Happy New Year! As I type this, we are experiencing a very underwhelming amount of snowfall after the local news media hype. How disappointing! After a hectic week, I was ready to enjoy a snow day—even if it meant working on a sermon from home. I like having an excuse to stay in, you know?
In Vinebranch this Sunday, we’re beginning a six-part sermon series on the Lord’s Prayer. The first sermon is on Matthew 6:9: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” Here are some things to think about: The word “Father” is more formal than Jesus’ word in Aramaic, Abba, which might be better translated “Papa,” or even Daddy. The beginning of the prayer challenges me: Do I think of God in such intimate and personal terms?
Then it gets trickier: “in heaven, hallowed be your name.” How can a God who is intimate as Father or Papa at the same time be in a place (heaven) that we can’t be or visit—a place that seems very far from us?
We’ll explore these ideas this Sunday in Vinebranch. See you there!
We studied the Lord’s Prayer several years ago during VBS. I think I learned more than the kids! It’s disturbing to realize that we say prayers and don’t always think about their meaning.
Thanks for doing this!
I’m looking forward to it, too! I have a feeling I’ll learn a lot, too.