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Matthew 6:9-13 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Lord's Prayer (Pt. 2)."

We all long for a better world. God’s kingdom breaks into the kingdoms of the world in a transformative way. The kingdom is not the same thing as the church. They do overlap, but they are not equal.

Think of it like this…The kingdom of God is the ruling/reigning of God from his sovereign capacity over the entire world. The church is the visible kingdom of God made up of Christians who compose the body of Christ. What this basically recognizes is the visible and invisible nature of the kingdom of God!
The focus of our sermon is two-fold: to look at the dynamics of the kingdom of God, and to explore why it is an important part of our prayer life.

As a congregation of God’s people, in this prayer, Jesus challenges us to reflect on our own lives and to consider how we can participate in the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

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Matthew 6:9-13 is the text for this sermon entitled, "The Lord's Prayer (Part 1)."

Jesus had just condemned the hypocritical way of praying. He had also talked about the concerns about prayer and how to pray. In today’s passage, Jesus now provides a model or framework on how to pray.
In Christian history, there has been much discussion on whether this is only an outline, or if it should it be prayed word for word in order to be effective. Our lesson today explores the first part of this iconic prayer.

OUR FATHER
God is first presented as the “distant” creator in Genesis 1. But then in Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make man in our own image.” This is a glimpse into the Godhead, or Trilogy: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Though not used often, the Father image of God is presented in the Old Testament. Our lesson explores why this identification of God is so important.

…WHO IS IN HEAVEN
Literally, the one who is the heavens. Jesus came preaching the kingdom of heaven, and in this prayer, distance between heaven and earth is closed! The words, “in heaven” remind the one who prays of God’s spiritual, heavenly nature.

…HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME
The hallowing of something makes it sacred--to sanctify, to make holy, to consecrate, or to set apart. Curtis discusses the historical and cultural aspect of this phrase, and then its usage in the Old and New Testaments. Psalm 20:1-7 is great biblical foundation for understanding the power of God’s name.
When we pray, we remember the very personal and near God we are praying to, and we offer Him reverence and worship by intentionally “hallowing” God’s name and recognizing His Majestic Being when we pray!

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Matthew 6:16-18 is the text for this sermon entitled, "Jesus' Teaching on Fasting."

To understand Fasting, we start with a definition: fasting is to deny physical eating or pleasure to draw closer to God. Three Biblical examples are David, Esther, and Jesus.

The purpose of fasting is to seek God's guidance (Acts 13:2-3) and to express repentance and sorrow for sin (Joel 2:12-13).

Curtis summarizes the history of Christian practice and the spiritual benefits of fasting.
1.Fasting encourages closeness with God by deepening our relationship and dependence on Him
2.Fasting can give us clarity and focus in prayer, helps clear distractions and brings about spiritual breakthroughs
3.Fasting together can strengthen the community
4.After 4 references to fasting in Acts, fasting disappears from the rest of the New Testament and presumably falls out of practice.

Curtis provides some practical guidance for fasting. (1) There are three types of fasting: Absolute, Partial, and Corporate. (2) It is helpful to incorporate prayer and reading of scripture during fasting. (3) Setting goals and intentions when fasting. (4) Approach fasting with grace, not legalism.

Concluding the lesson with practical applications, Curtis calls us to examine our motives and practices concerning fasting as well as any other religious practice. This is an invitation to pursue a deeper, more genuine relationship with God through fasting. Note that fasting is not a spiritual practice such as baptism or the Lord’s Supper (communion), but it is one among other spiritual practices that have room for flexibility.