Introduction

In the 80’s and 90’s Andre Agassi was one of the best-known tennis players in the world. He eventually became one of the winningest tennis players of his time, but when Agassi first burst onto the scene as a teenager, he was known as much for his flair—his bleached hair and his trendy dress—than he was for his success on the court, which was minimal his first few years.

In 1989, Agassi made a commercial for the new Canon Rebel camera that took on a life of its own. Canon wanted to use Agassi’s flair to portray the camera as cool. In the final scene of the commercial, they dressed Agassi in a white suit and put him in a white Lamborghini. They told him to step out of the car, pull down his sunglasses, look into the camera, and say, “Image is everything.”

The commercial made an unusual impact. I was only 8 years old, but I remember it, and I imagine some of you do as well. Because the pride of life is deeply rooted in all of us, to some extent we all believe that image matters a lot. And some people really believe, “Image is everything.” They are obsessed with how people perceive them and the image they convey.

In Matthew 6:1–18 Jesus confronts the religious hypocrites of his day for whom “Image was everything.” Specifically, they had taken 3 foundational aspects of Jewish piety—almsgiving, prayer, and fasting—and turned them into theatrical productions focused on glorifying man instead of God.

This morning we will jump into the 2^nd issue which is prayer. We are all familiar with vv. 9–13, which record what we know as the Lord’s Prayer. But first, vv. 5–8 provide a vital foundation for understanding Jesus’ point in vv. 9–13, and they provide some of the most important instruction regarding prayer in all of Scripture (read). This passage gives two simple but essential challenges for how we think about prayer. First, vv. 5–6 say…

I.  Pray for God, not for people (vv. 5–6).

To begin with, Jesus gives some strong corrections in this text, and that’s where we will spend most of our time. But I also want to make sure that we don’t miss an important assumption Jesus makes. Namely, vv. 5, 6, and 7 all assume that Jesus’ disciples will make prayer a high priority.

He doesn’t say, “If you pray”; he says “When you pray.” That’s important because sometimes we are guilty of talking a lot about prayer without actually praying much at all. That’s no good. Yes, we need to have a good approach to prayer. But the greatest need of your prayer life is to make prayer a priority. “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17), and “Continue earnestly in prayer” (Col 4:2).

Therefore, I want to say that Jesus’ goal and my goal is not to make us critics of everyone else’s prayer lives. Rather I want us to see the beauty of what prayer can be and motivate us to take advantage of this wonderful privilege.

That being said, vv. 5–6 contrast how hypocrites approach prayer with how Christ’s disciples should approach prayer. On the one hand…

Hypocrites pray to impress people. To appreciate Jesus’ point we need to understand that 3 prayer times were built into the Jewish day. Everyone stopped to pray at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm.

And each time they would recite the Shema, or the greatest commandment, as recorded in Deuteronomy 6:4–5 (recite). And they would recite the Shemoneh, which was a group of 18 extrabiblical prayers.

In and of itself, this was a good discipline. However, the Jews had turned it into a way to impress people, to build an image rather than to seek the Lord.

Jesus says that the hypocrites “love to pray standing…” If these guys are going to stop their lives to pray, they’re going to take full advantage, and turn it into a full-blown theatrical production with every bell and whistle.

So, they march into the places where they will get the most attention—the synagogue and the “corners of the streets.” This word for streets refers specifically to a busy, major street. And the corners of these streets would be some of the busiest places in town.

If one of these hypocrites were in Apple Valley, he would go to the corner of Apple Valley and Bear Valley Roads and park next to the guy with his Trump flags. He’s dressed to impress, he uses big, dramatic body motions, and he makes sure that as many people as possible notice him praying. It’s comical, and Jesus intends it that way. He wants us to see the absurdity of the show.

But he also wants us to consider how we do similar things. Have you ever heard someone pray this way in church? They can’t just pray; they have to use flowery language so that you know how smart they are and what vocabulary words they learned last week. They aren’t praying for God; they are praying for people, and God is not impressed.

Now, in saying that, I want to emphasize that the Bible nowhere teaches that being casual or flippant is the solution, especially in the worship of the church. As a result, I for one always have an outline for my opening prayer. I want to do an excellent job of leading us to the throne of grace and of expressing our heart as a church in doing so. It’s good to be thoughtful and reverent in how we pray.

The issue in v. 5 is who is being worshipped. Is it God or the one praying? We need to make sure that we pray for God and not for man. Because if we are praying for man, Jesus warns, “Assuredly…” The point is the same as it was in v. 2. If you pray for the praise of men, you may very well get it. People may fawn over your religious zeal, poetic skill, and intelligence.

And in an “Image is everything” world, that’s really something. But Jesus clearly intends this warning to come off with a hollow ring. It should. When you compare worldly praise with the heavenly grace v. 6 promises, it’s not impressive at all. If I sacrifice God’s blessing for a few measly oohs and awes, I have made a terrible trade.

