Amen, all right. We're there in Matthew chapter number six. I'd like for you to keep your place right there in Matthew chapter six
We're going to come right back to it
But if you would go with me to the book of Luke Luke chapter number 11 keep your finger there in Matthew chapter 6
And then go past the book of Mark into the book of Luke Luke chapter number
11 and this morning. We're starting a brand new series. I'm really excited about it. I hope you're excited about it
I don't know that it's that
Exciting of a topic as far as you know, maybe trying to get the people to visit or things like that
but I hope that if you love the Lord and you're a mature Christian or you're trying to be a mature Christian that
the thought of prayer and learning to pray would excite you and
we're starting this brand new series this morning and it is called the school of prayer and
it's interesting because
The
Disciples made a request to the Lord Jesus Christ one day if you're there in Luke chapter number 11
I'd like you to look down at verse number 1
Luke chapter 11 in verse 1 the Bible says this and it came to pass that as he now the he there is referring to the
Lord Jesus Christ
Notice as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased
When he ended when he finished praying
Once you notice what the Bible says here one of his disciples said unto him
Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples
Jesus as we'll see in the series had a very active prayer life and
One day the Bible tells us after he had got done praying
His disciples were there with him watching observing this and when he sees the Bible says
One of his disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray. It's almost like the disciples
Realized after watching the Lord Jesus Christ pray. It's almost like they realize we're not doing it, right
We're we're not doing it like he's doing it and they asked they made this request. They said teach us
To pray now go back with me
If you would to Matthew chapter 6 and I'd like you to notice that Luke chapter 11 and Matthew chapter 6 are parallel passages and
Some of the Gospels have more information than others in Luke 11. We see that they bring this request
They ask this question Lord teach us to pray once you notice how Jesus responds to their requests in verse 9
He says this after this manner therefore pray ye so they ask
Jesus will you teach us to pray and his response is here's how you should pray after this manner
Therefore pray ye what we see here is that they asked they said would you teach us to pray? Would you teach us a
Class would you instruct us on how to pray and Jesus responds with I thought you'd never ask
You know, he responds with class is in session. He responds with yes
I'd be happy to teach you how to pray he says after this manner therefore pray
You know, let me just give you some introductory kind of thoughts in case you're not excited about the subject of prayer. I
would encourage you to consider a few things prayer is
The most powerful thing that we as Christians have available to us
It gives us access to God
It gives us the ability to go to God
For our needs and our requests and though it is the most powerful tool in our arsenal. It is the least used tool
In the life of a Christian many people have done research and and studies and and
polls and things like that and when people are allowed to be anonymous and Christians are allowed to be anonymous they will tell you and
If we were to take a poll here this morning
We're not going to they would tell you that prayer is probably the least practiced discipline in
the Christian life, however
It's interesting to consider
That Jesus never taught the Bible doesn't tell us and we don't see that Jesus ever taught his disciples how to preach
And I believe in preaching and I believe in teaching people how to preach
I have classes and courses that I do with guys in our leadership class to teach them how to preach
It's interesting though. Jesus never taught his disciples how to preach
He never really taught a soul winning course now. I believe his soul winning courses
I've written a soul winning course and we've recorded a soul winning course in and of course
He Jesus did a lot of soul winning and that was in itself a training sessions
But he he never sat down and said hey guys
Let me let me let me sit down and explain to you how to go through the Romans Road and obviously the Romans Road wasn't
In existence at that point on earth yet. He never said let me let me explain to you how to write an outline
For a sermon he he never explained, you know, let me explain to you pastoral ministry
Let me teach you Church administration. Let me teach you these things yet what we find in the Bible
Not yet, not only in one chapter not only in one book is that Jesus taught his disciples to pray
And I'll show you a little bit of the importance of prayer
Now some people act like prayer is some sort of a mystical thing the word mystical means like a spiritual
mystery and people think this is
Mystical type thing and though prayer is a spiritual thing
It is not a mystery and it is not mystical. In fact
It's something that you can learn because when the disciples asked Lord teach us to pray Jesus didn't say well
You know, here's the thing though. It's this it's this mystical spiritual once the Holy Spirit comes upon you then you'll know
They said will you teach us to pray and he says sure
After this manner therefore pray and he begins to teach them
So once you understand that prayer is something that you can learn you can learn to pray you can learn to practice
prayer and what we're going to do in this series is we're going to
Enroll if you wear if you will in
into a prayer class
