Reading: Matthew chapter 6 verses 1-15.
Ill:
Sir William Osler who was the professor of medicine at Oxford University,
• Had a class full of students before him;
• And wanting to emphasize the importance of observing details,
• He reached down to his desk and picked up a bottle containing 'urine',
• Holding it high, he announced:
"This bottle contains a sample for analysis.
It's often possible by tasting it
to determine the disease from which the patient suffers".
• Suiting action to words,
• He dipped a finger into the fluid and then into his mouth, and continued-
"Now I am going to pass the bottle around.
Each of you do exactly as I did.
Perhaps we can learn the importance of this technique and diagnose the case".
• The bottle made its way from row to row
• Each student gingerly poked his finger in and sampled the contents with a frown.
Dr Osler then retrieved the bottle and startled his students with the words:
"Gentlemen, now will you understand what I mean when I speak about details.
Had you been observant you would have seen that I put my
index finger into the bottle but my middle finger into my mouth!"
• They saw and yet they missed the point exactly;
• When it comes to the Lord’s prayer:
• I can’t help thinking many people are like those students;
• They know the prayer but miss the point.
• They know the words, the formula;
• But miss out on the meaning and relevance of it for their lives.
(1). The Context of the prayer (vs 1-9):
• In these verses, Jesus first of all gives us a general principle:
• Verse 1:
“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven
The Message:
"Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theatre, but the God who made you won't be applauding.
Ill:
• When it was launched in 1936.
• The Queen Mary was the largest ship ever to cross the oceans.
• Through four decades and a World War she served until she was retired,
• She was anchored as a floating hotel and museum in Long Beach, California.
• During the conversion, from passenger ship to hotel & restaurant;
• Her three massive smokestacks were taken off to be scraped down and repainted.
• But on the dock they crumbled.
• Nothing was left of the 3/4 inch steel plate from which the stacks had been formed.
• All that remained were more than thirty coasts of paint that had been applied over the years. The steel had rusted away.
• Over the years, and without anybody noticing;
• The smokestacks had become purely decretive and without substance!
In this section Jesus is warning his followers not to be the same:
• God wants us to be real, genuine, authentic, the real thing;
• Rather than outwardly impressive but inwardly hollow!
Having given us a general principle in verse 1:
• Jesus goes on to give three examples of how hypocrisy can reveal itself.
• Verses 2-4: He talks about good works.
• Verses 5-15: He talks about prayer.
• Verses 16-18: He talks about fasting.
The warning of Jesus is a simple one:
• These religious leaders were doing the right things;
• But they were doing them in the wrong way!
• Instead of looking for God and his approval on their religious activities;
• They were more concerned with the approval of other people.
Quote: C. S. Lewis explains the conflict in The Four Loves.
“Anyone who has ever taught or attempted to lead others knows the tendency in all of us toward exaggerating our depth of character while treating leniently our flaws. The Bible calls this tendency hypocrisy. We consciously or subconsciously put forward a better image of ourselves than really exists. The outward appearance of our character and the inner reality (that only God, we, and perhaps our family members know) do not match”.
• The warning of Jesus is a simple one:
• God wants us to be real, genuine, authentic, the real thing;
Quote: Old black preacher used to say:
“Be what you is,
‘Cause if you aint was you is,
You is what you aint!”
• Verse 4 makes it very clear;
• The only approval a true disciple should look for is God the Father’s!
Quote: Verse 4 (The Message):
“Just do it--quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.”
NOW OUR FOCUS THIS SESSION IS ON PRAYER:
(a). Three negative Truths:
• In verses 5-7 Jesus gives us four negative truths;
• Three what NOT to do’s when we pray:
1. Verse 5a: Don't be hypocritical.
(Showy prayers ask for men’s favour and that is what they get!)
2. Verse 6: Don't limit your praying to public places.
(We should pray more at home, than we do at Church!)
3. Verse 7: Don't use meaningless repetition.
(Think about what you are saying ill: Nigel Lee at a C.U. meeting)
ill:
• Today some people use prayer wheels or rosary beads;
• Thinking that they will be heard because of their many words of repetition.
• Ironically despite the fact Jesus said; “Don’t keep repeating things like the pagans do”
• Some people repeat word for word, almost parrot fashion this prayer.
• Although in their defence, Jesus said ‘vain repetition’ not ‘repetition’!
• So if it is meaningful, I am not out to knock it!
• But this prayer is not a magic formula;
• Wise are those who understand its meaning or purpose.
