“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1)
This first verse primarily sums up the entire concept of Matthew 6. Similar to Chapter 5 Christ is more concerned with inward righteousness and holiness than outward. Chapter 6 can in some ways be the definition of “righteousness” and I’ve heard it called the “when(s)” of Jesus. Jesus breaks “righteousness” down into giving, praying, fasting, and trusting God. Jesus, throughout chapter 6, also says when you give, when you pray, and when you fast; He does NOT say if you give, if you pray and if you fast. With the word “when” included, giving, praying and fasting are seemingly not optional. But even with them not being optional it’s important that you do them for the right reasons and that your heart is true. Let’s start with the concept of giving…
The Cheerful Giver
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:2-4)
Instantly, we are told to not give to the needy for the sake of being seen by others or for the approval of others. We are to give freely, unbiased and without the need for anyone to cheer us. Above all we should give quietly. “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
The Prayer Warrior
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:5-6)
This has the same concept as with giving. When you pray, do not pray to be seen by others. I don’t believe that this verse is 100% anti-public prayer. But it’s important to have private prayer. Too many Christians base the entirety of their faith and beliefs on church. But what I believe Christ is driving here is that if you only pray at church, if you only give at church, if you only respect God at church… then you are a hypocrite, and the satisfaction you receive being a weekend holy roller is the only satisfaction you will receive. Have a prayer life that is separate from church and have a prayer life that is private and personal. Your experience will be rewarded.
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:7-8)
Empty phrases? Does this mean prayers recited potentially in vain, or talking in tongues without the true spirit inciting such an event? Βαττολογέω or battologeō, is the word used for empty phrases, or vain repetitions; “idle babbling over the same words again and again to no purpose… like that imitation of the wordiness of a fool, Ecc 10:14” (Henry Bible Commentary) “A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him?” (Ecclesiastes 10:14) The point here is that God knows your needs before you ask; and God has already decided whether it is in His will or not. If we have boundaries in regards to how not to pray, how then should we pray?
“Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6: 9-13)
The Lord’s Prayer. This prayer is not just a wonderful prayer to say when you lack the right words, or the only way to pray, or something sweet to have framed in the kitchen; it is also a template for powerful and effective prayer. Let us break it down.
1) “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” First, “Our Father in heaven.” Who are you praying to? “Our Father in heaven” is stating who you are praying to. Do you really worship and pray to the God of heaven, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Are you praying to the God of the Bible, in the name of Jesus? It is exceedingly important to make sure you not praying to a god of your own creation even though you may think you are praying to Jehovah, our Father in heaven. How do you know? Read the bible, believe what it says and do what it says. Do NOT be another Christian Atheist: a Christian in culture who does not believe anything that Christ taught or God said. Second, “hallowed be your name.” Hallowed comes from ἁγιάζω or hagiazō, meaning to make holy, purify or consecrate, to venerate, hallow, be holy, sanctify. Hallow BE your name. Father in heaven may Your name be holy, that Your word be everlasting. Father all that is pure, good and righteous is of You. In Isaiah 6:3 the seraphim, a type of angel, said to each other “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” These angels declared God’s holiness in His mighty presence. Another declaration of holiness is found in Revelation 4:8, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” It would be easy to continue this theme but I assume the point is made. “Hallowed be your name.” What is interesting about this first line of the Lord’s Prayer is that it involves worship. Step one in prayer is worship. Begin your prayer with a theme of, Father in heaven, Almighty God and Creator of all existence; hallowed be your name, Your holiness fills the earth with your glory from beginning to the end.
2) “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Part two of the prayer template involves submission. It says that God, regardless of my requests and desires, I pray that Your will is made manifest. Jesus in Gethsemane prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26: 39) James adds that “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:3) If your prayers are not within the will of God, they will not be answered. When you pray, pray for the will of God on earth as it is in heaven.
3) “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Part three: first “Give us this day our daily bread.” What are you asking for in your prayers? I’m not saying you can’t ask for the desires of your heart, but keep in mind to pray for your actual needs and also be mindful of the difference between needs and wants. Second, “and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” In the Lord’s Prayer our template tells us to pray for our needs and for forgiveness but to also forgive those who have transgressed against us. At the very least pray for the ability to forgive.
4) “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” The final part of the Lord’s Prayer teaches us to ask God to spare us from temptation, to have mercy on us and deliver us from evil.
The next passage is still in theme of the Lord’s Prayer.
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15)
A verse that can be linked Matthew 7:2; “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
Judge and you will be judged, forgive and you will be forgiven.
Amen
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