5 “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. Matthew 6: 5-15 ESV
Matthew 6: 5-15 Lord's Prayer
Prayer pulls the rope below and the great bell rings above in the cars of God. Some scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so languidly; others give but an occasional pluck at the rope; but he who wins with heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continuously, with all his might. (Feathers for Arrows) - C. H. Spurgeon
You must not be like the hypocrites - All throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus continually moves the focus to the heart, to motives, intent. A hypocrite was an actor, someone wearing a mask, putting on a show, playing to an audience of people.
Hypocrite (5273) (hupokrites from hupó = under, indicating secrecy + krino = to judge) describes one who acts pretentiously, a counterfeit, a man who assumes and speaks or acts under a feigned character. A hypocrite is someone who pretends to be something he or she is not. - Precept Austin
For they love to stand - Some have gone off on a tangent at this, and think that a man cannot pray but on his knees. It wasn't the position of the body, but that of the heart, and we see that in where they preferred to stand.
We see prayer prostrate:
…38Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” 39 Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” 40Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.… Matthew 26: 38-40
We see it on the knees:
10Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11Then these men went as a group and found Daniel petitioning and imploring his God.… Daniel 6: 10-11
And standing:
…11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’ 13But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’… Luke 18: 11-13
At the street corners - They wanted to pray where they would get the most audience, like little popes, playing at being pious, trying to gain the approval of men.
That they may be seen by others - For them, what was the point in praying if you couldn't be noticed? That would be a wasted prayer in their mind, and this should tell you something of their faith, if they need men to notice then who are they really praying to? I knew an old couple who often prayed what they wanted from people in the room, but we knew what they were doing, so their prayers became more specific each time, and they would even remind us of what they prayed about later. That is prayer to men, a form of manipulation, using God's name as leverage against others. Prosperity teachers will even point to people in the room as they are praying, and say, "God showed me that you can give this much, and quit holding back from God." The Pharisees wanted to be seen and thought of as righteous, esteemed by men for all their outward show, but inside they were the worse sort.
They have received their reward - If you wanted an audience with people, and you got that audience, then that is all their is for you. You traded the worship of God for the worship of yourself. You traded eternal glory for present delusion.
…46“Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. 47They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.” Luke 20: 46-47
Go into your room and shut the door - If you are seeking an audience of the Creator of the Universe, the King above all kings, then go find a quiet place. Forsake the crowd, be alone, pour out your heart, cast aside all distractions, for He hears the voice of the inward man.
…32When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his bed. 33So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD. 2 Kings 4: 32-33
So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27 The man asked him, “What is your name?”
“Jacob,” he answered.
28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”
29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”
But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. Genesis 32: 24-29
Will reward you - He sees you in your secret place, hears you in your closet, and has instructed you not only to pray, but how and for what. It is a fool's wind bag that blurts out in prayer that which the Lord has not intent to give. I have heard men ask God for things that He directly opposes, harmful things, sinful things, greedy things. Why would you ask God for things that He hates, things tied to your pride, your lust, your selfishness. Rarely do I hear someone moan for righteousness, plead with God to be delivered from sin, but often have I heard requests for money, for a nicer car, and I have even heard someone pray for a new spouse while still married to the old one. He invites us to pray for the grandest of things, but we would not recognize them as such.
…2You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures. 4You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.… James 4: 2-4
Do not heap up empty phrases - "We had revival prayer meeting all night last night," but mostly, like heathens, you just made vain repetitions, over and over again. You thought you were praying in tongues, in a "prayer language", but no, you were just babbling like the pagans. It is like those who govern or manage by clichés; you are empty, thinking you say much, you say nothing.
Our Father - This is a marvelous invitation, to come not only to the King, but to call the King, Father. He is giving unprecedented access, calling you His child, called by the Father, through the Holy Spirit, into adoption by the grace afforded us in Christ Jesus, the Son. Oh my, I can hardly fathom, barely take this in, but this is the call.
