Sermon on the Mount, Part 6–Prayer & Fasting

Teaching about Prayer and Fasting

5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

• Continuing the contrasting of public and private actions, of actions versus motivations, of the flesh and the heart
• Not "if you pray," but "when you pray"
• Does this mean that we should never engage in corporate prayer? Not at all! It is part of the purpose of the church community -- Acts 2:42 - "All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer." Also, 1 Timothy 2:8 - "In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy."

7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 

• Not the quantity of your prayer, but the quality of your prayer
• Have you ever felt intimidated by the idea of praying, feeling as though if you don't pray in exactly the right way or with the right words, your prayers will not be accepted by God? Have you ever felt like you are 'bothering' God?
• Matthew 6:32b - "Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs."

9 Pray like this:

• "If you want to get to know someone intimately, eavesdrop on their prayers." - Dave Arch (http://www.askapastor.org/prayers.html )
• There are over 20 prayers of Jesus recorded in the Gospels, each not only revealing His heart and His relationship to the Father, but also serving as an example to us of how we should likewise pray.

Our Father in heaven, 

• Neither "babbling on and on" nor repetition suggest relationship; even the Jews rarely addressed God as "Father," yet Jesus did so in every prayer but one.
• Not only can we approach God as our "Father," but as our "Abba" (no direct English transliteration of this Aramaic term of endearment, yet it connotes an intimate caring relationship) - Jesus uses it in Mark 14:36, and it is also used in Romans 8:15 ("So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”"), and Galatians 4:6 ("And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”")

may your name be kept holy. 

• Intimacy must be balanced with reverence. We must live in such a way as not to bring reproach upon His name.

10 May your Kingdom come soon. 

• This is another example of the "now and not yet" duality inherent in prophecy. The Kingdom of Heaven had come with the arrival of Jesus; yet, it will not be completely fulfilled until His return and reign.

May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 

• James 4:1-3 - "What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure."
• 1 John 5:14-15 - "And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for."
• Philippians 4:6 - "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."
• Romans 8:26-27 - "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will."
• Matthew 29:39 - “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."
• James 4:13-16 - "Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil."

11 Give us today the food we need,

• Manna (Exodus 16); Jesus is our living bread from heaven (John 6:22-58)

12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 

• Mark 11:25 - "But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”
• Our attitudes and behaviors toward others can hinder our prayers.
• 1 Peter 3:7 - "In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered."

13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

• James 1:12-15 - "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death."
• 1 Corinthians 7:5b - "Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control."
• 1 Corinthians 10:13 - "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."
• James 4:7 - "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
• 1 Peter 5:8-9 - "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are." (also see Ephesians 6:10-18)

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

• Forgiveness is an inextricable component of our relationship with God. How can we, after having received such great mercy and kindness from our Heavenly Father, not do likewise in our relationships with others? If it feels like a difficult, costly proposition for us, how much more so for the Father? Yet, we are called to "give as freely as you have received!" (Matthew 10:8b) (also see the parable of the unforgiving debtor, Matthew 18:21-35)

16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

• Note: when you fast, not if you fast. Fasting, like prayer, is an important part of the believer's life, but again, we must examine our motives.

Conclusion

When should we pray?

• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "Never stop praying."
• Ephesians 6:18 - "Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere."
• Colossians 4:2 - "Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart."

With the right perspective, the right attitude, the right relationships, prayer is powerful!

• Jude 1:20b - "Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit…"
• James 5:13-18 - "Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops."