Pray Then Like This

Matthew 6:5–15 ESV

“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. 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. “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. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 6:5-

Prayer

Review,

Matthew

A gospel

Sermon on the Mount

Three examples of righteous living

Introduction

Jesus makes several extra points about the second example (Prayer)

Today, we are going to look deeper at Jesus teaching on prayer.

POINT ONE

Matthew 6:5–6 ESV

“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. 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.

I’m not going to spend much time on this point since we covered it last week

I. How Not to Pray (part 1): Don’t Pray to be Seen (6:5-6)

Application: Have a personal prayer life

POINT TWO

Matthew 6:7–8 ESV

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

Matthew 6:7-8

Jesus repeats the opening phrase “and when you pray” from verse 5, signaling a second point on Prayer

“do not heap up empty phrases:”

Difficult word to translate

Look at NIV

Matthew 6:7 NIV

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

Explain, “keep on babbling”

Jews babbled “like Pagans”

All religions have a form of repetitive prayer

II. How Not to Pray (part 2): Don’t Pray Just to Pray (6:7-8)

Matthew 6:7 NIV

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

Application: Hail Marys, Thinking God will answer you because you Pray a lot. Don’t be thoughtless in your prayer!

Pray much, not so God will answer you but because you desire to communicate with Him.

POINT THREE

Matthew 6:9

Matthew 6:9–13 ESV

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

“Pray then like this” bring conclusion to Jesus’ thoughts

III. The Right Way to Pray (6:9-13)

Five Points

how to pray not what to pray

A. The Right Address (9)

Address the Father

New with Jesus

B. The Right Tone (10)

C. The Right Request (11)

D. The Right Attitude (12)

E. The Right Heart (13)

F.

POINT FOUR

Matthew 6:14–15 ESV

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

IV. The Controversial Point: If You are Unwilling to Forgive, Your Father will Not Forgive You (6:14-15)