1/1/2023 - Pray

(Opening Prayer)

(Welcome)

Welcome to Central.

Let me begin by saying, “Welcome Home” to you!

As an expository church, we prioritize preaching and teaching that focuses on a Christ-centered, holistic, and sequential approach to Scripture.

We enjoy preaching through books of the Bible and tackling each passage with a high view of Jesus Christ and an intent to be led into worship and transformation by what we find therein.

(Sermon Introduction)

Today we begin our “Teach Us To Pray” Series, focusing on the Lord’s Prayer as recorded in Matthew 6.

We want to take an expository look at the most famous prayer ever recorded.

To begin today I have entitled the sermon, “Pray.”

(Everyone Prays…Eventually)

I was struck with this thought when I started studying this text:

Everyone prays... eventually.

Every atheist prays at some point.

When you realize that the truck coming at you is going to hit you head on and you most likely are going to die…you will pray.

When life hits you between the eyes…you pray.

When the doctor gives you the news…you pray.

It is only a matter of time before we all pray.

So, why wait?

(When You Pray)

Jesus never said “if you pray,” but “when you pray.”

He accepted that you will pray.

The only question is…when?

(Jewish Context)

The Jewish idea of prayer agreed with Jesus and believed that prayer was inevitable, the only question was, “where would you pray?”

The pharisaical thought on prayer was synonomous with “places of prayer.”

The Jewish people were taught from Deuteronomy the importance of everyday, constant and honest prayer but those ways were overshadowed by the instructions and lifestyles of the pharisees.

The Psalms are filled with heartfelt honest prayers to God.

The Jewish people knew these Psalms and prayers but allowed them to be overshadowed or misunderstood through the lens of religious thought.

(Lord’s Prayer Context)

Matthew records what is commonly referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer,” here in Matthew 6.

Truthfully, this prayer should be called, “The Disciple’s Prayer” as it really flows from the disciples lips to the Lord.

We call it “The Lord’s Prayer” because the Lord Jesus gave it to them.

It is also important to note that this style of prayer was actually quite common in Jewish circles of the day.

What is unique however is the teaching that Jesus brings with it.

Matthew 6 is not the only place we see the Lord’s Prayer recorded.

It is also recorded in Luke 11.

We understand that this was most likely not the only time and place that Jesus taught these things to the people and to His disciples.

The Apostle John, who wrote down the gospel of John, actually said this:

John 21:25 (ESV)

25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

(Gospel of Matthew Context)

We know that the focus of Matthew’s gospel is the teachings of Jesus.

His focus was not on the chronological nature of Jesus’ ministry.

But having started with what we refer to as “The Beatitudes,” in Matthew 5, Jesus takes the people on a journey of discovering what a true disciple looks like.

At one point, Jesus’ Disciples asked Jesus, “Teach Us To Pray,” to which Jesus responds with:

Matthew 6:5–8 (ESV)

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Jesus dismantled the thought and teaching of the pharisees over and over again saying that it has nothing to do with the place or the way you pray but the state of your heart while praying.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Matthew 6:5–15; Luke 11:2–4)

Rather than making prayer a matter between an individual and God, the Pharisees had turned it into an act to be seen by men—again, to demonstrate their supposed righteousness. Their prayers were directed not to God but to other men, and consisted of long, repetitive phrases (Matt. 6:7).

1. Prayer Reveals the Heart

Proverbs 16:2 (ESV)

2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit.

James 4:3 (ESV)

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Quite literally Jesus cares more about our motives than our words.

Because Jesus knows that the motives we have change the words we use.

The motives of our heart are paramount.

Like charitable giving, prayer should be done in secret.

This does not prohibit public prayer (as in corporate prayer); rather, it prohibits praying for the purpose of public recognition.

Why is it such a bad thing to be seen and heard?

A. Hypocrites want to be seen by others.

B. Hypocrites want to be heard by others.

This speaks to focus. Their focus is not on their Father in heaven.

Jesus tells a story in Luke 18:9-14 that communicates the contrasts He is speaking about.

Luke 18:9–14 (ESV)

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:

10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’

13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus focused on the humility which is a motive of the heart.

