From the Pulpit...

Jesus taught in 6:5-8 that God rejects the prayer of hypocrites because what they really want is the recognition of others. They are not truly interested in the honor of God. They appear outwardly religious but are not truly so. Jesus also taught that God rejects the prayer of heathen (pagans, idolators) because they believe self-effort in repeated religious ritual will earn them notice before God (or “the gods”). Both are self-centered approaches to prayer. Instead, our prayer must be focused upon and centered upon God Himself. We learned from 6:5-8 that we must work hard to eliminate pride, empty repetition, worldliness, and a low view of God from our prayer lives. Now in 6:9-13, Jesus gives us a model prayer that shows the way. He says “You, therefore, pray like this…” There is a clear contrast here. Jesus has told us, to not be like the hypocrites, and to not be like the heathen: instead, YOU are to be different. The model prayer shows us that our prayers must: 1. Revere God. 2. Focus on God’s priorities. 3. Seek God for physical provision. 4. Ask God for spiritual provision. 5. Recognize God is king over all. If our prayers do this, and we pray genuinely, that this means that we do these things and are marked by these values.