Matthew Sermon 21
Prayer what, when and Why??
Matthew 6:5–15 (The Message)
5 “And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?"
6 “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace."
7 “The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. '
8 Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and He knows better than you what you need.
9 With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this: Our Father in heaven, Reveal who You are.
10 Set the world right. Do what’s best— as above, so below.
11 Keep us alive with three square meals.
12 Keep us forgiven with You and forgiving others.
13 Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You’re in charge! You can do anything You want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes.
14 “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others.
15 If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.
WOW!
· Kind of brings prayer home.
· So what is Jesus talking about?
· Why talk like prayer in public is so bad?
· I think if we dig in this, we find just like all of Jesus’ teaching, it’s a heart issue!
Let’s break this down, and deal with what Jesus is talking about! I see three things to deal with:
· One: how and why we pray
· Two: what we need to be praying about
· Three: how grieving the spirit gets in the way
So, let’s take a look at point one! The how, when, where and why of it!
What not to do!
It's not about you!!
Matthew 6:5 (ESV)
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.
· This is me centered
· This is the kind of inward thinking that drives folks away from church and church folks
· We do this for attention to say “look at me” “I am so holy”
· But what it really says is I love me, and pushes Jesus to the side!
Don’t ramble!!
Matthew 6:7 (ESV)
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.
· You know these folks
· I have been in prayer with folks as they are praying, I’m praying for them to lose their voice!
· I love this!!
Matthew 6:7 (The Message)
7“The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God.
· Don’t just throw words around
· Don't use big words
· Don't try to impress folks
· Praying in public is not wrong, but
o It needs to honor Jesus
o It needs to come from a heart of repentance
o A heart of Grace
o A heart of humility
· And that all starts in private!
It comes down to when do you want to be rewarded?? It comes down to why are you doing it?? It comes down to your heart and whom it belongs to. Is your prayer to talk to your dad and work on issues that need worked on?? Or to show the world how good you are?? Folks, this is a heart issue, this is a humility issue, we need to make it all about us being unworthy and needing intervention! It needs to be about us giving God the glory, and us needing His son’s saving grace!
What to do!
Matthew 6:6 (ESV)
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.
· So why close yourself off??
· Why not pray in front of folks??
· This says it all!!
Matthew 6:6 (The Message)
6 “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace.
· When you want to be honest with someone,
· Raw with someone,
· You do it in private, not public.
· You can’t shift the attention to God if you are wondering what people hear.
· I am not the best public prayer, I don’t know how to publicly pray, I pray like I do when I am alone.
· You want to feel the presence of God, go to Him real, emotionally raw.
Tell the story of calling Pops from basic!
You have to go to Him real, humble, vulnerable, honest, and then you will feel the presence of a loving and gracious Father who knows every thing you need, but just wants to talk to you about it!
So, now let’s talk about the “how” we pray, and use the example Jesus gave us.
And remember this is a guide, not a prayer to be uttered over and over. But a good example for us to follow!
Matthew 6:9–13 (ESV)
9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name."
· Father, Abba, daddy, pops
o This is to remind us that our relationship with God is to be intimate
o It’s to be special, like a kid looks at his dad
o If you don’t know what that looks like, look at a little girl that adores her daddy!
· Hallowed, holy, reverent
o So, we won’t forget who God is, and what He has done.
o To remind us He hates sin.
o He is perfect, all knowing, all loving.
o That we don’t ever forget we serve Him, not that He serves us.
10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
· Kingdom
o We are to never forget it's God's kingdom.
o And that we are to lovingly, and graciously display God's kingdom here on earth.
o To preach the gospel of the Son of God to the world.
o To love each other and be a light in a dark world.
· Your Will be done!
o
o The revealed will of God is found in His word!
o So that means we need to stay prayed up.
o We need to stay studied up.
o To do that, we pray and study God’s word, not just read it, study it.
· On earth as it is in heaven
o Are you Jesus with skin on?!?
o The only way is to have a personal relationship.
o To truly know, and feel, God's presence, you must have a private prayer life!
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
· We have to pray for our NEEDS, not our wants.
· We have to ask God to provide for today, and not worry about tomorrow.
·
· So pray for your daily needs to be met.
12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
· Forgive us
o We grieve the spirit daily,
o So we should get in the habit of saying SORRY!
o We are covered by Jesus for all our sin, but if sin is left unchecked it can get out of control!
· We must forgive
o We can’t ask forgiveness if we don’t forgive, it’s a heart issue!!
o No one can ever sin against you like you sinned against Jesus.
o He died for yours!
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
· Temptation
o We are all tempted.
o We have to ask the Holy Spirit for help.
o Jesus prayed through His temptation.
o And we should too!
· Deliver us from evil!
o Who better to run to when the devil is chasing you?
o I don’t know about you, but I always ran to my dad when I was
§ Scared
§ Frustrated
§ Mad
§ Tempted
o So, run to God and seek His wisdom.
o Seek His advice.
o It’s always perfect!!
Isaiah 55:8–9 (ESV)
8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Jeremiah 29:11–14 (ESV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you.
13 You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart.
14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
No comments:
Post a Comment