In order to be on the popular game show, “Jeopardy!”, contestants have to go through a series of rigorous quizzes that test their general knowledge on a variety of subjects. If you don’t do well on the quizzes, you won’t be invited to appear on the show. So, for the most part, the contestants who do appear on TV are knowledgeable people with a fair amount of intelligence.[1] You would think that they’d be representative of those in our society who are “in the know”—so to speak. Not too long ago, three contestants on Jeopardy were asked to fill in the blank on the following verse from the Bible. The game’s host read: “Matthew 6:9 says, ‘Our Father which art in Heaven, ____ be Thy name.’" Amazingly, not one of the three contestants even tried to answer. They just stood there in stumped silence until the game’s host gave the answer: “Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.” No wonder our country, and the world in general, is in such a dismal moral state![2] Is it the case that so many in our country cannot recite the Lord’s Prayer? During the days of the Prophet Hosea, God said, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6a (NIV) And then, the LORD turned to those willfully, ignorant people and declared: “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you. . . because you have ignored the law of your God.” Hosea 4:6b (NIV) If that Jeopardy show is any indication of America’s biblical ignorance, then God might well be saying the same thing to the people of this country today.
We don’t want to be like those clueless Jeopardy players who didn’t know the Lord’s Prayer. While we may be able to recite it, we also need to understand what Jesus is teaching us in His Prayer. Not only is He teaching us about prayer itself, Jesus is also giving us important spiritual lessons as well. The prayer’s individual words and short phrases are filled with valuable lessons we need to grasp and apply to our lives—and especially to our prayer lives.
So, what prompted Jesus to give this prayer? Well, Jesus gave the Lord’s Prayer in response to one of the disciple’s requests. Luke’s Gospel explains: “Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As He finished, one of His disciples came to Him and said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’” Luke 11:1 (NLT2) It was unusual that one of His disciples asked Jesus how to pray. After all, they were young Jewish men who had been praying all their lives. But, they sensed that Jesus was the only One who could reveal to them the true power of prayer. His disciples were surely right on that point.
So, let’s turn to Matthew’s Gospel, which provides a fuller version of the Lord’s Prayer than the one found in Luke’s Gospel. And, let’s use the King James Version because it’s hard to beat the beauty and rhythm of the Lord’s Prayer as expressed in that translation. Jesus taught them (and us): 9 “After this manner therefore pray ye: ‘Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. 10 Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.’” Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV)
Notice that Jesus prefaced the prayer by saying: “After this manner therefore pray ye. . .” Matthew 6:9 (KJV) Or, in a more modern English translation, He simply said: “Pray then like this. . .” Matthew 6:9 (ESV) So, what does Jesus mean by this? Well, He is not saying that we must recite the exact words of this prayer every time we pray. Rather, Jesus is giving us a model prayer. While it is good to recite the Lord’s Prayer, it is intended as a general guideline to follow when communing with God. The reason Jesus’ prayer is so important is because it shows us the proper spiritual attitude we should adopt in our prayer life. As one commentator put it: “[The Lord’s Prayer] expresses kingdom values, in which the praise of the first [part of the prayer] precedes and permeates the requests for personal need that follow. Jesus told [His disciples] that this is how they should pray, not what they should pray. . .”[3]
Now, with that understanding, let’s consider the various parts of the Lord’s Prayer. Even though it isn’t a very long prayer, it contains ten valuable lessons. Today, we will cover four of those lessons, and next week we’ll move on to the others. So, let’s go to the opening words and see what they have to tell us.
The Prayer begins: “Our Father. . .” We can stop right there and see the first lesson. Notice that Jesus does not teach us to pray, “MY Father.” Rather, He specifically wants us to pray “OUR Father”—emphasizing the plural possessive pronoun. While it is certainly true that God is the Father of each of us individually, Jesus is teaching us to think beyond that. God is OUR Father in the sense that we are all members of a larger community of believers. [4] Collectively, we are one body—the Church. And, what is the Church? Pastor R. F. Sample, answers: “A Christian church is a body or collection of persons, voluntarily associated together, professing to believe what Christ teaches, to do what Christ [commands], to imitate His example, cherish His Spirit, and make known His Gospel to others.”[5] Chuck Colson added: “Biblically the church is an organism not an organization—a movement, not a monument. It is not a part of the community; it is a whole new community. It is not an orderly gathering; it is a new order with new values, often in sharp conflict with the values of the surrounding society.” [6] That is why we need to open our prayers with “OUR Father.” We are not in this thing alone. God is with us and because of that He empowers us to support each other as members of the Body of Christ. This unity in Christ is a powerful thing. Billy Graham described it this way: “Church-goers are like coals in a fire. When they cling together, they keep the flame aglow; when they separate, they die out.”[7] Because of that, we not only pray for ourselves; we should pray for each of our brothers and sisters in Christ. When we start our prayers that way, we start praying with the power of God’s Church.
