We truly enjoyed the prayers of certain men that their prayers seemed had a way of reaching heaven in a way that no others did. I wish I could hear Jesus pray. I know everyone hear wish to hear Jesus pray. Jesus’ prayers seemed so vibrant, so alive because Jesus was in a state of unbroken communion with God the Father. After Jesus prayed, Jesus' disciples have no doubt noticed His prayerfulness and one of His disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1 “teach us to pray”). If you want to learn something, the subject of prayer is the thing you need to learn. If you notice in our passage, the disciples did not asked Jesus, “Teach me to preach,” or “Teach me to evangelize” but one of His disciples asked Jesus to “Teach us to pray.” If that disciple learned how to pray, he could learn and would do everything that is right in his Christian life. Prayer is so essential in our Christian life. Through prayer, those disciples of Jesus, could learn how to preach and could learn how to evangelize. Listen, everything a believer needs to learn in his Christian life can be learned through prayer. All true Christians, ought to say with this Jesus disciple, “Lord, teach us to pray.” During the days of Jesus, religious leaders, often taught their disciples a lesson how to pray. In our passage John the Baptist taught his disciples how to pray (verse 1 “John also taught his disciples.”).

Sad to say, prayer is no longer considered a doctrine in its own right in many bible seminaries. As we noticed that prayer made a part of doctrine of Salvation or soteriology of many theological schools or even by individuals. The theology and practice of prayer in life is one of the most beneficial lesson I ever had in my life.

Reasons why Prayer is so important:

1. Prayer changes things

Elijah prayed that it would not rain, and so it did not rain (James 5:17 “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.”).

2. Prayer changes people

At the Last Supper, Jesus remarked to Peter, (Luke 22:32 “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”)

3. Prayer changes ourselves

When Paul deeply realized who God is, in II Corinthians 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:”

that is thing that changed Paul as he said “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” Through prayer, Paul learned about the grace of God and the power of Christ, truly prayer changed him. Prayer changed Paul’s attitude. How about us? How does prayer change us? Like the Apostle Paul, prayer changes us because prayer helps us to see the God whom we serve. When we pray, we enter into deeper communion with God. Having deeper communion with the gracious and powerful God will always result in changed personality of a person.

This subject of prayer in our passage in Luke 11 is not a prayer to be memorized and never to be a mechanical recitation. That is why Jesus warned against formalism and verbalism in prayer.

The rendering of prayers in Matthew 6 and Luke 11 is different or not the same. In Matthew 6, the prayer delivered during the course of a sermon early in the ministry of Jesus, while in our passage in Luke 11, the prayer delivered much later in response to a question from a disciple who asked Jesus to teach the disciples how to pray. This variation of rendering of prayers in Matthew 6 and Luke 11 would be natural because Jesus was so concerned in giving his followers a pattern for prayer of the heart rather than a rigid memorized mechanical form of words. God don’t want people to just stand around in the auditorium or sanctuary then recite automatically the routinary Lord’s prayer and say, “Our Fathers” by assuming they get right with God and settle everything. Many were misguided as they were misinterpreted Matthew 6 thinking that they need to memorized lines, no prayer is not memorized lines. Prayer is your heart doing with the heart of God. Prayer is entering to a deeper communion with God that resulted to Changed you. When I prayed, I talk to God as my Father. The Aramaic word here for Father is “Abba.” The Jewish child learned to say is the word “Abba,” that is equivalent to our “dada.” Likewise, when we go to our earthly daddy and talk to our earthly father, you do not hold a card then say something rendering the memorized lines. When we talk to our earthly father, we talked from our heart to our earthly father’s heart, and in that way, we learn something about your earthly father that changes your attitude, views in your life. The point is that prayer is designed to help us know more about our Father in heaven. Now when you stop for a moment and realize that your heavenly Father is the greatest Father in the whole universe. This heavenly Father is a perfect Father and the only Father of whom it could be said, “never made a mistake.” This passage in Luke 11 is a lesson to learn what it means to a perfect Father. Let us study this morning in our “Father’s Day, 2022” about the subject of a perfect Father who has ever existed. And when we learned truths about this perfect Father of heaven, it would possibly change us into being better fathers ourselves.

