So for the third week, we find Jesus in the midst of the Sermon on the Mount.  Ben kicked off our sermon series entitled “Jesus’ Greatest Hits” by examining the Beatitudes and how they reflect a state of being oriented toward the will of God.  Last week we looked at what it means to be salt and light in the world.  And this week, we return to what is probably the most revolutionary, radical sermon ever given, ever written.  The passage we just heard read contains one of the greatest jewels of Christianity, the Lord’s Prayer.  But, the prayer isn’t a stand alone item, oh no, it is nestled within a piece of sage advice for those who seek to authentically follow Jesus, and it hinges on prayer and relationship with God and neighbor.

Jesus does not pull any punches.  He is railing against hypocrisy.  It isn't good enough, he says, to live right, to just do the right things.   Notice that Jesus says “when you give to the poor, when you pray.”  He assumes we are going to do those things, and when we do, he is interested in our motives.  Jesus calls His followers to pray, to give, to tithe as an expression of relationship, not as a mandate of membership in some religious club. Rather, Jesus is calling disciples to righteousness. This is not the kind of righteousness that the overtly pious demonstrate, but a genuine, authentic righteousness.  This is not self righteousness, but rather, a sincere desire to be at one with the will of God.  You see, there is a very clear difference between prayer for show or out of obligation and heartfelt, relationship building prayer.  There is a clear difference between stewardship and being ostentatious.  There is a difference between caring for the poor and simply doing one’s duty.  There is a real difference between fasting to garner favor among one’s peers, and fasting to reorient oneself toward God. 

Jesus tells us that those who practice their piety in public have received their rewards.  Some take that to mean that God will withhold blessings from them.  But, I think Jesus is being descriptive rather than prescriptive.  If a person is seeking recognition, then that is their focus, that is their goal.  They are not striving for a deeper relationship with God.  Therefore, when they achieve notoriety, the exercise is fulfilled and can be cast aside.  Because their goals are surface level, it is difficult for such practices to be life changing and affirming.   It really is, all about the motives behind the actions. 

Jesus makes a point about doing things in secret. I think that is a difficult task for most of us.   We live in an exhibitionistic culture.  Everyday people clamor to perform demeaning or dangerous stunts just to have their fifteen minutes of fame on a reality tv show.  At almost any hour, one can flip through the right cable channels and find out what Britney Spears had for lunch.  Anyone with a video camera can make a movie and post it on YouTube for millions to watch.  Anyone with a computer can set up a podcast, launch a blog, or build a mini empire on MySpace. We live our lives on display.  Besides, last week, we talked about how we are be the light of the world, how we were to do our good deeds that people would see them and give glory to God. There’s the rub.  We have to do things in such a way that they are about God, not about us.

Mother Theresa did not live her life in secret.  She was, is, world renowned.  However, everything that Mother Theresa did, she did in response to her love for God and for humanity.  She didn’t make the talk show circuits.  She didn’t sell T-shirts that said “My missionary went to Calcutta and all I got was this stupid T-shirt.”  What she did was take the attention given to her, and pointed it at the need she was attempting to meet, not even her own work, but on the desperate need of orphans in India.  She raised countless dollars, she shook hands with dignitaries from around the world, and she raised world awareness.  But, she also role modeled humility, and selflessness.  She did all that she did out of love.  Her priorities were right, her motives were pure. 

There will be times when our actions will be public, this is not only necessary, but it can be beneficial, as it was for Mother Theresa.  But, the bottom line is that it is not how well we perform public displays of devotion that determines our relationship with God, but rather, what is going on in our hearts and our minds. 

Jesus advocated prayer as a way to keep one’s focus on God.  I am a people person, and I am blessed to have good friends.  I cannot imagine not wanting to talk them regularly.  We share our joys.  We share our worries.  We get to know one another.  It is the same with God.  Prayer is conversation.  I once had a friend who didn’t think that it was important to pray, after all, God knows everything.  The thing that changed his mind was marrying a co-worker.  He and his wife shared the same experiences, encountered the same people, and worked in the same setting.  Still, he said, that he always wanted to know about her day.  He knew the facts of what had happened, but hearing her, the woman he loved most in the world, express her unique understanding of those events helped him know her better. It helped him not take her for granted, and helped him keep their relationship fresh.   He said that he had been practicing prayer as a radio transmission, giving God a laundry list, rather than actually talking to and listening for God.  He is now a prayer warrior.  He lives his life in prayer, talking to God, and looking for fresh opportunities to encounter God in his daily life.  