Now, we really need to get moving along here. We’ve only covered the first word of the Lord’s Prayer. So, let’s leap forward in high gear and move on. . . to the second word: “FATHER.” When praying, why should we refer to God as “Father”? Well, by referring to God as our “Father,” Jesus is giving us the second lesson coming from the Lord’s Prayer. You see, “father” is a relational term. A “father” has children. Typically, they “look” like him in many ways. The children bear the father’s image. That is the way it is with those who commit their lives to God. Humans were made in God’s spiritual image.[8] When sin entered the world through Adam’s and Eve’s disobedience, humanity’s Godly image became marred. But, when we allow Jesus into our lives, little by little, God’s image starts to be restored. We start looking like the children of God, our Father, that we were always intended to be. The Apostle Paul tells us that: 23 “Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, 24 and you must put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy.” Ephesians 4:23-24 (TEV) In other words, when we follow Jesus, we are on the path to restoring our Godly image.[9] Time and time again, God’s Word emphasizes the importance of this “Father-child” relationship. The Apostle John assures us: “[To] all who received [Christ], He gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust Him to save them.” John 1:12 (TLB) “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1st John 3:1 (NIV) Again, Paul echoes this theme, saying: “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26 (NLT2)
When going to God in prayer, start off by remembering that, as a child of God, you must be “born again” as Jesus told Nicodemus.[10] And, because of that spiritual re-birth, you have been born into God’s family. That is so very important because if you are not a child of God, then you are a “child” of someone else. John explains: 9 “Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are CHILDREN OF GOD. 10 So now we can tell who are CHILDREN OF GOD and who are CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.” 1st John 3:9-10 (NLT2)
When we begin our prayers by addressing them to the Father, it reminds us that we are His children. And, because of that, we are no longer “children of the devil.” Children of the devil are self-centered, uncaring, arrogant and rude. But, children of God pray less for themselves and more for the welfare of others. Their prayers emphasize thanks and praises to God. So, when we begin our prayers with a focus on the Father and our relationship as His children, prayer-time becomes a time of reflecting upon God’s immense love for us, our love for Him, and our need to love others as much as we love ourselves. And, it’s another reason we pray, “our Father” because, as His children, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.[11] Isn’t that the most wonderful thing? And, being a part of God’s family isn’t related to your behavior, your performance or your works. There’s only one way to be part of the family: It is by God’s love and grace, through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.[12] On the Cross, Jesus did all the work needed to pay for your sins and mine. It is by the shedding of His blood that we are truly blood-brothers and sisters in Christ.
As we move on, let’s think about the third point Jesus emphasizes in His Model Prayer. After giving the opening two words—“Our Father”—Jesus continued: “. . . which art in Heaven.” Matthew 6:9 (KJV) Here, Jesus is telling us about the reality of Heaven. And so, He indicates that we are to think about Heaven as we commence our prayers. There is a reason for that. The reason is bound up in something Jesus said, as quoted in John’s Gospel. Referring to those who believe in Him, Jesus said: “They do not belong to this world any more than I do.” John 1:16 (NLT2) So, when you pray, do so knowing that this world is not all there is. It is not our long-term home. There exists an infinitely better place where God dwells, and He longs for you to be there with Him. That place, of course, is Heaven! So, Jesus mentions Heaven in His Model Prayer to make sure you take the time to find out what God’s Word has to say about Heaven. Because, when you know that, your prayers will take on a deeper meaning that looks beyond the trials of this life to the love, joy and peace of Heaven where you will find eternal rest.
But, when do we get to Heaven? Some people have the false notion that when we die, our souls will be asleep in the grave until Judgment Day. They believe that, when Gabriel blows his trumpet, the dead will awaken and rise out of their graves in resurrected bodies. It’s a concept sometimes referred to as “soul sleep” that is held by Jehovah Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists. But, “soul sleep” is not what the Bible teaches. The problem is that those who believe in “soul sleep” are confused by several verses in the Bible.
For example, Daniel 12:2 speaks of our future resurrections as being a time when, “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” (NIV) Add to this those passages in the New Testament that speak of believers who fall “asleep” upon their deaths. For example, in 1st Corinthians 15:6, Paul speaks of deceased people as those who have “fallen asleep.” In Luke’s Gospel, when Stephen was stoned to death, the text states that he “fell asleep.” [13] Jesus used similar language to describe Lazarus’ death, as well as the death of Jairus’ daughter.[14] But, in each of these passages of Scripture, “sleep” is used as a metaphor describing death.[15] (My goodness—if our souls sleep when we die, they’d never bury me in a cemetery. I snore so loudly, they’d have to bury me deep in some cave so as not to wake the dead!)
