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Matthew chapter 6. God willing, 
we'll return to 1 Samuel next week. I thought we'd look at the last 
petition or the sixth petition of the Lord's Prayer this evening 
in Matthew 6.13. I was musing on the reality that 
if Saul would have prayed this prayer, Saul would have taken 
pains to watch his own heart and to seek the Lord's protection, 
perhaps he wouldn't have fallen into the sorts of sins and folly 
that he fell into so many times in First Samuel. But I do want 
to read beginning in Matthew chapter six at verse five. We'll read from verses five to 
fifteen and then as I said our focus this evening will be on 
the first part of verse thirteen, the sixth petition of the Lord's 
Prayer. Verse five, and when you pray 
you shall not be like the hypocrites For they love to pray standing 
in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets that they 
may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they 
have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into 
your room. And when you have shut your door, 
pray to your father who is in the secret place. And your father 
who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, 
do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. for they think 
that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not 
be like them, for your father knows the things you have need 
of before you ask him. In this manner, therefore, pray. 
Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, 
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this 
day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our 
debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, 
but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom 
and the power and the glory forever, amen. For if you forgive men 
their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. 
But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will 
your father forgive your trespasses. Amen. Well, in this particular 
section, beginning in verse one in chapter six, all the way to 
verse 18, Jesus is dealing with religious activity or acts of 
piety. He deals with almsgiving in verses 
one to four prayer versus five to 15 and then fasting. in verses 
16 to 18. Each of these things are assumed 
by our Lord that they will be done. Notice he doesn't command 
us to engage in almsgiving. He doesn't command us to be charitable. He assumes that the people of 
God will in fact be charitable. Notice in the next section, he 
doesn't command us to pray. He assumes that the people of 
God will be a praying people. And in like manner, he assumes 
that the people of God will fast, verses 16 to 18. What he's cautioning against 
is an empty, external, formalistic approach to these particular 
religious practices or to these exercises. We see that when he 
speaks to prayer. Before he gets into what has 
been called the Lord's Prayer, or this model of prayer that 
the Lord gives to us, notice that he cautions us against praying 
like the hypocrite or praying like the heathen. When you pray, 
you shall not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing 
in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that 
they may be seen by men." The only reason that you pray is 
so that people will say, what a good prayer you are, you've 
missed the point of prayer. You have not gotten it down properly. So we are not to be like the 
hypocrite who simply engages in religious activity so that 
they may be seen by men. Jesus says, if that's your goal, 
then you have your reward. But for the true saint of God, 
he goes into the secret place where the father alone sees and 
the father rewards his sons and daughters. And then he speaks 
against the manner by which we pray. when he cautions us against 
praying like the heathen. Notice in verse 7, when you pray, 
do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think 
that they will be heard for their many words. It's not the quantity 
of words that gains the ear of God. It's not a matter of just 
rehearsing or reciting or repeating certain phrases and somehow God 
will then give us what we want. You can pray very briefly in 
specific situations and God answers. You don't have to spend hours 
upon hours upon hours. Now if you want to spend hours 
upon hours upon hours of prayer, by all means do that. But do 
not approach it like a formula. If I pray for three hours, then 
God is going to give me three hours worth of blessing. Or if 
I pray for six hours, then God's going to reward me with six hours 
worth of blessing. We are not to be like the heathen. 
And this helps us understand how we are to approach the Lord's 
Prayer as well. It would be absolutely insane 
for Jesus to say, Do not use vain repetitions as the heathen 
do for us to then drop down to the Lord's Prayer and just recite 
it as if it's some sort of a magical incantation. As we hold bead 
upon bead upon bead, just reciting the particular word does not 
have any efficacy attached to it whatsoever. The Roman Catholic 
use of just reciting this prayer in sort of a mindless approach 
is not what the Lord Jesus is calling us unto. He tells us, 
do not be like the heathen, do not use vain repetitions as the 
heathen do, for they think that they will be heard for their 
many words. Certainly it's in all of our hearts to think that 
God owes us when we do specific things. Probably in the best 
of God's people, there is nevertheless that underlying thought that 
I've done such and such, so God should reward me such and such. 
