Sunday is Pentecost Sunday!  This is the day we remember the sending of the Holy Spirit upon the early church in Jerusalem.  Some amazing things happened that day.  Read all about it in the Book of Acts chapter 2.  As you read this text, what do you notice?  What were some of the signs of the Holy Spirit moving among the people?  Don’t forget the things mentioned in 2:42-47!  The movement of the Holy Spirit takes on some very tangible, practical, beautiful forms.

This week, on Pentecost Sunday, we will continue with our series on the Lord’s Prayer with special emphasis on 6:9-10.  Teach Us How To Pray: You, You, You!  Jesus always encourages authenticity – in words and in actions.  In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus’ teaching on ‘how to pray’, he focuses on authenticity.  God is not interested in our playing games or any such manipulative devotional practices.  He desires real relationship.

From the opening words, ‘Our heavenly Father’, we are encouraged to address God as ‘Abba’.  This is an endearing Aramaic name for God.  Jesus invites us into a relationship with our loving heavenly Father.

As we learned last week together, Jesus teaching on prayer steers our focus from ourselves to God.  As a heavenly Father, we are adopted into a new family, the family of God.  As our heavenly Father, we are invited into a loving relationship with God and one another as brothers and sisters of Christ and sons and daughters of God.

This is where Jesus begins: A loving Father who is holy.  Out of this established and trusted relationship of love (personal posture and relational position) flows prayers for God’s kingdom come and will be done. Out of this established and trusted relationship flows prayers for provision, forgiveness, protection, and empowerment.

Since this is a prayer that Jesus taught his followers to pray, lets commit this prayer to memory together.  Let’s together explore its beauty and meaning over the summer.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”  For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.  AMEN.”

See you Sunday,
Pastor Mark