Teach Us to Pray

Children's Sermon: Teach Us to Pray (Luke 11:2-4)

Have you ever tried to teach another person how to do something? Suppose that a friend came to you and said, "Teach me how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich." What would you say? Well you might say something like this:

• First you get two slices of bread.

• Next you get some peanut butter and spread it on one slice of bread.

• Then you get some jelly—I like grape—and you spread that on the bread.

• Finally, put the two slices of bread together.

• When you have done that, then you EAT IT!

(OPTIONAL: I have provided a link to a copy of a fun children's song which could be used with this sermon.)

As you all know, Jesus spent much time in prayer and he was a great teacher. One day he went to a quiet place to pray. When he had finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, "Lord, teach us to pray."

Jesus answered, "When you pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."

That is a beautiful prayer, isn't it? It isn't a very long prayer, but there are three things in this short prayer that every prayer should include.

First of all, it praises God, our heavenly Father. When we pray the Lord's prayer, we are telling God how great He is. We say, "Hallowed be thy name," which means we think God's name is special and holy. We should always start our prayers by telling God how much we love Him and how amazing He is.

Second, the Lord's prayer asks God to provide for what we need for each day. When we say, "Give us day by day our daily bread," we are asking God to take care of our needs. We can ask God for help with anything, like food, clothes, or even help with schoolwork. God loves us and wants to help us with all our needs.

Next, the Lord's prayer asks for God's forgiveness for the times that we fall short of what he expects of us. We say, "And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us." This means we are asking God to forgive us when we make mistakes or do things that are wrong. We also promise to forgive others when they hurt us or do something wrong.

The Lord's prayer also asks God to help us make good choices. When we say, "And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil," we are asking God to guide us away from things that might lead us to make bad decisions. We want to stay close to God and follow His ways.

Now, let's think about when we can say the Lord's prayer. We can say it when we wake up in the morning to start our day with God. We can say it before we eat to thank God for our food. We can say it when we are scared or worried, to remind ourselves that God is with us. We can even say it with our friends and family, as a way to share our love for God with others.

The Lord's prayer is not just a set of words that we say. It is a way for us to talk to God and share our thoughts and feelings with Him. When we pray the Lord's prayer, we are opening our hearts to God and inviting Him into our lives.

It is important to remember that we can talk to God anytime and anywhere. We don't need to be in a church or a special place to pray the Lord's prayer. God is always with us and He is always listening.

In the Bible, Jesus also taught us that we should pray with a humble heart. This means that when we say the Lord's prayer, we should not be showing off or trying to impress others. We should be honest and sincere in our prayers, just like Jesus was when He taught us the Lord's prayer.

So, let's practice saying the Lord's prayer together. As we say these words, think about what they mean and how they can help us grow closer to God.

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Remember, the Lord's prayer is a special gift from Jesus to help us talk to God. Let's use this gift every day to grow closer to our heavenly Father and to share His love with others.

"Peanut Butter Jelly Song"