Jesus is arguing against such an approach. God is not Baal. Yahweh is not Baal. We do not 
approach God as if He's Baal and just put in the quarter and 
pull the handle and out pop the blessings. The Lord Christ does 
not tell us to approach God in that manner. And then he gives 
them this model prayer. Notice in verses 9 to 13, in 
this manner, therefore pray. Before we get to the sixth petition, 
we ought to notice that there are six petitions. Isn't that 
wonderful? Can't have a sixth petition unless 
there were six petitions. Well, of course, you could have 
six if there were. seven, but there's six total. And notice 
the specific order. God comes first when it comes 
to prayer. I know it is our tendency and 
temptation to go into the throne of grace and say, God, give me, 
God, bless me, God, help me. Now, if you happen to fall down 
a well, you can cry out to God, save me. It's a very legitimate 
enterprise. But in the normal course of praying, 
notice who comes first, according to Jesus, model prayer. We pray 
first that God's name be hallowed. God's glory is first. God's glory is uppermost. Notice secondly, your kingdom 
come. God's kingdom. The expansion 
of God's kingdom and rule. The third petition is that God's 
will be done on earth as it is in heaven. There is a particular 
order. Just like the Ten Commandments start first with God and then 
go to some man-word expressions of our obedience, so does the 
Lord's Prayer. God comes first. His name, His 
kingdom, His will. Numbers 1, 2, and 3. Now notice 
4, 5, and 6. We pray to God for provision. Give us this day our daily bread. Under this we can include, you 
know, health and physical wholeness and all those sorts of things. 
We can pray for jobs and sustenance and all of that is perfectly 
legitimate. Notice the fifth petition, and forgive us our 
debts as we forgive our debtors. We pray to God that he forgives 
us, that he cleanses us, that he washes us from all of our 
sin. And then the last petition, the 
sixth that we'll study tonight, do not lead us into temptation, 
but deliver us from the evil one. He tells us to pray for 
protection. R.T. France makes this observation. After a petition for the forgiveness 
of past sin, the fifth petition, comes a petition for protection 
from future sin. So we confess our sins, we ask 
God forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. It's now 
good to pray and do not lead us into temptation. Keep me from 
further occasions of sin keep me from dishonoring your holy 
name, keep me from engaging in that manner of practice that 
I just had to confess because it is in me to sin. So as we 
look at this petition, we'll look at it under three considerations. First, the meaning of the word 
temptation. as it's used in this petition. 
Secondly, the explanation of the petition, and thirdly, the 
reason for the petition. But note first the meaning of 
the word. Turn over to James chapter 1 
for just a moment. James chapter 1, we see the same 
Greek word used with two different meanings. They overlap, they're 
similar in some regard, but it's very important that we understand 
what Jesus is telling us in this sixth petition. Notice in James 
1.2, it says, my brethren, count it all joy when you fall into 
various trials. That's our word. or tests, we 
might interpret it or translate it. So tests, God does impose 
upon his children. In Genesis chapter 22, remember 
when God tells Abraham to take Isaac, his only son, to Mount 
Moriah and to sacrifice him. The author tells us in 22.1 that 
God was testing Abraham in that particular occasion. As well, 
in Deuteronomy chapter 8, in verse 2, Moses tells the children 
of Israel that God took them out into the wilderness to test 
them, to test whether or not they feared God. So this idea 
of testing, in this context, is legitimate. Drop down to verse 
13, the same Greek word, but again, a different nuance or 
a different shade of meaning. Verse 13, let no one say, when 
he is tempted, I am tempted by God. For God cannot be tempted 
by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. So on the one hand, 
verse 2 tells us we are to count it all joy when you fall into 
various trials or tests, and then in verse 13 we're told that 
God does not test, God does not tempt. Well the idea again is 
that God gives us tests, or God does what he does to Abraham, 
or he does what he does to Israel, or he does what he does to the 
believer for their good and their benefit. We see that in verses 
3 and following. when that trial comes or that 
testing comes, good results from it. Verse 13 is a solicitation 
to do evil. Verse 13 is the idea of engaging 
in sin. God does not tempt us in that 
manner. God does not present to us a 
solicitation to do evil. And that's what's in view in 
verse 13 in Matthew chapter 6. Do not lead us into temptation. This is a solicitation to evil 
in order to sin against God. The idea behind the petition 
is, let us not be brought into temptation and thus sin against 
you. This is not a God-sanctioned 
test for the good of Abraham or Israel or his people, but 
rather this is the solicitation to do what is evil in the sight 
of God. Thomas Manton says this, he says, 
in temptation we must distinguish between the mere trial and the 
solicitation to sin. The mere trial, that is from 
God, but the solicitation to sin, that is from Satan and ourselves. God solicits no man to sin. It is true. God may try us, trouble 
us, toss us, exercise our faith, hope, and patience. There are 
trials in the Christian life. As I look around this particular 
room, I don't think any of you will say otherwise. There are 
difficulties, and there are heartaches, and there are hardships, and 
according to James 1-2, We're to count it joy when we fall 
into those things, because God Most High is using that for good 
in the lives of His people. If, according to the book of 
Hebrews, Jesus, the Son of God, learned obedience through suffering, 
then do we think that the pathway to obedience for us is without 
suffering? Do you think that we're going 
to just skip and skedaddle our way onto heaven without any trials 
or difficulties whatsoever? No, of course not. God sanctions 
those. God blesses those, God gives 
us those to conform us unto the image of His Son. Remember, that's 
the grand design according to Paul in Romans 8. For whom He 
foreknew, these He predestined to be conformed to the image 
of His Son. If we're being conformed to the 
image of Christ Himself, it will be a path of suffering, and hardship, 
and trial, and pains, and aches, and difficulties. I love the 
way Manton says it. It is true, God may try us, trouble 
us, toss us, exercise our faith, hope, and patience. Have you 
ever gone through a season where it feels as if God has tossed 
you? As if God has exercised you? That's the James 1, 2 issue. 
