Lesson#14

TheLord’sPrayer(17:1-26)

1TheLord'sPrayer

InLesson#13JesusandhisdiscipleswalkedpasttheTemple’ssouthernsteps,turnedleCatthesoutheasterncorneroftheTempleplaEorm,crossedthenarrowKidronValleyandheadeduptheMountofOlivestotheGardenofGethsemane.Astheybegantheirascent,theyturnedandlookedtowardtheTemple,whosegoldendoorsglowedinthelightofaPassoverfullmoonrisingfromtheeastabovetheMountofOlives,andittriggeredJesus’7thandfinal“Iam”statement:“Iamthetruevine”(15:1).

UsingthetradiWonalmetaphorofGodasthevinegrowerandIsraelasGod’s“vine,”JesusrefashionedthemetaphorwithGodasthevinegrower,himselfasthevine,andhisdisciplesasthebrancheswhowerecalledupontobearmuchfruit.

Itisastrikingmetaphor,andonethatJesusdevelopedthroughoutLesson#13,exploringit’simplicaWons.

TheLord'sPrayer 2

Weallknowthe“Lord’sPrayer,”asMaZhewreportsitinJesus’“SermonontheMount”(6:9-13).ButJesusneverprayedthisprayer(“Thisishowyouaretopray”);rather,Jesususesthisprayerasamodeltoteachushowtopray.

ManyWmesinthegospelsweobserveJesuspraying,butonlyonrareoccasiondowehearwhathesays.InLesson#14,JohnallowsustositwiththedisciplesandlistenasJesuspraysforhimself,forhisdisciples...andforus.

InthislessonweexploreprayerinScripture,andweconcludewithJohn17,theauthenWc“Lord’sPrayer.”

TheLord'sPrayer 3

EarlyoninScripture,humanityhaddirectaccesstoGod.RecalltheinWmacybetweenAdam,EveandGodinthegarden,whenGodspokefreelywiththemandwalkedaboutinthegarden“atthebreezy<meoftheday”(Genesis3:8).

4TheLord'sPrayer

LucasCranachtheElder.Paradise(oilonpanel),c.1530.KunsthistorischesMuseum,Vienna.

5TheLord'sPrayer

ACerAdamandEvesinandarebanishedfromthegarden,Godseemstobecomemoreremote,moredistant.

True,hespeakstoCain—“Whyareyouangry?Whyareyoudejected?Ifyouactrightly,youwillbeaccepted;butifnot,sinliesinwaitatthedoor:itsurgeisforyou,yetyoucanruleoverit”(Genesis4:6)—but,thereisnosenseofGodbeingphysicallypresent,asthereisintheprelapsariangardenscenes.

Indeed,Godseemstospeakfromoutsidethesceneinthisstoryoffratricidethatleadstomourningandableak,darkandemptysky.

6TheLord'sPrayer

William-AdolpheBouguereau.TheFirstMourning(oiloncanvas),1888.NaWonalMuseumofFineArts,BuenosAires.

7TheLord'sPrayer

WhenwereachthestoryofNoah,“arighteousmanandblamelessinhisgenera<on,”wereadthat“NoahwalkedwithGod”(Genesis6:9).

Indeed,GodconfessestoNoah:“Iseethattheendofallmortalshascome,fortheearthisfulloflawlessnessbecauseofthem.SoIamgoingtodestroythemwiththeearth”(Genesis6:13).

God’sisclearlypresenttoNoahinsomefashion,ashegivesNoahpreciseinstrucWonsonhowtobuildthearkandwhatanimalsheshouldbringonboard,butonceagain,welackthesenseofGodbeingphysicallypresent,asintheGarden;rather,heseemstospeaktoNoahinternally,fromadistance,manifesWnghisapprovalofNoah’sacWonsbymakingacovenantwithNoah,andbysealingthecovenantfromabovewiththe“sign”ofarainbow.

8TheLord'sPrayer

JosephAntonKoch.LandscapewithNoah’sThankOffering(oiloncanvas),c.1803.TheStädelMuseum,Frankfurt.

