The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to depend on God for today’s provision, to let forgiveness flow through us to others, and to remember that prayer can be both personal and shared. Just as the disciples asked, we too can come to Jesus each day and say, “Lord, teach us to pray,” trusting Him to guide our hearts and lives.

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Well good morning! It’s good to be with you on this wonderful Thursday as we continue in Luke’s gospel. Today we’re picking up with probably one of the most well-known passages in all of Scripture. Or maybe I should say most quoted—the Lord’s Prayer.

Now, are there more famous verses? Sure. John 3:16, “Judge not lest you be judged.” But honestly, can you think of a Sunday morning where you don’t say the Lord’s Prayer in some way? I know for me, I pray it almost every day in my own devotions.

Luke’s version is a little different from Matthew’s. And remember, that’s okay. Each gospel writer has their own perspective. They’re all telling the story of Jesus faithfully, but from different angles. Think about it this way: I preach a sermon, and afterward someone comes up and says, “I loved it when you said this…” And I think, Did I actually say that? We all hear and remember things differently. That’s the same with the gospels.

So let’s read Luke 11:1–4:

He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”

There’s so much we could reflect on here. Each line could be its own sermon. But let me share a couple of things that have been speaking to me lately.

First, “Give us each day our daily bread.” As we enter stewardship season here at St. Matthew’s, that’s been my constant prayer: “Lord, teach me to depend on you.” Sometimes we get too clever—we think we can strategize or plan our way through everything. But Jesus reminds us: pray for today’s bread, today’s grace, today’s provision.

Second, “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive everyone indebted to us.” That one stings a bit, doesn’t it? It almost sounds like our forgiveness depends on our forgiving others. I don’t think God is sitting there saying, “Nope, not forgiving you until you forgive everybody else.” But I do think Jesus is showing us that grace has to flow. If God’s forgiveness comes to us but never moves through us to others, then maybe it hasn’t really reached our hearts.

There’s an old analogy from the Holy Land that makes the point. The Sea of Galilee is alive and full of fish because water flows in and water flows out through the Jordan River. But the Dead Sea—nothing lives there. Why? Because water flows in but never flows out. That’s how grace works. If we just receive and never give, we’re more like the Dead Sea than Galilee.

One last thought: notice how the disciples ask Jesus, “Teach us to pray.” And what does Jesus do? He gives them words to use. A written, prepared prayer. That matters. Sometimes we act like only “from the heart” prayers count. And sure, those are important—I usually pray extemporaneously on Sunday mornings myself. But written prayers—liturgies, devotionals, the Book of Common Prayer, even resources like The Upper Room—they’re good tools too. Jesus himself gave the disciples a prayer to pray.

So don’t be afraid to use both. Pray from your heart. Pray spontaneously. But also lean on the prayers the church has handed down to us. They shape us, they guide us, and they remind us that prayer is both personal and shared.

The disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” That’s our prayer too. So today, may we pray. May we seek God’s face. And may God teach us, day by day, how to pray.