But James 1.13 tells us that we are never to conclude that 
a solicitation to do evil is from God Most High. That is simply 
unacceptable. Thomas Watson says the meaning 
is, with reference to Matthew 6.13, that God would not suffer 
us to be overcome by temptation, that we may not be given up to 
the power of temptation and be drawn into sin. So as I say, 
it's a petition for protection from God so that we may not go 
out and dishonor our Lord that we may not go out and sin against 
our God. I think France is right. After 
a petition for the forgiveness of past sin comes one for protection 
from future sin. So it's important that we get 
this. Do not lead us into temptation. It does not mean we pray, God, 
I don't ever want any difficulties or hardships or trials. I don't 
think it's wrong to pray. God, please, bless us and help 
us and all those sorts of things. But God uses trials and difficulties 
in the lives of his people to conform them unto the Lord Jesus. So that's the meaning of the 
word temptation. Notice, secondly, the explanation of the petition. And there are two parts, a negative 
and a positive. Note first, do not lead us into 
temptation. Do not lead us into temptation. And there's four things we ought 
to consider here. First, is there is an acknowledgment 
here of God's sovereignty. You see, when it comes to praying 
for protection, we can certainly invoke the prayers of God's people. We can certainly ask our pastors 
or our elders to pray for us. You know, I'm struggling. I have 
an issue. I'm dealing with a particular 
sin. Could you please pray for me? But it's not ultimately pastors, 
elders, or brethren that can protect us from falling prey 
to these sorts of things. In this petition, there is an 
acknowledgment of God's sovereignty. Notice back in the fourth petition, 
we acknowledge God's sovereignty in the provision of our temporal 
needs. We ask God to give us our daily bread. We acknowledge 
His sovereignty. We know He is the one who owns 
the cattle on a thousand hills. He is the God who causes the 
rain to fall and the sun to shine. We acknowledge the mercy of God 
and the forgiveness of our sins in the fifth petition. We pray 
and forgive us our debts. When it comes to this matter 
of protection, we acknowledge the sovereignty of God in spiritual 
protection from enemy forces. We are cast in dependence at 
the throne of God Most High, and we are beseeching Him for 
aid, help, and assistance so that we may not sin against Him. We ask the help of the Sovereign. We realize that He is Sovereign, 
not the devil. We realize that He is Sovereign, 
not the world. We realize that He is Sovereign, 
not we ourselves. We're not praying to ourselves. 
