Rogate

Our Father, Who from Heaven Above

LSB 766

Introduction

Dad walks into the house at the end of the day. His daughter runs across the room, jumps into her father’s lap and exclaims, “Daddy, Daddy, listen to what happened to me today! Oh, but first would you help me, Daddy, ’cause I can’t ride my bike by myself. I need you. And Daddy, I heard that a bad man attacked a little girl yesterday, so I’m scared. But I’m not scared when you’re with me. Thank you for being here for me.”

From the Small Catechism, read the Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer and its meaning (LSB, p. 323).

❚ How does the story above help you understand what prayer is? In what ways might the story be inadequate to explain fully the privilege of prayer?
❚ What is your earliest memory of praying the Lord’s Prayer? Who taught you to pray it?

Exploring the Scriptures

Read Luke 11:1–4.

❚ What request do the disciples make that leads Jesus to teach them — and us — the Lord’s Prayer?
❚ What differences are there between the words here and the words of the Lord’s Prayer that you learned? Are any of the differences significant?

Now read Luke 11:5–11.

Jesus’ story isn’t teaching us to pester God until He gives us what we want. Instead, His point is that if an ordinary man will give even to an “impudent” begging neighbor, how much more is our loving Father willing to give to us, His dear children, everything that we need. So, ask away!

❚ How might the promise in verses 9–10 affect how you pray?

Read Luke 11:11–13.

❚ Do even not-so-wise parents try to do what is bad for their children? Then what does Jesus’ story teach us?
❚ What does Jesus call us in verse 13? Why? For what might that truth lead you to pray?
❚ Our Father not only wants what is best for His children, but, unlike the rest of us parents, He also knows what is best for His children and always does what is best for us. How might that certainty affect the way you pray?
❚ Why might Jesus particularly teach us to ask God for the Holy Spirit in verse 13? 

The catechism’s explanation of the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed (LSB, p. 323) may provide some hints.

Exploring the Hymn

Background

Martin Luther (1483–1546) wrote “Our Father, Who from Heaven Above” to help us understand the Lord’s Prayer. He also wrote hymns to teach other parts of the catechism: the Commandments (LSB 581), the Creed (LSB 954), Baptism (LSB 406) and the Sacrament of the Altar (LSB 617).

Stanzas 2–8 of “Our Father” each explain the meaning of a different petition of the Lord’s Prayer. So, singing this hymn is like singing the catechism! Luther and the reformers often used hymns to help plant the truths of Scripture into the hearts of the people.

❚ Educators say that we retain information that we sing better than information we speak. Why do you think that might be? How do you think that should affect the way we teach young Christians?

❚ Most of us agree that it is important for sermons to be doctrinally pure. Since we retain what we hear sung longer than we retain what we hear spoken, is it even more important for what we sing in worship — and for what our children sing in Sunday school — to teach nothing but the truth? Explain your answer.

Text
In your LSB, place ribbons at page 323 (the Lord’s Prayer section of the catechism) and hymn 766, so that you can turn back and forth. Then read the Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer and stanza 1 of the hymn. Notice that the catechism
emphasizes that God is our Father, while the hymn emphasizes that He is our Father, that is, it focuses on our unity as one family.

❚ In what ways are each of those emphases important?

❚ How might each of those emphases influence your prayers?

Read Rom. 8:14–17. It says the Holy Spirit teaches us that we are God’s children and heirs.

❚ How does your Baptism make it possible for you to call God “Abba,” that is, “Daddy”? What does He give you as an inheritance?
❚ How might understanding God as “Daddy” alter the way we pray?

Now read the meaning of the First and Second Petitions and stanzas 2–3 of the hymn.

❚ Can we make God’s name holy? What are some ways you can treat His name as holy?
❚ What connection is there between the First Petition and the Second Commandment (LSB, p. 321)?
❚ What is God’s kingdom?
❚ How are you made a citizen of God’s kingdom? Look at Luke 12:32 and Rom. 10:17.
❚ What is God’s will for you and all people? See 1 Tim. 2:3–6. How does God accomplish His will in our lives?

Read stanza 5 and the Fourth Petition, where Jesus teaches us to ask God to supply our earthly needs.

❚ Look at everything the catechism and hymn call “daily bread.” How might you be prevented from eating a slice of bread if God didn’t provide all those gifts? Consider everything necessary to permit a farmer’s grain of wheat to grow and then be harvested, milled, processed, baked, distributed and bought so that you can eat that bread.
❚ In what ways can you express your thanks to God for supplying your daily bread?

Now read stanzas 6–7 and the Fifth and Sixth Petitions.

❚ What would happen to our prayers if Christ had not given His life for the forgiveness of our sins?
❚ What does the Fifth Petition teach us to do when it is difficult for us to forgive someone?
❚ Why do we need to pray, “Lead us not into temptation”? What are we asking God to do?
❚ How does our Lord rescue us when we are tempted? (For examples, see 1 Cor. 10:13 and Eph. 6:13–20.)

Read the Seventh Petition and stanza 8 of the hymn.

❚ In what way can this petition be called a summary of the entire Lord’s Prayer?
❚ Why might Luther teach us that “a blessed end” is the ultimate way God delivers us from evil? How does 2 Tim. 4:18, which was probably written by Paul from the equivalent of death row, assure you as you pray and as you live?

Finally, read stanza 9 and the Conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer.

❚ What does “amen” mean?
❚ How are Jesus’ death and resurrection essential for you to be able to say “amen” with confidence?
❚ How can you be sure that your prayers are pleasing to God and that He will answer them?

Making the Connection

The Lord’s Prayer is a model prayer, that is, Jesus uses it to teach us to pray (Luke 11:1–4). So, for each petition of the Lord’s Prayer, write at least three things for which the petition prompts you to pray. For instance, “Our Father” might cause you to thank God for your Baptism, “Thy kingdom come” could lead you to ask that God protect missionaries as they speak Christ’s kingdom-expanding Gospel, and “lead us not into temptation” might prompt you to ask for help with a specific temptation in your life.

In Closing

❚ Look back at the story of the father and daughter at the beginning of this study. In order to better teach what prayer is, how might you change the story? How could the story better show how important Jesus’ death and resurrection are to your prayers?
❚ Sing or read aloud together LSB 766.

Prayer
O Lord, let Your merciful ears be attentive to the prayers of Your servants, and by Your Word and Spirit teach us how to pray that our petitions may be pleasing before You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.