Untitled Sermon (5)

Prayer

I would like to talk about prayer this morning and we’re going to use the text in Matthew on the Lord’s prayer,chapter 6: 5-15. But before we get started let’s look at some of the events that happened before we get to chapter 6 Jesus has experienced his baptism in chapter 3. Went through his temptation with the devil and selected his disciples in chapter 4. Then in chapter 5 we have the first recorded sermon of His ministry, the sermon on the mount where he teaches the crowd, his disciples and ultimately us about Kingdom life in the Beatitudes. Then He presents a new way of righteous living for those who are in God’s family, contrasting His new way with the old one of the scribes and the Pharisees. It was also an elaboration of the spirit of the law vs the letter of the law . The sermon is also a detailed revelation of the Righteousness of God and an outline for a New Religion. The reason I’m bringing this out is that a lot of this was brand new theology that came with the New Covenant. It was important to Jesus to give us clear cut direction as to how to pray, to teach us how to talk to our Father right from the very beginning of His ministry because of the changes that were about to come. It’s important that we pay attention and learn how to grow in understanding of prayer and effectiveness in prayer. It is a lifetime process. It is also to our souls what breathing air is to the body. Faith that Jesus lives in us and that, of ourselves we are nothing without Him, is a must when we approach Prayer .With our prayers we are to Glorify Him and to replace our powerlessness with all that He is .

Let’s read His directions

Matthew 6:5–15 ““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.9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.11 Give us this day our daily bread,12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses...

Jesus starts out making sure that our motives are right from the very start. He says:” 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”. I’m sure that if you have gone to enough churches often enough you know exactly what he’s talking about. Prayers to sound good and impress the listeners and not specifically to petition or praise our Father. I think we may all have done it at some point in our spiritual journey. that’s why we recognize it when someone else does it.

Jesus then tells us to go into our room, to have a special place to pray .And when he says to shut the door I don’t think he means literally the prayer closet door or the door to the room. I think he means to shut the doors to the mind. To clear the thoughts of the world that come and create noise in our head that would distract us from Himself. Also to humble ourselves. Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” and verse 10 ““Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!””—- and how does Jesus teach us to start our prayer? With praise and admiration for the Father .I believe that also leads into the next directive that he gives us. “do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do” I’m talking to the creator of the universe He demands honor and glory because he is all powerful... cut the small talk, the mindless chatter, trying to impress him with fancy words that sound good to me. I’ve been there and done that ...I don’t believe I’m going to impress the sovereign God, a God that is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient with my intellectual babble. “Hallowed be your Name” That’s why it’s important that the Holy Spirit is able to pray through me.

Matthew 6:9 “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”

I believe that prayer is the holiest form of worship. We, His creatures, get to start our prayer with the most glorious words “our Father”. I want to bring a little bit more insight into that by going to where Jesus was talking to the Samaritan woman and tells her in John 4:23–24 “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”” —- Prayer is to be a personal communications and here we see it in the sense of spirit to spirit Gods spirit with our spirit in Romans 8 it defines our position and gives me perspective on praying in the spirit Romans 8:14–17 “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”—-”Our Father” He will help us with or prayers when we really don’t know what to say. We have the Holy Spirit to guide us or even pray for us... Romans 8:26–27 “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Be still and know that He is God …

In studying I came to realize the truth is not just something it is also someone.... Scripture Scramble… John 1:1–2 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 He was in the beginning with God.” John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” and John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” —- Praying to and Worshiping The Father, through Jesus, by the Holy Spirit... Can you sense the magnitude of spiritual power in our privilege to pray to God.

Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Be careful what you pray for is the old saying, I’m not sure a lot of folks realize what they’re signing up for when they say the Lord’s prayer. What exactly does verse 10 mean? To me it mean that I am to be seeking a vision of His Holy will for my life, in all my affairs? It means that I’m willing to give up my claim to my right to myself and seek His glory. I found two scriptures but I believe give us appropriate directions into that …I think we’re supposed to walk by the Spirit and share the fruit with others to bring His kingdom to earth. Galatians 5:22–26 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” I believe that by following the directions that Paul gave the Thessalonians, God’s will, will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22 “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.16 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.19 Do not quench the Spirit.20 Do not despise prophecies,21 but test everything; hold fast what is good.22 Abstain from every form of evil.”—- I think Jesus may have summed that up in the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18–20 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

. I want to read a couple of sentences from Andrew Murray’s little book”Teach us to Pray” “ Because the will of God is the glory of heaven, the doing of it is the blessedness of heaven. As the will is done, the Kingdom of heaven comes into the heart. And wherever faith has accepted the Father’s love, obedience accepts the father’s will. Surrender to, and the prayer for a life of heaven-like obedience, is the spirit of childlike prayer.” I think that’s absolutely beautiful to me it sums up his will on earth as in heaven…

I think we’ve pretty well covered the first part of the prayer. we can always go deeper when studying scripture. But, His Name, His Kingdom, His Will; is the highest priority of prayer,If in fact there is a high or lower priority. The the second part of the prayer is: give us, forgive us, lead us, and deliver us. I believe our needs will be lovingly and masterfully covered if we have thoroughly and obediently immersed ourselves in the first part. Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”—- Even before we started the prayer. Jesus said, “your father knows what you need before you ask Him”... Mark 11:24 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” 1 John 5:14–15 “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

Forgive us as we forgive… I have one passage that is exactly what Jesus is taking about. Forgiveness is so important that He reemphasizes it after the Prayer. It is a important part of having a pure heart. That passage is: Matthew 18:21–35 “Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.30 “He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.””

Matthew 6:13 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Romans 8:35–39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

When should we pray?... Philippians 4:4–7 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (protect us)

How often should we Pray?… 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 “Rejoice always,17 pray without ceasing,18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Ephesians 6:18 “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,”