Being taught by the Lord Jesus Christ and we're going to look over the next several weeks the teachings of Jesus on
Prayer and and there's lots in the Bible about prayer and we could spend a lot of time on prayer
But in this series, we're going to look at the specific teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ on prayer
We're also going to look at his personal prayer life and we're going to sit at the master's feet and allow him
We're going to join the disciples in this question Lord teach us to pray and we're going to allow the Lord Jesus Christ to teach us
How to pray and and when to pray and why to pray and all of those things now
Let me just say this and this will be my last kind of introductory statement. We'll get into the sermon
You need to know something
Before Jesus can teach his disciples because remember they asked the question Lord teach us to pray and
I showed you there in verse 9 where he says after this manner therefore pray and he teaches them how to pray
But the conversation on prayer actually begins a little bit earlier in the chapter in Matthew chapter 6
And the reason for that is this before Jesus can teach his disciples how to pray he has to teach them how not to pray
because there's been a lot of
Misguidedness in prayer a lot of wrong teaching in prayer a lot of wrong assumptions in prayer
So before we can get to verse 9 where he says, let me teach you how to pray
He has to begin by teaching them not
By teaching them how not to pray and that's what we're gonna focus in on this morning. We're gonna focus in on the
introduction to Jesus's teaching on prayer where he teaches them how not to do it or what they're
Doing wrong and I would just encourage you to grab
On the back of course week
There's a place to write down notes or grab a piece of paper grab a pen you and write some of these things down
We're gonna study this idea of prayer and I would say this
Buckle up and and get ready because we're all about to get schooled on prayer
By the Lord Jesus Christ as he teaches us on this issue of prayer
So notice there in Matthew chapter 6 and look at verse number 5
Matthew chapter 6 and verse 5. This is really where he begins his teaching on prayer
He says this and I want to notice this word when?
he says and
When thou prayest
Now he goes on to say other things
We're gonna look at here in a minute, but I want you to just notice that phrase
He says and when thou praise look look down at verse number six same chapter
He says but thou notice these words
when thou prayest
Look down at verse number seven the same chapter. He says but when
Ye pray
Here's prayer lesson number one from the Lord Jesus Christ when you pray here's a question I have for you when do you pray?
When
Do you set aside time
During the day
To spend time with your Heavenly Father in prayer
Because I want you to notice he he begins to give them all these teachings, but they're all they're all
Under this assumption he he begins with this assumption
He says he says you want me to teach you how to pray sure he says well
Here's the thing when you pray when thou prays he says but thou when thou prays
But when ye pray so before we can really even start digging into
What he says to not do or to do when you pray we have to begin with this idea
When do you pray?
Go with me if you would to mark just real quickly mark chapter number one
I told you that Jesus had a very active prayer life
And I want you to notice that Jesus is not a hypocrite as he teaches here to not be a hypocrite
When it comes to prayer he speaking to disciples
He says he makes this assumption when do you pray and I want you to notice that Jesus if you were to ask him the question
He would have an answer to that question mark chapter 1 in verse 35 if you would Matthew mark mark 135
Notice what the Bible says the Bible says this and in the morning
Rising up a great while before day
There's an emphasis being made here that it was early in the day
Why don't you notice that Jesus was an early riser by the way if you study?
The prophets in the Old Testament you'll notice that this phrase is brought up over and over where the Bible says that
They rose up early in the morning you want to be like Christ you want to be like a godly man of God learn to?
Get up early
He says and in the morning you say I'm not a morning person
No one's a morning person. Just get up and
in the morning notice
Rising up a great while before day
He went out and departed into a solitary place notice these words and there prayed
There's a question I have for you. When do you pray?
When do you pray go with me if you would to the book of Psalms you open up your Bible?
Just right in the center you more than likely fall in the book of Psalms Psalm 55 Psalm 55
And I'm not here to beat up on you or try to make you feel guilty
But I do want to try to encourage you and maybe shake you up a little bit kid you answer this question
Do you have a time?
Do you have an appointed time when you set aside a time that you set aside to pray?
Because Jesus says when thou pray is when?
but thou when thou pray is but when ye pray and
And we look at the life of Christ and we see that he rose up early in the morning rising up a great way a
great while before day and
And he went out and he prayed Psalm 55 if you would look at verse 17 Psalm 55 verse 17
Notice what the Bible says and you say well
I'm not you know I don't have time in the morning or whatever and I would encourage you to pray in the morning
But you know don't make it too much of a big deal about
You know the time of day that you prayed
But do make a big deal about the fact that you have a time of day that you pray notice Psalm 55 verse 17 here
The Psalmist says this evening and morning and at noon will I pray?
