Scripture References: Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:2; 1 Chronicles 16:23-31; Psalm 23; Romans 15:8-9; Psalm 100; Psalm 103
Intro: Welcome! We continue our series, "Lord, Teach Us to Pray." Last week, we saw prayer is fundamentally relational ("Our Father"). Today, we explore the very next phrase Jesus taught: "Hallowed be Your name." This reveals prayer is also inherently worshipful. Despite common struggles with prayer (guilt, distraction, feeling inadequate), Jesus teaches a simple, powerful approach starting with relationship and moving immediately to worship.
Key Points:
- Prayer is Worshipful: After addressing God as Father, Jesus immediately focuses on His holiness. "Hallowed" means set apart, worthy of complete devotion, perfect. Acknowledging God's unique worth and character is foundational to prayer.
- Holding Tension: Father & Holy God: Jesus models holding intimacy ("Father") and reverence ("Hallowed") together. We approach God relationally and worshipfully. Seeing Him clearly invokes worship.
- Worship Redirects Focus: Our default is often self-focus in prayer (our needs, our performance). Starting with "Hallowed be Your name" shifts the weight rightly onto who God is, anchoring our prayer not in our changing circumstances but His unchanging character.
- Worship = Ascribing Worth: Worship isn't just singing; it's ascribing ultimate value and worth ("glory"/weight) to something. We all worship daily by giving attention/resources to what we deem most important. Jesus calls us to direct that ultimate worship solely to the Father.
- Fueling Worship with Scripture: How do we worship when words fail or feel stale? Use God's Word!
- Scripture reveals God's character and deeds, giving us content for worship.
- Scripture provides language for worship (esp. Psalms). Praying Scripture (e.g., reading Psalm 23 to God) helps us connect.
- Scripture acts as a springboard for personalized prayer, guided by the Spirit.
- Scripture is our anchor, ensuring our worship is grounded in truth.
- Jesus Leads Our Worship: Jesus is our Mediator to the Father and also leads our worship back to the Father (Rom 15:8-9). He helps us pray and worship rightly.
Conclusion: True prayer, as taught by Jesus, begins with relationship ("Our Father") and flows into worship ("Hallowed be Your name"). It acknowledges God's supreme worth and unique holiness. Engaging with Scripture provides the fuel and vocabulary for this worshipful connection, reminding us who He is and lifting our focus beyond ourselves.
Call to Action: This week, practice starting your prayers by consciously "hallowing" God's name. Before listing requests, take time to adore Him for who He is. Try praying through a Psalm (like 100 or 103), turning its words into personal worship. Let Scripture guide you into deeper, worshipful prayer.
*Summaries and transcripts are generated using AI.
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