Living the Lord's Prayer Bible Study
By Melissa Lauber
When asked for a summary of their faith, one of the most honest things a Christian might offer in response is the Lord’s Prayer. It is a guidepost for every person of faith to follow, said Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar during a Bible study June 8-10 at the annual session of the Peninsula-Delaware Conference.
But too often, “Jesus’ prayer has had its wings clipped,” Devadhar said. The words and their intention have become familiar and domesticated. “If every United Methodist said and lived the Lord’s Prayer, we would not be doing disaffiliations today.”
In a two-hour Bible study, punctuated with stories and academic citations, the bishop explored the individual phrases that comprise the prayer presented in Luke 11:1-13 and Matthew 6:9-13.
The Lord’s Prayer, Bishop Devadhar stressed, “is one of the greatest gifts God has given to the entire world: … Let us go into and live the prayer,” he said.
Our Father
In this salutation, “Jesus challenges us to know who God is,” Devadhar said. It should not be viewed as patriarchal, but an expression of relationship with a loving parent. As we begin to pray, it is our personal relationship with God that counts and how we apply that relationship to all our brothers and sisters.
Who Art in heaven
God is transcendent, above and beyond us, Devadhar said. The Greek word is ouranos, the realm of stars, the realm where God dwells, the air we are surrounded by. John Wesley’s final words were “Best of all, God is with us.” God is never confined. The work of heaven continues in us.
Hallowed be thy name
God is a personal God who journeys with us. It is essential to uphold that holiness in everything we say and do. God’s holy nature is reflected in some of God’s names: El Shaddai - Lord God Almighty; Jehovah Rapha - The Lord that Heals; Jehovah Shalom - The Lord is Peace; Jehovah Raah - The Lord is my Shepherd; and Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will Provide.
Your Kingdom come
“We need to remember that the church is not the Kingdom, but a means to the Kingdom,” said Bishop Devadhar. “Our duty as Christians, wherever we are, is to extend the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven
“We live in a time where God’s will is often mistaken,” the bishop said. We must listen for the voice of God.” For Devadhar, this voice is often most clearly experienced in the Sermon on the Mount and its Beatitudes, which holds up a counter-cultural way of life. In Matthew 5, “Jesus gives a blueprint for Christian life through the Beatitudes.”
The bishop went on to say that “no ministry of participating in the work of the extension of God’s reign is complete without submitting ourselves to the will of God. All ministry is about submission.” When we say we are living God’s will in our daily lives, we are holding a mirror of the Sermon on the Mount up in front of ourselves and asking how we can be a reflection of it.
Give us this day our daily bread
When the prayer speaks of bread, it is a metaphor for everything that is necessary for the preservation of daily life. But what is necessary isn’t always about ourselves. Often it means sharing with others, said Devadhar, who cited Bishop Violet Fisher, whose mother advised, “always add another leaf to the table.” We need to extend the table and give food to whoever comes to our house.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
The idea of forgiveness sparks a passion in Devadhar’s soul. “There is no future without forgiveness,” he said, citing Bishop Desmond Tutu and his truth and reconciliation work around apartheid in South Africa.
He encouraged United Methodists, before they take Communion or whenever else it might feel necessary, to approach people and to seek forgiveness from those they may have harmed or offended, also remembering that “there can be no forgiveness without justification.”
And do not bring us into times of trial, but rescue us from the evil one
“The word grace is familiar to us,” Bishop Devadhar said. No one can get through life on their own strength and power. “Even Christ was tempted. … But God’s angels are limitless.”
“No matter how educated, wealthy or confident we are, the bishop continued, “we are not insulated from trials or evil activities. We cannot carry on our Christian journey without God’s grace the love of Christ and the guiding of the Holy Spirit.”
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer calls us to action every day, Devadhar concluded.
“Friends, what does the Lord’s Prayer mean to us? Do we just recite it, or do we really mean it and live it? If each and every one of us not only says the Lord’s Prayer but lives the Lord’s Prayer, we do not need to do anything else,” he said. “Our witness will bring others to our churches and to God Himself. … May God grant you the power and grace to go onto perfection, so that we can do our level best to live the Lord’s Prayer.”
Additional resources:
Video:
The Amazing Benefits of Laughter & Forgiveness - Dr.B.M.Hegde speech
Books:
- Becoming Jesus' Prayer:Transforming Your Life Through the Lord's Prayer by Gregory V.Palmer, Cindy M.McCalmont, and Brian K.Milford, The Pilgrim Press, 2005
- Maximum Saints Forgive by Yong Hui V.McDonald, Transformation Project Prison Ministry, 2010
Also see their website at http://www.transformprisons.org
In his Bible study, Bishop Devadhar referred to the commentary on the Beatitudes in “Feasting on the Word.” (Feasting on the Gospels: A Feasting on the Word Commentary, Matthew, Volume 1)
When we do the will of God, we are fighting with two cultures.
Our culture says, Happy are those with great prospects for marriage and work, because they will be successful. Jesus says, Happy are the destitute, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Our culture says, Happy are those whose loved ones enjoy health, because they will not worry. Jesus says, Happy are the people who grieve, because they will be made glad.
Our culture says, Happy are those who enjoy power, because they will be in charge. Jesus says, Happy are the people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth.
Our culture says, Happy are the people who can buy any pleasure, because they can do whatever makes them feel good. Jesus says, Happy are the people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because they will be fed until they are full.
Our culture says, Happy are the people who have power to sit in judgment over others, because they can boss people around. Jesus says, Happy are the people who show mercy, because they will receive mercy.
Our culture says, Happy are the people who can run down their opponent by whatever means possible, because they will see victory. Jesus says, Happy are the people who have pure hearts, because they will see God.
Our culture says, Happy are the people who can beat their opponents, because they are winners. Jesus says, Happy are the people who make peace, because they will be called God's children.
Our culture says, Happy are the people whose lives are lived in total freedom to do whatever they want because they do not have constraints. Jesus says, Happy are the people whose lives are harassed because they are righteous, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Our culture says, Happy are the people who are popular, because they will be rewarded with a great reputation. Jesus says, Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me. Be full of joy and be glad because you have a great reward in heaven. In the same way, people harassed the prophets who came before you.