Contents

Lord’s Day Schedule‡

  • Sabbath School—9:45 a.m.
  • Morning Worship—10:45 a.m.
  • Afternoon Worship—2:00 p.m.
  • ‡ Regular schedule temporarily suspended.

Notes from Sabbath School: WLC #187

Notes from Sabbath School on the Larger Catechism, WLC #187 — How is the Lord’s Prayer to be used?
WLC #187 — Q. How is the Lord’s Prayer to be used?
A: The Lord’s Prayer is not only for direction, as a pattern, according to which we are to make other prayers; but may also be used as a prayer, so that it be done with understanding, faith, reverence, and other graces necessary to the right performance of the duty of prayer.1
  1. In what ways may the Lord’s Prayer serve as a model for our prayers?
    • A model of reverence
    • A model of simplicity and directness
    • A model of God-centredness
    • A model of requests for material and spiritual needs with forgiveness of sins.
  2. How may it be used as a prayer.
    • With conscious guarding against formalism.
    • When prayed with “understanding, faith reverence, and other graces necessary to the right perfomance of the duty of prayer.”
  3. Objections answered.
    • Liable to abuse?
      • “The fact that something is liable to abuse does not constitute an argument against its proper and legitimate use.” (Vos, 541)
      • The Lord gives explicit instruction that it be said as a prayer. Luke 11:2, “When ye pray, say, Our Father….”
    • Not for the New Covenant?
      • It is not expressive of “law” or “works” as a way of forgiveness as forgiveness has never been offered or available in respoonse to works. This prayer is expressive of gospel sanctification. (See WLC #194.)
    • Not a prayer in the name of Christ?
      • As this prayer is to “Our Father” it is necessarily offered in and through Christ, for it is only in Christ that we may have God as our Father.

  1. Matt. 6:9. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Luke 11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name…. 

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