Jesus made it very clear that the soul does not sleep after a person dies. For example, consider Jesus’ words to the thief on the cross. Before the day ended, both Jesus and the thief would die from their crucifixions. When the thief asked Jesus to remember him when He entered His Kingdom, Jesus didn’t respond by telling the man that He’d see him again once he awoke from sleep on Judgment Day. No—Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, TODAY you will be with Me in paradise.” Luke 23:43 (NIV) When the thief died, having acknowledged Jesus as the Lord, the man was saved. And, being saved, the man was no longer a thief. He was a redeemed, ex-thief, washed clean by the very blood of Christ that this former thief watched drip at Jesus’ feet. And, when he shut his eyes in death, his soul did not fall asleep in the grave. No—he was immediately whisked up into Heaven in the presence of Almighty God.
The same is emphasized when Jesus spoke of the deaths of the “Rich Man” and a beggar named Lazarus. Jesus described their respective deaths like this: 22 “The poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the feast in Heaven. The rich man died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, where he was in great pain, he looked up and saw Abraham, far away, with Lazarus at his side.” Luke 16:22-23 (TEV) There is certainly no indication that when the rich man and Lazarus died that they immediately started slumbering in the grave. Quite the contrary—they both immediately came to their eternal destinations. And, their souls remained quite active. They could think and speak and move about. One day, when Jesus comes again—their souls will be joined with their resurrected bodies. Lazarus, in His amazing, resurrected body, will dwell in the New Heaven. But, the Rich Man’s resurrected body will eternally endure the agonies of Hell. He’ll wish he could have “soul sleep”—but no such rest will come.
So, to summarize, Jesus mentions Heaven at the outset of His prayer in order to have your thoughts directed to the blessed eternity that awaits those who submit themselves as obedient children to God, their Father. It is a reminder that our Father is seated on His Heavenly Throne and cares for His children. His Son, Jesus Christ, is seated at His right side and uses His sovereign power to act on our behalf. And, because of that great truth, our hope in Heaven is secure.[16]
Now, moving to the next phrase to consider, we come across the word that was apparently foreign to those contestants on Jeopardy. Here, we find Jesus’ fourth lesson. He tells us that our prayers should proclaim to the LORD: “Hallowed be Thy name.” Now, what does “hallowed” mean? “Hallowed” means to be kept “holy.” So, Jesus is applying holiness to the very name of God. To understand this, bear in mind that, in Hebrew thought, there was a connection between a person’s name and the characteristics of the person himself. So here, Jesus tells His disciples that God’s name describes to us the nature of His character as He has revealed Himself throughout history. And, because of that, we are to hold God’s name in reverence and treat it with great respect. One way we can do this is to obey His commands that guide us and, if followed, protect us. This is a true way to honor God and His name.[17] In the 23rd Psalm, David draws upon this same concept when saying: “He restores my soul—He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3 (ESV)
With this being the case, what are some of the names of God found in the Bible that reveal His holy character? Well, in this regard, there are many names given for God. For instance, the Hebrew word for God is “EL”—meaning “mighty, strong, prominent,” and full of “power.” God is also called by the name, “ELOHIM” [el-oh-heem] meaning the “Creator” who is powerful in strength. It is the Hebrew name used for God in the very first verse of the Bible when we are informed that: “In the beginning, God [“Elohim”] created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 (ESV) Interestingly, this Old Testament name for God is in the plural form hinting toward the doctrine of the Trinity. Another name for God is EL SHADDAI [el-shah-dahy] which translates: “God Almighty” or “The Mighty One of Jacob.” It expresses God’s ultimate sovereignty and control over all things. God is also referred to as ADONAI [ah-daw-nahy] which is another way of saying: “Lord” or “Master.” It tells of His relationship to humanity and our need to bow to Him in reverence and respect. The most sacred name for God is YAHWEH [yah-way] or JEHOVAH [ji-hoh-veh] which appears in English Bible translations as “LORD” (in all capitals). It means, as God told Moses: “I AM WHO I AM.” [18] This name expresses God’s eternal existence and His nearness to those who call upon His name for deliverance[19] and for forgiveness.[20] We could go on and on because there are many more descriptive names for our God—all of which are hallowed names of the LORD.[21]
And yet, today, many people, some who even claim to be Christians, fail to treat God’s name as holy. And so, they withhold from Him the awe and respect due to His Name. For example, have you ever heard someone refer to God as “the Man upstairs.” For example, country singer, Garth Brooks, referred to God that way in one of his hit songs. Now, admittedly, the song has some positive faith-based content. But repeatedly, the lyrics call God “the Man upstairs.” What “upstairs”? God does not live in an attic! God lives in the majesty and wonder of Heaven—yet, He is not removed or distant from us.[22] Ironically enough, the song is entitled “Unanswered Prayers.” Evangelist, Ray Comfort, on his Face Book account, made the following insightful comment: “When people refer to God as ‘the Man upstairs,’ they reveal that they have no concept of (nor living relationship with) Him. They will use such words because they feel uncomfortable saying His name. Often they will have a measure of reverence for God, but not enough to obey Him.” [23] That may sound a bit harsh, but there’s a lot of truth in what he’s saying. Depending upon how you count them, some Bible scholars find over one hundred different descriptive names of God in the Bible. I would think with such a broad selection of names from which to choose, one would fit the Almighty better, and with a little more respect, than the phrase: “The Man Upstairs.” So, if we are to keep His name hallowed, it’s certainly best to avoid such slang names when referring to God, Our Father.
