Well, good afternoon everyone and lovely to be here today. My name is Paul, I'm part of the leadership team here and it's my privilege to bring us God's Word this morning.
Let me just guide you in terms of what we're going to be doing for the rest of our time together.
I will be speaking for a while and after that we'll be having an opportunity since it's the first Sunday of the month to share communion together for all those who want to stay.
We are in week three of looking at the Lord's Prayer and my reading today is in Matthew chapter 6 verse 11.
That is the Lord's Prayer and the reading, the verses we're looking at are just verse 11.
Reading is, give us this day our daily bread. I wonder if I managed to complete the reading before some of you had found it in your Bibles.
Well, don't worry, you've got plenty of time to find it because that's where we're going to be dwelling.
Just in these seven words, give us this day our daily bread.
And it's been wonderful for me to be able to really just reflect on those seven words as I've been preparing.
Let me remind you of the context.
Graham spoke to us last Sunday on the subject of attuning our life to the Father's frequency.
As he focused on the words just before that,
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
And he really challenged us to look out and to look at the church and to look into our lives
and to reflect on what the Lord's will would be in each of those spheres.
And after such lofty thoughts,
in some ways,
as I've focused on the Lord's Prayer,
it seems a little bit surprising that the very next words,
grand themes about God's glory,
and we go on to important themes about repentance and forgiveness,
are these seven simple words.
Give us this day our daily bread.
I'd like to look at each word.
And if it's okay with you,
I'd like to look at the last word first,
the word bread.
Because as I've studied this over recent days,
I've discovered that through the history of the church,
theologians have sometimes got themselves into a terrible fankel over the word bread.
I think so much so that it seems there's almost been massive fights and disagreements
over what Jesus meant when he set out this model prayer and said,
give us this day our daily bread.
And some have thought,
well, clearly Jesus couldn't possibly be referring to bread.
That would be in some ways,
you know,
inappropriate.
So he must have been referring to bread as an illustration of God's words.
And indeed,
one of our earlier songs quite rightly used the idea of daily bread being the way in which God feeds us through his word.
And that's perfectly biblical,
but some have perhaps said that's all it can be.
Others have said,
no,
you've got that wrong.
When we're talking about give us this day our daily bread,
there's a reference there to communion,
right?
The bread that is the body of Christ,
and it's a reference to the fact that we need to be fed by Jesus.
And we do so as we take communion.
It's clearly not just bread.
And then right about the time of the Reformation,
it seems that along came others,
and apologies to the theologians,
I know I'm generalizing pretty broadly here,
right?
But they came along and said,
maybe bread means bread.
And actually,
maybe it is the case that when Jesus says,
give us this day our daily bread,
it's okay to pray for the stuff that we need.
Bread is an incredibly universal item.
So basic.
I wonder how many of you have bought bread this week.
Just in case some of you are not sure what bread is,
I thought I would bring along a loaf of bread.
One of the many that I have purchased this week.
And I've been among those in the UK who have purchased 11 million loaves of bread this week.
I bought this one in Morrison's.
It's a Coburg Cobb and it costs 50 pence.
I was reflecting this morning,
I could definitely have paid six times the price
had I bought it in one of the little boutiques in Brunstfield.
But of course,
that may have been worth it because it wouldn't have come in one of these plastic wrappers.
It would have come in a paper bag.
And maybe even slightly more stale.
But nevertheless,
I might have quite enjoyed paying six times the price.
But what sort of bread have you purchased this week?
I wonder.
And did any of us pray beforehand that we would be able to have, purchase or receive that bread?
Or did we proceed with, I suppose, presumption, maybe understandably,
that there'd be no issues whatsoever with us obtaining that bread?
I suspect most of us were in the latter category.
So why then is it that Jesus includes this reference to bread in this model prayer?
Well, I suppose the first point that I take from it is perhaps a recognition that God knows all that we need.
He knows and understands our need for food, for water, but also our needs for so many other things.
And I think in this very basic, in this encouragement to pray for our most basic needs,
we are to be reminded in our prayers that there is nothing,
there is nothing too small that we cannot bring to God in our prayers.
