Summary:
In this sermon, the speaker explores the three times Jesus said, “when you pray…” in Matt 6.

1. When we pray, let’s not put on a show.
2. When we pray, it is a private matter between us and God.
3. When we pray, let’s not use vain repetitions.
   Prayer is seeking God’s kingdom and submitting to God. Let us seek God in our lives, allow the Holy Spirit to transform us, so that His purpose will be fully achieved in our lives.

Jesus told a parable about two men who went to the temple to pray. One of them, a Pharisee, told God, “I fast twice a week, I give all that I possess!” There is something similar in the passage we are going to study this evening. For our Closer Day by Day schedule, we are currently reading Matthew 6. Let’s take a look at Matthew 6. In this chapter, Jesus said 3 times, “When you pray.”

Matt 6:5
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

Firstly, when you pray, don’t put up a show.

Matt 6:6
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Secondly, when you pray, shut yourself in a room. Prayer is a private matter between you and God, so go to a secret place to have a quiet time with God.

Matt 6:7
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Thirdly, vain repetition means saying meaningless words that you repeat and repeat, then, your whole prayer becomes empty. Don’t say words that you don’t mean.

Looking at the first point, that is, when you pray, don’t put up a show. Don’t put on a show is also used for fasting (v16- 18) as well as charitable deeds (v2).

Matt 6:2
Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

Matt 6:16-18
Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Praying, fasting, giving to God and men are intricately linked. How you pray will also be likely how you fast, and it will also likely be how you give. These 3 things are basic ways we seek to honour God. If you put up an act, it brings no honour to God. Is He pleased with us? Will He accept what we give?

Let us look at these 3 areas this evening.

1. Don’t put up a show when you pray

It is because prayer is not talking to yourself or others, but to God. Though sometimes we say, “Dear God…”, we are saying things we want to hear — this is how Jesus puts it in that parable. Prayer is also not something we do to impress others because though we say, “God…”, we sometimes say it to impress others. This is also what Jesus said in v5;

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

Sometimes we are also tempted to think of beautiful and flowery words to speak when we lead prayers, but this is not the point of prayer. Hence, we must always be very mindful that prayers are between us and God. This is why in church during regular services, we say our own prayers though they are congregational prayers. When we pray, what do we seek? Jesus says in v5 that those who pray in the open have their reward.

In prayers, what kind of reward do you want? Do you want the applause of men, or the recognition of God? This evening is going to be a prayer service, so let’s take advantage of this service to remind ourselves how to pray. Turn to Luke 18. The conclusion of this parable is found in v13-14;

And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

He was a sinner. What did the Pharisee say about himself? “I fast and I give tithes!” This was unlike the tax collector. But who was justified? Whose prayer did God have regard for? V14 tells us that the tax collector was justified.

This is the reward we want in prayer. We want God to acknowledge that our prayers are something that He would want. In the prayer that Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:12;

And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

This is the reward we want — we want God to forgive our debts; we want God to grant us the mercy. Read Isaiah 57:15;

For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

A contrite heart and humble spirit was portrayed in the tax collector. Though God introduced Himself here as high and mighty, He will still look upon us though we have sinned. What we need is a contrite heart and a humble spirit. Then, not only will He look at us with mercy, but He will dwell with us; “I will dwell with him who has a contrite and humble spirit.” When He says “contrite heart”, it means that this person has sinned and hence has a need for contrition. God chooses to be with someone who knows he has sinned and is contrite instead of with someone who deems himself high and mighty. The best reward for us is to have God with us and be spiritually revived. “to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones”. Why is there such a requirement? Look at Jesus. Before men, HE was brave. Before God, there were loud cries and tears; He even admitted He was so weak He wished He wouldn’t need to meet the cross. The book of Hebrews says that He was heard because of His godly fear. Before God, let us be genuine, and He will give us our reward.