In conclusion, these are wonderful words: “Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.” In those few opening words of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus packed so much truth and guidance to help us in our prayer lives. In the 3rd century A.D., Saint Cyprian, the early church bishop of Carthage, commented: “What deep mysteries are contained in the Lord's Prayer. How many and great they are! They are expressed in a few words, but they are rich in spiritual power so that nothing is left out; every petition and prayer we have to make is included. It is a collection of heavenly doctrine!” [24] That is well put—and next Sunday we’ll see more reasons why Cyprian’s words are so very true!
Darvin Satterwhite, Pastor
Forest Hill Baptist Church
July 27, 2025
©2025 All Rights Reserved as follows:
Anyone is at liberty to use this sermon or any portions thereof for educational or religious purposes, with or without credit. The pastor believes the material presented herein to be true to the teaching of Scripture, and desires to further, not restrict, its potential use as an aid in the study of God’s Word. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Forest Hill Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia.
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[1] Keith Langston, “Want to Compete on Jeopardy? 6 Tips for Getting on the Trivia Show, According to an Expert,” People, https://people.com/how-to-get-on-jeopardy-8646595 (September 13, 2024).
[2] Hope Sloop, “An error of biblical proportions: Jeopardy!” Daily Mail (6-14-23), cited in PreachingToday.com, https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2024/february/jeopardy-contestants-ignorant-of-lords-prayer.html (accessed July 23, 2025).
[3] David Abernathy, Exegetical Summary of Matthew 1-16, An, (Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2013), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 182.
[4] David Abernathy, Exegetical Summary of Matthew 1-16, An, (Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2013), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 183.
[5] Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 79.
[6] Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 79.
[7] Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 79-80.
[8] Genesis 1:27 “So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” (NLT2)
[9] “The Image of God,” BibleHub.com, https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_image_of_god.htm (accessed July 25, 2025).
[10] John 3:3 “Jesus answered, ‘I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again.’” (TEV)
[11] Mark 3:35 [Jesus said:] “Anyone who does God’s will is My brother and sister and mother.” (NLT2)
[12] Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.” (NIV)
[13] Acts 7:59-60 59 “While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he fell asleep.” (NIV)
[14] John 11:11 “After He [Jesus] had said this, He went on to tell them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.’” (NIV)
Luke 8:52 “Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. ‘Stop wailing,’ Jesus said. ‘She is not dead but asleep.’” (NIV)
[15] “What does the Bible say about soul sleep?,” Gotquestions.org, https://www.gotquestions.org/soul-sleep.html (accessed July 24, 2025).
[16] David Abernathy, Exegetical Summary of Matthew 1-16, An, (Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2013), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 184.
[17] Ibid.
[18] Exodus 3:14 “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (ESV)
[19] Psalm 107:13 “Then they cried to the LORD [YAHWEH] in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress.” (ESV)
[20] Psalm 25:11 “For the honor of Your name, O LORD, forgive my many, many sins.” (NLT2)
[21] “What are the different names of God, and what do they mean?” Gotquestions.com, https://www.gotquestions.org/names-of-God.html (accessed July 24, 2025).
[22] Acts 17:27b “[God] is not far from any one of us.” (NLT2)
[23] Ray Comfort, Face Book, https://www.facebook.com/official.Ray.Comfort/posts/when-people-refer-to-god-as-the-man-upstairs-they-reveal-that-they-have-no-conce/668270683193408/ (November 2, 2013).
[24] Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Lord's Prayer".