And cry aloud and he shall hear my voice, so here's the first lesson. When do you pray?
You'll notice that great men of God great
Prayer warriors had a time set aside
To pray go to the book of Daniel if you would Daniel chapter 6 you're there in Psalms you have Proverbs
Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel
In my introductory statements I made the statement
Jesus never taught anybody how to preach
But he did teach people how to pray I
Would encourage you if you want to study the Bible and learn the Bible
Learn how to pray
You'll be shocked you say you know I want to study all the end times prophecy
I want to understand Daniel's 70th week. I want to understand all the intricacies of end times
Well if you want to understand what Daniel wrote, maybe you should do what Daniel did and you should pray
In fact if you study the life of Daniel you'll study that he spent much time in prayer and fasting
In order to be able to give us the things that you want to learn so that you can
Repeat them to others or preach them or teach them Daniel chapter 6 notice verse 10 notice what the Bible says now when Daniel
Daniel chapter 6 verse 10 now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed and of course
This is the story where prayer has now been outlawed
It's not legal to pray the Bible says he went into his house and his windows being opened in his chamber toward Jerusalem
He kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did
a fourth time
Daniel was a man of prayer
Jesus was a man of prayer Paul was a man of prayer these great men of God
throughout the Bible these Christians that had strong powerful
Walks with God and had the power of God also were people that if you were to ask them
When do you pray Daniel go tell you I do when I pray
So here's a question I have for you. I'm not trying to beat up on you. I'm trying to help you
When do you pray?
Morning noon night
Do you have a time set aside?
For prayer now go back to Matthew chapter 6 if you would look at verse 5 notice what Jesus is saying about when you pray
Matthew chapter 6 in verse 5 he says this and when thou prayest
The assumption being made that you pray and
When thou prayest notice what he says he says thou shalt not be as the hypocrite are
For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men
Verily I say unto you they have their reward now Jesus begins by talking about
Public prayer and let me just say this as we kind of get into this idea of public prayer
Give you some thoughts on public prayer. There's nothing wrong with public prayer and
Jesus is not necessarily attacking public prayer though
He brings up public prayer as an example because we have examples good examples of public prayer all throughout the Bible
Let me just give you one
Of those examples just to make the point go to the Old Testament book of 1st Kings 1st Kings chapter number 8
If you find the one in two books, they're all clustered together 1st 2nd Samuel 1st 2nd Kings 1st 2nd Chronicles 1st Kings chapter number 8
1st Kings chapter number 8
and I realized that the
This morning sermon and maybe the next several sermons as we go through this school of prayer are gonna feel much like a Bible study
But we're in class classes in session. We're learning how to pray
I hope you came to church to open your Bible a little bit and flip some pages and learn something 1st Kings chapter 8
There's nothing wrong with public prayer
Nothing wrong with public prayer 1st Kings chapter 8 look at verse 1 notice what the Bible says 1st Kings chapter 8 and verse 1
The Bible says then Solomon
Assembled the elders of Israel notice. This is a assembly a
congregation a group of people then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of all the tribes the chief of the
fathers of the children of Israel and the King Solomon in Jerusalem that they might bring up the ark of
The covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is in Zion
I want you to notice that he brings all these people together look at verse 28 of the same chapter 1st Kings chapter 8
verse 28 I
Want you to notice Solomon brings all these people together, and then he begins to pray publicly
He says yet have thou this is Solomon speaking to God yet
Have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant and to his supplication
Oh Lord my God to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee
Today look at verse 54 same chapter notice what he says and it was so
That when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord
He arose from before the altar of the Lord from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven
And he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice saying and of course it goes on to bless them
I'm only reading this to you to highlight the fact that here we have
Solomon who gathered the entire nation of Israel congregation of Israel together. This is at the
At the opening of the temple of course and he Bible says he raises up his hands towards heaven by the way
Let me say this in the Bible the only time you find people raising their hands towards heaven in a form of worship
It's always men in prayer
It's not at a worship concert. You don't see that in the Bible
You say when does the Bible say the Bible says lifting up your holy hands in prayer?