28And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. 29For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.… Romans 8: 28-30
1Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. 2Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.… 1 John 3: 1-2
…4For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love 5He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.… Ephesians 1: 4-6
Hallowed be Your name - Hallowed is a reverent saying for Holy, set apart, otherly, sacred. Only the righteous may approach a Holy God, and only Christ was righteous, so the approach is through Him. You are invited to pray because in Christ Jesus you have become part of the family, through His death you come to understand the Holy character of God, His just nature, and I marvel at His grace, the expression of such love.
1Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command. 2So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD. 3Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I will reveal My glory.’ ” But Aaron remained silent.… Leviticus 10: 1-3
…2Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.” 4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke.… Isaiah 6: 2-4
…13Then Moses asked God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ What should I tell them?” 14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15God also told Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.… Isaiah 6: 13-15
Your kingdom come, Your will be done - This is a standard for prayer, that we pray in His will, in view and in light of His kingdom. Some will say, "what is the point of prayer if God already knows His own will?" The point is you and I do not know, and we have been invited into the presence of God, to be partakers in His kingdom, to work for the most awe inspiring of Bosses ever. We have been given His word, which He has put up with His name, an insight to life that no one could have found on their own. His word will instruct our thoughts and our prayers. To wish that things were better or made right, well they shall never be so good as they will be in His kingdom.
1This is the message that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem: 2In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. 3And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.… Isaiah 2: 1-3
Spurgeon has a good exhortation related to this petition...
“Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:9-10). Let not your prayers be all concerning your own sins, your own wants, your own imperfections, and your own trials, but let them climb the starry ladder and get up to Christ Himself. Then, as you draw nigh to the blood-sprinkled mercy seat, offer this prayer continually, “Lord, extend the kingdom of Your dear Son.” Such a petition, fervently presented, will elevate the spirit of all your devotions. Mind that you prove the sincerity of your prayer by laboring to promote the Lord’s glory. (Daily Help) - Precept Austin
Our Daily bread - This is the prayer of dependence. It is easy for us, especially in the first world, to forget that food comes from God. We think we are superior somehow in our ability to earn, yet set us without all the luxuries, the bank accounts and super markets, and we would starve, like they do on the survival shows. This should put into perspective both our giving and receiving. We need so much less than we would take, but of spiritual things we take so much less than we need. Our mind is quick and often to the plate, but slow to our knees and even slower to fervent prayer before God.
…7Two things I ask of You—do not refuse me before I die: 8Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion. 9Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.… Proverbs 30: 7-9
And forgive us our debts - Everyone is in debt to God for their life, their very being. Humanity also falls under the debt incurred by Adam, but evidenced in all of us.
1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.… Ephesians 2: 1-3
As we also have forgiven our debtors - Sinners sin, that is what we do, but we who have believed have asked for mercy, to be forgiven of a great debt, so God is telling us to be children like our Father, Who forgave us.
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times! Matthew 18: 21-22
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil - From physical to spiritual dependence. We are frail, and temptation lies always in wait, ready to consume us, but we must turn to God for help, all us is vain, trading one sin for another. The seemingly pious can be the most proud, an abominable sin.
…40Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter. 41“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” 42A second time He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass unless I drink it, may Your will be done.”… Matthew 26: 40-42
J C Ryle explains that this sentence "teaches us that we are liable at all times to be led astray and to fall. It instructs us to confess our infirmity and beseech God to hold us up, and not allow us to run into sin. We ask Him, Who orders all things in heaven and earth, to restrain us from going into that which would injure our souls, and never to let us be tempted beyond what we can bear ("No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13) - Precept Austin
…8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.… 1 John 1: 8-10
For if you forgive - If you are a child of God then you have been forgiven much, by a perfectly righteous and just Being. The most divine act that a child of the King can perform, the most godlike thing we can do is forgive.
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