Lessons in the Small Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther For the Senior Department of Lutheran Sunday-Schools and for General Use · George Mezger
LESSON 39.
The Lord's Prayer. The Introduction. Which is the Introduction? _Our Father who art in heaven._ What does this mean? _God would by these Words tenderly invite us to believe that He is our true Father, and that we are His true children, so that we may with all boldness and confidence ask Him as dear children ask their dear father._ 1. We have thus far considered the _Ten Commandments,_ the holy _Law_ of the Lord, in which our heavenly Father tells us what we should do and not do, how we, as His children, should live according to His will. We have considered the Law, which teaches us that we have not kept it, that we have sinned against God and therefore deserved His punishment, eternal death and damnation.--We have considered the _Three Articles of the Christian Faith,_ which teach us the _Gospel,_ the glad tidings of what the Triune God, our Redeemer, has done and will do for us to save us from sin and death, that we may live in His kingdom in everlasting innocence, righteousness, and blessedness. In its Third Part our Catechism explains to us the _Lord's Prayer,_ that is, the prayer that our Lord once taught His apostles.
2. We read (Luke 11,1) that, at a certain time, the disciples saw and, probably heard their Master praying, speaking with His Father in heaven. This made so deep an impression upon them that one of them asked the Lord: _"Lord, teach us to pray."_ The Lord gladly complied with this request and said: _"When ye pray, say: Our Father who art in heaven,"_ etc. The Lord Himself gave His disciples this prayer, and therefore we call it the Lord's Prayer. We say this beautiful prayer _very often, daily,_ and we should do so. Our Lord gave it to us. When we use this prayer, we know that we pray according to our Master's will. But reciting this prayer is not enough, we must also understand what we are praying. We should ever better learn _what the words of this prayer mean._ Let us see how our Catechism explains them.
3. _"Our Father who art in heaven,"_ thus our Lord teaches us to address _the true God, the Triune God._ What love God has bestowed upon us that we are called His children, and that we are permitted to call Him _Father!_ 1 John 3,1. Christ might have chosen different names to address God; but He teaches us to call God our _Father._ Why does He do so? _"God would by these words tenderly invite us to believe that He is our true Father and we are His true children."_ When we come to God to speak to Him in our prayers, we should always believe and remember that God is our true Father, and that we are His true children. _You know that God is indeed your Father and you are His child._ It is true, we are all sinners, and the holy God hates sin, but our dear Lord has redeemed us from all sins and has earned for us forgiveness of sins and righteousness in the sight of God. _Through Christ, my Brother,_ I have become God's true child, and God has become my true Father. _In Christ's name_ I come to God and call Him Father, believing that for Christ's sake God really is my Father and I am His child. _"For this cause"_ (because Christ is my Brother) _"I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named."_ Eph. 3,14.15. Remember that only those who believe in Jesus Christ may call God their Father. _Only children of God, through faith in Christ, can really pray to God._
4. We pray to God, our Father. How _tenderly_ does this name _invite_ us to come to Him in our need! How this name does give us courage, _"so that we may with all boldness and confidence ask Him as dear children ask their dear father"!_ A child is not afraid to come to his beloved father, to tell him with confidence all that he wants and needs. He knows that hie dear father will gladly listen to him and help him. So it is with the children of God. They do not fear to come to their Father, for He loves them. They do not doubt, but confidently believe that their dear Father _will hear their prayer and help them._ Our Father promised to do that. By the endearing name Father, God reminds us: I am your Father, you are my dear child. Come without fear and doubt; pray with ail confidence. I will hear your prayer. 5. _"Our Father who art in heaven."_ This Father of ours to whom we pray is not a weak, not an earthly father. God is the _heavenly Father;_ He is the almighty God, the Lord of heaven and earth. He can do whatsoever He wills. With all confidence we come to Him and believe that He not only will hear our prayers, but _is also able to help us in every need and trouble._
6. Our Lord teaches us to say: _"Our_ Father who art in heaven." He reminds us of the fact that _all true believers are children of God, and that all children of God pray for and with each other._ "One God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all." Eph. 4,6. I am not the only one praying to God, but a great host of fellow-men, all my brethren in Christ, are praying with me and for me. In Christ's name I pray to my Father in heaven for and with all my brethren; should I not therefore with all confidence ask my dear Father, as dear children ask their dear father? 1. _Always pray in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior. Through Him alone God is your true Father, and you are His true child. In His name you may and should ask your Father in heaven as dear children ask their dear father._ 2. _As God's child through Christ pray to your Father without fear and doubt, with the firm, confidence that He will hear and accept your prayer._ 3. _The Father to whom you pray is the heavenly Father, the almighty God. To Him we pray with all confidence that He not only will, but also can answer our prayers and help us in all our troubles._ _Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God._ 1 John 3,1. _For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named._ Eph. 3,14.15. _One God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all._ Eph. 4,6.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.