So don’t pray or engage in any other form of Christian service to gain the praise of men. As much as your flesh wants it, worldly praise is a fool’s errand that never satisfies and cannot compare to God’s approval. So, hypocrites pray to impress people. In contrast…

Christ’s disciples pray to spend time with God (v. 6). To appreciate v. 6, we need to recognize that most ancient homes didn’t have 10 rooms and sealed windows like ours do. Instead, most homes had one big room where you slept, cooked, and did everything together. There wasn’t much privacy inside or outside.

Now, the hypocrites didn’t want privacy. They wanted their families, their neighbors, and everyone on street to hear and see them. But Jesus tells his disciples, “When you pray…” The room Jesus has in mind was usually a small storeroom in the center of the house. It’s where you kept food and other supplies, and it was the most sealed up part of the home.

It wasn’t glorious. Without modern storage, it may smell or be dirty. But it was private. Jesus says that this is the kind of place that you should seek out to pray. Prayer is not about finding the best place to make a public show; it’s about getting alone with God and spending time with him.

Now, I should clarify that Jesus is not saying to only pray in a closet. Jesus prayed publicly quite often, and 1 Timothy 2:8 says, “I desire that the men pray everywhere (i.e., in the church assembly) lifting up holy hands.” The NT teaches that prayer is a vital aspect of our worship. And there are few more significant ways we can minister to each other than to pray together.

Rather, we have to recognize that Jesus is correcting an abuse. The point is not so much where you pray but that you want to spend time with your Heavenly Father. You are praying for him not for attention. So, make sure that you put yourself in the best position to focus on your Father knowing that he sees and he approves.

It’s hard to overstate how different that is from how most religions view prayer. Prayer is about impressing the gods, earning merit and escaping judgment. Fear, not love drives how they pray.

For others, prayer is about getting what I want. God becomes a vending machine in the sky, whom I manipulate into giving me what I want.

But the gospel revolutionizes our perspective on prayer. Specifically, we are justified in Christ and adopted into God’s family; therefore, we don’t have to impress God, earn merit, or escape his judgment. Instead, we come to him securely and enjoy fellowship with our Father whom we love. We have a radically different relationship to god, and it calls for a radically different approach to prayer.

I had a teacher in college who talked about keeping your gaze on God and your glance on your request. That’s so good. Prayer is more about being with God than about what I need. The best way to avoid the hypocrisy Jesus condemns is to gaze on the Father’s glory and grace of Christ. As you do, you will learn to enjoy God in prayer, and he will overwhelm the selfish motives Jesus condemns.

Something else that is so encouraging about v. 6 is the closing promise (read). God sees the sincere heart even if no one else does. That’s a big deal, because are you ever tempted to view private prayer as a waste of time? No one sees what I’m doing, and prayer is keeping me from getting stuff done. Satan wants you to believe that you are wasting time in a closet.

But Jesus says that God sees you in the closet, he knows your heart, and he hears every request even if your mouth never moves. James 4:8 promises that when you draw near to God with the sincere heart, he will draw near to you. That is the greatest gift you can enjoy. Nothing is more precious than to be near to God.

BTW, your feelings do not define drawing near. Jesus never promises high feelings, but he does promise that when seek him with a sincere heart, he sees and hears, and he will be near to give grace.

In sum, it’s such a blessing that we don’t have to worry about impressing God, because we are already accepted in Christ. Therefore, we don’t have to worry about impressing people, because God’s approval matters far more. Instead, we have the privilege of getting alone with God, worshipping him, casting our cares on him, and knowing he is near with all the love of a Father. It’s a great gift.

So, take advantage! Devote yourself to private prayer. “What a man is alone on his knees before God, that he is, and no more” (Robert Murray M’Cheyne). That’s so true. I know you are busy, but we are never to busy to pray. Find time to regularly get alone with God and seek him. Pray for God, not for people. 2^nd major challenge is…

II.  Trust God’s wisdom and goodness (vv. 7–8).

Again, Jesus contrasts an ungodly approach to prayer with a right approach. But this time, his foil is not the hypocritical Jews but the pagans. Notice first…

Pagans pray to persuade the gods (v. 7). The background to this verse is that in ancient pagan religions prayer typically boiled down to repeating formulaic sayings over and over get something from the gods.

You might say the god’s name over and over, you might speak gibberish, or you might repeat a certain phrase or incantation time after time. It reminds me of a fairy tale about a witch who has a book of magic sayings. If you want to grow wings and fly, you say this, and if you want to turn someone into a frog, you say this.

It’s a very impersonal and formulaic approach to prayer, and it’s built on the assumption that the gods are fickle and unkind. We have a biblical example of it in the story of Eljiah on Mt. Carmel. For hours, the prophets of Baal recited their incantations, pleading with Baal to send fire from heaven.

“And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, ‘Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.’ So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them” (1 Kings 18:27–28).

There was a lot of theology behind their method. They didn’t see Baal as a personal, loving, or wise Father. They weren’t seeking fellowship either. As a result, they had to earn Baal’s attention and bend his will to theirs.

