The Lord’s Prayer

Jesus teaches his disciples on a Galilean hillside, and a crowd presses in. He has just warned them against praying like the religious leaders who pray long, showy prayers on street corners to win applause or like the pagans who believe more words will move God to listen (Matthew 6:5-8). Jesus cuts through all of it and gives his disciples a pattern. Begin with who God is—Father, holy, sovereign. Then move to petition. Ask for today’s bread, forgiveness, and protection from temptation. Jesus shows his disciples that their Father welcomes honest, specific requests from his children.