2. Prayer is a private matter between you and God.

Read Matthew 6:6;

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Prayer is not just a matter of privacy and humility, but a matter of deep communion with God. Here it says to go to your secret place and shut your door. When you shut everything, you shut the outside and focus on your communion with God. This reminds the speaker of a song someone taught him that goes like this:

I know a place no one ever goes
There’s peace and quiet, beauty and repose
It’s hidden in the valley, beside a mountain stream
And lying there beside the stream I find that I can dream
Only of things of beauty to the eyes
Snow peaked mountains towering to the skies
Now I know that God made this world for me, for me, for me, for me and for you.

I know a fount where sins are washed away
I know a place where night is turned to day
Under its shadow, the safest place I know
All that I am, to be, I gladly serve Him now
Only one life will soon be passed away
Only one chance I must not grow away
Now I know I must give this life to Him, to Him, to Him, to Him and to Him

There is a fount where sins are washed away”
There is a place that is under the shadow, the safest place I know

This reminds the speaker of 2 passages in the Bible; he suspects the lyric writer took the concept from these 2. Read Psalm 91:1-2;

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

Jesus Christ says to find a secure place to pray. Here the psalmist says in v1;

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Just like the song earlier, “under the shadow of His wings, that’s the safest place”, there is peace in this security. Brothers and sisters, one of the reasons why we should pray is because in this toilsome life, we really need a time for peace; to go to a place we feel secure. Many suffer from stress because they don’t know where to find the peace and security on a daily basis. We pray not just because it is a duty, we pray because it is a need; we NEED to pray! We are created to pray everyday! If we live one single day without praying to God, something will be misadjusted in our lives. Let’s learn to pray; not just to fall on our knees and mumble some words for 10 minutes (sometimes less), but to go to that secret place — a place that will calm our soul. Then, we will be able to face the world with peace.

“I know a fount where sins are washed away”

Turn to Psalm 27:4-5;

One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

Here the psalmist talked about a secret and hidden place. Again, there is peace and security. But here adds one more thing: intimacy. V4;
All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.

To behold the beauty of the Lord means this: though David was king, he had no right to enter the temple; he could only be in the courtyard. Though he could bring his sacrifices, he could only hand them to the priests that were the sons of Aaron. The temple is a place that shows us where sins are cleansed. Today, we have actually come to the real foundation where sins are washed away, that is Jesus Christ. We Christians are so blessed! But David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, felt a sense of closeness to the Lord. In his mind’s eyes, he was so close to God he could actually behold the beauty of the Lord. Moses could speak to God face to face; God spoke to him through the 2 cherubs that are on the ark of the covenant. Thereafter, no one except the high priest could see the ark other than during the Day of Atonement once a year.

We seek to have a deep communion with God. We want our private space with God because we want a deep communion with Him. Some ask, “How to pray?” Even the disciples of Jesus asked Him to teach them how to pray. In Luke, the disciples asked this and Jesus taught them the Lord’s Prayer. When you have a good relationship with someone, you don’t have to think of what to say. In the intimacy with someone you love, you will just speak your mind and heart. The Song of Songs is a very beautiful book talking about the intimacy between Christ and the church. Christ in the book of Songs is like a royal bridegroom because He is king. Read Song of Solomon 1:4;

Draw me away! We will run after you. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will remember your love more than wine. Rightly do they love you.

2:14;

O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely.”

In the inner chamber, there is intimacy. Outside, in the clefts of the rock, there is also intimacy. 2:4;

He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love.

The beloved is imagining how the bride groom talks to her. The groom would say to the bride, “Oh my doves in the clefts of the rock, let me see your face, let me hear your voice.” It is not because of COVID-19 that he is veiled. Here it says, “Let me see your face.” After seeing the face, he says, “Turn away! I can’t behold your loveliness!” This sounds like a romance story but the love between man and wife comes from God and God here wants to portray the love between the church and Christ here. Jesus says go into the secret place and shut the door.

Imagine your prayer to be such a communion with God. David says, “I would like to behold the beauty of the Lord”, and here Christ tells the church, “Let me see your face, let Me hear your voice.” God delights to see our face, God delights to hear our voice. If we view prayer as this, isn’t this a beautiful thing?