9TheLord'sPrayer

WhenwereachthestoryofAbrahamandSarah,Godre-emerges,atleastforaWme.Weread:

“TheLordappearedtoAbramandsaid:‘ToyourdescendantsIwillgivethisland.SoAbrambuiltanaltartheretotheLordwhohadappearedtohim.FromtherehemovedontothehillcountryeastofBethel,pitchinghistentwithBetheltothewestandAitotheeast.HebuiltanaltartheretotheLordandinvokedtheLordbyname.”

(Genesis12:7-8)

Indeed,GodappearstoAbrahamandSarahinafull-blowntheophany,whenGodandtwoangelsarriveatthegreattreeofMamreandhavedinnerandconversaWonwithAbraham!

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“The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oak of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot. Looking up, he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them; and bowing to the ground, he said: ‘Sir, if it please you, do not go on past your servant. Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest under the tree. Now that you have come to your servant, let me bring you a little food that you may refresh yourselves; and afterward you may go on your way.’ ‘Very well,’ they replied, ‘do as you have said.’ Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, ‘Quick, three measures of bran flour! Knead it and make bread’ . . .

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“. . . He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it. Then he got some curds and milk, as well as the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them, waiting on them under the tree while they ate.”

(Genesis 18: 1-8)

AertdeGelder.“GodandtheAngelsVisitAbraham”(oiloncanvas),c.1680.MuseumBoijmansVanBeuningen,RoZerdam,Netherlands.

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GodevenfeelstheneedtoconfesstoAbrahamabouthisplansforSodomandGomorrah:

“TheLordconsidered:ShallIhidefromAbrahamwhatIamabouttodo,nowthatheistobecomeagreatandmightyna<on,andallthena<onsoftheeartharetofindblessinginhim?”

Theansweris:“No.”

“SotheLordsaid:‘TheoutcryagainstSodomandGomorrahissogreat,andtheirsinsograve,thatImustgodowntoseewhetherornottheirac<onsareasbadasthecryagainstthemthatcomestome.Imeantofindout.”

(18:17-18,20-21)

AbrahamandGodthendebate:

“ThenAbraham[steppedforward]andsaid:‘Willyoureallysweepawaytherighteouswiththewicked?SupposetherewerefiXyrighteousmen...’”

(18:23-24)

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JohnMarWn.Destruc<onofSodomandGomorrah(oiloncanvas),1852.LaingArtGallery,Newcastle-upon-Tyne,England.

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ButGod’sphysicaltheophanywithAbrahamistheexcepWon,nottherule.

Later,GodspeakstoJosephindreams,bothathomeandinEgypt;GodspeakstoMosesfromwithinaburningbush,andheappearstoMosesandtheIsraelitesinapillarofcloudandfire;GodspeaksaudiblytotheIsraelitesfromatopMountSinaiinavoiceofthunder;andbytheWmewereachtheprophets,GodspeakstoElijahin“alight,silentsound,”or“asWll,smallvoice”(1Kings19:12).

AswemovethroughScripture,humanity’scommunicaWonwithGod,andhiswithus,becomeslessconcrete,evermoreabstract.

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GiovanniLanfranco.ElijahFedbytheRavens(oilonpanel),c.1624-1625.MuséedesBeaux-Arts,Marseille.

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It’sliZlewonderthen,thathavingwatchedJesusprayintenselyandinWmatelywiththeFather,hisdisciplesaskJesustoteachthemhowtopray.

Andhedoessointhe“SermonontheMount,”MaZhew6:9-13.

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Indiscussingprayerwithhisdisciples,Jesussays:“Whenyoupray,donotbelikethehypocrites,fortheylovetopraystandinginthesynagoguesandonthestreetcornerstobeseenbymen.Itellyouthetruth,theyhavereceivedtheirrewardinfull.Butwhenyoupray,gointoyourroom,closethedoorandpraytoyourFather,whoisunseen.ThenyourFatherwhoseeswhatisdoneinsecret,willrewardyou.Andwhenyoupray,donotkeeponbabblinglikepagans,fortheythinktheywillbeheardbecauseoftheirmanywords.Donotbelikethem,foryourFatherknowswhatyouneedbeforeyouaskhim.”

(MaZhew6:1-8)

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Thisisthecontextforthe“Lord’sPrayer”thatfollows.

InJudaismprayerwas—andis—afundamentallycommunalexpression,notaprivateone.Jesusisnotcondemningsuchprayer;ratherheiscondemningprayerwhenitbecomesanexaggeratedformofpiousostentaWon.Peoplewhopraylikethis,hesaysinatoneofscathingsarcasm,are“hypocrites,”andthey“havereceivedtheirrewardinfull.”

Instead,hesays,“gointoyourroom,closethedoorandpraytoyourFather,whoisunseen.”Andthenhegivesusamodelforsuchprayer:“This,then,ishowyoushouldpray”—

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EricEnstrom,Grace(black&whitephotograph,colorizedbyhandbyEnstrom’sdaughter,RhodaNyberg),1918.TheoriginalisintheMinnesotaSecretaryof

State’soffice;itistheofficialphotographoftheStateofMinnesota.

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The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6: 9-13)

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.

Jesussaysnothingnewinthe“Lord’sPrayer”;rather,hetakeswhateveryoneknowsandhasheardrepeatedly,andhecastsitinanewlight,snappingitintofocusanddisplayingitssubtlecolorsandtextures.

First,lookattheprayer’sstructure.Itisshort,consisWngofonly56wordsintheGreek,asharpcontrasttotheprayersofthosewho“thinktheywillbeheardbecauseoftheirmanywords”(MaZhew6:7).

Second,theprayerhastwoparts:

1)  thefirst23wordsfocusonGod;and2)  thefinal33wordsfocusonourneeds.

Thebasic2-partstructuresuggeststhatprayershouldfocusfirstonGod,thenonus.

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Part1begins:“OurFatherinheaven.”WhenJesussays,“OurFather,”hislistenerswouldimmediatelyrecallothernamesforGodintheHebrewScriptures:YHWH(pronouncedYahwehorJehovah,6,823Wmes),Elohim(2,570Wmes),Adonai(300Wmes),El(250Wmes),ElShaddai(48Wmes),aswellasotherrelaWonshipssuchasking,lord,husband,bridegroom,andsoon.

InbiblicalWmesaperson’snamedoesfarmorethandenotetheindividual:one’snameembodiestheverynature,substanceandessenceofaperson—whoheis,inthemostprofoundsense.

Thus,whenJesussays,“OurFather,”thetermresonateswithothernamesandrelaWonshipswithGod,enfoldingthemintothemostpersonalandinWmateofallrelaWonships,especiallyinapatriarchal,biblicalculture:Father.

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“Inheaven”elevatesthispersonalandinWmaterelaWonshiptoatranscendentplain.IntheGreek,“inheaven”isejn toi:ß oujranoi:ß,“heaven”beingamasculinepluralnoun;itiscorrectlytranslated“intheheavens.”

Scripturespeaksofatleastthreeheavens:

1)  “thebirdsofheaven,”referringtotheatmospheresurroundingtheearth;

2)  “thewondersintheheaven,”speakingofthestellarspaces,and

3)  “thethirdheaven,”whichisbeyondthestellarspaces,theverydwellingplaceofGod.

Thesimplephrase“intheheavens”suggestsbothtranscendenceandimmanence:Godisbeyondourcomprehension;heisintheairwebreathe;heiswithinthesmallestdetail;heisbeyondtheinfinite;hesaturatesallthatis.

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Havingopenedwith“OurFatherinheaven,”Jesus’prayerconWnuesbyinvokingthetradiWonalJewishKaddish,hallowingthenameofGod:“Hallowedbeyourname.”

GiventheextremeimportanceofGod’sname,honoringthatnameistheveryessenceofpietyandarightrelaWonshipwithGod.

