Matthew 6:5-8 When You Pray WC
McCarter
The Introduction
This week is an important week for us. Over 80 years ago
people starting meeting together to worship God. Many of them were your
families, your parents. Some of you were even there. My sermon today is about
prayer. As many of you know, the Fort Trial Christian Church actually began as
a prayer meeting in 1928 that grew into a church who built the old sanctuary.
People like you and I, the Fort
Trial
READ Scripture- This
is the Word of God
How the Hypocrites
Pray (5)
For public recognition.
The Lord is not against public prayer. He is against holier-than-thou language
and preaching to others in prayer. Hypocrites were Greek actors who wore masks.
Their reward is to be seen by men, and that is all they will receive.
How the Holy Pray (6)
Privately and purely.
The Father is seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. He is seeking
those who call out to Him authentically and purely. He wants you to simply talk
to Him, lean on the everlasting arms.
How the Heathen Pray
(7)
With vain repetitions.
The Lord is not against persistent prayer. He is against repeating prayers or
phrases with no thought to what you are saying. Some use vain repetitions
thinking that they can manipulate God, maybe get the right formula, or show
stamina (see Ecc 5:2).
The Conclusion
God knows what we need even before we ask Him. There is
nothing wrong with public prayer, but when it is done just as a show then the
only reward that will be bestowed will be the praise of others. There is
nothing wrong with frequent prayers or saying some of the same things time and
again, but if it done aimlessly then the prayer will not be heard. We must not
be like the hypocrites or the heathen. We are holy.
We must trust our Father in heaven who is all-knowing and
all-resourceful. James teaches that some Christians do not have simply because
they do not ask. We must be those who ask. We need to be those who stand in the
gap for our families, for our church, and for others.