3. In prayer, don’t say words you don’t mean.

Turn back to Matthew 6:7;

And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

When you pray, don’t use empty and repetitive words. When you pray, you must know why you are praying. Jesus taught His disciples in v9;

In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

The first thing after praising God is this, “Your kingdom done, your will be done as it is in heaven”. V13 also talks about the kingdom;
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever

Jesus ends this chapter in v33 saying;
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

When we pray, what do we seek? What is at the TOP of our minds? What is our chief concern? Jesus puts first in the prayer, “Your kingdom come, your will on earth as it is in heaven.“ This is because the kingdom of God is our lifelong pursuit. We want to enter the kingdom; we want to ensure that our citizenship is secured because this place that we live is ruled by the god of this world, that is Satan, and we are suffering under his reign. Our chief concern is the kingdom! Not only for ourselves to remain in the kingdom but also to advance His kingdom; to bring people in. We pray for our physical needs, but look at how Jesus put it in this prayer.
“Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”

This reminds us at the same time that while we have our physical needs, we also have our spiritual needs. When Jesus teaches us to pray, “give us this day our daily bread..” it means — we commit our needs to God, then STOP WORRYING! Instead of worrying and asking ourselves, “What should I eat? What should i wear? What about my next meal?”, just say to God, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Read Matthew 6:25-26;

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Can you worry, worry, and worry, and do anything good? No! This is why it was mentioned that when Jesus says, “Give us this day our daily bread,” it means to just commit to God and not be worried anymore. V31;
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

We look at the example of Hannah.
She had a deep worry because she couldn’t bear children. In 1 Samuel 1:18;
And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

After she prayed to God, v18 says that “she was no longer sad in her countenance, and she arose and ate.” When we have prayed to God, no longer put on a worried look. Before that, Hannah didn’t eat; but now she ate! Today, if we choose to fast, it’s because we want to put in more time to pray. It’s so strange that Jesus in Matthew 6:16-18;
Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

When we fast, it’s not that we have no mood to eat like Hannah, but rather because we have faith. Hannah already wiped off the sad look but we put on a sad look when we fast; don’t do that. When God answered Hannah’s prayer, He inspired her to say something. In 1 Samuel 2:10;

The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed.”

The Lord lifted up the horn of His anointed, He gave strength to His king. From a very simple woman’s lips came forth a prophecy. At that time, Israel had no human king, but here, Hannah said that God gave strength to His king, to His anointed King. Hannah was inspired by the Holy Spirit to look beyond herself to God’s kingdom.

When we look at the world around us, it is very worrying because it affects us. But when we look at it as “it affects our livelihood”, it is a very shallow perception. The truth is: the world around us is so worrying because it is moving further and further away from God. The only solution is when God rules over us. Hence, “Your kingdom comes, your will be done be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This is the solution to all our woes.

Matt 6:24
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Another thing about prayer is that prayer is submission. Jesus received strength in His submission. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He says, “Take this bitter cup. Not My will but YOUR will.” Because He was so determined to do God’s will, He was strengthened. He was strengthened because He was resolved to do God’s will. Prayer changes things. But very often it is not changing outside. Prayer is submission because it changes our hearts to be humble and submissive. Jesus wants us to have the presence of our minds in prayers instead of mindless words. In Romans 8:26-28;

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

What is the advantage of receiving the Holy Spirit and praying in the Spirit? Is it so that we don’t have to think anymore; we just pray in the spirit and pray in tongues? In prayers, we must be engaged, let the Holy Spirit lead our thinking. Here says in v27;
He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

V28;
all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

The things in our lives work in our good because it is called according to His purpose. The more we pray in the spirit, the more we are guided to understand His will. When we understand His will, the more we are fashioned and moulded by the Holy Spirit to conform to HIS will so that His purpose for us may be fulfilled in our lives. Brothers and sisters, this is what prayers are all about.

Prayer is seeking God’s kingdom and submitting to God. Let us seek God in our lives, allow the Holy Spirit to transform us, so that His purpose will be fully achieved in our lives.