InteresWngly,“hallowedbe”isgrammaWcallyathirdpersonimperaWveverbinthepassivevoice,soitdoesnotindicatewhoisdoingthehallowing.WemayrighEully,then,readthecommand,notasreferringsolelytous,buttoallofcreaWonreflected“intheheavens.”

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“Yourkingdomcome,yourwillbedone,onearthasitisinheaven”conWnuesdrawingontheKaddish,sowellknowntoJesus’audience,anditanWcipatesboththeestablishmentoftheMessianicKingdominthepresentageandtheconsummaWontocomeintheendWmes.

TradiWonally,boththeMessianicKingdomandthefinalconsummaWonaredivinegiCstobeprayedfor,notthingstobeachievedbyhumaneffort,althoughtherehavealwaysbeenthosewhofeltotherwise,fromtheZealotsofJesus’daytothosewhobelievetodaythattheChurchistotransformtheworldintotheKingdomofGodonearth.

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Wenowmoveintothesecondhalfofthe“Lord’sPrayer,”shiCingouraZenWonfromGodtoourownneeds.“Giveusthisdayourdailybread”movesusfromGod’stranscendenceandimmanencetodailylifeinthehereandnow:ourbasicneedtoeat.

Godcaresaboutthelargerpictureofhiswillbeingdone“onearthasitisinheaven,”buthealsocaresaboutourmundaneneeds.RequesWngour“dailybread”recallsGodprovidingdailymannatohispeopleinthewilderness,granWngnourishmentandsustenanceduringtheir40-yeartransitfromEgypttothePromisedLand.

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ItalsorecallsProverbs30:8-9—“Givemeneitherpovertynorriches,butgivemeonlymydailybread.Otherwise,Imayhavetoomuchanddisownyouandsay,‘WhoistheLord?’OrImaybecomepoorandsteal,andsodishonorthenameofmyGod.”

Askingforour“dailybread”ratherthanourlong-termsecurityteachesustotrustGodfromdaytoday,ratherthanourselves,knowingthatGodwillprovidewhatweneed,asweneedit.Itisafundamentallessonintrust,alessonwemayrightlyapplytoouremoWonalandspiritualneeds,aswell.

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“Forgiveusourdebts,aswealsohaveforgivenourdebtors”movesustoasecondlevelofneedinourday-to-daylives.IntheMaZhew6:12,theGreekwordtranslated“debts”isojfeivlhma[o-fi’-la-ma],atermtypicallyreferringtoafinancialobligaWon,butitmayalsorefertoanyobligaWon,asinRomans13:8,wherePaulwrites:“Letnodebtremainoutstanding,exceptthecon<nuingdebttoloveoneanother.”InLuke11:4,theparallelrenderingofthe“Lord’sPrayer,”Lukewrites:“Forgiveusoursins,forwealsoforgiveeveryonewhosinsagainstus.”Here,thewordisaJmartiva[ha-mar-te’-a],“sins”or“trespasses.”JesuswouldhavespokenthisprayerinhisnaWveAramaiclanguage,andtheAramaicwordfor“sin”and“debt”isthesame,perhapsaccounWngforthedifferencebetweenMaZhewandLuke.

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Inanycase,thefocusisonforgiveness,notonwhatisforgiven.Andthefirsthalfofthestatement(“forgiveusourdebts”)palesincomparisontothesecondhalf(“aswealsohaveforgivenourdebtors”).AsGodhasforgivenoursinsordebtsagainsthim,soareweobligatedtoforgiveother’ssinsordebtsagainstus;indeed,GodforgivingusisconWngentuponourforgivingothers.

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ThisisastunninglessonreinforcedbyJesus’parableoftheunmercifulservantinMaZhew18:21-35,wherethekingforgiveshisservant’shugedebt,buttheservantrefusestoforgiveasmalldebtowedtohimself.

Thekingthenconfrontstheservantandsays:“Youwickedservant...Icanceledallthatdebtofyoursbecauseyoubeggedmeto.Shouldn’tyouhavehadmercyonyourfellowservantjustasIhadmercyonyou?Inangerhismasterturnedhimovertothejailerstobetortured,un<lheshouldpaybackallheowed.”TowhichJesuscomments:“ThisishowmyheavenlyFatherwilltreateachofyouunlessyouforgiveyourbrotherfromyourheart.”

