The Story
Read aloud Matthew 6:5-15.
Ideas for discussion
- In the Sermon on the Mount the Lord talked about the wrong way to pray before teaching them the prayer that begins with “Our Father.”
- What did Jesus say that hypocrites do when they pray? (They pray where others can see them, in public places.)
- Where did the Lord say that people should pray? (Go into your room and shut the door. Pray to the Lord in private.)
- What did He say about “vain repetitions” in prayer? (Saying something over and over again will not increase your chances of having your prayer answered in the way you want.)
- The Lord already knows what we need before we ask Him. Why is it still important for us to pray?
- The angels in heaven say the Lord’s Prayer every day.
- The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer that we can use all our lives.
- There are infinite levels of meaning in the Lord’s Prayer, so there is always something more that we can learn from it. As we say this prayer, the Lord can help us understand it more and more.
- The Lord’s Prayer never mentions I, me, or my, but only we, us, our, and Thy will be done (Ormond Odhner). Why might this be?
Read more about the Lord’s Prayer
- The Lord’s Prayer by Patrick A. Rose (ages 18 and up)
The Lord wants us to pray to Him. He wants us to communicate with Him and to ask Him for spiritual life, not as a way of telling Him what we need, but as a way of opening our minds to what He already offers us. - Our Father Who Art in Heaven by Kenneth O. Stroh (ages 7-14)
As you learn more and more about this prayer, you will be learning how to turn your minds and open your hearts toward the Lord when you kneel down and pray to Him. In this way you will be making yourselves ready to receive the blessings and the happiness of heaven.
Projects and activities for all ages
- Understanding the Deeper Meaning of the Lord’s Prayer (ages 11 and up)
This overview explains the deeper meaning of the prayer. - Mural of the Lord’s Prayer (ages 7-17)
Make a mural with a section depicting each portion of the Lord’s prayer. Then illustrate what each part means to you, by drawing or finding a picture to add to the mural. - The Lord’s Prayer Project (ages 4-7)
Put the text of the Lord’s Prayer in hands that can be folded in prayer. - The Lord’s Prayer Book (ages 4-10)
Illustrate your own book about the Lord's Prayer, following the suggestions given below each phrase. - Lord's Prayer Calligraphy with a Border of Violets (ages 7-17)
The Lord's Prayer with a lovely border of violets around it. - Make a Border for the Lord’s Prayer Calligraphy (ages 7-17)
Make your own border for the Lord's Prayer - Analyzing the Lord’s Prayer (ages 11 and up)
As you read the Lord’s Prayer think about which parts are statements and which are requests. Then look for places where the words of the prayer praise the Lord, thank Him, or offer a petition. - Infinite Meaning in the Prayer - Journal Page (teens and up)
Just as we can’t count the grains of sand on a beach or the stars in the universe, the depth of meaning within the Prayer is beyond measure. To begin to get a sense of this infinity, spend time focusing on just one part of the prayer and how it applies to your life.
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