Pray to Your Father in Private

Topic: Prayer
Passage: Matthew 6:7–18

March 17, 2020

Commentary

The Gentiles in Jesus day made prayers not to God but to false gods. These prayers consisted of long repetitive phrases (v. 7). The principal here is that a believer should not make a show of prayer or pray in such a way that it draws unnecessary attention to himself. God is not impressed with words but with the genuine outcry of a needy heart (vv. 5-7). Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him (v. 8).

Then Jesus presented a model prayer which is commonly called “the Lord’s prayer” that includes some important elements for us to include in our praying which are as follows (vv. 9-15).

  1. Worship – “Our Father in Heaven”
  2. Reverence – “Hallowed be thy name”
  3. His will to be done – “Thy will be done”
  4. Daily provision – “daily bread”
  5. Forgiveness – “forgive us, as we forgive”
  6. Deliverance – from “temptation” to evil

The Pharisees also loved to fast so that others would see them and think that they were spiritual. Fasting should emphasize the denial of the flesh and not draw attention to self (vv. 16-18). Mark it down that fasting that requires spectators is mere acting.

Application

We have just looked in the last two days at three examples of Pharisaic "righteousness": giving, praying, & fasting. I need to consider what the Lord is trying to teach me in these three areas.

Matthew 6:7– 18 (NET)

7 When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 So pray this way: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored,

10 may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today our daily bread,

12 and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

14 “For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.

16 “When you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, they have their reward! 17 When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.