Matthew 6:9-13

Jesus used what we commonly call The Lord’s Prayer as a pattern for prayer.  Since He spoke against vain repetitions (v7) we do not believe the value of the prayer is found in repeating the prayer itself on a regular basis.  The value is not in the saying of the words themselves but rather in praying in a manner consistent with Jesus’ pattern.  Thus it behooves us to give careful consideration to each phrase that we might know how to pray.

Our Father in heaven

It is interesting that, having told us to find a secret place, Jesus yet tells us to pray Our.  Prayer is unselfish.  When we pray we are one of many.  But most of all we are united with Christ in prayer.  He too prayed to the Father (John 17:1) and He prayed that we might have this same inclusion with Him of praying to the Father (Jn. 17:20-21).  Jesus says this Father is Mine as well as yours.  What a wonderful thought: we go to the same One Jesus approached in prayer!

We pray to our Father.  This is consistently the teaching and practice of New Testament.  We do not pray to Jesus anymore than a child would seek his daily provision from his brother or sister.  The child goes to his father because he has the resources.  Study the prayers of the apostle Paul and you will see the same (e.g. Eph. 1:17; 3:14-18).  This is sound doctrine when one understands the Trinity.  The Father is the source of blessing; the Son the avenue of blessing; and the Spirit the guarantor of blessing.  To come to the Father with our requests indicates we are not just saying words but know the One to Whom we speak.

He is in heaven.  That is where God’s throne of grace is (Heb. 4:16); so we  draw upon the Creator of heaven and earth.  Heaven is where God is (Rev. 21:22); so we are in His presence.  Heaven is where our blessings are (Eph. 1:3); so in prayer we draw upon the rich inheritance laid up for us in Christ.

Hallowed be Your name

The rest of the prayer is a series of requests.

Hallowed means to render as holy, to see God as sacred or separated from what is common.  Consider these among many others …

·        Lev. 10:3: By those who come near me I must be regarded as holy.

·        Psa. 111:9: Holy and awesome is His name.

·        Isa. 6:3: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory. (See also Rev. 4:8)

God’s name is representative of His nature.  So we are praying that in all things He would be seen and recognized as holy.  This is the first request because this is what prayer is about.  We are not out to change God’s mind about us but to bring us to Him.  Prayer must always begin, not with our request, but with putting God in His rightful place.  

Consider your pattern of prayer.  Is it centered around you or the Father?

Psalm 50

This “Psalm of Asaph” (one of the 3 musical directors appointed by David) issues a strong call to repentant faith in the context of a reminder of God’s ultimate judgment of all of humanity.  It reveals to us the most relevant of truth about God, that “God Himself is Judge” (v6) of all the earth (v1).  God alone is the one who can make the perfect distinction between His “saints” (v5) and “the wicked” (v16).  

·        V1-3 describe the One to whom all give account.  All are called, “from the rising of the sun to its going down” to be judged from Zion, “the perfection of beauty”.  Notice that God “shall not keep silent”.  This judgment is definite, a fire that cannot be diminished.

·        V4-6: The call first is for God’s own people who are defined as “those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”  This is a precise description of the saints of any age.  A blood sacrifice was always essential for man to come to God, from the very beginning (Gen. 3 when God clothed Adam and Eve with the skin of an animal; Gen. 4 when God accepted the sacrifice of Abel) to this very day when men put their trust in the once-for-all blood sacrifice of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission” (Heb. 9:22).  The bringing of a sacrifice was a demonstration of faith.  The worshiper brought the lamb to God’s representative, the priest.  As an act of faith the worshiper placed his hand on the animal as it was killed.  So today believers place their faith in Christ alone.  As Abraham promised Isaac (Gen. 22:8) God has provided Himself the Lamb.  

·        V7-11: God says “I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices.”  That means He has accepted the sacrifice of the saints.  There were times in Israel’s history when God rejected the sacrifices they brought because they were just going through the motions.  They lived in sin with no desire to repent; there was no faith.  Faith alone saves, but it is faith in a fitting sacrifice, always looking to the work of Christ!

·        V12-15: It is not that God is hungry.  That is ridiculous.  Again, the issue is the heart-faith of the worshiper.  Their offering must be true thanksgiving and a recognition that the LORD is the Most High God.  These are His people, the ones He will deliver and who will truly glorify Him.  

·        V16-21:  Contrary to His people are “the wicked”.  God will also judge them; He will “rebuke” them.  They misunderstood His seeming silence or patience as an indication that they were on a good footing with God.  Many people think that way today.  But these ones who “cast My words behind” themselves and whose actions and words are evil, these ones must consider their ways for they will someday stand before their Judge.

·        V22-23: Here is the thing for us to think about today.  Here is the truth.  There is no deliverance for those who have forgotten God!  But whoever glorifies God through a praiseworthy sacrifice, that one will know “the salvation of God.”  When the Bible speaks of judgment it is very black and white.  There are only two possibilities because it comes down to the sacrifice of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.  

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36).

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?