The Lord’s Prayer

This week, I’m going to begin preaching through the Lord’s Prayer. I’m thinking of it as a kind of mini-series within our exposition of the whole Gospel of Matthew. We’re going to spend a few weeks going line-by-line through the prayer as it is recorded in Matthew. As part of that, I want to encourage you to take a look at Shorter Catechism 98-107. These are the last ten questions of the catechism. There’s also a slightly simplified version of these questions in the Children’s Catechism questions 105-121.

The Lord’s Prayer is Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ request: “Teach us to pray.” So if you’ve ever struggled with prayer, then studying the Lord’s Prayer is an opportunity to learn from Jesus himself how to do it!

Thomas Watson on the Lord’s Supper

Thomas Watson was a Puritan preacher in 17th century England. Though he can sound a a bit archaic now, he is known as one of the most simple and helpful Puritans. Below is a quote from his work on the Lord’s Supper. It comes from a chapter where he deals with several objections a believer might have to coming to the Lord’s Table. I pray this is helpful to some of you as we prepare for the Lord’s Supper this Sunday.

Object. 2. But I have sinned presumptuously against mercy? I have contracted guilt after I have been at the Lord’s Table, and sure Christ’s Blood is not for me?

Resp. It is indeed grievous to abuse mercy. It was the aggravation of Solomon’s sin; his heart was turned from the Lord, which had appeared unto him twice (1 Kings 11:9). Presumptuous sins open the mouth of Conscience to accuse, and shut the mouth of God’s Spirit, which should speak Peace: yet cast not away your Anchor, look up to the blood of Christ; it can forgive sins against mercy.

Did not Noah sin against mercy? who, though he had been so miraculously preserved in the Flood, yet soon after he came out of the Ark, he was drunk. Did not David sin against mercy, when after God had made him King, he stained his soul with lust, and his robe with blood? Yet both these sins were washed away in that Fountain which is set open for Judah to wash in (Zech. 12:4).

Did not the Disciples deal unkindly with Christ in the time of his suffering? Peter denied him, and all the rest fled from his colours (Matt. 26:56): Then all the Disciples forsook him, and fled. Yet Christ did not take advantage of their weakness, nor did he cast them off, but sends the joyful news of his Resurrection to them (Matt. 27:7) and of his Ascension (John 20:17): Go to my Brethren, and say unto them, I ascend to my Father, and your Father. And lest Peter should think, he was none of the number that should be interested in Christ’s love, therefore Christ dispatches away a special Message to Peter to comfort him (Mark 16:7): Go tell the Disciples and Peter, that he goes before you into Galilee — there shall you see him.

So that where our hearts are sincere, and our turnings aside are rather from a defect in our power, than our will, the Lord Jesus will not take advantage of every failing, but will drop his blood upon us, which hath a voice in it, which speaks better things than the blood of Abel (Heb. 12:14).

You can read the whole book for free here. And if you’re interested in a print copy, this is probably the best one.

Updates

We are having the Lord’s Supper this week, so please be in preparation.
Midweek studies continue on Wednesday at 5:30.

Your friend in Christ,
Reid