I – A PERFECT FATHER IS TO BE REVERENCED – v.1-2a

Luke 11:1-2a “And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. ²And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”

Lucas 11:1-2a “Siya'y nanalangin sa isang lugar at nang siya'y makatapos, sinabi ng isa sa kanyang mga alagad, “Panginoon, turuan mo kaming manalangin, gaya ni Juan na nagturo sa kanyang mga alagad.” ²Sinabi niya sa kanila, “Kapag kayo'y nananalangin, inyong sabihin, ‘Ama, sambahin nawa ang pangalan mo.’”

We notice that when the prayer is addressed o the Father, he was called to as our Father who is in heaven (verse 2 “When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven.”). Since we learned that our Father is in heaven and we are not in heaven that put us being His people at a distance from our Father. It shows us that God the Father is over us and higher than us, more elevated than we are in our position. According to Jesus teaching to His disciple, God’s name is a name which is to be hallowed, to be made holy, to be reverenced (verse 2a “Hallowed be thy name”). The name of a person summed up his whole character, means revealed all about that person. So, what we are stressing here is about more than the way people take the name of God on their lips although it is included in it. We are talking here about everything about who God is and everything revealed about God.

Proper attitude and showing reverence toward God. Men should not intend to whittle the God of heaven down into any manageable size and shape he wants to design. God should be God. Man should recognize God as the highest only One true God and is to be reverenced (Jesus said “Hallowed by thy name”). Our Father in heaven is not simply the man upstairs or one of the boys. Our heavenly Father is one who is be reverenced. This truth is applicable also to our earthly fathers. There is certain reverence to be given to an earthly father simply because the earthly father is a father. So, the attitude of reverence should be seen by all the members of the family in the home. Every husband is to be a reverend, means every husband is to be revered and the wife is to see that reverence happens. Everybody noticed that most of today’s sitcom played and enjoyed by watchers featured the dad who is somebody is poked fun at, presented in that sitcom the dad as a kind of deranged (nasiraan ng bait, loko-loko, baliw) individual who does not have as much sense as mom and the kids. In that sitcom presentation we could not find reverence there, and this is largely the mindset of most homes. Talking about reverence, how does an earthly father get reverence?

Hebrews 12:9 “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?”

An earthly father who knows the difference between right and wrong and insists on the right being done, that father is worthy of reverence. Sad to say, there are many homes of today, we can say are totally devoid (kulang or wala) of discipline, because children have never been corrected, but just neglected for parent’s lack of time, faults and mistakes are just ignored by parents who leave the decision to their children because they do not want to have conflict with their children. Many fathers of the home want to be friends with their children, so they don’t want to be fathers of their children. There is nothing wrong having fun with your kids, but what are emphasizing here is that if you want your child’s friendship more than you want your child’s respect, you are not going to be a good father. The earthly father is not one of the boys, is not one of the children. The earthly father taught in the Bible stands for what is right, know how to correct and discipline their children because he is not one of the boys, he is not on the same level with their children.

II – A PERFECT FATHER IS RECOGNIZED WITH AUTHORITY – v.2b

Luke 11:2b “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.”

Lucas 11:2b “Dumating nawa ang kaharian mo.’”

The issue whether the Lord’s prayer is eschatological or not is often been a debate of many theologians. What are we praying for when Jesus said we have to pray for God’s kingdom to come? (verse 2b “Thy kingdome come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.”). Does it says we have to pray for the millennial reign to be established, or we need to pray for God to govern our hearts and lives right now? I would say it refers to both. Certainly, we can say that this prayer is in a context of Christians seeking help that the will of God be done in their daily lives. But on the other hand, it is not impossible that Christians see themselves as living in the last days during Christ reigns on the millennial kingdom of God. So, the everyday life of a Christians and the eschatological future kingdom blend together in this prayer. We recognize God’s kingdom in mystery form in this text but now we relate this phrase in the lives of the Believers who subject themselves to God’s way. However, God’s kingdom will not come until God’s will in His perfect plan is perfectly done throughout the world. That is why we pray “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.” According to this prayer, the sovereignty of God the Father must be recognized more and more that is why it says “in heaven and so in earth.” God the Father should reign fully over those all creatures whom He has created in heaven and in earth. The Believers, instead of living in sin and rebellion against their Creator and Savior, we should be brought more and more under the control, kingship and leadership of our Father. God’s will should be done in our personal daily lives just as perfectly on this earth as His will also accomplished in heaven (verse 2a “Thy will be done, as in heaven so in earth.”). When God says something in heaven, there are no complains, there are questions asked, what He says is done. That’s the way His will should be done on earth.

