Matthew 6:5-8

This section of the Sermon on the Mount is best known for The Lord’s Prayer.  But before we come to that there is again the issue of how we come to the Lord in prayer.  The overriding issue is not the posture for prayer, for Jesus Himself stood praying at Lazarus tomb.  Nor is the issue public prayer; again Jesus prayed publicly at Lazarus tomb and before His disciples in John 17.  The issue, again, is hypocrisy.  Are we simply praying to be seen by men?  Is prayer a formality, or is it the communion and communication with God that it is meant to be?  Jesus answer to this concern is 2-fold: a place of prayer (v5-6) and a pattern for prayer (v7-15).  Each answers the sin of hypocrisy.

As to the place of prayer, the emphasis of Jesus on the heart throughout the sermon should help us to understand that His reference to our room or closet is primarily meant as a contradiction to the prominent places in the synagogues or on street corners.  Why would one exercise the discipline of prayer on a street corner?  There can be only one reason: he is not praying to God but performing for men.  Jesus seeks to make this discipline what it should be when He tells us to go into the room. 

·        It is a stated place.  It is your room, a place not shared with others.  This may be hard when one has a family around but there are ways we can do this if we are committed.  The specific place may even change, so that we are not parading our praying every time we go into the room.

·        It is a silent place.  In shutting the door Jesus calls us to eliminate distractions as best as possible. 

·        It is a secluded place.  It is a place where there can be conversation between just two people: you and God. 

Now here is the point of all this: it is to do this act of righteousness simply with God and not to parade our religion before others.  Are you faithful in your relationship to your Creator when no one else is looking?  Or are you just acting?

In vs.7-8 He confronts a sinful pattern before He gives us His pattern.  He warns against depending on our wordiness as we approach God.  Jesus is not saying we should be completely silent but does indicate we ought not to use vain repetitions as the heathen do.  The Bible speaks of this in 1 Kings 18:26 (the prophets of Baal cried out all day, “O Baal hear us”) and in Acts 19:34 (the Greeks cried for 2 hours straight, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.”)  I even find in my own praying a tendency to want to fully explain not only the situation to God but the solution as well, as if He depended on me for this.

All this is vain when we realize that … 1) God is not moved by our many words, v7; and 2) God knows what we need before we ask, v8.  Prayer is not our attempt to twist His arm or manipulate an answer.  It is for our good, to indicate our faith and trust in Him.  We may have many things to say to God, and He wants to hear; but we ought not think our words are the key.  Do you have such a place?  Are you meeting regularly with the Lord?