 |
 |
||||
How does Jesus react?
He said we should go into an inner room in the house, hide from the crowd,
get away and pray in secret. Jesus is not against prayer meetings. The
apostles had a prayer meeting while they waited for the Holy Spirit to
come (Acts 1:12-14). The question is, “When you pray in public,
is God your real focus?”
Asking & Asking. God is not impressed
with how many times we ask Him for the same thing. That is Jesus’ next
point,
And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. (NASB) Matt. 6:7 The Greek word Jesus uses for “meaningless repetition” comes
from BATTALOGEO which means “to babble” or “to heap
repetitions.” And the Greek word He uses for “many words” is
POLYLOGIA which means “talkativeness,” “wordiness” or “to
speak a lot.” It is common in different religions to just ask and
ask and ask the god(s) for a specific request. Jesus is talking about
attempts to manipulate God with repetitive requests. Jesus says do not
endlessly repeat your prayers,
Therefore do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him. (NASB) Matt. 6:8 Even before you prayed, God knew what you needed. Jesus is not saying
that you cannot repeat the same request. He is saying God heard you the
first time and repetitive prayers will not ensure that you get what you
want.
Jesus is talking about heart attitude. In Luke 18:2-7,
Jesus tells us the Father responds to a pleading heart that is in pain.
In fact, Jesus repeated His request three times to the Father as He struggled
with the fact He was going to die on the cross (Matt. 26:44). Paul the
apostle asked three times for his “thorn in the flesh” to
be removed (2 Cor. 12:7-8).
James 5:17 tells us that Elijah “pray prayed.” That
is the literal Greek. This means Elijah was serious in his prayer. The
verse does not say he prayed much, but that he was serious in his prayer.
Jesus is not saying, “Do not repeat your request.” He
is saying God hears and knows. Trust in God the Father to hear. Prayer
should not be an attempt to manipulate God but to talk with Him.
Jesus’ Prayer Life. Almost every
time the Bible tells us that Jesus prayed, we read that Jesus prayed
alone - not in groups. He would get away from the crowds and even His
own disciples. There are times when He did pray in the presence of others,
but they are the exception. Jesus mainly prayed in secret and not in
public. He prayed for others and also for Himself. Jesus is our model
for prayer.
Conclusion. God is a person who desires
that we trust Him to hear us. God is a person who wants us to talk with
Him and not for the purpose of seeking the praise of men and women. God
wants a heart that is broken and hungering for righteousness and a deeper
relationship with Him - a disciple who loves Him. For a Christian, prayer
is talking with your friend! |
|||||
|
|||||
| Sermon on the Mount | |||||
