An Explanation Of The Small Catechism_The Lord's Prayer

Front 1

193. What privilege and command does God give to those who believe in
Jesus Christ?

Back 1

God commands and invites believers in Jesus Christ to pray.

Front 2

194. What is prayer?

Back 2

Prayer is speaking to God in words and thoughts.

Front 3

195. To whom should we pray?

Back 3

We should pray to the true God only, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, not to idols,
saints, or anything God has created.

Front 4

196. Whose prayers are acceptable to God?

Back 4

Only those who believe in Jesus Christ may pray to God and expect to be heard.

Front 5

197. What should be the content of our prayers?

Back 5

In our prayers we should ask for everything that tends to the glory of God and to our own and our neighbor's welfare, both spiritual and bodily blessings. We should also praise and thank God for who He is and what He has done.

Front 6

198. How should we pray?

Back 6

We should pray
A. in the name of Jesus, that is, with faith in Him as our Redeemer;
B. with confidence, that is with firm trust that for Jesus' sake our prayers will be
answered;
C. according to God's revealed will.

Front 7

199. Who helps us pray?

Back 7

God the Holy Spirit prays with and for us.
Rom. 8:26

Front 8

200. How does God answer prayer?

Back 8

God hears the prayers of all Christians and answers in His own way and at His own
time.

Front 9

201. For whom should we pray?

Back 9

We should pray for ourselves and for all other people, even for our enemies, but not
for the souls of the dead.

Front 10

202. Where should we pray?

Back 10

We should pray everywhere, especially when we are alone, with our families, and in
church.

Front 11

203. When should we pray?

Back 11

We should pray regularly and frequently, especially in time of trouble.

Front 12

204. What prayer did Jesus give us to show us how to pray?

Back 12

Jesus gave us the Lord's Prayer.

Front 13

205. In what way does the word Father in the Lord's Prayer encourage us to
pray?

Back 13

The word Father tells us that God loves us and wants us to pray to Him confidently
and without fear.

Front 14

206. What does the word our impress upon us when we pray, "Our Father"?

Back 14

In Jesus all believers are children of the one Father and should pray with and for one
another. 723 Eph. 4:6 [There is] one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

Front 15

207. What do the words “who art in heaven” say about God?

Back 15

These words assure us that our heavenly Father as Lord over all, has the power to
grant our prayers.

Front 16

208. What is the connection between the first petition and the Second Commandment?

Back 16

Both speak about the name of God. "In this petition we pray for exactly the same
thing that God demands in the Second Commandment: that His name should not be
taken in vain ... but used rightly to the praise and glory of God" (Large Catechism
11145).

Front 17

209. What are we asking when we pray that God's name be made holy?

Back 17

Since God's name is God as He has revealed Himself to us, we cannot make His
name holy, but we do pray that He would help us keep His name holy in our lives.

Front 18

210. How do we keep God's name holy?

Back 18

We keep God's name holy
A. when God's Word is taught among us in its truth and purity;
B. when we live according to the Word of God.

Front 19

211. How is God's name profaned?

Back 19

God's name is profaned, that is, dishonored,
A. when anyone teaches contrary to God's Word;
B. when anyone lives contrary to God's Word.

Front 20

212. What is the kingdom of God?

Back 20

The kingdom of God is His ruling as king over the whole universe (kingdom of
power), the church on earth (kingdom of grace), and the church and angels in heaven (kingdom of glory).

Front 21

213. For what do we pray in the Second Petition?

Back 21

We do not pray that God's kingdom of power would come, because that is already
present everywhere, but we ask God to
A. give us His Holy Spirit so that we believe His Word and lead godly lives as
members of His kingdom of grace;
B. bring many others into His kingdom of grace;
C. use us to extend His kingdom of grace;
D. hasten the coming of His kingdom of glory.

Front 22

214. How can we be certain that the kingdom of God comes?

Back 22

The Lord guarantees that His means of grace establish and sustain His kingdom.
Is. 55:11

Front 23

215. What is the good and gracious will of God?

Back 23

It is God's will that His name be kept holy and that His kingdom come, that is, that
His Word be taught correctly and that sinners be brought to faith in Christ and lead godly lives.

Front 24

216. Whose will and plans are opposed to the will of God?

Back 24

The devil, the world, and our own sinful nature oppose the good and gracious will of
God.

Front 25

217. Why do we pray that the will of God be done?

Back 25

We know that the will of God will always be done, but we want God's good and
gracious will to be done in our lives.
"As God's name must be hallowed and His kingdom must come even without our prayer, so must His will be done and prevail even though the devil and all his host storm and rage furiously against it in
their at utterly to exterminate the Gospel. But for our own sake we must pray that His will may be done among us without hindrance, in spite of their fury, so that they may accomplish nothing and we
may remain steadfast" (Large Catechism 11168).

Front 26

218. How is God's will done in our lives?

Back 26

God's will is done when
A. He breaks and hinders the plans of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature,
which try to destroy our faith in Christ Jesus;
B. He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith and helps us lead Godpleasing
lives;
C. He supports us in all our troubles until we die.

Front 27

219. Why do we pray to God for daily bread?

Back 27

We pray to God for daily bread, which includes everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body, because Christ wants us to
A. realize that our entire life and that of everyone else depends on God;
B. receive all our physical blessings with thanks giving;
C. look to God for physical as well as spiritual blessings.

Front 28

220. How does God provide our daily bread?

Back 28

He makes the earth fruitful and blesses us with the ability to work for the things we
need.

Front 29

221. What does God want us to do for those who are unable to work for daily food?

Back 29

God does not want us to be selfish but to share with those who are unable to work and to include them in our prayers for daily bread.

Front 30

222. Why does Jesus have us say "this day" and "daily"?

Back 30

These words teach us not to be greedy or wasteful or to worry about the future but to
live contentedly in the confidence that the Lord will give us what we need.

Front 31

223. What do we confess when we pray the fifth petition?

Back 31

We confess that we sin every day and deserve nothing but punishment.

Front 32

224. What do we ask for in this petition?

Back 32

We ask that our Father in heaven would for Christ's sake graciously forgive our sins.

Front 33

225. Why do we include a prayer for forgiveness of sins in these petitions to our heavenly Father?

Back 33

We are not worthy of the things for which we pray and have not deserved them. We
therefore need God's forgiveness so that we may pray to Him confidently and in
good conscience.
"Where the heart is not right with God ... it will never dare to pray.... A confident and
joyful heart can come only from the knowledge that our sins are forgiven" (Large
Catechism III, 92).

Front 34

226. What does God want us to do for those who sin against us?

Back 34

Our heavenly Father wants us to forgive and to do good to those who sin against us.

Front 35

227. What does it show when we forgive others?

Back 35

It shows that we truly believe that God has forgiven us.
"Inasmuch as we sin greatly against God every day and yet He forgives it all through
grace, we must always forgive our neighbor who does us harm, violence, and
injustice [and] bears malice toward us.... If you do not forgive, do not think that God
forgives you" (Large Catechism III:94-95).

Front 36

228. What do tempt and temptation mean in the Scriptures?

Back 36

In the Scriptures these words have two meanings:
A. The testing of our faith, which God uses to bring us closer to Himself.
B. The attempts of our spiritual enemies to lure us away from God and His ways.

Front 37

229. Into what kinds of evil do our spiritual enemies try to mislead us?

Back 37

The devil, the world, and our sinful nature try to mislead us into false belief, despair,
and other great sins.

Front 38

230. What do we ask God to do for us when we pray the sixth petition?

Back 38

We ask our Father in heaven to give us strength to resist and overcome temptations.

Front 39

231. What kind of prayer is the Seventh Petition?

Back 39

The seventh petition is a summary petition in which we ask our Father in heaven to
rescue us from the devil and all evil which has come into the world because of sin.

Front 40

232. How does the Lord rescue us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation?

Back 40

In a world ruined by sin, the Lord keeps us from harm and he helps us to endure the
troubles that He allows to come into our lives.

Front 41

233. What final deliverance from evil do we ask the Lord to bring to us?

Back 41

We want our Father in heaven to keep us faithful Him and when we die to take us
from this sorrowful world to Himself in heaven.

Front 42

234. Why do we end the Lord's Prayer with the word amen?

Back 42

The word amen means "so shall it be" and emphasizes that God, who has commanded us to pray, will hear our prayers and answer them as He has promised.

Front 43

235. How do I know God is able to answer the prayers of His people in Christ Jesus?

Back 43

A. He alone is the King who has all good gifts in His control.
B. He alone has the power to grant our petitions.
C. He has all glory and is worthy of our praise.