(b). Three positive Truths:
(1st). We are told where to pray (vs 6)
• Find a private place (vs 6).
• "Go into your room, close the door".
• Obviously he is talking about private devotions here;
• And not collective public praying:
• Find a place you can go to,
• That is free from distractions & interruptions.
Ill:
It is said that a man was standing in a telephone booth,
• But he could not understand his friend to whom he was trying to talk.
• He kept saying, "I can't hear you; I can't understand you."
• Finally the man at the other end of the phone shouted rather sharply,
• "If you will shut the door, you can hear!"
• Point being: Find a place you can go to,
• That is free from distractions & interruptions.
(2nd). We are told to whom to pray (Verse 6):
• Verse 6:
• "Pray to your Father in heaven".
Ill:
• During the American civil war a family tragedy took place;
• As a result an American soldier was granted a hearing with President Abraham Lincoln.
• To see if he could be granted an exemption from military service.
• When he arrived at the White House he was sent away by one of the many aids;
• Told that the president was too busy to see him
• He walked over to a near by park sat down and felt sorry for himself.
• A small boy noticed how sad he was, went over and the two started talking to him.
• Surprisingly the soldier found himself pouring out his troubles to the young boy.
• The boy stood up and said to the soldier and said; “Come with me”
• They walked back over to the White House only this time they entered by a back door.
• They both walked down a variety of corridors;
• And passed a number of Generals and officers on the way.
• Then they came to the presidents office and without knocking the boy walked straight in;
• The president was talking to the secretary of state stopped and said;
• “What’s the matter Todd?”
• The boy replied; “This soldier needs to talk to you!”
The New Testament makes it very clear:
• That followers of Jesus have direct access to the Father through the Son!
• Through our one mediator Jesus Christ!
(3rd). We are told how to pray.
“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
• Keep it simple (Vs 7-8).
• ill: 'Kiss' - "Keep It Simple Stupid".
God does not pay closer attention to our prayers:
• Because of the number of words we use.
• He's not impressed with our spiritual sounding clichés.
• We do not need to use a special vocabulary or put on a special voice;
• We just need to be reverent and humble .
• Simple & sincere,
• My understanding is short prayers in public & longer prayers in private!
(2). The Content of Prayer (vs 9-13)
“This, then, is how you should pray: “
‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one’”
‘When you pray says Jesus; ‘it should be like this’
• The word "You" in the original Greek language:
• Is very emphatic, very strong, there is an emphasis there.
• A contrast is being drawn:
• Between the religious leaders and the followers of Jesus.
• The hypocrites and the pagans pray in one way (verse 7).
• But not ‘YOU’, you are too be different.
• ‘So when you pray’ Jesus says; ‘it should be like this’:
• And we are given an outline to help us when we pray.
• Note: It is not the words themselves,
• But the content of the words that is important.
• This is not a set prayer to be ritually repeated,
• But a design, a guide, an outline to use for our whole prayer life.
(A). Upward: A focus on God:
(1). Relationship: "Our Father" The love of God
• The words ‘our Father’ speak of a family relationship,
• A closeness, an intimacy and yet at the same time a respect (“Hallowed be thy name”).
In a HEALTHY relationship between Father and child there is a unique balance in that:
• You can relax as you speak,
• Yet, there is a consideration, a respect.
• There is both freedom and openness.
• As well as there being regard and recognition.
The fact Jesus taught his disciples to call God "Father":
• Shows us God is not distant and unremoved.
• Personal relationship here,
• We can know him and enjoy his company and care.
• ill: undivided attention.
(2). Residence: "In heaven" – The power of God.
• Literally reads:
• "Who is in the heavens".
• Although God is as close as the air that surrounds us,
• He is as incomprehensible as the galaxies beyond us.
The point here is that these two phrases are linked together:
• "Our Father":
• Reminds us God is interested, God is concerned, he cares.
• "In heaven":
• Reminds us he is in a position to act and to work in our situations.
• Those two expressions placed side by side:
• ill: Downing Street or The White House.
• Place of power and authority.
• And that's the point being taught.
THE LORD'S PRAYER IS THEN DIVIDED INTO TWO HALVES:
First: we fix our thoughts upwards towards God:
• "Hallowed be YOUR name" (Verse 9.)
• "YOUR kingdom come"( Verse 10.)
• "YOUR will be done" (Verse 10.)