as the protectors of our souls. We prayerfully submit to his 
sovereign rule as the one who knows what's best for his children 
and the one who guides us along our daily path. Certainly it 
is righteous to wake up in the morning and to utter this petition 
to the God who does control all things. Lord, lead me not into 
temptation. The second thing we ought to 
notice about this first part of the petition is there is an 
admission of our weakness and our wickedness. There is in this 
petition an admission. That means we admit that we are 
weak and wicked. You may not like the choice of 
the word wicked. Call it whatever you will. We 
have remaining corruption. And corruption is wickedness. Corruption is sin. And Galatians 
5, 17 and Romans chapter 7 indicate all too clearly to us that there 
is in the heart of every believing child of God remaining sin. There is in us that tendency 
to wander. We sang it tonight. O to grace, 
how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be. Let that grace 
now, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. That's good praying, 
brethren. That is good praying. Let thy 
grace, or let that grace now, like a fetter, bind my wandering 
heart to thee. Why does he offer this? Prone 
to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love, 
here's my heart. Oh, take and seal it. Seal it 
for thy courts above. Robert Robinson. Apparently, 
at the end of his life, a woman saw him on a stagecoach and acknowledged 
the fact that he was the one who authored that particular 
hymn. And she was probably excited 
to sit with the hymn writer that had written such things. And 
according to the story, he said to the lady, I would give anything 
to be back in the state of mind and soul that I was when I wrote 
that particular hymn. The very author of the hymn, 
at the end of his life, knew something of the hymn that he 
had authored himself. And I love the way David ends 
Psalm 119. I don't know if you've ever sort 
of reflected on this particular reality. Psalm 119, if you had 
to summarize it in one proposition, would probably be something like 
a celebration of God's Word. I mean, Psalm 119 is 176 verses 
of the goodness of God's Word, right? His statutes, His commandments, 
His laws, His ordinances. He delights in it more than much 
fine gold. The law of God makes me wiser 
than all my instructors. Notice how he ends Psalm 119. 
I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for 
I do not forget your commandments." Now is David just a downer? Is 
David just a downer? He celebrates the word and the 
law of God Almighty and then he ends on that particular note. 
No, I suspect that David knew all too well something of what 
Robert Robinson writes in that hymn. Prone to wander, prone 
to leave the God that I love. There is in this petition, do 
not lead us into temptation and admission of our weakness and 
our wickedness. And brethren, I submit that is 
a good thing because when we admit those things, it will hopefully 
go a long way to keep us from the pride and the arrogance and 
the idea that we no longer stand in need of God's protecting grace. Have you ever gotten to the point 
where you believe you've mastered a particular sin? Don't answer 
me, because we'll all probably say, well, yeah, and then something 
else popped up, or that one came back another time. Sometimes 
people get like that. I always think of that game Whack-A-Mole. I don't know if you've seen that. 
You know, the little moles come up, and you bop the one, and 
it goes down, and then something else pops up. Just when you think 
you've got a sin under control, boom, up something else pops. 
And then you start whacking on that one. And lo and behold, 
this one pops up again. But I thought it was already 
whacked. I already thought I dealt with it. You see, in this life, 
on this side of glory, we can never get to the point where 
we think we've mastered a particular sin. Or we have mastered or brutalized 
a particular lust or a temptation. We ought to be advancing, we 
ought to be growing, but we ought to ever be mindful of the reality 
that prone to wander, prone to leave the God that I love. John 
Owen said, for ourselves, we are weakness itself. We have 
no strength, no power to withstand. Confidence of any strength in 
us is one great part of our weakness. You hear that? Confidence of 
any strength in us is one great part of our weakness. When a 
man says, well, I don't struggle with this, and I don't struggle 
with that, and I don't struggle with that, that is an evidence 
of his weakness because he's boasting, and he's proud, and 
he's arrogant. Much more preferable is the man 
who says, do not lead us into temptation. Keep us from these 
evil paths. Owen says, it was so in Peter, 
wasn't it? Though everyone else may deny 
you, Lord, I will not deny you. Isn't that what Peter did? Didn't 
Peter whack that bowl and suggest that somehow it would never rise 
up again? That there would never be an 
instance or a time where he would undergo a denial? And that very 
Peter denies him to a slave girl. That very Peter denies him with 
oaths and curses. That very Peter. or who has had 
shoulders over all of us. We need to guard against this 
presumption and this arrogance and this idea that we've got 
something under control. Owen says, he that says he can 
do anything can do nothing as he should. Amen. I think he's 
absolutely right. So do not lead us into temptation. First, an acknowledgement of 
God's sovereignty. Second, an admission of our weakness 
and wickedness. Third, a recognition of the power 
of temptation. Right? Do not lead us into temptation. Why does the church pray this? 