Referring to men the fact that men are always to pray and we see this with Solomon at the at the
Inauguration here of the of the temple as he's opening it up the Bible says that he lifts up his hand in prayer
But it's public prayer and by the way, I won't take the time to develop it, but you'll notice that God responds by sending fire
Sending fire and and and and bringing fire down to consume the sacrifice
So God accepted his prayer. My point is this there's nothing wrong with public prayer
The Bible says Jesus said that my house shall be called called a house of prayer, by the way
That's why we have a Wednesday night prayer time
Where we take prayer requests and then we publicly
Together assembled together and we have a time of corporate prayer or public prayer
There's nothing wrong with public prayer in and of itself go back to Matthew 23
However, what Jesus is teaching
If you look at verse
In fact, I'm sorry
I told you to go to Matthew 23 and I do need to go to Matthew 23
But go back to Matthew chapter 6 in verse 5 again, just just to to look at the context
He says when thou prayest
Thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are
For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corner of the streets
Here's the problem with this prayer and he's saying look there's nothing wrong with public prayer
But there is a tendency when we do things in public to do things to be noticed that they may be seen of men
Verily I say unto you that they have their reward
Notice and it's not just prayer by the way in the Christian life anything you do to be seen of men
You that you're there's no reward for that in heaven. You've got your reward
The problem with public prayer is not public prayer the problem may be when we do public prayer as a show
Matthew 23 if you would look at verse 14
Matthew 23 and verse 14
Matthew 23 and verse 14 the Bible says this woe unto you
Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees
hypocrites
Notice for you devour widows houses and for a pretense you still would pretense there the word pretense
It's like our word pretend and for a pretense the word pretense means an attempt to make something
That is not real or that is not true
That is not the case to appear true Jesus says for a pretense for a pretense
Make long prayers therefore you shall receive the greater damnation
see Jesus was looking at the hypocrites and he says you guys like to have these big public prayers you stand on the
Corner of the street corner and you begin to pray and he said it's all pretend
It's a pretense. You're putting on a show you have these long prayers and and by the way
Let me just say this as a rule of thumb
I remember my pastor growing up would say this to us and I'll say it to you as a rule of thumb
We have to have short public prayers long private prayers
Don't make your public prayers some big show
Prayer should not be you showing off
Prayer should not be you bragging
Prayer should not be you making a point
Prayer should not be you showing off. How godly you are how spiritual are how much knowledge you have
It's always interesting media you got somebody praying it's like
You know just this hyper spiritual long
Prayer to show up. Look Jesus said you're a scribe. You're a Pharisee
You're a hypocrite when you of a pretense you make long prayers
so there's nothing wrong with
Public prayer, but there is something wrong with public prayer when it's done to show off or brag
But there's also something else done what's wrong with public prayer and it's this go back to Matthew chapter 6
Matthew chapter 6
We try to keep and to be honest with you on Wednesday nights
When we when we pray I try to keep those prayers as short as possible
Unfortunately, you guys are needy people and you've got so many things to pray about
You know, it takes takes time to go through all those prayer requests
But the the point is this that we want short public prayers long private prayers
So we're getting schooled on prayer by Jesus prayer lesson number one. When do you pray?
When do you pray and he teaches us there's nothing wrong with public prayers, but we don't want to make a show out of them
We don't want to use our prayer time to make a point
I
Like you notice the second lesson from the Lord Jesus Christ
Not only when you pray, but I like you notice secondly this morning
Where you pray?
notice verse 6
but thou would now pray us knows what he says enter into thy closet and
when thou has shut thy door pray to thy father notice these words which is in secret and
Thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly I
Asked you this morning. The first question was when do you pray? Here's the second question for you? Where do you pray?
Do you have a time where you?
Pray and you have a place where you go to pray
Go to Matthew 14. If you would let's look at the prayer life of our Lord Jesus Christ, Matthew 14
You're there in Matthew 6 just flip over Matthew chapter 14
He says he says when you pray have a time to pray
He says when you pray I want you to have a where to pray enter into thy closet
And when thou has shut thy door pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret
So reward thee openly Matthew 14 if you would look at verse 23 Matthew 14 23 notice what the Bible says
The Bible says this about Jesus and when he Jesus had sent the multitude away notice this after ministry
This after public ministry did Jesus have a public ministry
Yes, he did
But notice after the public ministry was done he went up into a mountain
Apart to pray and when the evening was come notice. He was there alone
The question for you is not only when do you pray, but where do you pray are you ever alone with God in prayer?
Do you ever get apart?
