Lord’s Prayer Series – 2 – Hallowed Be Your Name
‘Keeping God’s name Holy’
Introduction: Ask the group to re-cap on what they learnt last week (if they can remember)
Ask the group to discuss what they think ‘Hallowed be Your name’ means in reference to the Lord’s Prayer.
Video Clip: Monty Python: Life Of Brian: ‘I only said Jehovah’ (11 mins – 13 mins 31 secs)
Bible: Exodus 20: 7
Discuss: What do you think the bible means when it says you shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God?
Explain: When this was written by misuse they mean exactly what it says on the tin, one way which we see God’s name being falsely used is in Leviticus 19:22 where we read someone swearing by it when they shouldn’t be.
Explain: Jesus talks about misusing God’s name in Matthew 5
Bible: Read Matthew 5:33-37
Discuss: What do you think this passage is saying to us?
Explain: The bible here is saying to us that we should say what we mean, if we mean yes then we should say that yes and mean it.
Discuss: In todays society where do we see God’s name being misused?
Explain: The most common misuse of God’s name in todays society is blasphemy, people using God or Jesus’ name as a swearword, as an expression of shock.
Discuss: How often do you experience this in your daily lives?
You could split the group into pairs to brain- storm this then share ideas!
(in school, from teachers and friends, on TV, in music???)
Discuss: Have you ever found yourself slipping into the habit?
What do you think we can do to challenge people on the use of God’s name?
Explain: When we pray the line ‘Hallowed be Your name’ today we can see it as us acknowledging the right use of God’s name, we acknowledge that God’s name is important and God is to be respected not used as a swearword.
Perhaps in the same way in which you’d challenge someone if they offended you we can ask people not to use God’s name the way it’s commonly used, sometimes it can be a really good lead in to telling people about our faith.
Perhaps by us not using God’s name the same way as the rest of the world people will notice that difference in us. We should be giving God a good name through the way which we act and through the things we say
Pray to close