Prayer

9
Message The prayers of Jesus teach us how Christians should pray.

Contents The Lord’s Prayer

The Lord’s intercessory prayer

Catechism CNAC-QA 719 (address in the lesson)

CNAC-QA 632–642, 720 (background information)

Hint If two sessions are scheduled for this double lesson, then all of the material
is to be covered. If only one session is available, please cover only those
parts in section 3 (“The Lord’s intercessory prayer”) that are important for the
homework.

1 Lead-in
Ask What types of prayers do you know?

This question gives the confirmands the opportunity to name various

prayers. For example:

– morning prayer/evening prayer – the prayer before the divine service

– prayers for help – the Lord’s Prayer
– grace – Jesus’ intercessory prayer
– intercessory prayers

Explain In this lesson two of Jesus’ prayers which have been handed down and
are recorded in the New Testament will be discussed. The topic of the
next lesson then is: How we pray?

What does the What does the Bible relate about the prayer life of Jesus? This question is
Catechism say? answered in CNAC-QA 719 (please read together and discuss).

2 The Lord’s Prayer

Explain The Lord’s Prayer is named like this for its opening words (in Latin pater
noster). Two versions of the prayer have been handed down. Its longer
form is found in the Sermon on the Mount in the gospel of Matthew,
the shorter form in the gospel of Luke (Luke 11: 2–4). The wording
in the gospel of Matthew is the more popular version of the prayer
(Matthew 6: 9–13). It is the version that is prayed in most denominations
as a communal prayer in divine service, mostly in connection with the
celebration of Holy Communion. Jesus demonstrated in this prayer how
we should pray.

49
9 Prayer

Elaborate through – When do we pray the Lord’s Prayer in divine service?

questions
It is the prayer which we pray before the forgiveness of sins in the context of
the celebration of Holy Communion.

– What is the content of the Lord’s Prayer?

The address “our Father” identifies the Lord’s Prayer as a communal prayer in
which those praying address God as their Father and understand themselves
to be His children. The prayer includes adoration, petition, confession of sins,
the expression of one’s willingness to reconcile, and praise.

Workbook The Lord’s Prayer will now to be discussed in detail. The teacher asks the
exercise confirmands to do the exercise in the workbook. Looking at the Lord’s Prayer
closely is to help the confirmands in paying attention when it is prayed in
divine service. Afterwards the answers are discussed and supplemented if
necessary. Unanswered questions are also to be discussed.

Our Father Why may we call Him “our Father”?

in heaven. We are creatures of God. God is the one who looks
after His creatures like a good father or a good
mother.

Hallowed be How can we hallow God’s name?

Your name. By giving all praise and honour to God and striving
to lead our lives in accordance with His will. We do
not misuse His name but only use it with reverence.

Your kingdom come. To which kingdom does this refer?

The kingdom of God has already begun to dawn in
Jesus Christ and is present in His church. Beyond
that there is also a future kingdom of God which will
begin with the return of Jesus Christ. It also includes
the thousand-year kingdom of peace and the new
creation.

Your will be done Why should God’s will be done?

on earth as it God is almighty. His will stands above everything
is in heaven. else. In heaven—the realm where God reigns on
His throne—His will prevails in unrestricted fashion.
This plea brings to expression the desire that God
may also govern the circumstances on earth in
accordance with His will. By way of this statement
we also pray that we may already act in accordance
with God’s will today.

Give us this day What is our daily bread?

our daily bread. With this statement we are asking for our earthly
and spiritual nourishment. This petition also
includes all our other earthly needs.

50
Prayer
9
And forgive us What is the prerequisite for God to forgive us
our debts, as we our debts?
forgive our debtors. We are sinners in need of forgiveness. God forgives
those who regret their sins. And because God
forgives we too want to strive and be prepared to
forgive (see also lesson 21, section 2).

And do not lead Does God lead us into temptation?

us into temptation, With the plea not to be led into temptation, we
but deliver us from beseech God to help us resist sin. However, God
the evil one. will permit temptations in the form of trials in order
to give us a chance to prove ourselves. The plea to
deliver us from the evil one expresses the wish that
God may deliver us from temptations that lead to sin.

For Yours is the What is the meaning of the various concepts

kingdom and the in this statement?
power and the glory With this statement we praise God and His
forever. omnipotence and glory.

Amen. What does “amen” mean?

This word means “so be it”. We once more reinforce
everything we have brought to our heavenly Father
in prayer.

3 The Lord’s intercessory prayer

Hint If only one session is available for this lesson, only the homework is to be
discussed here. If two sessions are available, the homework should be
discussed at the beginning of the second session and afterwards the Lord’s
intercessory prayer.

Explain Before Jesus Christ was arrested He prayed for Himself, His disciples, and
His church. Jesus sanctifies Himself by submitting Himself completely to His
Father’s will: He accepts suffering and death. The disciples and the church
are to follow Him in this and take upon themselves the sufferings connected
with the proclamation of the gospel. Jesus asks the Father to keep the church
from the evil one. At the same time, He also prays that the disciples and the
church may all be one.

This intercessory prayer, so rich in scope and themes, is also referred to as

the high-priestly prayer. It is recorded in John 17.

A student John 17: 3 and 8: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only
reads aloud true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent … For I have given to them
the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have
known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You
sent Me.”

51
9 Prayer

Ask What must we believe and recognise to receive eternal life?

Elaborate on We believe in the triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We
answers through believe that God has become Man in Jesus Christ for our salvation.
further questions
John 17: 9, 15, 20: “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those
A student whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.”
reads aloud “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should
keep them from the evil one.”
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through
their word.”

Ask For whom did Jesus pray?

Elaborate on Jesus asked His Father to preserve the disciples—that is, the Apostles and the
answers through church—so that they would be able to withstand temptations and continue to
further questions be faithful.

A student John 17: 21–23: “… that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I
reads aloud in You; that they also may be one in Us ... And the glory which You gave Me I
have given them that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in
Me; that they may be made perfect in one.”

Ask What does it mean to be one?

Elaborate on To be one means, above all, to cultivate a relationship with God that is
answers through characterised by obedience and trust. The man Jesus Christ is our example
further questions in this. Trust and unity are also to characterise the church of Christ. Love for
To become like Jesus the triune God, the gospel, and for one another is to unite the church and the
congregation.

A student John 17: 18: “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the
reads aloud world.”

Ask Whom did Jesus Christ send into the world?

Listen to answers Jesus Christ sent some of His disciples into the world as Apostles. This
and explain commission is still valid today.

A student John 17: 24: “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with
reads aloud Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for
You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”

52
Prayer
9
Ask What petition did Jesus Christ bring before God?

Elaborate on Jesus Christ wants those who believe in Him to have eternal fellowship with
answers through Him and God.
further questions

Explain The Lord’s Prayer and the Lord’s intercessory prayer address subjects which
are a necessary part of a Christian’s life and his relationship with God. When
we pray we should use these two prayers as a guide.

In the next lesson we will consider our personal prayers from this viewpoint.

The main points

I also want to … … pay attention when I pray the Lord’s Prayer!

Homework The confirmands do exercise A of lesson 10 in their workbook.

53