To pray alone to pray just you and God
Mark 135 if you would we already saw it, but I'd like you to see it again mark chapter 1 verse 35
You're there in Matthew just flip over to mark
Mark 135 says this and in the morning
Rising up a great while before day he went out we looked at that
but I want you to I want to highlight this part for you of the verse this time notice and
Departed notice these words into a solitary place and
their prey
Your door solitary means it means alone
Look we live today. We live today in a world war never alone. You're never alone
You constantly carry you know I forgot my phone today. Maybe God did that on purpose
I don't know you constantly carry this little device that keeps you constantly connected to people
You're always in a group even when you're alone
You're in a group
You watch people sitting by themselves, and it's and again
I'm not against and I realize we have to be connected to people and I understand we have responsibilities
I'm not I'm not saying I'm against that but I am asking this is there ever a time when the phone turns off when the
Internet turns off when the computer turns off when the tablet turns off when the television turns off when you walk away
And you go somewhere by yourself alone and just friend time with God in prayer
He says when do you pray
And then he says
Where do you pray?
Now you might say
Well, I don't need to have time alone with God in prayer because I just put in my prayer requests in at the Wednesday night
Bible study and pastor prays for it the church prays for it. I'm good to go
Well here's the problem and again, I'm not against public prayers, and I'm not against corporate prayer
In fact in in in about two sermons from now
We're gonna look at in that sermon the idea of the the power of partnering in prayer. There's definitely a
Power and having people come together and pray with you, but before we can get there
Let me let you in a little secret, and maybe once you realize this we might have less prayer requests on Wednesday night
I don't know, and I'm not saying I want that
I'm just saying there's something you need to understand and it is this
Public prayer is not enough you must have a secret time of prayer
You say well, what do you mean by that? Well, let me show it to you Matthew chapter 6 look at verse 6 again
You say my prayers never get answered well, there's probably some reasons for them
We're going to talk about that a little bit today. We're going to talk a lot a lot about it next week
But I want you to notice there in Matthew chapter 6 in verse 6
He says but thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou shut thy door pray to thy father
Notice which is in secret by the way you all know why we don't pray we don't pray because it's not public
You say I'm not a hypocrite I
Don't just do things to be seen of men
And and I hope you you don't but to an extent there is and this is not a bad thing
But there's a little bit of an accountability when we do public things isn't it I?
Mean if you skip out on Sunday morning church and Sunday night church and Wednesday night church and the next week Sunday morning and the
next week Sunday night the next week's Wednesday night someone's gonna reach out to you and
Say hey, I know this you've been missing lately you, okay
Are you dead?
You're back-footed
Right you sure don't show up for soul winning and you do that for two or three weeks someone might
Call you or text you or say what you're you doing all right?
But the problem with prayer is that you can go days and days and days weeks and weeks and weeks
Months and months and months without ever pray and no one will notice
Because when we pray we pray to our father which is in secret now, let me say let me put it this way God notices
But no one else notices
He says but that when I'll pray a sentence that I closeted when I shut thy door pray to thy father
Which is in secret you say yeah, you know well. Here's the thing you know nobody sees it nobody knows
I mean I can still seem like I'm a pretty good Christian because I show up to church Sunday morning Sunday night Wednesday night
And you should I show up to soul winning every week
And you should I I do this and I do that and I I serve and I do these things
But when it comes to prayer, there's no accountability there because you're praying to your father
Which is in secret, but here's the problem though notice pray to my father
Which is in secret and my father which seeth in secret
God notices when you don't pray and here's the problem though when he seeth in secret
The Bible says that he shall knows the last part of verse 6 reward thee openly
So what does that mean here's what it means
You put in a prayer requests at the Wednesday night Bible study
Please pray for this. I really need I really need you to pray and we pray we love you. We want to pray
But God says well, when are you gonna pray about it?
In fact in fact Jesus says it's when we go to God in secret that he rewards us openly
Look I'm not against the Wednesday night prayer meeting. I'm for it. I'm the one who instituted it
I think it's needed. I think we need it. Here's all I'm telling you though. Here's all I'm telling you it is hypocrisy
It is hypocrisy
To say I need the brethren to pray and you never pray I
Need you to pray for this request, but you never get alone with God
You never get down on your knees with God. You never lift your hands up to heaven and say God. Will you help me?
You say God never answers my prayer well, do you ever pray?
Pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly
See public prayer is not enough. You must have a secret prayer life secret prayer is the only way listen
Jesus said I'm just telling you what Jesus said secret prayer is the only way to get public answers
So Jesus would ask
The disciples had Lord teach us to pray and he said okay
Well, here's the thing before I teach you to pray. Let me teach you what you've been doing wrong a
Couple questions, when do you pray?
Jesus is asking
Then he says here's another question for you
Where do you pray?
