April 26, 2020

Preacher: Erik Meyers

Date: April 26, 2020

Series: Prayer

Text: Matthew 6:9

Introduction

We are in the middle of a sermon series on prayer and we’re currently studying the way Jesus taught his disciples to pray in Matthew 6. But here are four biblical truths about prayer we’ve considered so far.

Through Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit, we have access to God in prayer (Ephesians 2:18). Without Jesus mediating and the Holy Spirit helping it would be impossible for sinners to

Prayer is conversation with God, where we approach God and speak to Him in response to what God has spoken to us in His holy Word.

Prayer should be sincere. It ought to be motivated by a desire to encounter God, not a desire to please others. Jesus warned against that kind of hypocritical insincerity in Matthew 6:5-6.

God is not impressed or moved to action by the sophistication or length of your prayers. God does not hear people based on how they pray; God hears people based on who they are. God is a Father, bending down to listen to his beloved children.

And so it’s no wonder, as Jesus teaches us what to pray, his model prayer begins with “Father in heaven.” As Matthew Henry said “Before we come to our business, there must be a solemn address to him with whom our business lies.”[1]

And so this morning, as we study Matthew 6:9, we will learn how to start our prayers; “Dear God?,” “Heavenly Father?,” “King Jesus?” How should we begin and what should we pray for first? So we’ll learn how to start our prayers, by considering 3 things in the text about the one to whom we pray:

Who He is

Where He is

What He deserves

With that, whenever and wherever you are, please bow your heads with me as I begin in prayer.

If you haven’t already, open your Bibles to Matthew 6:6-9. This is the Word of God: 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.

7 “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. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. [And here’s today’s text] 9 Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

So let’s begin with the first part of this sermon. We’re reminded here “who He is” we are praying to.

Who He is

He is “our Father.” See the word “then” at the beginning of verse 9. That means that the following prayer is “an expression of the understanding of God’s fatherly care in v. 8.“ That’s how the commentator Michael Green puts it.

Because God is a Father who knows what we need before we ask him (v8), we should begin our prayers with “Our Father.”

“Our.” Remember, not only is God “my Father,” He is our Father. God is Father to all Christians, but not all people. It is a misconception that all people are ‘children of God.’ – that is a very special right. John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the

That begs the question… If not all people are children of God; if not all people have this right to approach and speak to God; why us? If this is not a family or relationship we are born into (and it’s not), then how did we become children of God?

And the answer is adoption. Let me show you this by walking you through four scriptures:

The first is in Ephesians 1:5 [God] predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,. Before we were born, God decided to adopt us. But there’s a problem. You and I are born sinners (all the way back to the children of our greatest grandfather Adam) and, the Bible says but brace yourself, because we sin we are children of the Devil.

So in order for us to be adopted by God, we need to be redeemed. The Devil’s rights over us have to be terminated. We have to be forgiven by God and made righteous. And the Gospel teaches us that this is what Jesus has done so that

God the Father could welcome us into His family through adoption.

That’s what we’re told in our next verse, Galatians 4:5 [Jesus came] to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Then, Galatians 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

That means that once God has adopted you, God the Father sends the Holy Spirit to tell you and reassure you.

You’ve been adopted, but how do you know? The voice of a judge? The sound of a gavel? Paperwork? A certificate? No, the Holy Spirit assures you. The Holy Spirit within you cries out “Father!” And then, assured, you cry out, with confidence, the same thing.

Romans 8:15-16 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

And so now, understandably, when Jesus teaches us to pray, he teaches us to approach and speak to God as Father – Not King or Ruler or Judge or Friend, but Father.

Now slow down and consider this. God is your Father. I know that, for some of you, because fatherlessness is so rampant today, this idea of God as Father, is not comforting. If your earthly father was (or is) not a good father, than understand now that God is not like that. A good verse for you to remember, maybe memorize, would be Psalms 27:10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.

So God is our Father and this is how we should address Him when we pray. To help us get our mindset right, let me offer three quick implications of God as our Father.

God the Father loves you

John 16:27 for the Father himself loves you, How much does He love you? Well, he loves you like He loves Jesus. You heard me right. In John 17:23 Jesus prays that they [Christians] may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

You belong to God as His child. And your relationship to Him depends not on your performance, but on your position in the family. It depends on fatherly love.

God the Father has compassion for you

Psalm 103:13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

God the Father knows best and will do what is best for you

Luke 12:32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Understanding this, Matthew Henry wrote in his book on prayer: it is an encouragement that we come to God, not as an unreconciled, avenging Judge, but as a loving, gracious, reconciled Father in Christ[2]

Now here’s a question as it relates to this text. When do we experience God’s fatherly love for us. One great answer is “in prayer.” We may come to know of His love when we read the Bible, but then we come to experience His reassuring love and compassion when we approach Him in prayer.

Isn’t it the same for my children. They don’t experience my love by reading about it in a note, (though I do that). They experience my love when we talk or I throw them a football or push them on a swing or pick them up or tie their fish hook or swim with them or watch scary movies with them. They experience my love when they are with me.

