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Sermon on the Mount XI: On Prayer ...

Tuesday, Dec 9, 2014. Do you like the Sermon on the Mount? What does it do with you? For me it is one of the most exciting texts I have ever read. It is groundbreaking, again and again groundbreaking. It makes me think. It makes me change. It touches my mind and my heart deeply! Let us continue to read this unparalleled words, which Jesus spoke a long time ago …

Jesus on Prayer …

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matth. 6)

It is about faith again and again. Only with faith you can go into your room and talk to him in silence. Only with faith you can talk to him in prayer.

Bad and good examples …

Jesus gives us two bad examples for prayer here. One is those who pray publically, with the intent to show their piety. Sometimes it might be good to pray publically. Jesus himself shows a public prayer here, he gives us the “Lord's prayer”. But he does not do it to display himself, but to teach!

Further, Jesus talks about those making many words, about the Gentiles. These are people who do not know God. They have a wrong image of God and this leads them to a way of prayer which does not fulfil its purpose. But those who know God know that he knows everything anyway. And that he wants to hear, he wants to listen to our prayer. He wants us to come with sincere requests, and to open our hearts to him.

Prayer is fantastic. It is needed. It is a core part of our relationship to God. How could we live with the Lord without prayer - that would be like living in a partnership and never talking to each other. Prayer is the very core of our relationship with God. (RWEP) ... more texts