A Divine Guide to Prayer

Praying with Purpose: Understanding the Lord's Prayer

Bible Passage: Matthew 6:5–15

Summary: In this passage, Jesus provides profound teaching on the nature of prayer, emphasizing sincerity over spectacle and revealing the heart behind our communication with God, culminating in the model prayer known as the Lord's Prayer.

Application: This teaching on prayer encourages Christians to evaluate their own prayer lives, moving away from performative expressions towards genuine, heartfelt communication with God. It reminds believers that prayer is not about impressing others but about cultivating a relationship with the Father.

Teaching: The sermon highlights the importance of intention in prayer, illustrating how Jesus contrasts the behaviors of the hypocrites with the desired posture of humility and authenticity that leads to a deeper spiritual connection with God.

How this passage could point to Christ: Jesus embodies the ultimate connection between humanity and God, demonstrating how to pray not only in words but in spirit. The Lord's Prayer reflects His mission to reconcile us to the Father, emphasizing the themes of forgiveness and divine provision, pointing to Christ as our mediator.

Big Idea: True prayer is an act of humility and sincerity that draws us into a deeper relationship with God, reflecting the heart of Christ in our communication with the Father.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider exploring the historical context of prayer practices in first-century Judaism. Look into the original Greek terms used in verses like 'hypocrites' and the implications of 'forgive us our debts' in relation to forgiveness theology. Logos can aid you with commentaries and linguistic resources to enrich your understanding.

1. Private Prayer, True Devotion

Matthew 6:5–6 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites.” What does that word hypocrite mean? Today it means according to Dictionary.com, “A person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that they do not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.” or “a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie their public statements.” But the original definition of the greek word used which was “hupokrites” meant “Actor or stage-player.” Which both of theses the modern and the ancient definitions fit the context of this scripture very well. Those who are standing on the busy street corner during the height of the day praying out loud and overly repetitiously for all the world to see are not seeking acknowledgement from God from man for their so called holiness. This type of action fulfills a need they have to be recognized by others for their holiness and to be praised by man. They are not seeking God and God’s approval but man’s, they are not holy, but merely portraying what others think a holy man should be, they are hypocrites. And Christ is very clear, the reward they seek from man is the only reward they will receive for all of their gyrations and bloviation in public.

Does that mean we cant pray in public, no. When we pray in public we should do so in a spirit that glorifies the Lord. I believe that when two or more gather to pray to God for anything in Christs name, the Father will give it, in public or private. But to do in a manner or with a heart that seeks recognition from man and not to give God glory is to be a hypocrite.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:6 “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Prayer is a personal and private thing for the believer, the heart of prayer is found in intimate moments with the Father rather than in public accolades. Drawing from Jesus’s example we see that intimate prayer seeks a heartfelt connection to God. If the only time we pray to God is when we are in public seeking recognition from others for our grand holiness then we do not have a personal relationship with God and he doesn’t hear our prayer. Could you imagine anyone with whom you are close to, husbands to wives or wives to husbands, Children to parents, or parents to children, and the only time you speak to them is when others are around to marvel at how a great person you are for speaking to them? Thats laughable, you cant have a personal relationship with someone you never speak to in private. Nor can you have a relationship with God if you only speak to him in public. God doesn’t just want your public life, He wants your whole life, every aspect of it, public, and private. If God cant have your whole life, then you don’t have God in any part of your life.

Why does God want to have your secret life? Because when you are in private you are willing to open up to God and hear Him, to confess to Him, to surrender to Him. People are more genuine in their private lives and God knows this. God wants the real you, not the facade you show the rest of the world. In private we are genuine and transparent before God, and thats how we deepen our relationship to Him. You cant hide from God, and God doesn’t want you too, God wants all of you, and He offers all of Himself in return.

2. Purposeful Prayers, Simple Words

Matthew 6:7–8 “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

Jesus tells us we are to be decisive when we pray, “do not to use vain repetitions, as the heathen do. For they think they will be heard for their many words.” I tend to agree with Jesus on this path of prayer. I am not a gifted prayer, I don’t embellish a lot when I pray, I am very short and to the point. I recognize God for who He is and I seek His blessing, I repent, and I seek His will. But I do like to hear others who are much better wordsmiths than I pray to our Father, Jesus isn’t talking about that, He is addressing saying over and over rote prayers for the sake of saying them. God is the almighty God of the Universe, the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, He is omnipotent, all powerful, omniscient, all knowing, omnipresent, everywhere at once. He created language, thought, emotions, science, time and the abstract, everything. He has never forgot, never been late, never been unfaithful, and He never will be, so why do we think we need to say the same thing over and over to God. Do we think He can’t understand the importance of what we are asking Him unless we say it ten times? I guarantee you that all you have to do to reach God with your needs is to pray it once. Actually because we have the Holy Spirit, God already knows our needs before we even ask, but we should still pray to Him. When we pray we recognize God as our Lord and lean on Him for our needs and not on our own understanding. This embodies the trust we should have in our God.

3. Praise First, Submit Here

Matthew 6:9–10 “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.”

The Lords prayer gives us a framework for how to pray to God, we dont have to use the exact words Christ uses but the framework He provides is a good start to learning how to pray. The framework Christ gives us looks like this: Praise first, submit to God, thank Him for the provision, seek His pardon and His protection, then end in agreement with God for who He is in our life. Lets look at how Jesus models this framework for us.