So how will you experience the fatherly love of God if you are never with Him in prayer?

That’s our first section that addressed who He is. He is our Father. And now the second part

Where He is

“Our Father in heaven”

Now, heaven is not the only place where God is. There is a sense in which God is everywhere, he is omnipresent, He is certainly here with us through His Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, God the Father is in heaven.

And when the Bible teaches this, it doesn’t so much mean a hidden far off place as it does the seat of his authority and rule. It’s his White House. It’s His castle, His throne.

Psalm 103:19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.

Psalm 33:13 The Lord looks down from heaven;

he sees all the children of man;

John Stott wrote: The words ‘in the heavens’ denote not the place of his abode so much as the authority and power at his command as the creator and ruler of all things.[3]

So, if “Father” reminds us of the goodness of God; “in heaven” reminds us of His greatness. “Father” reminds us of the intimacy we share with Him; and “in heaven” reminds us of His sovereignty; His majesty.

Here is how Leon Morris puts it in his commentary: We should not miss the balance in this opening to the prayer. We address God intimately as Father, but we immediately recognize his infinite greatness with the addition in heaven.[4]

Ecclesiastes 5:2 Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth.

So God is our Father and He is in heaven, and now finally, that brings us to the third and final part of this sermon:

What He deserves

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

“Hallowed” is not a word we use very often, so let me translate what this opening petition is… “May Your name be great.” “May all creation, including me, give you what you deserve – all praise, all worship, all glory, all adoration, all gratitude.”

His name is to be hallowed: (one commentator writes) that is to say, we long for his name, or character, to have top place in the world and in people’s hearts… What a marvellous note of adoration with which to begin a time of prayer![5]

So catch this. This is from Jesus. And I think it’s very practical. It is good to begin our prayers this way: By praising the Father.

Do your prayers begin like this? Or do you get straight to your list?

I think we could agree there are basically three parts to prayer, or three ways to pray:

There is upward prayer that consists of adoration and thanksgiving. It is praising God for Who He is and what He’s done.

There is inward prayer that self-examines and confesses sin.

And there is outward prayer that looks for help from God for ourselves (supplication) and others (which is intercession).

I’ve always taught my kids to basically pray three things: “Thank you,” “I’m sorry,” and “please help.”

We get to all that in our prayers, but praise is most important. Praise should be emphasized. I believe Jesus here teaches that this is how our prayers should even begin!

Again, the great Matthew Henry: We must begin our prayers with praising God, and it is very fit he should be first served, and that we should give glory to God, before we expect to receive mercy and grace from him.[6]

You and I were made to praise God, and this is what we’ll be doing forever. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. 1 Corinthians 10:31.

As well, I’ve found that praising God gets my focus and perspective right. My perspective is riding a mechanical bull and it’s constantly getting thrown off. But praise brings it back.

And I can’t overestimate how important this is in times such as these. My practice is to not only begin my prayers with praise, but to begin my days with praise, and it helps start me right.

Not only that, praising God first in prayer will put the rest of your prayer in perspective! As I confess sin, because I’ve adored Him, I remember that God is merciful. As I cry out for help, because I’ve praised Him, I remember that God is able.

But of course these are personal benefits. The most important reason we begin our prayers with praise is because praise is what He deserves.

Conclusion

In conclusion, for those of you needing fuel for praise, I’d like to close with reading Psalm 135.

Praise the Lord!

Praise the name of the Lord,

give praise, O servants of the Lord,

2 who stand in the house of the Lord,

in the courts of the house of our God!

3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;

sing to his name, for it is pleasant!

4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,

Israel as his own possession.

5 For I know that the Lord is great,

and that our Lord is above all gods.

6 Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,

in heaven and on earth,

in the seas and all deeps.

7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,

who makes lightnings for the rain

and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,

both of man and of beast;

9 who in your midst, O Egypt,

sent signs and wonders

against Pharaoh and all his servants;

10 who struck down many nations

and killed mighty kings,

11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,

and Og, king of Bashan,

and all the kingdoms of Canaan,

12 and gave their land as a heritage,

a heritage to his people Israel.

13 Your name, O Lord, endures forever,

your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages.

14 For the Lord will vindicate his people

and have compassion on his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,

the work of human hands.

16 They have mouths, but do not speak;

they have eyes, but do not see;

17 they have ears, but do not hear,

nor is there any breath in their mouths.

18 Those who make them become like them,

so do all who trust in them.

19 O house of Israel, bless the Lord!

O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!

20 O house of Levi, bless the Lord!

You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!

21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion,

he who dwells in Jerusalem!

Praise the Lord!

[1] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 1637.

[2] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 1637.

[3] John R. W. Stott and John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian Counter-Culture, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 146.

[4] Leon Morris, The Gospel according to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992), 144.

[5] Michael Green, The Message of Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 100.

[6] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 1638.