"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
Prayer That Pleases God (6:5-15)
INTRODUCTION
- A wonderful privilege enjoyed by the children of God is prayer...
- Through prayer we can receive mercy and grace to help in time of
need - He 4:14-16
- Through prayer we can find peace that guards our hearts and mind
- Php 4:6-7
- But the privilege of prayer assumes God will heed our prayers...
- Not all prayers are acceptable to God - cf. Pr 28:9
- Indeed, God does not hear the prayers of all men - cf. Isa 59:1-2; 1Pe 3:12
- Jesus described the prayer of one man which did not please God
- Lk 18:9-14
- Do we know what qualifies as "Prayer That Pleases God"?
- In His sermon on the mount, Jesus had much to say about prayer
- Especially the kind of prayer which finds favor in God's sight
[In this study, let's take a look at Mt 6:5-15, where Jesus taught
His disciples regarding prayer. First, we find Jesus telling us...]
- WHAT "NOT" TO DO IN REGARDS TO PRAYER
- DO NOT BE LIKE THE HYPOCRITES...
- Who love to pray...
- Standing in the synagogues
- On the corners of the streets
- This they do "that they may be seen of men" - Mt 6:5
- "THEY HAVE THEIR REWARD..."
- That is, they are indeed seen by men
- But that is the extent of their reward (the praise of men)
- They have no reward or blessing from God!
- JESUS IS NOT CONDEMNING ALL PUBLIC PRAYING...
- Evident from the fact that He Himself prayed in public - Mt
11:25; Jn 11:41
- As did Paul - Ac 27:35
[The emphasis is the same as stated in Mt 6:1, "do not do your [deeds
of righteousness] before men, TO BE SEEN BY THEM."
How, then, are we to pray as to be heard by God?]
- PRAYER THAT PLEASES GOD
- OFFERED "TO BE SEEN OF GOD," NOT MEN...
- This is the main idea of "praying in secret" - Mt 6:6
- "The sincere and humble worshiper, one who is not interested
in making a public display for the sake of enhancing his
prestige, will find the secluded nook or den to be most
appropriate for his devotions." (unknown)
- The person who prays much in secret is praying to be seen of
God, not men!
- OFFERED "TO BE HEARD OF GOD," NOT MEN...
- Avoiding the use of "vain repetitions" - Mt 6:7
- As was often practiced by the heathen religions
- "The heathen tried to tire out their gods with such endless
prayers. Mere formulas were repeated over and over again;
the Jews had such prayer formulas, Catholics also have
them in the form of their rosary." (Lenski)
- This is not condemning all repetition, but "vain" (insincere,
useless) repetition
- Jesus repeated Himself in prayer at Gethsemane - Mt 26:36-44
- Paul repeated his requests concerning his "thorn in the
flesh" - 2Co 12:7-8
- Since "your Father knows the things you have need of before
you ask Him," prayers to be heard by God do not have to be
filled with superfluous words
- Have you ever noted the brevity of prayers recorded in the
Scriptures?
- God is not swayed the by quantity of words, but by the
quality of the heart!
- OFFERED ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN...
- The phrase "in this manner" suggests that this prayer...
- Is a pattern for praying
- Not a liturgical exercise as sometimes practiced
- The pattern of proper prayer:
- First, simplicity
- Notice the word "therefore"
- It connects what follows with what was said before
- Jesus' pattern for prayer is an "illustration" in
contrast to the "many words" used by the heathen
- In the prayer itself, note the brevity of words
- Then, in its content, proper prayer includes...
- Reverence for God and His "Name" (i.e., His being and
character) - Mt 6:9
- Prayer for the progress of God's Kingdom and His Will on
the earth - Mt 6:10
- Asking for physical necessities - Mt 6:11
- Also, our spiritual needs
- Forgiveness of sins - Mt 6:12
- Protection and deliverance from evil - Mt 6:13
- Praising God - Mt 6:13
- OFFERED WITH A MERCIFUL SPIRIT...
- As indicated in the pattern prayer itself - Mt 6:12,14-15
- Otherwise, we cannot expect mercy for ourselves - cf. Mt 18:21-23; Jm 2:13
- This must be very important to Jesus, for this is the only
part of the pattern upon which He elaborates!
CONCLUSION
- This is not the only occasion in which Jesus taught on prayer...
- Later, His disciples would ask Him to teach them to pray - Lk 11:1-4
- He taught them about the importance of persistence, faith and
humility in prayer - Lk 11:5-13; 18:1-14
- But in this sermon Jesus sought to stress prayer that is designed...
- To be seen by God, not man
- To be heard by God, not man
-- Who knows better what kind of prayer that is, than He who now
sits at the right hand of God!
If we believe that God hears prayer (Ps 65:2) and that He is a
rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (He 11:6), then let's be sure
we offer the kind of "Prayer That Pleases God"!