Breathing Pure Air in a Polluted World
Matthew 6:5-15
I. The World is basically one big landfill! I John 2:16 “For ALL that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.” A. That which is attractive to the cadavers that inhabit the earth is the stench of its decay! I John 2:17 “and the world is passing away.” Matt. 6:19 “Do not lay up treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” Psalm 40:6a “Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain.” The margin: “make an uproar for nothing”. Also Ps. 144:4, James 4:13-14
Conclusion: To attach our value, our well being to ANYTHING in this world is to spend our few short years hugging a tombstone!!! Remember what James says in 4:15, “Instead you ought to say, “if the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
II. The “Lord’s Prayer” isn’t a “model prayer”! It is the very breath of the redeemed who seek to live in the Father’s will on this fallen earth. It is not some mantra uttered to get things from God! It gives meaning and eternal substance to that which otherwise is vain, passing away.
A. Mt. 6:5-6 Our prayers are for Gods “EAR” only. 1. Prayers to impress, to “teach”, or to “rebuke”, cease to be prayer. Their usefulness goes no further that our lips. Prayer and intended eloquence are mutually exclusive. 2. Even in a crowd, prayer is to be “closet prayer”, out of our hearts focused only on our Father Who hears in the secret place. Others merely get to listen in! B. Mt. 6:7-8 “Because the Father is Good, the much is not needed. Because the Father is God, the information is not necessary!” (Fredrick Dale Bruner) 1. Only sleeping or deaf gods need mantras, repetitious words! I Kings 18:26- 29— Remember Elijah and the prophets of Baal. “The heathen tried to tire out their gods with such prayers, endless formulas repeated over and over.” (Lenski) “It is heathen folly to measure prayer by the yard” (Fredrick Dale Bruner) 2. Beware: This doesn’t mean that prayer shouldn’t be persistent. Remember our Lord’s parable of the persistent widow? Luke 18:1-8 Her persistence seems to be definition of faith—see verse 8. 3. Vs. 8 God’s Loving Omniscience “Prayer is not an intelligence briefing for God. It is rather and intelligent conversation with Him.” (FDB) Ps. 33:18-19, 34:15 God does not just notice on occasion, but His Eye is continually ON those who fear Him—a loving eye, a protective eye, a compassionate eye!!!
III. Therefore, pray out of this understanding! A. Vs. 9 Understanding to Whom we are praying!!! 1. Vs. 9 He is our Father only because He is Jesus’ Father, and we are adopted sons in Him. 2. He is our HEAVENLY Father, acknowledging that He is the High and Holy One Who inhabits eternity. He is the giver of perfect gifts, and He doesn’t shop at Walmart for them. (James 1:17) They are given out of His Eternal Resources. 3. “Hallowed be Your Name”: Every aspect of our prayer, from the initial need to the Glorious answer, exists to testify to our Father’s Goodness and Sufficiency. B. Vs 10 Prayer will find a closed EAR if the petitioner wishes to remain the king of his own little castle! 1. Remember James 4:15? All prayer is laying our plans and wills on the Altar of His will. We must relinquish our pathetic kingdoms to the magnificent Rule of His!! Now notice James 4:16 To continue to live in the lust of our own kingdom, rule and will, even with a desire for a bit of God’s blessing—such an attitude is the height of arrogance before the God of Heaven!!!
IV. Vs 11-13 The cure for ALL earthly anxiety. All anxiety and stress come from these three areas. A. Vs 11 “Give us this day our daily bread.” This is a constant and continual awareness that our Father “gives to all, life, breath, and all things”, and faith that His Word is sure when He promises to supply all need. (Acts 17:24-25, Phil. 4:19, James 1:17) Pay attention to the fact that this comes after crying out for His Kingdom rule and will to be done! B. Vs 12 “Forgive us our debts./trespasses/sins.” This puts us in the life context of continually repentant sinners and is Divine Surgery for a haughty heart. We are ready to forgive because we needed and received Abundant Forgiveness!!! This one petition will solve most relational conflicts. An unforgiving spirit leads to a bitter spirit which leads to relational war! C. Vs 13 “Deliver us from evil”. Whose sign is in your yard? ADT? Return to Psalm 32:16-22 Here is the only Security Service that can guarantee Eternal Security!!! All other security is an illusion. And by the way, the text isn’t narrow as to the kind of evil. Bring all potential or real evil under the only protection worth the breath of your lips.
V. Vs 13b “For YOURS is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory FOREVER, Amen.” A. Here we see that our earthly need and existence is sandwiched between our Father’s Kingdom, and Power. We MUST learn to live in this constant prayer, this constant breath of our lips, that our existence on the fallen earth is surrounded by, wrapped up in, our Father’s Kingdom, Power and Glory. This is to be faiths’ anchor. This is what our Jesus died to purchase for us. And remember, this security resource is FOREVER, not just here and now.
VI. Vs 14-15 The primacy of forgiveness.
A. What is our Father’s greatest act toward the children of men? John 3:16—His incredible plan of redemption is that He might forgive sinners. So if we are to be the children of our Heavenly Father, forgiveness MUST characterize our relationships with others. To harbor unforgiveness in our hearts is to evidence an evil heart of unbelief.
This is breathing Kingdom air in a polluted environment! This is wholly uncharacteristic of a grubby, grasping, power mad world. This is essential to our shining as lights in a dark world!! Learn to live the FATHER PRAYER throughout your every 24 hour day.
