
The doxology in verse 13 is not considered to be part of the original prayer but was added when the prayer was used in worship. It is modeled after King David's prayer in 1 Chronicles 29:11. ["Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD and you are exalted as head over all."] A doxology is words of praise glorifying God. There are many in the Bible.
Another important teaching about prayer is how we react to those who mistreat us. Jesus says in Luke 6:22, "Pray for those who despitefully use you." so we are to pray for them as well as forgive them.
Paul also gives the new Christians guidance about prayer. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (Philippians 4:6) Word received: Lay aside your worries, cast your cares on me; that is the way to pray. Pray without fear, don't be afraid to tell me what is on your heart.
"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18) Word received: "in the Spirit" -- expect my Spirit to direct your prayers so that you can pray according to my mind. I want to direct your prayers -- listen to me as you talk with me. How do you feel when someone talks with you and does all the talking, never listening to you? Remember what Eli taught the boy Samuel, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." (Listening in this reference means to hear intelligently, with attention and obedience.) God wants to be invited into our situations and he has things he wants to tell us. Will we let him?
Another recurrent theme is to pray with thanksgiving. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) "in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Giving thanks "in all circumstances" not only is this God's will for us but we are acknowledging God's love and care for us and inviting Him into the situation because "God is enthroned(dwells) in the praises of Israel". In the New Testament Romans 8: 28 reminds us "For we know that God works in all things for good with those who love him"
Our Father in heaven: May your holy name be honored; may your Kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need. Forgive us the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us. Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the Evil One. (Matthew 6:9b-13, Good News Translation)
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 27
Please read the Study Guide first (after you have read the Scriptures). Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year. Read the lesson aloud from the Bible in class.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1. God loves you very much. He wants to be our very best friend and a good Father to us. He wants us to ask him to live in our hearts and start talking with him right away.
Have you asked him in? He will NEVER leave you.
2 Talking with God is called praying. It is talking to Jesus and to our Father in Heaven. It doesn't need to be fancy or long for He already knows what you need and want.
3. When we talk to God, really talk to him, as a friend, not just rattling off a prayer you have learned. That's OK to use a prayer you've learned but really mean what you are saying! We can follow a prayer we learned in church or make up our own.
4. Jesus wants us to call God our Father who loves you more than anyone else and he can take care of you. When we're scared or need help or don't know what to do, just call out and ask for help. The shortest prayer some adults have is "Help!"
5. When we talk to God we need to thank him first for all he has given us and for who he is. We need to thank him even in bad times because he can bring good out of bad times.
6. The more we talk to God the better we will get to know him and be able to hear him. God wants us to listen as well as talk, like little Samuel did.
7. We can use the Lord's Prayer as a model. (Tell the kids what each sentence means and how to begin and end a prayer. Try to get the kids to make up a prayer for some different situations.)
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