He says but thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when I shut thy door pray to thy father
Which is in secret and thy father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly and here's all I'm telling you
You have to have a place where you can go alone and and Jesus has to have a closet
We live United States of America
I mean you you have all sorts of closets and I'm not saying you have to
Pick a closet in your house and and and and and and take everything out and make it a prayer cause although that would be
Wonderful. What I am saying is this you should have a place where you can get along with God and pray
And I would encourage you this don't put a request on the prayer sheet when you're not willing to pray as your pastor
I love you. I'll pray for that prayer request, but you better partner with me and pray secretly as well
Otherwise there is no reward
Prayer lesson number one. When do you pray?
Prayer lesson number two. Where do you pray?
Then there's prayer lesson number three and this might be the toughest one in verse 7 Matthew chapter 6 verse 7
He says but when you pray
Use not vain and repetitious
Excuse me use not vain
Repetitions as the heathen do the word vain means empty
He says use not vain repetitions as a heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking
Now, let me just kind of deal with this because if we have to deal with it, it's the obvious application
But it's not the primary application
Please understand what I'm about to tell you
When Jesus rebukes
vain and repetitious prayer
the
Obvious application is
Not the primary application
The obvious application is this that we should not have
prayers that we chant to God
Jesus says don't say vain and repetitious prayers
He says I don't want you to repeat the prayers and and obviously the the number one example is the Catholic Church
With
the prayers and the prayer beads and they just
Recite a prayer over and over and over and I've highlighted this for you many times in the past, but I just think it's hilarious
that in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 7 Jesus says but when you pray use not vain repetition as the heathen do and
Then in verse 9 he gives us the model prayer our father which are in heaven
How would be thy name thy kingdom come all those things and then the Catholic Church says hey, I got an idea
Let's repeat that prayer over and over again saying what in the world are you serious? This is a joke?
By the way you say why do the Catholics why do the Catholics you chant prayers because they're heathen that's why I
Don't know you say that I didn't say Jesus did
But when you pray use not vain repetition as the heathen do that's what Jesus said
He said he then repeat prayers over and over and over and they think that they'll be heard for their much speaking
Jesus says don't say vain and repetitious prayers
He says instead. I want you to pray like this
Let me give you an example of how you should pray and then the Catholics come along
They say oh, let's just repeat that one over and over
Our father which are in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our day
And they just repeat this over and over and over and over
Hail Mary full of grace. I don't know. I'm not a cat. I was never Catholic. I don't know I
I actually just talked to God when I pray
But there's this
Obvious application to Matthew 6 7 on the vein and repetitious prayers and we should avoid that. That's the obvious
application
But here's the primary application
Notice what he says there look at verse 7 again, but when you pray use not vain repetition as the heathen do
For they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking
He says in verse 8 be not ye therefore like unto them
He said don't chant prayers and recite prayers and
read prayers
Like the Catholics and everybody else that came out of the Catholic Church does
That's what heathens do what he says. He says be not you therefore like unto them
He says don't be like them then he says this for you said what for there in verse number eight
He says for the word for it says because means because he says be not you therefore like unto them in the fact that they
Are just having vain and repetitious prayers. He says be not you therefore like unto them you say why God?
Do you not want us to be like them? He says this
Because for your father knoweth what things ye have need of before you ask
You
Say what does our Heavenly Father knowing what we need before we ask?
Have to do with vain and repetitious prayers
And here's the primary application is that when your prayer life first of all we don't pray
When do you pray where do you pray, but when we do pray we often just bring this wish list to God and
This wish list becomes a vain and repetitious prayer
Well, we're just constantly coming to God and saying please give me a million dollars. Please give me a million dollars
I really need a Ferrari, but make me like Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen was just in the news because of Ferrari I have to pay back a loan to the government or something
He says be not ye therefore like unto them for your father
Knoweth what things you have need of before you ask look don't allow your prayer
Wishlist to become vain and repetition vain and repetitious
Jesus is making
This this point
His first lesson was when do you pray?
His second lesson was where do you pray?
Here's a third lesson, and I think maybe the toughest lesson. He says why do you pray?
Why do you pray?
Why do you go to God in prayer?
He says look
But when you pray use not vain repetition as the heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking be
Not you therefore like unto them for your father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask him
He says look you're bringing these requests to God
You just are starting to chant these requests Lord. Give me this Lord. Give me this Lord. Give me this Lord
Give me this please give me this please give me this over and over and over and Jesus
Don't you know that your heavenly father? He knows what you have need of before you ask
Don't be like the heathen and use not vain repetitions
It all comes down to this why do you pray?