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“Andleadusnotintotempta<on,butdeliverusfromtheevilone”concludestheLord’sPrayer.TheGreekwordtranslated“temptaWon”ispeirasmovß[pai-ras-mos’],awordwithawiderangeofmean,includingtemptaWon,tesWng,trialandexperiment.

WillGodactuallyleadusintotemptaWonandsin?No.Jameswrites:“Whentempted,nooneshouldsay,‘Godistemp<ngme.’ForGodcannotbetemptedbyevil,nordoeshetemptanyone;buteachoneistemptedwhen,byhisownevildesire,heisdraggedawayanden<ced”(James1:13-14).

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InthecontextoftheLord’sPrayerweshouldreadpeirasmovß[pai-ras-mos’]notasGodleadingusintotemptaWon,butratherGodpermixngustobeledintotemptaWonbyourownevildesires.Orworseyet,byGoddeliveringusintothehandsoftheEvilOneforhimtotestus,asGoddidwithJobandwithDavidwhenDavidtookthecensus(1Chronicles21:1-30).

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WhetheroneshouldreadtheGreekwordponhrovß [po-na-ros’]asgenerally“evil”orspecificallythe“EvilOne”isopentodebate,forgrammaWcallyponhrovß canbeeithermasculine(the“EvilOne”)orneuter(“evil”).

Scholarsandtranslatorsevenlydividebetweenthetwo.UlWmately,though,asJohnCalvinconcluded,itdoesn’tmuchmaZer,fortheEvilOneistheveryembodimentofevilitself,andtheresultisthesame.

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AlthoughtheLord’sPrayerendsonthisnoteinbothMaZhewandLuke,tradiWonalJewishprayerendswithadoxology,andearlyontheLord’sPrayeracquiredone:“Forthineisthekingdom,andthepower,andthegloryforeverandever.Amen.”

ThedoxologyechoesDavid’sprayerin1Chronicles29:11—“Yours,OLord,isthegreatnessandthepowerandthegloryandthemajestyandthesplendor,foreverythinginheavenandearthisyours.”AlthoughthedoxologydoesnotoccurintheearliestAlexandrianmanuscriptsofMaZhew,itdoesentersomeofthelaterByzanWnemanuscripts,aCerfirstappearinginthelate1stcentury/early2ndcenturytheDidiche8:2.

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Today,EasternOrthodoxChrisWansandmostProtestantsincludethedoxologyaspartoftheLord’sPrayer,whilethe1970revisionoftheRomanCatholicMassaZachesitmoreasanepiloguetotheLord’sPrayer,withthepriestinterjecWngbetweenthemainbodyoftheprayerandthedoxology:“Deliverus,Lord,fromeveryevilandgrantuspeaceinourday.InyourmercykeepusfreefromsinandprotectusfromallanxietyaswewaitinjoyfulhopeforthecomingofourSavior,JesusChrist.”

ThecongregaWonthenrespondswiththedoxology,drawingtheprayertoaclose.

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Inworkingourwaythroughthe“Lord’sPrayer”fromJesus’

SermonontheMount,wesurelearnalotaboutJesus’

perspecWveonprayerandonourowncommunicaWonwithGod.

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WelearnabouthowWEshouldpray,buthowdid

Jesuspray?

Excellentpoint!Eventhoughwecallitthe“Lord’sPrayer,”Jesusneverprayedithimself.InJohn17wehavethereal“Lord’sPrayer,”theoneJesusprayedonlyhoursawayfromthecross.

Jesus’prayerinJohn17consistsof3parts:

1)  Jesuspraysforhimself(1-5)2)  Jesuspraysforhisdisciples(6-19)3)  Jesuspraysforus(20-26)

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So,let’shavealook!

1)  Jesuspraysforhimself(1-5)2)  Jesuspraysforhisdisciples(6-19)3)  Jesuspraysforus(20-26)

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“When Jesus had said this, he raised his eyes to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began.”

