Spiritual Disciplines | Prayer
Matthew 6:5-13
This is the first of three sections that are all set up in the same way, and some scholars think that they were incorporated by Matthew into his gospel from a different source - that they were first a separate early 'discipleship manual' for the early church. This is some of the most ancient Christian teaching on prayer.
Jesus has previously taught that 'rightousness needs to exceed that of the scribes and phrarasees' (Matthew 5 - see more from Richard Foster below). This new approach to questions of ethics and practice is remarkable as it does not refute Jewish practice, but rather rediscovers it's original intention. That is to say that prayer should be directed towards God, not for the approval of man. The question is around motivation.
We live in a very different culture to when Jesus was speaking. No-one prays on street corners anymore in quite the same way. But the question is sill pertinent: what motivates my prayer life? Is it guilt? Wanting to be able to say that I've prayed? Is it just for show? Or is it out of a deep sense of love for God, and wanting to be more like Jesus?
If we're honest: none of us always get this right. Our motivations are wrong at times. We approach God trying to manipulate or impress him. How offensive and wrong! How then can we be saved?
This is a picture of the gospel. Jesus resets the connection between salvation and prayer. Previously the Jews were the people of God (i.e., salvation) and so they were taught to act accordingly in the law and pray. But they could never get this right, approach God perfectly, and be in his presence. Consequently, the Pharisees had flipped it - pray in order to be saved!
Jesus restores the right order through the cross, where we're first saved and adopted, and then taught to pray. And because of the cross, we're made right before God, meaning that the Holy Spirit dwells and is present with us, teaching us to pray (Romans 8).
Interesting question: who do we pray to? Jesus answer (v9): it is normative to pray to the Father, and ask in Jesus name (John 15:16). But of course we can still pray and speak to the person of Jesus and the Spirit. It is healthy and right to do so. Piper is helpful on this.
Richard Foster on Matthew 5:
The Pharisees did this: their spiritual journey was marked by externalism.
Their righteousness consisted in control over externals, often including the manipulation of others. v4
The extent to which we have gone beyond the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees is seen how much our lives demonstrate the internal work of God upon the heart. It will have external results, but the work will be internal.
When disciplines degenerate into law, they are used to manipulate and control people. We take explicit commands and use them to imprison others.
If we are to progress in the spiritual walk so that the disciplines are a blessing not a curse, we must come to the place in our lives where we lay down the everlasting burden of needing to manage others.
Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline (Harper and Row: 1980) p.7
Practice
From Bridgetown Church
1. Put away your phones or any other distractions, and get into a comfortable, but alert position.
2. Simply pray 'come, Holy Spirit, guide me as a pray.'
3. Pray through the Lord’s prayer, like this…
“Our Father…”
- Take a moment and think about the idea of God as your Father, with good intentions toward you. If you want, imagine God in your mind’s eye. Picture his face. Make eye contact with him.
“In heaven…”
- Take a moment to think about the idea that God is all around you. As you breathe in and out, imagine yourself breathing in and out more of the Holy Spirit.
“Hallowed by your name…”
- Spend a few minutes just sitting with the Father in joyful, grateful, worship. You might want to sit in silence for a few moments. Or sing a chorus. Or rattle off a list of things you’re grateful for. Or praise God with specific things you love about him.
- If you are in a group, encourage people to make their expressions of praise and gratitude out loud, one at a time. (E.g. “Father, thank you for your kindness.” “Father, thank you for loving me.”)
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”
- Spend a few minutes asking for God’s will to be done in your city/church/community/life.
- Think of _specific_ things to pray for.
- One at a time, spend time as group verbally giving to God specific things in your life that you’re wrestling with control over. A simple prayer of, “Your will be done in ______," is a great place to start.
“Give us each day our daily bread…”
- Spend a few minutes praying for specific needs and wants in your life or that of your community (this is a great time to pray through your “prayer cards”!).
- This is also a great time to pray over specific people in the community who need something: a job, healing, wisdom to make a decision, etc. Get them in the middle of the room and pray over them.
- If you are in a group, consider splitting into groups of 2-3 and having each person share one area of need in their life. After each person has shared, pray for one another, asking God to meet that need.
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors…”
- Spend a few minutes in quiet asking God for forgiveness for specific areas in your life, and releasing others to forgiveness.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
- Spend a few minutes praying against temptation (the word can also be translated trouble) in your life.
- Pray against specific sins….
- Pray against any kind of evil - spiritual evil (demonic), human evil, natural evil, etc.
- Pray against bad things in your life or community, and _for_ God’s blessing - the divine flow of good things into your your life and community.
4. Close in a prayer of gratitude to the Father for hearing you.