And notice the Lord's Prayer. is church-oriented. It is corporate. There's an our element and an 
us element. Not wrong to pray privately, 
Jesus tells us, to go into our secret places. Did you catch 
the title of that sermon that Pastor Chansky referenced, the 
one by David Clarkson from Psalm 87? public religion is to be 
preferred over private. That was a Puritan mindset derived 
straight from the Psalter itself. God loves the gates of Zion more 
than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Not that he hates the 
dwelling places of Jacob, But he loves the gates of Zion. He 
loves the gathered body of Christ's people. This is a corporate prayer. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts. Do not 
lead us into temptation. This ought to be the way the 
church prays. And certainly take it as individuals 
into your prayer closet. But there is a recognition here 
of the power of temptation. Gardner Spring in his little 
book called The Mercy Seat says, no one can truly adopt the language, 
lead us not into temptation, who does not possess the fear 
and hatred of sin. No one can truly adopt the language, 
lead us not into temptation, who does not possess the fear 
and hatred of sin. Consider the example of Joseph 
in Potiphar's house. What did he do when Potiphar's 
wife presented herself to him? He resisted that temptation. He understood the power of it. He knew something of the gravity 
of this reality and what he did was cried out to God for aid 
and he ran from her house. Consider Job 31.1. Certainly this man understood 
the power of temptation. A good petition for young men, 
a good petition for middle-aged men, a good petition for older 
men, or a good covenant rather. Job says, I have made a covenant 
with my eyes. Why then should I look upon a 
young woman? Consider, Job was probably an 
older man by this time, and yet Job reflects in Job 31.1 on this 
reality that he had to make a covenant with his eyes so that he would 
not look upon a young woman. Proverbs chapter 5 and verse 
8, remove your way far from her. and do not go near the door of 
her house." You see, temptation in and of itself isn't sin, because 
Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, right? But giving in to the temptation 
is sin. And Proverbs 5.8 has always intrigued 
me, because Solomon tells his sons, do not go near the door 
of her house. He doesn't say, don't go into 
her bed. Solomon understands something 
about the power of temptation. Don't even go near her door, 
because if you go near her door, guess where the next stop is? 
You will be in her bed. Temptation is powerful and we 
need to understand that and those who pray this petition acknowledge 
that reality. Ephesians 4.29, let no corrupt 
word proceed out of your mouth. John Owen on this issue concerning 
the power of temptation says, there are traitors in our hearts. 
Do you know this to be the case? There are traitors in our hearts. 
The Owen quotes tonight come from Volume 6. This is a worthy 
endeavor in your Christian pilgrimage to read Volume 6. I cannot command 
it, but I can highly suggest it. It's a big fat volume of 
goodness on dealing with temptation and sin. But he says, there are 
traitors in our hearts ready to take part, to close, and side 
with every temptation, and give up all to them. Yea, to solicit 
and bribe temptations to do the work as traitors incite an enemy. Do not flatter yourselves that 
you shall hold out. There are secret lusts that lie 
lurking in your hearts, which perhaps now stir not, which, 
as soon as any temptation befalls you, will rise, tumultuate, cry, 
disquiet, seduce, and never give over until they are either killed 
or satisfied. Those are the two options with 
a temptation. Kill it. or satisfy it. Of course, 
to satisfy it is to sin against God Most High. As Owen says elsewhere 
in Volume 6, be killing sin or it will be killing you. Again, 
John Owen says, let no man then pretend to fear sin that does 
not fear temptation to it. They are too nearly allied to 
be separated. Satan has put them so together 
that it is very hard for any man to put them asunder. He hates 
not the fruit who delights in the root. And then the fourth 
element with reference to this petition, and these are just 
some suggestions you can think through and meditate upon. Do 
not lead us into temptation, and I'm sure come up with many, 
many more implications. These are just four suggestions. 
The last that I have is that there is here an appeal for divine 
aid. There is an appeal here for divine 
aid. We are making our requests known 
unto God. Isn't this what we are to do 
in prayer? Hebrews 4, 14-16 says, Seeing 
then that we have a great high priest who has passed through 
the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest 
who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points 
tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come 
boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and 
find grace to help in time of need. Certainly, a time of need 
is when we are being assaulted by temptation. We pray to God, 
do not lead us into temptation. Keep us from it. Guard us, Lord. We are invoking divine aid so 
that we do not follow this path and end up in sin's clutches. So the first element in the petition, 
do not lead us into temptation, notice secondly, but deliver 
us from the evil one. Three observations here. First, 
the enemies in view. Notice the text, do not lead 
us, I'm sorry, but deliver us from the evil one. Some of the 
translations might just say evil, generically. Evil one is a good 
translation. Matthew chapter four, the temptation 
of our Lord Jesus. It was Satan who assaulted him 
directly. The evil one came to our blessed 
Lord and tempted him in the wilderness. But as well, it can encompass 
the other enemies. There's a three-fold enemy of 
the Christian, of the believer. There is an unholy trinity that 
is out there that we need to take notice of. It is the world, 
it is the devil, and it is our own flesh. And probably our own 
flesh is the most menacing of them all. Ryle says, we are here 
taught to ask God to deliver us from the evil that is in the 
world. the evil that is within our own hearts, and not least 
from the evil one, the devil. Listen to Manton. Manton said, 
if there were no devil to tempt us, yet the heart of man is fruitful 
enough of all that is evil. Even if there wasn't a devil, 
there's enough wretchedness in our own hearts to cause an eternity 
of punishment as a result of our sins against God. So the 
enemy's in view. It's not just the devil here, 
but the world and the flesh as well. Secondly, there is presented 
to us in the petition a continual threat. The prayer for protection 
from temptation and deliverance from evil is to be frequently 
engaged in because of the constant pressure, because of the constant 
tendency, because of the constant threat that is posed by the world, 
by the flesh, and by the devil. If you've ever read Pilgrim's 
Progress, when Christian is crossing the River Jordan, is it just 
a nice, you know, sort of a swim in the sea on a sunny day? It's 
a battle to the very end. How do you think it's going to 
be for us? It's a battle to the very end. We've always got within 
us enough sin to damn us forever and ever. There are seeds in 
our hearts of apostasy, and we need to be mindful of that. Jesus 
cautioned his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, watch and 
pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, 
but the flesh is weak. And the Christian understands 
that and seeks to pray accordingly. Deliver us from the evil one. There is a reality here that's 
assumed, and I love the way the Westminster Larger Catechism 
specifies it. I have the whole catechism here, 
not the whole catechism, number 195. It's about that long. I was going to read the whole 
thing at the outset, but I'd probably lose everybody after 
what do we pray for in the Sixth Petition. It's just long Puritan 
theology, but it's good, good theology. Perhaps I will read 
it at the end. But notice what it says toward 
the end. It says, if tempted, that by 
his spirit we may be powerfully supported and enabled to stand 
in the hour of temptation. Certainly that's what the petition 
is all about. And then it goes on to say, or 
when fallen. The divines understood something 
about remaining corruption. They understood something about 
Romans 7 and Galatians 5. They understood that the best 
saint who prays, do not lead us into temptation, but deliver 
us from the evil one, was going to finish that prayer and then 
go out and fall into temptation, and more than likely give in 
to temptation. And so they put toward the end 
of this particular catechism answer, or when fallen, raised 
again and recovered out of it, and have a sanctified use and 
improvement thereof." In other words, God, when I engage in 
this particular activity, help me to learn the lessons that 
are necessary so that I don't go likewise and do it again. 
And then it goes on to say that our sanctification and salvation 
may be perfected, Satan trodden under our feet, and we fully 
freed from sin, temptation, and all evil forever. In other words, 
take the petition and look forward to the day when in that eschaton, 
or in the eschatological state, or when we are in heaven, there 
will not be a need daily to pray, do not lead us into temptation, 
because there is nothing that defiles in heaven. There is no 
more sin, there is no more curse, there's not going to be any temptation. You get that glimpse in Revelation 
chapter 7, and all the saints are standing before the throne 
of God Most High. You know what they're not doing? 
They're not judging each other. They're not sinning against each 
other. They're not engaged in adultery. They're not engaged 
in fornication. They're not engaged in lying 
or theft. They're not engaged in cheating. 
They're standing whole-souled before the Lord God Most High, 
praising, worshiping, and honoring Him, world without end. Amen. 
So this petition ought to cause us to reflect upon that reality 
that there is a day coming when there will be no more sin, no 
more curse, no more sorrow as a result, and we will be in the 
presence of our God and of the Lamb. Now notice thirdly and 
finally, the reason for the petition. Some of this is a bit overlapping. 
We won't spend a lot of time on each of these. The reason 
for the petition is the presence of remaining corruption. Already 
alluded to that, but it's good to look at text. Romans 7. Romans 
chapter 7, specifically beginning in verse 13. has then what is good become 
death to me? Certainly not, but sin, that 
it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, 
so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful." 
Now notice in verse 14, for we know that the law is spiritual, 
but I am carnal, sold under sin. Now there is some debate. Martin 
Lloyd Jones, for instance, said that Paul is describing his himself 
prior to his conversion to Jesus Christ. The majority of commentary 
and the majority of interpreters over there, I wouldn't say the 
majority, but yeah, the majority, but it's not a 99 to 1. It's 
probably, I don't know, 60, 70, to 40, 30. But Lloyd-Jones was 
of the mind that this description is of Paul prior to his conversion. The majority report of the position 
that I hold to is that this is Paul describing himself as a 
Christian. Paul describing himself with 
this reality of remaining corruption. Now, some of the language is 
a bit difficult, but let's just work our way through the basics, 
or the bottom line. Notice in verse 14, for we know 
that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 
For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to 
do, that I do not practice. But what I hate, that I do. If, 
then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that 
it is good. But now it is no longer I who 
do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me, that 
is in my flesh, nothing good dwells. For to will is present 
with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the 
good that I will to do, I do not do. But the evil I will not 
to do, that I practice." So the idea here is that Paul as a believer 
has this principle in him. He loves God, he loves the law, 
he loves righteousness. But there is remaining in him 
sin. There is remaining corruption in his heart. He says in verse 
20, now, if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I 
who do it, but sin that dwells in me. Now, verse 21 is intriguing. I find then a law that evil is 
present with me, the one who wills to do good. Isn't that 
interesting? When does Paul find this law? 
It's when he wills to do good. Paul's reading the paper or Paul 
was playing golf or Paul was watching, you know, the hockey 
game. He wouldn't see that principle. 
He wouldn't see that law. Notice when it comes to fruition. 
I find that a law that evil is present with me. The one who 
wills to do good. You see, you could do a hundred 
things in the day and never recognize that law. But the moment you 
pick up your Bible. Or the moment you get on your knees to pray, 
what happens? Do you just hear bluebirds sing 
and say, yes, it's time to pray, it's time to read? No, there's 
resistance. There is within our hearts a 
resistance, a tendency to say, no, put the Bible down and go 
read that, or put the prayer closet away and go do that. We find the law at the time we 
are willing to do good. For I delight in the law of God 
according to the inward man, but I see another law in my members 
warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity 
to the law of sin, which is in my members. Oh, wretched man 
that I am who will deliver me from this body of death. I thank 
God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind, 
I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of 
sin. And then Galatians 5.17. Galatians 5.17, there's no debate 
that this refers to that reality of remaining corruption in the 
hearts of God's people. Notice in 5.16, I say then, walk 
in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 
For the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against 
the flesh, and these are contrary to one another, so that you do 
not do the things that you wish." So you see, in the heart of God's 
people, the spirit lusts against the flesh, the flesh lusts against 
the spirit. There is this combat going on. 
this remaining corruption. Now the spirit is greater, you 
know, greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. 
Ultimately the spirit wins and in this we greatly rejoice, but 
it doesn't minimize the reality that there is this daily combat 
that we need to engage in. So we need to petition God with 
reference to this spiritual protection because of the presence of remaining 
corruption. In the second place, we need 
to pray the sixth petition of the Lord's Prayer because we 
desire communion with God. Isn't that what the believer 
wants? Isn't that what you want, desiring communion with God? 
Doesn't that make you happy? Isn't it wonderful when you come 
to church And instead of just this kind of a cold, formalistic, 
external enterprise, you meet with God. Or when you go to your 
Bible, you see things in the Scriptures that, you know, you've 
probably read that before, but wow, it just leaped off the page. 
Or you go to prayer and you just know that God is smiling upon 
that time and that season. Now, even if He isn't, you don't 
have that felt sense, still pray. We're not to be regulated by 
our emotions or our desires or what we get. We're to be regulated 
by principled obedience to God Most High. You go into your closet 
and you pray. God is there. He does see in 
secret. Whether He gives you a great 
big smile or not, That is regardless. You need to pray. There are those 
seasons and those times when we know God's presence and it's 
glorious. And isn't this what the believer 
desires? The child of God yearns for communion 
with God and wants to remove any and every obstacle that bars 
that relationship. Do not lead us into temptation. 
Deliver us from the evil one. Keep us from those paths. Our 
confession on the chapter on justification says God does continue 
to forgive the sins of those that are justified. And although 
they can never fall from the state of justification, yet they 
may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure. And 
in that condition, they have not usually the light of His 
countenance restored unto them until they humble themselves, 
confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith in repentance." 
So the confession acknowledges that reality where we don't enjoy 
the light of His countenance because of our sin. Well, pray 
the sixth petition. Do not lead us into temptation. 
Deliver us from the evil one so that we may know the light 
of your countenance. In the third place, the third 
reason for the petition is a desire to glorify God, right? Isn't that the end of our lives? What is the chief end of man? 
Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. 
