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And do not put us to the test. This is the final set of readings of the Lord's Prayer.
We move towards the end of our journey together and in this final part of the journey we follow
Jesus in his passion through to this death and the story of the first Easter Sunday,
all as told to us by Luke. There is very little in the way of commentary on these readings.
This is because to my mind the story of the torture, betrayal and execution of the one
that we love above all others needs to be allowed to speak for itself. We need to pause
and to be attentive, to watch and to wait. And yet however there are links. If we look
carefully within the passion story with the themes we have been studying in the Lord's
Prayer. In the garden Jesus called out to his Father, his Abba, in dependence on him
and his decision to go forward on the way of the cross is a decision that is taken in
the context of deep prayer. As Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey he joyfully received
the praise and blessing of his disciples who call him holy. At his trial when the authorities
charge him with blasphemy, he is robust in declaring the imminent arrival of the kingdom
of God. At the last supper as he meets with his disciples to say goodbye he breaks bread
and gives it to them. As he hangs on the cross, right at the end of his life, he forgives
a thief who turns to him in faith. And he shows a healthy wish to avoid the way of the
cross, if it is at all possible as he struggles with his dilemma in the garden and asks to
be spared his time of trial. And yet as in prayer he comes to see that from a heavenly
perspective this is the only way he accepts the path with graciousness. As we go back
and remember the words of the Lord's Prayer in the context of following Jesus on his passion
and of the joy that first Easter morning, we are very much acting in obedience to the
spirit of the command of the angels who meet the women who arrive first on the scene. They
tell them to remember - to remember how Jesus told them, and as we pray and study the Lord's
Prayer together we are doing just this. I hope you've enjoyed this journey through
the Lord's Prayer and felt you have grown and benefitted through it, and as we draw
to a close I want to invite you to join with me in saying the Lord's Prayer as given us
by Luke: Father, May your name be held holy, Your kingdom
come; Give us each day our daily bread, And forgive us our sins as we ourselves forgive
each one who is in debt to us, And do not put us to the test. Amen.