Sermon On The Mount: Prayer

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SERMON ON THE MOUNT: PRAYER

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Prayer is the means that God has given His children to communicate with Him.

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Matthew 6:7-13

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Sermon on the Mount

Spread the Gospel

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SERMON ON THE MOUNT: PRAYER

Matthew 6:7-13

Prayer is the means that God has given His children to communicate with Him.

Without any media of electronic, prayer is better than any other means of communication

that we have on earth. Prayer does not need cables, router, electricity and it's also free. A

good friend of mine complained that his phone card always run out before it should.

Quite the contrary, our time with God has no limit. Prayer takes us to God's presence

without having to move. We can stay where we are, facing anywhere we want.

About a month ago in Cupertino, San Jose lost electricity for one whole day. I

saw how all restaurants and stores closed suddenly, because they rely upon electricity.

Traffic jam was everywhere, because all the traffic lights are out. Prayer needs no

electricity, we can talk directly to God.

There are two models of prayer, the Bible clearly shows us the difference between

true prayer and false prayer. The wrong ways to pray include the following:

- Meaningless repetitions

- Mechanistic prayer, memorized like a chant.

- Prayer that blames others and justifies oneself correct.

- Prayer with arrogance, unconscious of one's sins.

Repetitions and blaming others are typical characteristics of the Pharisees?

prayers, while mechanistic prayers are typical of the Gentiles. Repetitions in prayer leads

them to hypocrisy. The question then arise, “What is hypocrisy?” In this context,

hypocrisy means “Changing the focus of praise from God to oneself”.

How do you think one should pray? When Jesus taught us the Lord's Prayer,

Jesus indirectly implied two types of prayer.

First Model: Gentiles' prayer – is very repetitive. “But when ye pray, use not vain

repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much

speaking.” (Matthew 6:7; KJV). Vain repetition means meaningless words. This is

different than the repetition that Jesus prayed at Gethsemane. Matthew 24, 26, 44 depict

His persistence and concentration in praying.

Second Model: Christian prayer – is mechanistic. Mechanical prayers are not

good either, because it could become like a chant that is memorized. The Lord's Prayer is

a typical example of such memorized prayers; without putting our mind to it, this prayer

becomes meaningless.

Then in chapter 6 of Matthew, Jesus explained that the most important thing in a

believer's life is how to think of God. To Jesus, theology (our way of thinking of God)

will determine our actions (our way of living). Jesus specifically taught us how to see

God as Father, and how important it is to understand the close relationship between the

Father and His children.

In prayer we need struggle, but not a struggle to defeat God; it is a struggle

to defeat oneself, to kneel before God. The Lord's Prayer that was taught by Jesus

embodies 5 concepts:

1. Concept of Worshiping the Father

2. Concept of the Father's work

3. Concept of physical blessings from the Father

4. Concept of the Father's grace.

5. Concept of providence from the Father.

I. Concept of worshipping the Father

Jesus was giving us access to a close relationship with the King, our God, as our

Father. To Him we address our prayers. Notice that Jesus said “Our Father in Heaven”;

this teaches us a relationship in Christian life. We pray “Our Father”, not “My Father” or

“Your Father”. This concept reminds us that we are sharing a spiritual privilege with all

other children of God. This alone becomes the confirmation and special privilege that we

receive.

Notice the harmonious balance in this sentence “Our Father in Heaven”. There are

three elements: Our: our relationship, Father: our closeness, in Heaven: worship. The

purpose of Jesus in teaching us to pray the Lord's Prayer is not for etiquette, but to tell us

the truth so that we come to Him with the right mind and heart.

II. Concept of the Father’s work.

The secret of the Kingdom of God is His government under the Father. We have

seen real proof of the presence of God's Kingdom through Jesus Christ. But in some

sense, that kingdom has not been completely revealed in its full glory. The peak is still in

the process. We currently live in that time of revelation and consummation of that

kingdom. Therefore we pray so that His Kingdom may come and His glory be praised.