Who Are You to God? Why Jesus Begins the Lord’s Prayer with “Father” (Matthew 6:9)

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, He gave them a direct answer. The very first word matters: “Father.”In this message from Matthew 6:9, we explore what it means to pray “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” Before daily bread, before forgiveness, before protection, Jesus grounds prayer in identity and relationship. If God is Father, then we are children — and that reshapes how we pray, how we carry responsibility, and how we understand our place in the world.This sermon examines:• Why the disciples believed prayer must be taught• The significance of “Father” in the original Greek• How this word corrects both pride and shame• What “in heaven” means for anxiety and control• How “hallowed be your name” shapes the way we liveThis message begins a Lenten series walking slowly through the Lord’s Prayer, allowing Jesus’ words to form us as we pray them.Scripture: Matthew 6:9Series: The Lord’s Prayer as Re-FormationKeywordsLord’s PrayerOur Father in heavenMatthew 6:9Teach us to prayChristian prayerMeaning of Our FatherHallowed be your nameGod as FatherLenten sermonLutheran teachingBiblical prayerPrayer formationChristian identitySermon on the Lord’s Prayer