And there is nothing too big that we cannot bring to God in our prayers.
Reflect, please, for just a minute on the things that you've prayed for this week.
And are you remembering, am I remembering,
to bring to God my prayers and my needs for the small things,
and also for the big things?
Let's unpack this a bit more as we think about some of the other seven words.
And I'd like to look at the first two now.
The words, give us.
And my title, as we go through the other six words, I'll have three titles.
And this one, I suggest, gives us a sense of childlike dependence.
You see, there's no particular deal going on here.
This is not about some sort of contractual relationship.
This is not about us saying to our Heavenly Father,
now we have done certain things for you,
and in return, what we require is this back.
But in this incredibly simple phrase, give us,
I think we see a sense of simplicity and a great sense of need.
And I'd like you to imagine just a child and the needs of a child.
Isn't it the case that adulthood brings such a great sense of self-sufficiency in many ways?
We're adults and we need to be in control and we need to have a plan for the day,
for the week, for the month, for the year.
And we look at our bank statement and we look at our pensions savings,
our statement, and we look at what we've got and we work out whether it's sufficient
and we worry about it and we stress about it.
And children do none of those things.
Children look to their parents and expect that their parents will quite simply provide for them.
Even though Elizabeth and I's children are growing up a bit and are 8 and 11,
there is still a sense of absolute dependence on us for their food.
And there is also an absolute expectation that it's certainly not the case
that the Tesco shopping will be delivered on a Monday
and it will go into the cupboard and we'll then say,
well, just fend for yourselves.
The food's there.
Rather, there's a whole process of planning, of preparing, of cooking, of cutting,
of serving, of providing, of clearing, of washing,
which we as parents, or in most cases Elizabeth as mother,
is undertaking in order to provide for our children who are expecting to receive from us.
And I wonder if we might need to recapture,
as we focus on this few small words in this incredibly important prayer,
our sense of childlike dependence on God for everything.
I wonder if some of us have become a little bit too sophisticated and self-sufficient.
And whether at times that necessary planning for life and for adulthood
ends up leading to a sense that in our faith and our relationship with God,
we are self-sufficient in that sphere as well.
We're not.
Let's remember the words of the hymn which says,
Nothing in my hands I bring
Simply to thy cross I cling
Naked, run to thee for dress
Helpless, look to thee for grace
Foul I to the fountain fly
Wash me, saviour, or I die
Last time I was speaking, I shared with you some of my challenges this year.
As I suffered a tricky problem with my eyes
and couldn't drive and couldn't work for a little while
Of realising quite suddenly
that even such a small thing going wrong
could have profound consequences
and making me realise I am not in control.
And challenging me about whether actually
I'm living my life with a sense of
childlike dependence on my heavenly father.
That week, one of the books that I read
was a great book by Louis Giglio
called I Am Not But I Know I Am
and it's a book based on the story of John the Baptist
as he looked to Jesus and said
Jesus must increase and I must decrease
and Louis Giglio says this in the book
Admitting we are not God
not in control
not running anything
not responsible for everyone's wellbeing
not the solution for everything and everyone
not at the centre of all things
does not belittle us
but rather frees us.
I am not
but I know
the one who is
I am.
Let's be people
let's be a church
marked by
childlike
dependence
on God
for our bread
and for every other aspect
of life.
Let's move on to some of the other words.
Give us
this day
and then the word
daily.
Give us
this day
our
daily bread
and if we've thought about
childlike
dependence
I think those
three words
this day
and daily
encourage us
to reflect on our
continual
dependence
on God.
Yesterday's faith
in many respects
won't be sufficient
and all of us
are invited
once again
today
to trust God
afresh
for all that we need.
If I
left that bread
and decided
that I would keep it sitting
and would come back to it
for my food
in
two or three
or four weeks time
well
would that be sensible?
Of course not.
It would be rotten.