The gospel writers record many times when Jesus Himself prayed while on earth.

Look at the how they speak of the prayer life of Jesus:

Mark 1:35–38 (ESV)

35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him,

37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.”

38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

Matthew 14:23 (ESV)

23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,

Luke 5:16 (ESV)

16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

Now Jesus didn’t pray alone all the time.

We have many accounts of when Jesus prayed in public.

I don’t want to go over all of them this morning but I want to draw your attention to a time He prayed with His disciples before He was arrested.

In John 17 Jesus prayed:

John 17:1–10 (ESV)

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,

2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.

5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.

8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.

9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.

10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.

Prayer is about the glory of God and not our glory.

2. Prayer Reveals the Need

Matthew 6:7–8 (ESV)

7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

As Jesus speaks of the many words that the Gentiles/Pagans use, it brings to our minds a famous story that occurs in 1 Kings 18:25-29:

1 Kings 18:25–29 (ESV)

25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.”

26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made.

27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”

28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.

29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

Baal which literally means “lord,” did not answer.

It is widely accepted among polytheists and those who call upon other gods that they need to many words, offerings, sayings, superstitions, and demonstrations before their gods will answer.

The prophets of Baal were operating under what they had known.

But watch how Elijah responds:

1 Kings 18:36–39 (ESV)

36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.

37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”

38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.”

The heart of Elijah was to glorify God and not himself.

The Lord desired to glorify Himself and to reveal Who He is to those who were watching.

In future weeks we will unpack in great depth this idea as well as the portions of the prayer that Jesus gives to His disciples.

But today I want us to understand the importance of our motives.

What we do is important, how we do it is important, but why we do it is of most importance.

So much in Scripture challenges the depth of human reason and addresses the dark nature of the heart.

Nowhere else do we see the motives of the heart exposed like we do in prayer.

The Holy Spirit lays bear the heart of each of us as we come to Him.

I believe we struggle in prayer because we come to Him first with our wants and desires and wonder why our prayers don’t get answered!

Listen to what James says:

James 4:1–10 (ESV)

1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?

6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Impure motives lead to an impure prayer life.

Pure motives lead to a pure prayer life.

We must confront our wants and desires in prayer.

We must deal with our wants before we can deal with our needs.

A true reflection of our heart to the Lord in prayer reaps a true understanding of our need.

When we are honest about the state of our heart we can honestly address our real need and experience the power of God through prayer.

Honesty is destroyed by hypocrisy.

God desires honest prayers.

Honesty with God leads to humility and humility leads to grace.

(Response)

(Invite Worship Team)

(God Always Answers)

I believe God always answers the honest humble prayer.

Not for our desires and wants but for our real need.

But for us to understand that we would need to ask, “What is our real need?”

We recognize that God can and does change our circumstances.

We recognize that God can and does heal.

We recognize that He can and does bless us with blessings.

But He doesn’t always do that.

I would say that the desire of the heart of God is that we realize our needs not our wants.

Think about this.

Does God truly answer us with a no when we ask Him for humility? Peace? Patience? Wisdom? Love? Understanding? Mercy? Grace? Boldness? His Spirit?

Of course not! We are told that when we ask for those things which God has promised to give us that we will be given those things. Why?

Because we are asking for what we truly need.

Sometimes our hearts can be so hard and shallow that we cannot bring ourselves to be honest and humble before our Father Who already knows what we truly need.

We come wanting a change of circumstances.

We come wanting what we want.

We come expecting a transaction instead of transformation!

The Lord already knows what we need.

We need Him to change us and He will change us if only we would let Him…if only we would ask Him.

(Closing Tension)

Most people don’t pray because they are afraid of what will be revealed in their heart and in their need.

When we pray....let our hearts be revealed by His Spirit and our needs will be met by the Father Who is ready to change us.

Our hearts are revealed...

Our Needs are revealed...

When we pray!

(Response Card)

1. Would you like to become a believer in Jesus Christ? (Yes/No/Already Am)

2. How is God revealing what is in your heart as you pray? (Blank Lines)

3. what needs is God revealing to you as you pray? (Blank Lines)

4. Do you have any prayer needs today? (Blank Lines)

(Closing)