Dear Christian friends:

During the season of Lent we Christians give special attention to Jesus' suffering and death for us and in doing this our faith grows stronger and we become better Christians. We have more joy in Jesus, more hope for heaven and we love one another better. Lent is a good opportunity for us to grow stronger in our spiritual life.

To help us do that this year I have decided to preach six sermons using the Lord's Prayer as my text. I shall relate the Lord's Prayer as my text. I shall relate the Lord's Prayer to Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection. Jesus taught His disciples the Lord's Prayer knowing that He would soon suffer, die and then arise. Without Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection the Lord's Prayer is worthless.

Today I shall preach about the Introduction and the First Petition: "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name."

Jesus teaches us here to call God "our Father." Why? Why does Jesus teach us to call God "our Father?" Jesus wants us to believe that God is our true Father, and that we are His true children. By this Jesus reminds us that God is our Father because He has made us! Yes, He has made all of us!

The Bible asks this question: "Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? (Malachi 2:10) The answer is yes! God is our Father and the Father of all people because He is the Maker, the Creator. As any father loves his own son or daughter, so God loves all people. He can never forget us although we perhaps forget Him.

By teaching us to call God "our Father" Jesus also reminds us that God is our Father because He has redeemed us! Through sin men became children of Satan. Jesus told the Jews who did not believe in Him that Satan was their Father. Since the Fall all are born children of Satan.

In Jesus God has bought us from Satan and adopted us again into His family. The Bible says, "Ye are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26) By His suffering, death and resurrection Jesus has made it possible for us sinners to become God's children again. Therefore He teaches us to call God "our Father."

Because God is our Father in Jesus Christ, we can pray to Him without fear or doubt, and with boldness and trust. We must not think as we are tempted, "I am a sinner, I am no good God doesn't want to hear my prayer." Don't think like that! Don't say that! That's Satan talk! Listen to Jesus!

Here He invites you and me to call God "our Father." He loves you and He has forgiven all your sins in Jesus' name. He is waiting to hear and answer your prayers! Well, you answer to me: "Okay fine! I can pray to God and call Him "Father," but I don't know what to say to Him. I am too shy!

Jesus knows that! Jesus knows that we often do not know what words to say. That's why He here teaches us the words to say. First, "Hallowed be Thy name." We ourselves perhaps do not think to pray that. We perhaps do not feel the need to pray that! We feel the need to pray for food, house, clothes, health, friends things our body needs. But we need spiritual things more. So in six petitions Jesus teaches us to ask God for spiritual blessings and only one time He teaches us to ask for bodily blessings.

The First Petition: "Hallowed By Thy Name." This means what? It means God's name is holy in itself, but we pray in this petition that it can be holy among us also.

How does that happen? When we teach and preach God's Word correctly. No false teaching. Teach exactly as the Bible says. If we teach God's Word correctly we honor His name, give glory to Him! If we teach false things about God or Jesus we do not honor His name. We give honor to men and not to God. Our teaching must give all praise and honor to God, none to men!

Secondly, we honor God's name when we live as His children should live and obey His Word. If we lie, steal and cheat and are jealous of one another we do not honor God's name. If we are proud and boast and say, "I I I" we do not honor God's name.

May God show mercy to us and forgive us our sins and pride in Jesus name! May He make us humble, so that His name receives honor among us!

Amen.