Note: John MacArthur (JM), pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, has some of the best developed thoughts on the Lord’s Prayer that I could find. I would like to devote a number of Prayer 101 postings to excerpts from his sermons.
“For example, one way that to look at this prayer, it unfolds the relationship that we have with God, and it hits it so many ways it's just staggering. For example, it says, "Our Father," that means that we have a Father-child relationship with God. It says, "Hallowed be thy name," we have a deity and worshiper relationship with God. It says, "Thy kingdom come." We have a sovereign and a subject relationship with God. It says, "Thy will be done," we have a Master and a servant relationship with God. It says, "Give us our daily bread." We have a benefactor and a beneficiary relationship with God. It says, "forgive us our (trespasses or our) debts," we have a Savior sinner relationship with God. It says, "Lead us not into temptation," we have a guide and a pilgrim relationship with God.”
“We could study this prayer in just that way, how does it show our relationship to God. Let me look at it another way. It defines the spirit in which we're to pray. What is to be our attitude as we pray? First of all it says, "Our," that's an unselfish spirit, then it says, "Father," that's a family spirit, then it says, "Hallowed be thy name." A reverent spirit. "Thy kingdom come." A loyal spirit. "Thy will be done," a submissive spirit. "Give us our daily bread." A dependent spirit. "Forgive us our trespasses," a penitent spirit. "Lead us not into temptation," a humble spirit. "Thine is the kingdom," a confident spirit, "and the power," a triumphant spirit, "and the glory," an exultant spirit.”
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/2233
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