Verse 9 says, “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name.” Christ begins with praise for the Father, He says hallowed be your name, which means holy or set apart is your name from everything and everyone.

Verse 10 says, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus shows us how to submit to God’s will here. We pray for God’s will to be done everywhere not just in heaven but also here on earth. We agree that God is sovereign creator of all creation. Not only that but we are also submitting in our personal life here, giving God His due place as the Lord of Hosts and the God of our lives, God is in charge of every detail of our existence.

You could delve into how the Lord's Prayer begins by focusing on God’s character and kingdom. This might suggest the importance of aligning ourselves to God's holiness and purposes rather than starting with our needs. Perhaps explore the idea of entering prayer through praise and submission, orienting our hearts towards God's agenda. Highlighting this approach teaches believers to prioritize God’s will, following Christ’s example of obedience and reverence towards the Father, reflecting humility in prayer.

4. Provision, Pardon, Protection

Matthew 6:11–13 “Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

In verse 11, Jesus transitions us from God’s purpose to our daily need for God’s provision. Certainly we need food and water each day but we also need God’s blessing in every aspect of our life. In the wilderness when Jesus is confronted by the Devil and tempted to defy God, by turning the stone into bread, Jesus rebukes the Devil with scripture from Matthew 4:4 “But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

Verse 12, reminds us to seek God’s forgiveness. Matthew 6:12 “And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.” Surely though our sins are already forgiven by Christ’s finished work on the cross, and they are. So, why do we need to ask for forgiveness? We ask because when we ask, we agree with God that we have sinned and acknowledge His perfect standard, we have the forgiveness, but we should always being seeking to be in agreement. Notice though also, this verse says, “As we forgive our debtors.” God expects us to be like Christ, we have to forgive others, just as God has forgiven us, its non-negotiable.

Verse 13, we ask for protection from evil. Matthew 6:13 “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Who else can give us the strength to overcome the schemes of the devil and the desires of the flesh? No one, for in Christ we can do all things. Wehn the devil comes against you, seek God, when the world gangs up on you, seek God, when the desires that once ruled you begin to fill your thoughts, seek God. If we seek God and His protection everyday we can rest in the assurance that we can overcome the world and the devil, because Jesus already overcame the world! We rely on God for all things.

The final portion of this verse says, “For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.” We recognize the sovereignty of God in all things. God is the king of all creation, He has the power of creation, and all the glory, the recognition, the praise, the awe, the worship is His, no one else is worthy of it, only God.

5. Pardon Others, Receive Grace

Matthew 6:14–15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

This passage underscores the weight of forgiveness in our relationship with God and others. Jesus connects God's forgiveness of us to our willingness to forgive others. This reflects the heart of the gospel and challenges believers to live out their reconciliation with God by extending grace. Forgiveness becomes a powerful testament to the work of Christ in us and through us. If we want to be more Christlike, we have to be more forgiving.

Applications:

1. Cultivate a Private Prayer Life

Jesus emphasized the importance of sincere, private prayer rather than performative prayer meant to impress others (Matthew 6:6).

Application: Set aside dedicated time each day for personal, uninterrupted prayer with God. Find a quiet space where you can pour out your heart without distractions.

Reflection: Ask yourself, “Do I pray more in public than in private? Is my private prayer life as strong as my public expressions of faith?”

2. Pray with Clarity and Trust

Jesus warned against using “vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7), encouraging purposeful, heartfelt communication with God.

Application: Be intentional in your prayers—focus on meaningful, faith-filled words rather than mindless repetition. Trust that God hears you the first time.

Reflection: Examine your prayers. Are they rooted in faith, or do they lean on repetition without thought? Challenge yourself to speak to God as a loving Father who already knows your needs.

3. Align Your Will with God's

The Lord’s Prayer begins with praising God and submitting to His will (Matthew 6:9-10), teaching us to prioritize His kingdom over our personal desires.

Application: Before presenting requests, start your prayers with worship and surrender. Pray, “Lord, let Your will be done in my life,” and seek His direction in all things.

Reflection: Consider how often your prayers focus on your own needs versus God’s purposes. Ask, “Am I truly seeking His will above my own?”

What is the primary focus of Jesus' teaching on prayer in Matthew 6:5–15?

How does Jesus differentiate between true prayer and hypocritical prayer?

Why is it important to approach God with sincerity and humility in prayer?

How can you cultivate a more genuine private prayer life that emphasizes intimacy with God?

What changes can you make to ensure that your prayers are focused on God's will rather than your own desires?

In what way does the Lord's Prayer serve as a model for structuring our prayers?

What steps will you take to ensure your prayers incorporate both praise for God and requests aligned with His will?

How can you actively practice forgiveness in your life, reflecting the teachings found in Matthew 6:14–15?

How can you effectively balance public and private prayer in your spiritual practice?

Why does Jesus instruct against using vain repetitions in prayer?

In what way does the Lord's Prayer emphasize God's sovereignty and provision?

How could you incorporate moments of praise before making your requests in prayer?

What does it mean to pray 'Your kingdom come, Your will be done' in a practical sense?