(17: 1-5)

• Jesus“hour”hascome.AgainJohnusesw“ra,emphasizingthatthemomentisimminent,andJesusasksthathis“hour”willgive“glory”toGod,andthatGodwillinturn“glorify”him.Aswenotedpreviously,theword“glory/glorify”isdoxavzw (do-ksa’-zo),meaningto“magnify,”“extol,”or“praise.”

• JesushastotaltrustinGod.JustashehasglorifiedGod,hetrusts—absolutely—thatGodwillglorifyhim:JesusisonthereceivingendofGod’sacWon.Jesusknowswhathe’sabouttoface,andhereliescompletelyuponGodtoseehimthroughit.

• Althoughnotexpressedovertly,Jesusmustexperienceaprofoundfearatwhatloomsbeforehim,andheclingsWghtlytohisconfidencethatGodwillgivehimthecouragetodiewell.

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• Jesusasksthathemightgive“eternallife”tothoseGodgavehim.“Eternal”isaijwvnioß [i-o’-ne-os]and“life”iszwhv [zo-a’].“Eternallife”isnotsimplybiologicallife,butlifeinthefullestsense,lifeinallitsvitality.ThisisthewordJohnusesin6:54whenhesays,“UnlessyoueatthefleshoftheSonofMananddrinkhisblood,youdonothavelifeinyou.”

• Andwhatis“eternallife”?Thatweshould“know”Godand“know”hisSon.“Know”isginwvskw [ge-no’-sko],notsimplyfactualinformaWon,butdeep-down,gut-levelexperienWalknowledge.

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ItisamazinghowJohnissoveryspecificinhiswordchoice.We’vemenWonedthatpreviously,butitreallystandsouthere.Thisistruly

world-classwriWng,theworkofapoet!

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Ilikepoetry.

Now,ontoJesusprayingforhisdisciples!

1)  Jesuspraysforhimself(1-5)2)  Jesuspraysforhisdisciples(6-19)3)  Jesuspraysforus(20-26)

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“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything yours is mine and I have been glorified in them . . .

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“And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled . . .

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“But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”

IknowthatJesusisprayingforhisdisciplesinthissecWon,andI

knowthatheissendingthemoutintotheworld,butIwouldnothaveknownthatwhileJesuswas

withthemheprotectedhisdisciples.

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LikeIprotectyou!

Andfinally,ontoJesusprayingforus!

1)  Jesuspraysforhimself(1-5)2)  Jesuspraysforhisdisciples(6-19)3)  Jesuspraysforus(20-26)

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“I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, so that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me. I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”

WhenJesuspraysforus,hepraysthatwemayallbeone.Thatdoesn’tmeanuniformity;itmeansunity,playingtogetherinharmonywithhimandwithoneanother.

Asymphonyorchestraoffersagoodanalogytoillustrateunity.Eachmemberoftheorchestrahasenormoustalents,giCsandabiliWes,andeachmemberhashonedthosetalents,giCsandabiliWesoverdecadesofeducaWon,pracWceandperformance.Eachhashisorherowninstrument,playingwithineachsecWon:thestrings,brass,woodwinds,percussion,andsoon.

Buttheydonotplaytheirowntune,astheyseefit;rather,eachplayshisorherpartfromthesamescore(thewordofGod),underthebatonofoneconductor(JesusChrist).

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Andthat’swhatweshouldbeastheChurch—united

asonefamily!

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Amentothat!

1.   EarlyinScripturehumanityhasdirectaccesstoGod.Later,Godseemsmoreremote,notphysicallypresent.Whathappened?

2.   Whatisa“theophany”?NameatleasttwoexamplesinScripture.

3.   InthetradiWonal“Lord’sPrayer,”whatarethetwotopicstheprayeraddresses?

4.   Inthe“Lord’sPrayer”ofJohn17,whatarethethreetopicstheprayeraddresses?

5.   WhatdoesJesusrevealthathedidforhisdisciplesinhisJohn17prayerthatwewouldnothaveknownotherwise?

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