Jesus did not leave us guessing about prayer.  In fact, the Sermon on the Mount gives us a specific prayer.   I don’t remember a time in my life, though I am certain there was one, when I didn’t know this prayer by heart.  Even though it has always been with me, a part of my faith journey, the words never cease to amaze me:

“Our Father who art in heaven…”  The word Jesus used was not the formal “father” as we translate it, but “Abba” which means “da- da.”  Jesus was using a word so intimate that it would have been hard for his disciples to grasp the concept of applying it to God.  Like “da-da” in English, “Abba” is usually the first word an Aramaic speaking child uttered.  Jesus was calling God, first thing I loved.  Source of my comfort and joy.  I think that is significant that Jesus did not say “My Abba,” but “ours.”  We, share the same loving Abba as Jesus, as our neighbor.  We are part of a family of children of God.

“Hallowed be thy name..”  I think it is interesting that Jesus doesn’t say “Hallowed is thy name.”  He is putting the ball in our court.  May our actions, our love serve to honor God.  May people look at our lives and see the fruits of God’s love therein.

“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Again, Jesus is really placing that on our shoulders.  In order for God’s will to be done, we have to be in tune with what God’s will is, and act accordingly.  And it no secret...God’s will is that we love God above all and love one another.

“Give us this day our daily bread.”  We are asking for enough to make it through the day. I used to work as the international program specialist at Tarleton State University in Stephenville.  As such, I had the pleasure of working with students from many different countries.  One thing that would often bother international students was our supermarkets and huge refrigerators.  In most countries, even in Europe, people shop often, if not daily for food.  Because they do not have bulk items and giant freezers, their relationship with food is different than ours.  In a lot of ways they are more respectful of the source of food.  They don’t take it for granted and they enjoy it more.  They understand the concept of daily bread in a way we do not. 

“And forgive us our debts”  We are surely going to fall short from time to time. “As we forgive our debtors.”  Jesus is reminding us that when we have broken relationships with one another, it affects our relationship with God.  When we carry around anger and hurt and fear, they fill our hearts and our minds and there is little room for God’s healing love. 

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”  Jesus is affirming that life is very hard.  There are pitfalls, there are obstacles. When we pray these words, we become bold enough to ask God to give us, forgive us, and don't test us, deliver us. But I think we are also saying, "We are trusting in you God.”  That is a hard thing.  It makes us vulnerable.  It places control in the Creator’s hand.  It is opening up and being childlike with our Abba.

“For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever…” The word “for” in that phrase may be the most important word in the entire prayer. It is the word that demonstrates the intent of the heart, the word that sets faith in motion. It is the word that declares who we are and who God is. We are able to sincerely pray all the other words of The Lord's Prayer precisely because of the word 'for.' That little word reminds us of the simple yet sublime truth that it is God's Kingdom, God's power, God's glory that make faith real and prayer possible. Iraneus, one of the early Church Fathers, once said, "The glory of God is a human being fully alive." Participation in God's kingdom, power and glory is not a future reward based on a good or bad performance here on earth. It is active belief that wherever and whenever and however God is present in human life, there is where we experience the kingdom, the power, and the glory.

We say those words together every week.  I know that a lot of people are against memorized or rote prayers.  I have children, so there are several memorized prayers at my house.  When we sit down to eat, Sam prays “God is great, God is good.”  When I tuck him in at night, Levi prays “Now I lay me down to sleep.”  They are four and two, and don’t have the language or the theology to offer their own prayers, yet.  But, they know that they are grateful, that there is someone bigger and in love with them in charge of the world. Sometimes when I am too hurt, too broken to find the right words to pray, I am comforted knowing that I can offer this, the Lord’s Prayer, as my own.    It helps me refocus, to reorient myself toward God, to realize once more that someone who is bigger and in love me is in charge, and that, afterall, is the goal.  Amen.