See here's the sad part
Here's where I believe Jesus is often misunderstood
That oftentimes people read Matthew chapter 6 and verse 8 when he says
your father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask him and
People read that verse and here's what they think some of you may have thought and I'm not mad at you if you did
But oftentimes people think if God knows what I need then why pray?
If
My Heavenly Father knows what things you have need of before you ask him if God already knows what I need if God already
Knows what I'm gonna ask for God already knows these things then what's the point of prayer?
And let me just say this and I'm not beating up on you
I'm just trying to help you remember the question is why do you pray and
when we think this thought when we have this idea if God already knows why pray this reveals an
Inappropriate view of prayer
Because in your mind prayer is only going to God to get what we want and
Though prayer is please don't misunderstand me prayer is asking and receiving
You need to know this it is so much more than that
if
You reduce prayer to a simple
Wish list if you reduce prayer to simply bringing a wish list to God you are
wrong and
If we were honest
Wouldn't we say that that's what we all usually that's how we all usually treat prayer
And she Jesus says you want to come into the school of prayer, that's fine
I'd be happy to teach you but before you can come to the school of prayer. You need to get schooled on prayer
Because you're doing it wrong
He says when do you pray and where do you pray and he says and most importantly why?
Do you pray well to get what I want he says well
Don't you know that your heavenly father already knows the things you have need of even before you ask
Several weeks ago on a Wednesday night we live stream our church services and
On a Wednesday night we went through our prayer list like we normally do
And
A day or two later. I happen to be on our YouTube channel was looking at some of the videos and
checking some things
And there's a comment that somebody left and it caught my my eye. I'm gonna read it for you
I'm not gonna give you the individual's name. I think it's a real name
To be honest with you. I don't know if this is a good guy or a bad guy
At some points, and I'm not gonna read the whole comment to you at some points
It sounds like someone that's friendly, but then there's things he says that are so hostile that I think like are you an enemy?
I'll just read to you a portion of this. I just think it's interesting it highlights
the inappropriate view of prayer that people that Christians
Have in
regards to prayer and again
This was after our Wednesday night Bible study a comment left on our YouTube channel after our Wednesday night Bible study when we took time
to pray publicly
This individual wrote this he said I noticed such a sincere earnest list of prayers
If it's God's will then God will do without your prayers, and if it's not God's will no amount of prayer will help you
So why bother?
He goes on to say this not to be pessimistic
God has never answered any of my prayers, and I don't pray for a million dollars
But I do know who does answer prayers
I have seen Pentecostals pray for the most selfish things and be granted their wish now. I don't even waste my breath praying
And when I read that I thought to myself
This individual is disillusioned
With a type of prayer that the Bible never advocates
God never answers my prayer and God never gives me what I want so therefore prayer doesn't work
But see the problem is that you begin with an assumption that prayer was bringing all of your wish list to God and God would
Give you everything you ask that's not prayer
So
Jesus begins
He says I know
Here's what he's saying because the disciples
They said Lord teach us to pray and and he says to them I know what you want
You want me to get to the part in the Lord's Prayer when he says give us this day our daily bread
Because isn't that how we usually begins our prayers
Don't we usually begin our prayers with give me this give me that give this to me or give this to my loved one
We usually bring and and and and lower prayer
To simply asking God for the things we need and that is prayer prayer is asking and receiving
But there's so much more to that and Jesus begins by asking this question
He says let me ask you something you all learn how to pray. Let me school you a little bit. Why do you pray?
Well, I pray so God will give me what I need, but don't you know that God already knows what you need
He says when do you pray and where do you pray and why do you pray and
If you reduce prayer to simply bring in a wishlist to God
You're not doing it, right
Go to James chapter 4 if you would just real quickly we'll finish up
James chapter 4
You start at the end of the
New Testament and head backwards Revelation, Jude, 3rd, 2nd, 1st John, 2nd, 1st Peter, James
Let me just give you some concluding statements and we're gonna we're gonna leave it right there you say well pastor
You're kind of leaving it in a tent
There's some tension there. We're gonna pick it up right there next week
Because here's what some of you are thinking I thought the whole point of prayer was asking God to give us what we need
Now you're saying he already knows I didn't say Jesus said he already knows what we need and that's not why we should pray
Then why should we pray? We'll come back next week
Because next week we're gonna get into the study where Jesus actually begins to teach us how to pray
Next week. We're gonna look at a study where I'm calling it prayer 101
Basic understanding of prayer because if you're like most people
You had a wrong assumption about prayer now, please don't misunderstand me prayer is asking and receiving prayer is getting your request from God
but it's more than that and
There's more that has to be done than that
Now why would Jesus need to begin by schooling all of us on prayer here's why
Are you there in James chapter 4?
