Sermon Tone Analysis

[ Matthew 6:1-18 has been read.

]

Pray

I.

The Reading

Hear Matthew 6:8 again.

Jesus teaches:

II.

The Exhortation

A helpful discipline in Bible study is to focus in on one verse of Scripture in context — and study each word, or phrase in that verse at a time.

In this way, Bible study does not need to be cumbersome nor complicated.

I want to model this simple study technique for this New Year’s Day sermon as we consider together verse 8, by examining this one verse with each word or phrase.

[ … ]

Verse eight is given to us in two parts.

The first part is a command: “so do not be like them,” —

and the second part is the reason for that command — “for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

A command, and a reason for that command.

Let’s look first at the command, given with the phrase —

Matthew 6:8 (NASB 95)

8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

“so do not be like them”

Notice, this is not a command to pray.

Technically, it is not a command to DO anything...

This is a command about being, that is — who God’s people are like — who God’s children resemble.

Jesus teaches that God’s children are distinct from the world.

Let us remember, brothers and sisters, that while our relationship with God certainly informs what we do, our relationship with God is not a result of anything we do.

We are not saved by our works.

We are not kept by our works.

We are not pleasing to God on the basis of what we do.

Remember this - at this new year, as you are planning out your goals, your hopes, your dreams that you think “if I DO these things, it will be successful year, I will be pleasing to God or self!

No —

We are saved by God’s grace.

We are kept by God’s grace.

We are pleasing to God because of Jesus and what He has done on our behalf.

As we make our plans to “do,” we err if we make them independent of who God has planed for us to “be” — like Jesus.

God’s children are not to “be like them.”

God’s children are to be like Him — like Jesus.

Who is Jesus referring to, when He says “them”?

Verse 7 tells us.

God’s children are not to “be like them,” that is, they are not to resemble the Gentiles.

The word “Gentiles” is a translation of the Greek word ἐθνικός from εθνος.

Sometimes this word is translated as nations, pagans or heathen.

Used here, this word refers to unbelievers.

God’s children are not to be like unbelievers.

And one way that God’s children are not like unbelievers, is in the way we pray.

Verse 7 again, Jesus says —

The Gentiles pray too.

Everyone prays.

In the most trying of times and desperate needs — everyone prays!

But the Gentiles by nature, in this context as unbelievers, make their prayers about how their prayer is offered, and how to get their prayer heard and answered — the form and fashion of it, rather than who they are are praying to.

Jesus teaches that the Gentiles employ “meaningless repetition.”

That is, they “use the same words again and again.”

They “speak without thinking” (BDAG).

They “babble” repeatedly (LEB).

They are in search for the right combination of words, the right formula, that will move God to act and grant them their wishes.

Jesus teaches that “they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.”

They suppose they will be heard....meaning, they don’t know they will be heard!

And rebuking this form of prayer, Jesus commands —

Matthew 6:8 (NASB 95)

8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

Your Father does not need persuaded.

Your Father knows.

III.

The Teaching

This moves to the second part of verse 8.

The second part of verse 8 is the Reason for the command “do not be like them” —

And that reason is given with the first word that comes next in the Greek language, it is the word “Knows.”

A. Knows

Let’s focus on this important word.

Matthew 6:8 (NASB 95)

8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

Jesus shuts down the false assumptions of unbelievers.

God does not need our many words, nor our repeated babble, to be informed about our needs —

He already knows our needs!

— Jesus says: Your Father knows!

This word “knows” means that God already has all the information.

And this creates a mystery of prayer.

For if God already knows our needs and does not need informed about them, then the purpose of prayer is not about information.

The purpose of prayer is not to inform God about our needs.

There is nothing that we can add to what God already knows.

Now, God is omniscient, meaning God knows everything.

But this revelation is not meant to highlight God’s omniscience.

It is mean to highlight God’s loving care.

This word “knows” is not an adjective describing God.

This word “knows” is a perfect, active verb.

Meaning God is acting in His knowing.

God is actively aware of our needs because God cares for His children!

May I say it this way?

God knows what we need this year, and what we need today, because God loves us and cares for us as the good Father that He is.

An Anonymous Church Father (ACC, 129) said:

“If he knows what we want ahead of time, then we do not pray to demand from God what we want but that it may please him to bestow what we need.”

- Anonymous

It pleases God to act as a result of His knowing — to bestow upon us what we need.

This means it pleases God to be the source of our provision, moment by moment, day by day year by year — He doesn’t give us tomorrow’s bread, but He gives us our daily bread.

And because of this, we are implored to not to consider prayer as a light or meaningless activity.

This “knowing” is God’s acting toward us in relationship with Him.

The next two words highlight the relational bounds of God’s acting.

Who knows?

Jesus teaches that Your Father Knows...

B. Your Father

Jesus could have used any number of words to describe God in his teaching, but He chose here the word “Father.”

It is a relational word.