Sadly, many modern religions approach prayer similarly. They do not come in humble submission to worship and bend their will; instead, they come proudly, looking to get something from prayer. As Jesus says, “They think that they…”

Because the whole system is built on a wrong view of God, Jesus commands us, “Do not use vain repetitions.” Now, I want to make a couple clarifications.

First, Jesus is not saying that it is necessarily wrong to recite a prayer or to frequently use certain phrases. For example, if you do it appropriately, praying the Lord’s Prayer can be a great practice, because it is so biblical.

The issue is my mind and my heart? If I am thoughtlessly reciting words, I am not fellowshipping with my Father; I’m just going through a ritual. But if your heart is engaged, prewritten prayers can actually be a great way to stretch your thoughts in prayer and to go deeper in your fellowship with God.

Second, Jesus is not saying you should never pray for the same thing. Jesus prayed the same prayer 3xs in the Garden, and Luke 18 commends persistence in prayer. No, the issue is letting prayer spiral into a thoughtless ritual built on buying favor from God.

Now, I imagine that most of us don’t want that. We want fresh experiences of prayer that are meaningful and worshipful. But then 30 seconds into your prayer time, your mind is going 5 different directions. It’s frustrating and discouraging, so you lose interest very quickly.

There are a lot of practical steps you can take to help. For some people walking or driving while praying actually helps to keep their minds focused. Prayer lists and prayer schedules can also be a great way to keep your prayers fresh and to hold yourself accountable for keeping your prayers moving. I have fallen in love with praying Scripture. Last spring I started praying the psalms, and it has revolutionized my prayer life.

There are other steps you can take as well, and I’d love to talk with you about it. But fundamentally, I would plead with you not to be content with a puny prayer life that is sporadic, small, and unengaged. A healthy prayer life is a wonderful grace, and it is vital to your spiritual health. Do not be content to pray like a pagan. So, pagans pray to impress the gods. In contrast,

Christ’s disciples pray with confidence in God’s wisdom and goodness (v. 8). This is a short little verse that we can easily gloss over if we aren’t careful, but it is incredibly profound when compared to v. 7. Jesus is saying that my view of God must radically shape my approach to prayer.

Again, pagan prayer is built on the idea that the gods are small, fickle, and egotistical and on the idea that my will is good and right. Therefore, prayer is about bending God’s will to mine.

But Jesus reminds us that our God is different. He “knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” First, this means that God cares about you need. He is not some disinterested, distracted deity who is apathetic about your plight. No, you have his full attention. You don’t have to grab it through some impressive show. You can just come to him as a loving Father.

And beyond that he doesn’t just know your situation; Jesus says he perfectly knows what your true needs are and the best way to resolve them. I don’t have to inform him of anything, and I certainly don’t need to persuade him to a better form of thinking.

And later in chapter 6, Jesus will add that his purposes for me are always good. He doesn’t take some sick pleasure in your suffering; he wants to give good gifts. Therefore, his understanding of your need and the solution to that need is good in every sense.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that it’s always pleasant. So often, our anxiety in prayer is tied to the fact that we want comfort and ease at any cost, but God knows that what we really need is godliness and to know him and that the only way to get there is through pain and sorrow. It’s not pleasant, but God knows it is worth the cost.

So, God knows, and God cares. Therefore, I’m not anxiously trying to bend God’s will to mine; I come with humility to cast my cares on him, knowing that he cares for me. I come to bend my will to his.

Now, this does not mean that the only thing we pray is, “Your will be done.” In 7:7–11, Jesus will urge us to ask boldly for things that we believe are right. And there are many prayers recorded in Scripture where the author asks God hard questions or pleads for him to work based on God’s character and promises.

Such prayers that are based on God’s Word do not question God; instead, they are expressions of faith. It’s saying, “I can give my burdens to the Lord, and I believe he will act according to his character.” So plead with God and talk honestly with God. But never forget who he is and who you are. So, ask for great things and then rest in his perfect will.

Conclusion

This passage makes me so thankful for the gospel and for the privilege of knowing God as my Father. I’m so thankful that I don’t have to buy God’s favor or fear his purpose. Through Christ, I am secure in his love, and I can talk to him as my Father.

Now I do want to emphasize that this security is only through Christ. The Bible is clear that God is distant from the wicked, and he does not listen to their prayers. And it is clear that there is nothing you can do to earn his presence. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Therefore, if you have never received Christ as Savior, your first prayer needs to be to confess your sin to the Lord and to ask that he would forgive you and save you in Christ. If you do that, you will be placed in Christ, adopted into God’s family, and you can enjoy the wonderful life of prayer that Jesus describes. I hope you will do that today.

And then let’s all let the perspective of this text drive our approach to prayer, and let’s take advantage of this wonderful gift. Spend time in his presence, worshipping him, anchoring your mind in his truth, and giving every burden to him. Pray for God and with confidence in God.