Second: then we can fix our thoughts inwards on ourselves:
• The second half of this prayer sees a change of emphasis:
• Notice from: "Yours" to: "Ours".
• "Give US today our daily bread" (Verse 11).
• "Forgive US our debts" (Verse 12).
• "Deliver US from the evil one" (Verse 13).
God is not selfish in that we must only think of him:
• He is a heavenly father.
• He cares about our needs.
• But to meet those needs and to raise us as his children:
• We need the right foundation: God first, ourselves second.
THESE NEXT VERSES DEAL WITH THE THREE ESSENTIAL NEEDS WE ALL HAVE:
• The essential needs of all mankind.
• Relating to past, present and future.
(1). Present:
• "Daily Bread".
• Symbolic of all those things, which are necessities in life.
• This expression is a good reminder;
• That we should acknowledge our dependency on God for all our physical needs.
• We should not take them for granted but acknowledge;
• “All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above”
ill:
Often: God meets those needs often through the labours of other people:
• Food comes from the farmer to the factory.
• From the factory to the supermarket etc.
• God often meets our needs through other people.
• BUT ultimately it is God who provides us with our food:
• We can ONLY plant seeds but God gave the seed in the first place.
• He provides the water and sun that's needed for it to grow.
Note:
• Our needs not our greed’s!
• Promised ‘daily bread’ not ‘strawberries and cream!’
(2). Past:
• "Forgiveness" (verse 12)
• Deals with the past:
Quote Charles Swindoll:
"What bread is to the physical being, forgiveness is to the soul".
• A debt is something that is rightly owed.
• Jesus recognizes that everyone is a debtor to God.
• We are debtors to God because of our failures and sin.
• Yet we need not be held back, chained by those failures and sins.
Ill:
• We may all be indebt.
• But Jesus Christ was in credit.
“He paid a debt he did not owe,
I owed a debt I could not pay,
I needed someone to wash my sins away,
And now I sing a brand new song,
Amazing grace the whole day long,
For Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay”.
The followers of Jesus have been reconciled with God:
• One of the evidences of that,
• Is that we get reconciled with each other.
ill:
Two churches who were going to amalgamate / join up.
• Problem was the reciting of the Lord's prayer.
• One church always said "sins" the other "debts'.
• Neither church was willing to change and the amalgamation never took part:
• The newspaper that reported the story, finished its report like this:
"One church went back to their debts and the other church went back to their sins".
• More seriously when we refuse to get reconciled with someone:
• We become spiritually poorer and we sin.
ill:
Parable of the debts that were forgiven.
• It is only as we remember how much God has forgiven us:
• Do we get the desire to forgive others and also get the power to forgive others.
(3). Future:
• Verse 13:
• "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”
• This verse deals with the future:
• And simply means: "Do not allow us to be led into temptation".
• Or better still:
• "Do not let us be overwhelmed by temptation".
The point here is that we may overcome problems rather than avoid them:
• We are all going to face difficulties and temptations;
• That is part of living in a fallen world with a sinful nature!
• So we should pray that when difficulties and temptations come;
• That the evil one will not get a foot hold in our lives.
ill:
• If you know you will be going into the woods at night:
• You can just grab a torch and go.
• Or you can check the condition of your batteries and recharge them if nescercery;
• If you do that, you are anticipating the problem and the situations ahead.
Quote: The Old Proverb:
"To be fore-warned is to be fore-armed".
• We are all going to face difficulties and temptations;
• That is part of living in a fallen world with a sinful nature!
• So we should pray that when difficulties and temptations come;
• That the evil one will not get a foot hold in our lives.
Key:
• But to know those benefits in our lives we need to:
• Have experienced the first part of the Lord's prayer.
(1). Relationship: ‘Our Father’.
• In one sense God is the Father from all things came (1 Corinthians ch 8 vs 6);
• But in a particular sense these words are for those who have been born into his family.
• The apostle Paul wrote (Romans chapter 8 verse 15);
• ‘For you received the Spirit of Sonship, and by him we cry “Abba Father”’
(2). Rule of God in our lives: “Thy will be done, thy kingdom come”.
Ill:
• Navel recruit who asked for a 48 hour pass to attend a wedding.
• When the pass arrived it was only for 24 hours.
• The recruit said to the officer;
• “Sir you don’t understand I’m in the grooms party”
• The officer replied;
• “No! You don’t understand, you are in the navy!”
When we allow God to have his rightful way in our lives:
• We discover his help.
• His power.
• His forgiveness.
