This world is a dangerous place, and the biggest danger is that we will fall into sin. All of the other dangers have to do with this world, but sin has eternal consequences. So Jesus tells us to pray against the temptations to sin that might lead us away from God and destroy us.
MATTHEW 6:13: “LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.”
INTRODUCTION
In her book, Dakota: a Spiritual Geography, Kathleen Norris tells a story from long ago in Antioch, one of the great cities in the Roman Empire and a city where the Christian church was strong.
One day a notorious courtesan boldly rode through the city wearing nothing but her jewelry.
A group of bishops were gathered on the street, one of whom was the monk Nonnus.
The bishops were horrified to see the naked woman riding her horse down the street. They looked away.
All but Nonnus. He looked with pleasure at the woman.
He asked, “Did not her great beauty delight you? Truly it delighted me.”
The other holy men were scandalized.
But Nonnus answered that he only wished that she had the desire to please God that she had to please men.
The courtesan heard of the monk’s remark and came to him in disguise, seeking to find God.
She became a Christian and then entered holy orders and became a nun.
The church knows her as St. Pelagia [Pel-a GHEE-a].
I tell this story to point up the fact that temptations come to different ones of us in different ways.
For one it may be lust; to another, anger; to another greed; and to yet another envy.
Perhaps sin comes to all of us as pride.
And this observation brings us to the last petition of the Prayer our Lord gave us.
I. “LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION…”
A. Jesus ends his prayer by reminding us that living for God means a life-long struggle against sin and discouragement and reminding us that only God can save us from destruction.
When we think of temptation we often think of being enticed to sin by looking at naughty pictures or losing our temper.
But the most difficult temptation of our lives is the temptation to become discouraged, to doubt, to fear, and to give up on God.
B. Jesus was himself soon to enter the dark valley, and he knew that his followers would be likewise tested.
I remember a time when I was struggling with my faith, and I wondered whether God was real after all.
But I kept praying this prayer as it is translated in the Good News Bible: “Do not bring us not to hard testing…”
”And God did answer that prayer, and finally I came out of that dark valley into the light of God’s love again.
The story is told that one day the devil put all his tools on display. They were a treacherous lot of implements: hatred, envy, deceit, lying, lust, and so on.
Laid apart from the rest was a well-worn, but harmless-looking tool.
“What is the name of this tool?” asked one of the viewers, pointing to it.
“That is Discouragement,” replied the devil.
“It is more useful to me than all the others. I can pry open and get inside a man’s heart with that when I can’t get near him with the other tools.
Once I get inside I can pry him away from his God.
It is badly worn because I use it on almost everyone, since so few people know it belongs to me.”
Disappointments, illnesses, loneliness, anxieties may make us discouraged. They may make us doubt God. So we pray against all the things that might destroy us by separating us from our Father in heaven.
C. There is one problem with this sentence that maybe has troubled you as it did me. The prayer says “Lead us not into temptation…”
Why would God lead anyone he loved into temptation?
I found the answer in a commentary. Jesus spoke the Aramaic language, and this prayer was originally in that language.
In the Aramaic language, the expression “lead us not into temptation…” would have the meaning, “cause us not to enter into temptation…”
One theologian writes, “The prayer is a request that in time of trial we may be tested without being tempted.”
D. Testing has its place to refine and prove our faith, but a good outcome is never assured.
That is why we must continually cry out, “Hold me up that I will not fall!” “Keep me from sin!” “Make my faith strong!” “Help me to desire what is pleasing to you.”
Temptations can be things we desire that draw us away from God.
For example, to win the lottery is the greatest dream of some people.
But winning the lottery has destroyed some people.
Sometimes the things I want the most would be great temptations, and when I pray this prayer, I pray that I will get what God wants me to have, even if it’s the opposite of what I want.
So temptations can be either good things—or bad things—that draw us away from God.
II. “…BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.”
A. As I look back on my life I see that I have come through many difficulties, trials, and tribulations. And more lie ahead. I pray that with God’s help I may be victorious.
And I pray that because I have experienced God’s strength in difficult times, I will be able to strengthen others with troubles.
B. Modern translations translate this “…deliver us from the Evil One.”
Many people nowadays don’t believe in a devil, but Jesus did.
He had experienced the power of the Evil One, and he constantly warned his followers of Satan’s attacks.
It wouldn’t be good to think all the time about Satan; it’s better to have our minds on God.
But let’s not forget that there is an enemy whose aim is to destroy us.
CONCLUSION
“FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE GLORY FOREVER. AMEN.”
If you read a modern translation, you will find these words in a footnote at the bottom of the page.
Catholics have traditionally omitted this part because they are not in the oldest manuscripts of the New Testament.
Protestants use them because they are an appropriate ending the prayer.
Scholars say that Jewish believers usually added such a doxology to their prayers.
They make a fitting ending to the prayer.
When we say “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, amen,” we remind ourselves that Jesus is Lord and worthy of our praise.
It is good to end our prayers with praise. Praise opens our hearts to God and gives him access to our lives.
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