Matthew 6:5-15
I. The World is basically one big landfill! I John 2:16 “For ALL that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.” A. That which is attractive to the cadavers that inhabit the earth is the stench of its decay! I John 2:17 “and the world is passing away.” Matt. 6:19 “Do not lay up treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” Psalm 40:6a “Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain.” The margin: “make an uproar for nothing”. Also Ps. 144:4, James 4:13-14
Conclusion: To attach our value, our well being to ANYTHING in this world is to spend our few short years hugging a tombstone!!! Remember what James says in 4:15, “Instead you ought to say, “if the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
II. The “Lord’s Prayer” isn’t a “model prayer”! It is the very breath of the redeemed who seek to live in the Father’s will on this fallen earth. It is not some mantra uttered to get things from God! It gives meaning and eternal substance to that which otherwise is vain, passing away.
A. Mt. 6:5-6 Our prayers are for Gods “EAR” only. 1. Prayers to impress, to “teach”, or to “rebuke”, cease to be prayer. Their usefulness goes no further that our lips. Prayer and intended eloquence are mutually exclusive. 2. Even in a crowd, prayer is to be “closet prayer”, out of our hearts focused only on our Father Who hears in the secret place. Others merely get to listen in! B. Mt. 6:7-8 “Because the Father is Good, the much is not needed. Because the Father is God, the information is not necessary!” (Fredrick Dale Bruner) 1. Only sleeping or deaf gods need mantras, repetitious words! I Kings 18:26- 29— Remember Elijah and the prophets of Baal. “The heathen tried to tire out their gods with such prayers, endless formulas repeated over and over.” (Lenski) “It is heathen folly to measure prayer by the yard” (Fredrick Dale Bruner) 2. Beware: This doesn’t mean that prayer shouldn’t be persistent. Remember our Lord’s parable of the persistent widow? Luke 18:1-8 Her persistence seems to be definition of faith—see verse 8. 3. Vs. 8 God’s Loving Omniscience “Prayer is not an intelligence briefing for God. It is rather and intelligent conversation with Him.” (FDB) Ps. 33:18-19, 34:15 God does not just notice on occasion, but His Eye is continually ON those who fear Him—a loving eye, a protective eye, a compassionate eye!!!
III. Therefore, pray out of this understanding! A. Vs. 9 Understanding to Whom we are praying!!! 1. Vs. 9 He is our Father only because He is Jesus’ Father, and we are adopted sons in Him. 2. He is our HEAVENLY Father, acknowledging that He is the High and Holy One Who inhabits eternity. He is the giver of perfect gifts, and He doesn’t shop at Walmart for them. (James 1:17) They are given out of His Eternal Resources. 3. “Hallowed be Your Name”: Every aspect of our prayer, from the initial need to the Glorious answer, exists to testify to our Father’s Goodness and Sufficiency. B. Vs 10 Prayer will find a closed EAR if the petitioner wishes to remain the king of his own little castle! 1. Remember James 4:15? All prayer is laying our plans and wills on the Altar of His will. We must relinquish our pathetic kingdoms to the magnificent Rule of His!! Now notice James 4:16 To continue to live in the lust of our own kingdom, rule and will, even with a desire for a bit of God’s blessing—such an attitude is the height of arrogance before the God of Heaven!!!
IV. Vs 11-13 The cure for ALL earthly anxiety. All anxiety and stress come from these three areas. A. Vs 11 “Give us this day our daily bread.” This is a constant and continual awareness that our Father “gives to all, life, breath, and all things”, and faith that His Word is sure when He promises to supply all need. (Acts 17:24-25, Phil. 4:19, James 1:17) Pay attention to the fact that this comes after crying out for His Kingdom rule and will to be done! B. Vs 12 “Forgive us our debts./trespasses/sins.” This puts us in the life context of continually repentant sinners and is Divine Surgery for a haughty heart. We are ready to forgive because we needed and received Abundant Forgiveness!!! This one petition will solve most relational conflicts. An unforgiving spirit leads to a bitter spirit which leads to relational war! C. Vs 13 “Deliver us from evil”. Whose sign is in your yard? ADT? Return to Psalm 32:16-22 Here is the only Security Service that can guarantee Eternal Security!!! All other security is an illusion. And by the way, the text isn’t narrow as to the kind of evil. Bring all potential or real evil under the only protection worth the breath of your lips.
V. Vs 13b “For YOURS is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory FOREVER, Amen.” A. Here we see that our earthly need and existence is sandwiched between our Father’s Kingdom, and Power. We MUST learn to live in this constant prayer, this constant breath of our lips, that our existence on the fallen earth is surrounded by, wrapped up in, our Father’s Kingdom, Power and Glory. This is to be faiths’ anchor. This is what our Jesus died to purchase for us. And remember, this security resource is FOREVER, not just here and now.
VI. Vs 14-15 The primacy of forgiveness.
A. What is our Father’s greatest act toward the children of men? John 3:16—His incredible plan of redemption is that He might forgive sinners. So if we are to be the children of our Heavenly Father, forgiveness MUST characterize our relationships with others. To harbor unforgiveness in our hearts is to evidence an evil heart of unbelief.
This is breathing Kingdom air in a polluted environment! This is wholly uncharacteristic of a grubby, grasping, power mad world. This is essential to our shining as lights in a dark world!! Learn to live the FATHER PRAYER throughout your every 24 hour day.