Hammer on Anvil '

This week's guest blogger is Camden Pulliam.  Thanks Camden!

I want you to read something with me.
“Pray, then, in this way:
“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 also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.” – Matthew 6:9-13

This is the ‘Lord’s Prayer.’ It is one of, if not the best known passage in all of Scripture. Since Jesus’ ascension, Christians have been rehearsing this prayer and encouraged by its profound, yet simple, truths. But I’m afraid that often, when we read it today, we miss the bigger picture to which it points.
Does anyone else find it rather perplexing that the requests in this prayer are completely fulfilled and answered by the individual praying?

- Jesus is the one who hallows (or treats with the highest honor) the name of the Lord: “O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known” (John 17:25-26)

- Jesus is the reigning king with the coming kingdom, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17)

- Jesus is the one who does the will of the Father, “not my will but yours be done” (Matt. 26:39)

- Jesus is the one who is the daily bread, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48).

- Jesus is the one who proclaims forgiveness, “Take heart, my son. Your sins are forgiven” (Matt. 9:2)

- Jesus is the one who delivers and has been delivered from the temptations of the evil one, “Be gone Satan! . . . and the devil left him” (Matt. 4:10-11).

This prayer from Jesus is one massive announcement of the prayer’s incarnate answer in him. Jesus is the answer to Jesus’ prayer! Jesus is the answer to every true prayer, so that when we ‘pray in this way,’ we will not have to look far for the answer. This passage might be the ‘Lord’s Prayer,’ but the one speaking is the ‘Lord’s Answer.’

So what’s the point?

When we follow Jesus, we must (must!) remember that we are not paving our own paths of obedience. We are following the pattern of obedience already laid out. So often, when we talk about following Jesus, we put quite a bit of emphasis on our attempts to do what he did (and rightfully so). But just for a moment, let us recline in our seat and ponder that everything we are trying to do has already been accomplished. Isn’t that astonishing? There was a real man, just like you and me, who never once wanted to waste his time. There was a man who could honestly say, “I pray all the time.” There was a man, believe it or not, who never once disrespected his parents. He never was a coward and ‘chickened out.’ He never lusted. He never gossiped. He never valued one person more than another. He always cared for his enemies. He always loved people enough to tell them the truth, and the whole truth. He always witnessed. I mean – my goodness (literally)!

We are called to follow and live righteously just like Jesus. But we are also called to believe that there was already someone who lived righteously on our behalf, someone who is ‘my goodness.’ We are called to believe that Jesus’ perfection is ours, and our sins are no more. Let that sink in. We are considered perfect, and our sins are taken care of. Jesus lived the life we should have lived. But what does he get for it? He died the death we should have died. Our places were switched so that God punished Jesus at the cross and treats us as if we are perfect. How?

When we believe in the gospel, another reversal happens. Scripture says that we die and live anew with the resurrected Christ. Our bodies are the ones hanging on the cross, and now we are walking around as the body of the resurrected Jesus (kinda gruesome, I know). Colossians 3:3 – “You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

(If you trust in the gospel) When God sees you, he doesn’t even see you. All he sees is his son Jesus. You are hidden behind the ‘invisibility cloak.’ This is the best news of your life. Receive it, follow, and ‘pray in this way.’

- Camden Pulliam