Westminster Shorter Catechism number one. It's a very simple, 
quick, easy answer to your purpose in life. Lord, why am I here? Westminster Shorter Catechism 
number one. Glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Well, when it comes to this whole 
issue of sin, this dishonors God. This casts reproach upon 
his name. I've mentioned the example from 
2 Samuel 11 and 12 many, many, many, many times. When David 
murders, or when David commits adultery with Bathsheba, and 
then murders Uriah, and then Nathan comes to rebuke him, and 
Nathan comes to reprove him, and David sees that in fact he 
is the man, Nathan then makes this statement, By this, you 
have given cause to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme his 
name. Our sin brings reproach upon 
the fair name of our Lord Jesus Christ. John Owen says, consider 
the end of any temptation. This is Satan's and sin's end. That is the dishonor of God and 
the ruin of our souls. I mean, that's cut and dry bottom 
line. Here's what the end of temptation is. This is Satan's 
end, sin's end. The dishonor of God and the ruin 
of our souls. You see, temptation doesn't present 
itself that way, does it? Temptation doesn't sit there 
and say, yes, I am seeking to dishonor God and ruin your soul. I mean, that's not the way temptation 
works. Temptation looks good. Temptation 
looks tempting. Temptation looks wonderful. Temptation 
is beautiful. It allures. It appeals to us. 
So we want to reach out and take it. But we need to understand 
that behind the temptation is the dishonor of God and the ruin 
of our souls. And then the fourth, I've already 
mentioned, is a longing for the eternal state, that our sanctification 
and salvation may be perfected, Satan trodden under our feet, 
and we fully freed from sin, temptation, and all evil forever. Now, I'll just finish by reading 
the Westminster Larger Catechism. What do we pray for in the Sixth 
Petition? Now, if you've ever done any 
memory work, you'll probably go, wow, this is a mouthful. 
Remember, the shorter catechism was for children. The larger 
catechism was for us. What do we pray for in the sixth 
petition? In the sixth petition, which 
is, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, acknowledging 
that the most wise, righteous, and gracious God for diverse, 
holy, and just ends may so order things that we may be assaulted, 
foiled, and for a time led captive by temptations. that Satan, the 
world, and the flesh are ready powerfully to draw us aside and 
ensnare us, and that we, even after the pardon of our sins, 
by reason of our corruption, weakness, and want of watchfulness, 
are not only subject to be tempted and forward to expose ourselves 
unto temptations, but also of ourselves unable and unwilling 
to resist them, to recover out of them, and to improve them. 
and worthy to be left under the power of them. We pray that God 
would so overrule the world and all in it, subdue the flesh and 
restrain Satan, order all things, bestow and bless all means of 
grace, and quicken us to watchfulness in the use of them, that we and 
all his people may by his providence be kept from being tempted to 
sin. or if tempted, that by his spirit we may be powerfully supported 
and enabled to stand in the hour of temptation, or when fallen, 
raised again and recovered out of it, and have a sanctified 
use and improvement thereof, that our sanctification and salvation 
may be perfected, Satan trodden under our feet, and we fully 
freed from sin, temptation, and all evil forever. And a final 
observation with reference to the entirety of the Lord's Prayer. 
Again, Owen says, he who prays as he ought will endeavor to 
live as he prays. Whoever prays as he ought will 
endeavor to live as he prays. You see, it would be simply unacceptable 
to say, Lord, do not lead me into temptation and then walk 
over to a computer and click on pornography. That is not legitimately 
praying the petition. Or, Lord, do not lead me into 
temptation. My particular proclivity to sin 
is gossip. And then you go to the next door 
neighbor's house, who you happen to know is the town gossip. You 
see, when we pray as we ought, we ought to endeavor to live 
as we pray. Thomas Watson, this is in his 
exposition of the Lord's Prayer, it's in a book called The Godly 
Man's Picture, says, if we would have peace in our souls, we must 
maintain a war against our favorite sin. and never leave off till 
it is subdued, which probably means we will never leave off 
on this side of glory. Brethren, we have the sovereignty 
of God and his government over us. We have the presence and 
the power of the Holy Spirit in us. And we have the blood 
of Jesus Christ, his son, to cleanse us from all sin and from 
all unrighteousness. When we do fall, by God's grace, 
we will rise. But let us learn from it not 
to engage in the same sort of sin against our God. Well, let 
us pray. Our Father, we thank you for 
this, your word. We thank you for this prayer 
that Jesus gave to his church. And I pray that you would help 
us, Father, to pray these things and to mean them. And as Owen 
says, those who pray as they ought help us to endeavor to 
live as we pray. Grant us grace now and go with 
us and watch over us. Bring us together on the Lord's 
day that we may worship you in spirit and in truth. And we ask 
through Christ our Lord. Amen.