Look at verse 2
James chapter 4 verse 2
Let me just say this just just as a thought for those of you that like to study the Bible
I've always been shocked by how the book of James which was written by
Jesus is half physically half brother
The book of James seems to resonate so much with the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ
there seems to be these parallels between the book of James and the Sermon on the Mount and the book of James and
other miscellaneous teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, it's just like James is almost just like repeating and
Reinstating some of the teachings of Christ and I want you to notice that in James chapter 4 verses 2 and 3 he kind of
highlights or echoes the same things that Jesus has been teaching us about prayer or
Schooling us on prayer because the disciples they asked this question Lord teach us to pray and he says well
Here's the thing you're not doing it, right?
So let me just kind of school you on prayer real quick and let me teach you some things you say well
Why did Jesus have the schools and prayer here's why James 4 verse 2 he lost the word last means to want
He lost and have not
There are things you want you don't have them you kill and desire to have
Sometimes you put human effort and aggression into it and because you want it
But you can't get it and cannot obtain you fight in war yet you have not and here's what he says
He says you have not why don't you have you have not because you ask not see here's the problem with prayer
And why Jesus had to school us on prayer is because if we were honest with ourselves
Many of us would have to admit that we don't pray
We don't have an answer for when and where
He says you want to know why you don't God doesn't answer your prayers because you don't pray
You have not because you ask not
And then he says this in verse 3 see Jesus said when do you pray?
Where do you pray then Jesus said why do you pray James says here's the problem with the when and where is you never do
It you have not because he asked not and then James says this in verse 3. He says and when you do pray
Notice verse 3 you ask when you do pray and receive not because you ask a miss
The word a miss means inappropriately or out of place or in the wrong order
You ask a miss that you may consume it upon your lust that you may consume it upon your
Wants he's here's what he says in verse 2
He says you you have not because you have not because he asked not there's no when and where to your prayer
And he says and when you do pray verse 3 you
Do it for the wrong reason?
You have the wrong why?
You ask a miss that you may consume it upon your loss
Jesus begins his lesson on prayer by saying you're doing it wrong
I have a prayer life. I write in prayer request on the Wednesday night prayer sheet, and I hope you do
But Jesus says you better take that prayer request into the closet with you
You better have a when and you better have a where and
You better not treat prayer like Jesus like God is Santa Claus
And you're bringing your wish list to him because before you even get into that just know that your heavenly father
He already knows what things he have need of
He says when do you pray
Where do you pray and then he says why?
Do you pray?
So here's a homework assignment you say you're gonna. Give us homework. Well. It's school isn't it?
Your your classes in session
Will send you a bill for the tuition
Here's a homework assignment
Do it this week before you come back to class now don't skip school
Not high school for you some of you guys you spend half the half your high school and not in class
Here's your homework assignment choose a place and choose a time to pray every day this week
Why don't you make a decision right now, I'm gonna choose a place well, I'm not asking to pray for an hour
I'm not asking you to do that
Now eventually if you could get there. That'd be great
I'm just asking this
Would you choose a place?
would you choose a time and
pray
Even if it's just a few minutes every day this week
You say, but what if I'm doing it wrong? What about the why?
We'll talk about the why next week you come back, and we'll talk about the why
We'll understand why?
God wants us to pray
but before we can even get with why let's ask when and
Where
choose a place
choose a time and
Let's pray that's why our heads and I want a prayer heavenly father
Lord we do. Thank you
for this lesson on prayer and
Really the beginning of Jesus's teaching is not so much a lesson as it is a rebuking
He's schooling us on prayer
And Lord I pray you'd help us I
Pray you'd help me
to develop the proper
attitude of prayer
We understand that prayer is asking and receiving we get that I was clear about that
But it's deeper than that
It's so much more than that
Lord I pray you'd help us to be able to answer these questions. When do we pray?
Where do we pray and why do we pray?
Lord I pray that you would help our church family that many of the people here in this
Auditorium this morning and people listening online to this sermon would make a decision
That they would choose a time and they would choose a place every day this week
to pray
And Lord I pray you'd help us to become people of prayer. We love you in the matchless name of Christ. We pray
Amen