Sermon Tone Analysis
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Intro:
AG:
TS: Jesus has been contrasting religion with righteousness.
People were good at religion, but keeping the religious traditions had made them terrible at righteousness.
Last week, we examined ch 6 where Jesus challenged his listeners to practice their righteous acts for God in secret rather than in public to be noticed.
The main point was don’t act righteous just so others will see you.
Of the 3, giving of alms, prayer, and fasting, Jesus went beyond just the instructions to pray in secret.
He also addressed another bad habit which had crept in and gave a pattern for prayer.
This prayer is often called “The Lord’s Prayer”, but it is better named, “The Model Prayer”.
John 17 is more properly called the Lord’s prayer since that is His priestly prayer for His disciples.
RS: We all can improve our prayer lives.
As we look at today’s text, let us learn more which will deepen our prayer lives.
First, Jesus addresses.....
Pious Prattle
He had already said to pray in secret rather than to be noticed by others.
Now He addresses the prayers we pray.
He challenges them not to heap up empty phrases.
To understand this better, we need to grasp what His original audience would have thought.
Jewish scholars were debating the use of fixed prayers in this period; they generally held them to be acceptable if one's intent was genuine.
Greek prayers, such as Jesus mentioned here, sometimes piled up as many titles of the deity addressed as possible, hoping to secure his or her attention.
Pagan prayers typically reminded the deity of favors done or sacrifices offered, attempting to get a response from the god on contractual grounds.
Bible Background Commentary - The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament.
I’ve performed for you… so you perform for me.
Their ritual had turned into trying to get God’s attention.
This borrowed from pagan practices.
Perhaps it was due to the deterioration of their righteousness.
They had substituted rituals for relationship.
They made a great show of piety, but it was all pretense.
This reminds me much of the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel
The great showdown
They both set up their alters.
Prayers are not to be recited thoughtlessly
We are not working magic here.
We don’t “say the magic word” and obligate God to perform parlor tricks for us.
Thoughtless repetition is meaningless.
Jesus also addresses why there is no need for empty repetitions
God already knows our needs!
He doesn’t have to be informed.
He doesn’t need to be awakened.
He knows, like a loving Father, what is best for us and what needs we have.
Then Jesus explains.
Prayer’s Pattern
Jesus sets out for us a model to follow.
This is not another ritual to be recited.
3 aspects are directed to God and 3 towards our needs.
Praise
Prayer begins with worshipping God
Praising Him
Focus on Him
His nature
His names
His mighty works
He is the focus and object of prayer
Prostration
This is an acknowledgment of God’s Lordship
He is sovreign
He is king of kings and lord of lords
We acknoweldge that and join Him
Your Kingdom come Your will be done.
How is it done in heaven?
Carreied out at the thought or word
We pledge ourselves to obey the same way.
We join Him in His work
That is all that matters anyway
Petition
Seek God to provide our needs.
Penitence
We seek God’s forgiveness
Confess sin
confess = agree with God
View sin as He does
It is wrong
utterly and completely unacceptable
There is no excusing sin
There can be no compromise with sin.
Protection
God does not tempt men
He does allow us to face trials to strengthen our faith according to James, but He never tempts us.
It is not His will to trick us into sinning
In fact, God makes a way of escape out of temptation
We seek God’s protection from the evil one
Satan and all of his forces.
He is the real enemy
He wants nothing more than to pull us down.
He is described:
Father of lies
A roaring lion seeking to devour us.
There is no compromise with Him.
Praise
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.
We end where we began
It is all about God!
It is for His honor and glory.
We are to gratefully acknowledge that in our prayers.
This is a declaration of faith
All power and glory go to Him.
Peculiar Footnote
If you lift these verses out of context, A BAD IDEA, you miss the point.
This isn’t saying
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