We should clearly recognize the authority of our God the Father in heaven. The same is true of our earthly father we should likewise recognized his authority given by God.

Ephesians 5:22-23 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.”

May you get mad and get upset with your hair at the back of your neck stands up, as you hate this preacher, but I am telling you, you can’t change the Word of God. The Word of God is the final authority no matter what you feel and say, no matter how you react. The Word of God is final. The Word of God says in Ephesians 5:23, “For the husband is the head of the wife,” Therefore, the verse clearly says “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” The earthly father is the recognized authority.

Ephesians 6:4 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

When the child is admonished and spanked, the responsibility is placed by God directly to the earthly father. It does not mean that the father cannot delegate the responsibility of disciplining or spanking of children from time to time. But to make it clear, the father can delegate it to his wife or the mother; but the mother never delegates the responsibility of admonition of spanking to his husband or the father. Why? because the father should never have to get permission or authorization from his wife or from the mother so he can spank or admonished the children. The earthly father is the recognized authority, not anyone in the family. Now, listen if the environment in your home is that the children know that what their father says does not really carry any weight or importance at all unless their mother agrees, permits, submit, that family are living in chaos, going to a ruin and destructive state. If a mother tries to ever undercuts the authority of the husband or the father in their home, the mother is doing a disservice or harmful action to the children of that home. The father and the husband who has the authority in the home must have a recognized authority.

III – A PERFECT FATHER IS TO BE THE PROVIDER FOR HIS FAMILY – v.3

Luke 11:3 “Give us day by day our daily bread.”

Lucas 11:3 “Ibigay mo sa amin sa bawat araw ang aming pang-araw-araw na pagkain.”

The prayer here is a petition for daily bread. The term “bread” often used in the Bible to signify God’s provision for our daily needs. The verb “Give us day by day” is in present tense which obviously means continuous action. It also teaches us that the Father in heaven keeps on giving us what we need on a daily basis. The lesson we learned here is that we should not ask God to supply to us our needs for long period of time and afterward you will suddenly forget God for the meantime. Do not do that, we must be consistent or live in a constant action of continual dependence upon God in our daily needs. This truth is also applicable to our earthly father. The head of the family or the father should be responsibly concerned continually with materially providing for his own dear family.

Genesis 3:14-19 “And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: ¹⁵And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. ¹⁶Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. ¹⁷And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; ¹⁸Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; ¹⁹In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

In this text Genesis 3:14-19, we see God is clearly giving the respective roles. God speaks to the serpent of the punishment for contradicting word of God and play as the tempter in v.14-15. God speaks to the woman of the consequence of her disobedience to the authority and lead the maneuvering of sinful acts toward temptation in v.16. Then God speaks to the man of not standing in God given authority as a leader but listen to the weaker vessel in v.17-19. Notice carefully, God said not to the woman but to the man in verse 19 “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread.” We remember as far back as Eden, God said man is to be the bread winner. We heard of family after family that has had marital troubles in areas of finance, sexuality, communication, all these problems raised from the fact that the woman or the wife was making more money than the man of the husband. Since the woman is the family bread winner or the provider, we understand why the woman felt that she had the right to have the most and final say. We are not referring to a man who is physical incapacitated and can not work, but we are talking about a man who was physically able to work but would not work. Actually, work fascinate some men, that they just stand and look at the task for long hours, and some men are so lazy complaining of manual labor. Good and fathers are good providers for the family.

Matthew 7:9-11 “Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? ¹¹If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

According to the above text, even evil earthly father know how to adequately provide for their families.

II Thessalonians 3:7-15 “For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; ⁸Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: ⁹Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. ¹⁰For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. ¹¹For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. ¹²Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. ¹³But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. ¹⁴And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. ¹⁵Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”

According to this text, the early church took a very hard task of correcting against lazy men who would not work and walk disorderly as busy bodies. Earthly fathers are to be family providers.

Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Is your Father in heaven would not meet your daily needs? Of course not, for your Father in heaven knows your need more than you know, He can give you more than ask or more than you think. That is the job description of your Father in heaven. God is your provider. This truth is applicable to every earthly father. Every father in the home are to be concerned in providing the daily needs of their respective family.

IV – A PERFECT FATHER KNOWS THE VALUE OF FORGIVENESS – v.4a

Luke 11:4a "And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us."

Lucas 11:4a “At ipatawad mo sa amin ang aming mga kasalanan, sapagkat pinatatawad naman namin ang bawat nagkakautang sa amin,’”

Notice verse 4a “And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.” The Lord Jesus teaches us that the prayer “forgive us our sins” is followed by the assertion that we sincerely forgive those people who have sinned against us. Of course, this prayer “forgive us our sins,” is not making human action the ground of forgiveness. The Bible is clear teaching us in the New Testament that forgiveness springs from the grace of God and not from human merit. The point here is not that since we forgive others so God is bound to forgive us. We can appeal to a merciful God confidently to forgive us because even sinful people like us forgive. We can expect God to forgive us, when we ask the merciful and gracious God to forgive us

I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

God is not slack concerning His promise. God said if you confess your sins, God is duly bound to His Word to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God is faithful to His word of promise to forgive us.

Our Father in heaven is a father that is so much concerned with forgiveness. God wants everything to be right and settled, and wants to get along with us. When God can’t forgive us, because we do not ask Him to forgive us, it deeply grieves His heart so much. Our father is never going to reject an appeal for forgiveness.

Matthew 18:15-35 “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. ¹⁶But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. ¹⁷And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. ¹⁸Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. ¹⁹Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. ²¹Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? ²²Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. ²³Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. ²⁴And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ²⁷Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. ²⁸But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. ²⁹And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ³⁰And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. ³¹So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. ³²Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: ³³Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? ³⁴And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. ³⁵So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

The emphasis of this long parable is that people who experienced and received forgiveness should be the first people to forgive other of their trespasses. As God has forgiven us of all our debts to Him, why can’t we forgive men of their lesser infractions (paglabag, pagsuway) toward you. Listen, if you walk around with animosity (poot) and hatred in your heart toward others, you are not spiritual but a carnal. If there are any unresolved conflict in your home, you are not a good father, because that is the nature of a good father to always wants everything get right and so good father knows the value of forgiveness.

V – A PERFECT FATHER WANTS THE SPIRITUAL BEST INTEREST OF HIS FAMILY – v.4b

Luke 11:4b “And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.”

Lucas 11:4b “at huwag mo kaming dalhin sa tukso.’”

I am not saying that a father in the flesh wants what is in the best financial interest, or the best educational interest, or the best social interest, or the best occupational interest of his children. All these different kinds of interests could never be compared to the spiritual best interest of his family. All various interests that were mentioned sometimes have to be sacrificed for the sake of what is in the spiritual best interest of his children and his family. Good fathers do not seek to lead their children into temptation but rather he seek to deliver them from evil (v.4b “And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.”).

Notice again verse 4b “And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” It signifies that father do not want to lead their children to enter into temptation that they might backslide or fall into sin or would not be used to serve God but instead the good father seeks to deliver their children and his family from evil. When the father decided where and how to educate his children, the father should determine the right course or schools that will not lead his children to temptation of forgetting and neglecting or affects their worship and service to the Lord. When the father decided what kind of friends, he wants his children may associate with, the father should decide based on the people who may not lead his children to temptation of immorality and worldliness. When the father set the standards for his home, he should do that based on delivering his children from evil and protecting them from temptation. Besides, the children should be protected and sheltered from much that is the world.

Job 1:5 “And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.”

Here we can how Job did his father’s responsibility as the priest of his home. For Job, the spiritual lives of his children are so much important to focus on. Job’s action contrast with that of Eli.

I Samuel 3:13 “For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.”

We can see here that there was no hedge in the home. Eli never restrained his sons from committing sinful living and doing freely all they want. Did you see that? That is exactly will happen if there were no standards set up by the earthly father who was the responsible leader of his children.

To all fathers, we need to prepare the way for our children so that they are led as seldom as possible into circumstances filled with temptation.