Lord's Prayer -- Hallowed be Thy Name

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Mankato
Lord's Prayer -- Hallowed be Thy Name
June 25, 2000

Lesson 3: Hallowed be Thy Name

The 1^st Petition is a prayer that the 2^nd commandment be kept among us!

2^nd Commandment

1^st Petition

You shall not take the name of the Lord Your God in vain.

What does this mean?

We should fear and love God that we do not use His name to curse, swear, practice witchcraft, lie or deceive; but we should call upon His name in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.

Hallowed be Thy Name.

What does this mean?

God’s name is certainly holy all by itself, but we pray in this petition that we also keep it holy.

How is God’s name kept holy?

God’s name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we as children of God also live a holy life according to it. Help us do this, dear heavenly Father.

But whoever teaches and lives contrary to the Word of God, dishonors God’s name among us. Keep us from doing this, heavenly Father.

The "Name of God" is ___________________________________

List of attributes/actions/qualities included in the "name of God"

"Hallowing" is _________________________________________

Not-hallowing God’s name is ____________________________

(taking away anything from the list above; or diminishing them)

What Makes God’s name Holy? ___________________________

God’s Will regarding His name:

Exodus 20:7, 24

Leviticus 10:3

Example of Hallowing:

Ezra (1:1-11); 3:1-13

1 Samuel 17:43-46 (David)

2 Kings 18:1-6; Isaiah 36:6-7, 37:11-20 (Hezekiah)

Psalm 115:1

2 Corinthians 3:1-3

Examples of Not-hallowing:

Ezekiel 22:26

Romans 1:22-25

Results of not hallowing:

2 Samuel 12:13-14 (David)

Purpose of Hallowing:

Ezekiel 20:8-13; 36:22-23; 38:23

John 17:17

2 Timothy 3:14-17

Necessity of this petition:

Matthew 7:15-23

2 Timothy 3:10-13; 4:1-5

2 Peter 2:1-2

Notes from Luther’s Large Catechism:

Is [God’s Name] not always holy? The answer is: Yes, in itself it is always holy, but not in our use of it.

We are under the great necessity of duly honoring His name and keeping it holy and most sacred, regarding it as our highest treasure and our sanctuary; and of praying, as godly children, that His name, which is hallowed in heaven, may likewise be kept holy on earth by us and all the world.

The name of God is profaned with words or deeds…it is profaned by openly wicked lives and deeds.

God is dishonored if we who are called by His name and enjoy His manifold blessings do not teach, do not speak and live as the godly children of a heavenly Father, but so that He must hear it said of us: "They are children of the Devil rather than of God."

Likewise, we need to pray for ourselves, who, while we have God’s Word, are ungrateful for it and do not live according to it as we should.

--Luther’s Large Catechism, Translated by: J.N. Lenker, Augsburg Publishing House, 1967.