The teaching will be Matthew 6:9-13. This section of Scripture has been called “the Lord’s prayer,” but as Sproul and others have pointed out, it is more aptly titled the “disciple’s prayer” because is lays the perfect pattern for Spirit-led prayer for those who claim to follow Christ

John Piper states that the prayer is actually composed of six prayers, and the first is fundamentally and profoundly different than the other five. Believers who actually believe that the NAME of our Father in heaven IS hallowed (holy, greatly feared and respected), can pray in peace and confidence the other five prayers.

A good story to illustrate God’s majesty is the epic contest orchestrated by Elijah on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18).

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-9; 1 Kings 18, Isaiah 6, 55.

Memory Verse: Our Father in Heaven, may your name be kept HOLY.” Matt. 6:9

Handout: Hallowed be Thy Name Handout

Craft Idea: Altar Showdown Craft

Jesus said, “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may YOUR NAME be kept HOLY.”

Jesus said this to teach His disciples that the most important thing about prayer is not HOW you say it, or WHAT you say, but recognizing WHO you are praying to!!!

From the beginning of Time, God has been telling us that He is HOLY. And from the beginning, we have been trying to understand what that really means. You see, the word HOLY is not an everyday word. It is a word that is set apart to describe something VERY WONDERFUL. In fact it is used to describe how GOD is fundamentally more amazing and wonderful than we can imagine. He is ONE TRUE GOD, who exists in three persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and He is set apart as above anything or anyone else.

He showed the holiness of HIS NAME to the people of Israel many times and many ways. One example was during Elihah’s time. Remember the story of king Ahab, who put his faith in the name of Baal, instead of the Name of the Lord?

Elijah told Ahab to bring the Israelites and 450 of his prophets of Baal to meet him on Mount Carmel. Then Elijah stood in front of the people of Israel and said, “How much longer will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.

Then God proved His power and superiority when Elijah set up two altars, one for Baal and one for God. Elijah told the prophets of Baal call on the name of their god, and he would call on the NAME OF THE LORD. The god who answered by setting fire to the wood would be the true God!

Remember what happened next? All 450 of Baal’s prophets tried and tried to ask Baal to bring fire for the altar. But he didn’t show up (because he was not real). Then even after dousing the entire altar in buckets and buckets of water, God answered Elijah when he called upon His name, and brought fire that consumed the offering AND even the rocks of the altar!

That is how SET APART the Name of God is; it is like the difference between NOTHING and EVERYTHING.

Isaiah, who saw God’s Holiness firsthand and responded by recognizing his own sinfulness, wrote a quote from God: “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Hence the stars in the coloring page)

So as Jesus was teaching his disciples how to pray, He said that the most important thing to remember is WHO we are praying to. And that is the One True God who lives in unapproachable light (1 Tim 6:16), but who listens to the prayers of His children. And His children are those who put their faith and hope in Jesus!

And so when we recognize who we are praying to, then by the Holy Spirit, that will guide WHAT we say and HOW we say it!