Off the Sidewalk (part 4)

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."   -Romans 8:15

The disciples approached Jesus and asked “Teach us to pray.” Prayer is a learned exercise, taught in the school of the Holy Spirit. So how do we pray? We start by saying ‘Our Father.’ The word ‘Father’ shows us that prayer is positional. God is our Father and we are his children. Unless we understand our position, we aren’t going to be able to pray in a way that grows us.

To call God ‘Father’ means we’re assuming we’re his heir. This is more radical and offensive then we probably first realize. If you’re working for someone, you get income as a wage. But if you’re a child, you get all the wealth without even working. This is the difference between the Gospel and religion. If you’re a Christian, God honors you as if you’ve done everything Jesus has done. If you’re a Christian, it means not that you’re trying to get blessings, it means you’re an heir and you’re already in! God treats you as if you are everything Jesus was. This is the difference between the Gospel and religion. In religion we hope that if we live a good life we’ll put God in our debt and he has to bless us. The Gospel says Jesus lived the life we should have lived, died the death we should have died, and when I simply say Father accept me because of what Jesus has done, at that moment we receive the spirit of sonship. We’re an adopted child. We just want God.

Always start every prayer knowing your position.

(Part 4 of 6 in the series "Off the Sidewalk." Adapted from Tim Keller's sermon "Praying in the Spirit.")