And so
bread
is something
that needs to be
renewed
and refreshed
so regularly
and for some of you
you'll already be there
in the story
of God's people
in the book of Exodus
in chapter 16
where God provided to them
manna from heaven
that flaky stuff
a bit like frosties
that was landing
on the ground
when they were
struggling without
any food at all
and they looked
and they thought
this is fantastic
that these frosties are here
and some of them
gathered up
tons and tons and tons
and thought
we'll keep it
and we'll keep it in containers
and it will last
for many days
and God had already
told them
look you don't need
to do that
this stuff's only
for today
unless the next day
is going to be a Sabbath
in which case
it's going to be
for two days
but some of them
didn't listen
and they didn't trust God
they didn't trust
that God would give them
each day
their daily bread
and so they hoarded
it all up
and what happened
in day two
the stuff was full
of maggots
it was absolutely rotten
and God was challenging
God's people
way back then
in the book of Exodus
that what he wanted
was a people
who would look to God
in continual dependence
yesterday the manna came
they'd have to wake up
and rely on God
providing them again
for manna
and they'd have to
wake up the next day
with nothing
but absolutely relying
on God providing them
again with manna
and they'd wake up
the next day
again utterly relying
on God providing them
with that manna
Lamentations chapter 3
says this
because of the Lord's
great love
we are not consumed
for his compassions
never fail
they are new
every morning
great is your faithfulness
I say to myself
the Lord is my portion
therefore I will wait
for him
I want to encourage us
that for some of us
we might feel
that our trust
our confidence
in God
is being shaken
we've already heard
and thought
and prayed
for members
of our church
who this week
are wrestling
and struggling
with serious health issues
and others experiencing
loss
and others with
problems and issues
that many of us
will not even be aware of
we come to God
this morning
who assures us
that his compassion
never fails
and that his love
is new
every morning
and who invites us
to live a life
of childlike dependence
and of continual dependence
the God who will provide
for us anew
on Monday
and on Tuesday
and on Wednesday
and every day
ahead
and who invites us
to simply
trust him
but let's not miss
the final two words
that I really want
to focus on
you've noticed them
I'm sure
give us
this day
our daily bread
that prayer
could so easily be
give me
this day
my daily bread
but it's not
a prayer
of individual
dependence
on God
it's a prayer
that speaks
of collective
dependence
if you're taking notes
we need to come together
and lift up our hearts
and voices together
saying God collectively
we need you
in so many ways
the Bible speaks
of us being
a body
that isn't
self-sufficient
but that is
beautifully
interconnected
so that every part
might support
the other part
in meeting
the needs
of the other
and very simply
I've been thinking
of it
that some of you
might be praying
for a particular
need
and it's another
part of the body
that God is equipping
to provide
for that need
folks
some of us
are the answers
to the prayers
of some of the others
who are sitting here
in this room today
that's a beautiful way
in which God makes
his church work
and so we need
to be praying
for one another
we need to be looking
out for one another
we need to be willing
to share with each other
where we are at
and what our needs are
because God may have
some of the answers
to those needs
and the people
that are sitting
right next to you
or behind you
or you'll pass
today so please
let's not think
that God's encouraging
us to pray
individualistic prayers
only about our needs
he's not
and time and again
throughout the Lord's prayer
there is a sense
of our collective
worship towards God
our collective need
for forgiveness
and our collective
need for daily bread
let's look around us
to what extent
might we be the answers
to some of the prayers
that others are praying
but as we draw
towards a close
I want us to think
for just a moment
or two
about what the
consequences
for our lives
might be
if we are really
to be people
who are marked
by an increased
sense
of childlike
dependence
on our God
of continual
dependence
and of collective
dependence
well what are
the consequences
if we as individuals
have this sense
of being utterly
dependent on God
for everything
I suppose
the one word
that has been
in my mind
as I've reflected
on that
is the word
gratitude
if we
do not seek
to go about life
absolutely
self-sufficient
but if we
recognise
that our
every breath
and our
every need
is utterly
in God's
hands
to provide
and we
are not
sufficient
for anything
and we
then discover
that God
provides for us
in so many
ways
surely the
response
ought to be
one
of
outpouring
gratitude
to God
I was reading
a book
this week
called
Ruthless
Trust
and the
author
speaks
of spending
some time
with a group
of older
black women
in the deep
south of America
down in New
Orleans
and his
comment
was that
the one
phrase
that he
heard these
women say
time and
time again
day after
day was
this
thank you
Jesus
thank you
Jesus
thank you
Jesus
what are
our levels
of gratitude
folks
to Jesus
for all
that he
is doing
for us
and in
our lives
I wonder
if we're
marked more
by a sense
of grumbling
than we
are by a
sense of
gratitude
and I
look into
my own
heart and
life with
that challenge
before I
look out
and present
it to
any
others
there was
also a
story that
I read
of a
woman who
was
desperately
ill in
hospital
and
gradually
her
physical
functions
were becoming
increasingly
impaired
but she
was someone
who was
looking
to
Jesus
and a
young man
went in
to visit
her in
the hospital
and she
said to
him I'm
just so
grateful to
Jesus
for the
fact that
I still
have the
power to
move my
neck and
my head
even though
there was
no power
to move
any other
part of
her body
and he
said that's
wonderful
and he
visited her
a few weeks
later and
the power
to move
her head
and neck
had gone
and she
said I'm
just so
thankful to
Jesus
that I
still have
the power
to see
and hear
and he
said to her
in the course
of that
visit he
said that's
wonderful he
said but
what will
happen when
you can no
longer see
and hear
she said I'll
just be so
thankful to
Jesus that
you still come
and visit
me and I
was touched
by that
simple
example
of gratitude
and I
wonder if
some of us
are wasting
our time
and our
energy
grumbling
rather than
being grateful
I wonder if
some of us
need to
recapture a
sense of
childlike
dependence on
God
for everything
and if in
doing so
we might find
ourselves
increasingly
grateful
for all
the ways
in which
he provides
our daily
bread
but as I
close I
want to
recognize
that for
some of us
we may be
struggling a
bit with
the fact
that we
feel we
have been
praying for
things and
we've not yet
seen the
answer
we have been
praying for
daily bread
we've been
praying for
the job
we've been
praying for
the better
health
we've been
praying for
the renewed
energy
and we feel
it's just
not happening
and there we
see our
childlike
dependence
being tested
because we're
asking and it
doesn't seem to
be happening
and maybe we
can learn from
the children as
they were
speaking about
waiting
or maybe we
can learn from
people like
Joni Erex and
Tada who
writes this
when life is
rosy we may
slide by with
knowing about
Jesus
with imitating
him and
quoting him
and speaking
of him
but only in
suffering do
we know
Jesus
we learn
things about
God in
suffering that
we cannot
learn any
other way
now I
can't do
justice to
that topic
in the time
that we've
got
it's something
that we can
maybe discuss
with each
other why is
it that
sometimes it
seems that our
prayers to
our good
father do
not receive
the answer
that we expect
or the answer
that we want
but as we
think of our
encouragement
today to be
people who
will simply
trust and
depend on
God
let's finish
with this
one verse
from God's
word
1st John
chapter 4
verse 16
says this
we know
and rely
on the
love
God has
for us
maybe that's
a verse for
some of you
this week
to take into
whatever situation
you are
facing
God encourages
all of us
to be people
of childlike
continual
and collective
dependence on
him
who can say
no matter
the circumstances
or no matter
the challenges
whether we feel
that the larders
are full
or are empty
we know
and rely
on
the love
God has
for us
let's pause
reflect on this
and pray together
thank you
Jesus
thank you
Jesus
for all
the ways
in which
you are
providing
for us
for our
physical
needs
thank you
that we
can bring
them to
you
thank you
there's
nothing
too small
to bring
to you
for our
spiritual
needs
thank you
Jesus
for the way
in which
you have
provided
life
and salvation
through your
own sacrifice
on the cross
for us
thank you
Jesus
may we be
people
may we be
a church
that relies
on
that depends
on
and that
looks to
you
for all
in this
life
Amen
you