Hypocritical Prayer (Matthew 6:5-8)
Hypocritical Prayer
Matthew 6:5-8
As you know we have now moved
Into a new section of the Sermon on the Mount.
After previously showing us GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS EXPLAINED,
We are now to point 2, which FALSE RIGHTEOUSNESS EXPOSED
And as we said a week ago,
Jesus knows exactly what He is doing in this penetrating sermon.
After spending time revealing how wicked we really are,
Jesus knows that the usual intention of man is to justify himself.
Some do this by denying the accusations made against them.
Others do it by revealing other actions that seem to cancel out the bad.
We called it The Doctrine of Exchange.
I may see that something wicked I do testifies against me
So I insert something good I do as a means of canceling out my sin.
And that mindset is really the basis for all works based religion.
People try to do enough good to counteract the bad they do.
I actually hear it all the time when talking with people.
They will admit they are sinners,
Many will even tell me the wicked things they do.
I will generally then ask them, what they plan to do about it.
And they will say, “I need to go to church”
You see in their mind going to church is a good action
That cancels out the bad action they did during the week,
And thus after church they are now once again square with God.
And many people follow this code.
But last week Jesus punched a massive hole in that argument,
With this piece of logic.
WHAT IF THE GOOD YOU DO, ISN’T AS GOOD AS YOU THINK?
And there again Jesus nails us.
In chapter 5 He revealed that just because you don’t physically do the deed,
It doesn’t mean you aren’t sinning.
Here he reveals that just because you do perform the good deed,
That doesn’t mean that you are righteous.
And to make His point Jesus presents Exhibit A, which is the hypocrite.
As we said, a hypocrite comes from the Greek word HUPOKRITES,
Which was the word used for a Greek actor who wore a mask.
So Jesus was talking about actors.
Not genuine people, but people who put on a show.
People who are playing a role, but it is not who they are.
And this by the way is very dangerous for one’s spiritual life.
Matthew 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”
Jesus even uses a theatrical term in that statement.
The phrase “to be noticed” comes from
The Greek word THEAOMAI (Thee-a-o-mahee)
It is where we get our word for theatre.
And so it is clear, we are talking about people
Who use religion as a means to put on a performance.
They turn the altar into a stage, and go through all the motions
So as to entertain or impress other people.
But this is dangerous for they
“have no reward with [their] Father who is in heaven.”
In other words, if you do it to impress people,
Then all you will get is their response, I hope it was worth it.
And Jesus is even kind enough to give us some examples.
Last week we saw the first example:
Hypocritical Giving
Matthew 6:2 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”
Jesus said, even if you give, but do so with the wrong motives,
You will not receive a reward for it.
And so Jesus taught us to safeguard against such temptation
By doing our best to give in secret.
And again, it is not that secret giving is better than public giving,
For it is all about the heart.
BUT, giving in secret is less of a temptation to glorify self.
And Jesus says if you want to make sure to be rewarded your gift,
Then do it in secret where the only possible spectator is God.
And then your reward is certain.
So be careful how you give.
This morning we move on to Jesus’ next example of hypocrisy.
PRAYER
And while this illustration does follow a similar pattern as the first,
There is a bit of a difference here.
Jesus doesn’t just give one example of bad prayer, He gives two.
We see a bad example from the Religious Hypocrite,
And we see a bad example from a Pagan Gentile.
#1 THE MAGNIFICENT PRAYER OF THE HYPOCRITE
Matthew 6:5-6
“When you pray”
Now, this is not a command of Jesus.
He is not saying here, that you must pray.
He is however pointing out the obvious
That prayer is an understood part of the religious life.
Now it is true, prayer doesn’t mean you are saved,
But you have a difficult time proving salvation without it.
And while Jesus isn’t commanding it here,
We do know that Scripture does command us to do so.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray without ceasing;”
And so Scripture not only commands us to pray,
But actually commands us to never stop.
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS PRAYER?
Well, it is obviously more than those moments when you stop to bow your head, and speak to God. (we can’t do that continuously)
Prayer is a state of how you live.
Christians don’t just pray, they are people of prayer.
It indicates that we are constantly in tune to His desire,
Listening for His guidance, and seeking His will in every moment of ever day.
(LIKE A HORSE WITH TWO EARS BACK)
Like that horse, the life of prayer is when our lives are literally
Continually focusing on God’s Word and subsequently God’s Will.
We are constantly in commune with Him.
It is more than just a ceremonial bowing of the head,
It is a constant state of mind.
But even that doesn’t fully explain prayer,
For prayer will always have a certain state of mystery to it.
Let’s say you offer a prayer request to God, and God grants IT.
What just happened?
And by the way that does happen. God does answer prayer.
James 5:16 “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
Psalms 40:1-2 “I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.”
So God does answer prayer.
But in the instant in which God granted your request,
Have you ever pondered what just happened?
• Was God uncertain about what He wanted to do, just waiting for you?
• Did God have other plans, and only decided to change His mind based upon your request?
• Did God work in you to make you ask for what He already planned to do?
It is a mystery.
It is hard to understand how or why a sovereign God who sits in authority
Over all things would actually ask for our input or requests.
Yet He does.
Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
And so even though we do not know how prayer works,
We know that God desires that we do it.
And so it is obvious that
God delights in having our undivided attention.
God delights in being the first person we call upon in difficulty.
God delights in being the first person we thank after a blessing.
God delights in the relationship.
And there is nothing in your Christian walk that reveals your personal relationship with God like your prayer life.
And that is not a new revelation.
Even the hypocrites knew that prayer was important.
Even the people who were acting like righteous people
Knew that a part of the script had to include a certain amount of prayer.
Furthermore prayer was considered an essential part of the Jewish life.
William Barclay speaks of a prayer called Shemoney ‘esray (“The Eighteen”).
It was a set of eighteen prayers that Jewish man prayed 3 times a day.
(Perhaps you remember Daniel being faithful to this in spite of the law against it)
And while that could indeed be a great indicator of faithfulness,
It could also be a tremendous temptation for self glory.
And that is precisely what had happened to the Jews.
They offered their prayers 3 times a day,
They just made sure they were in the middle of Wal-Mart at prayer time.
And that is why Jesus said:
“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men.”
Earlier Jesus said they like to sound a trumpet
When they give in the synagogue and on the street,
Well apparently their offering is immediately followed by a prayer.
They love to do it in public.
They love for people to see them pray.
Matthew 23:5 “But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.”
Religious observance can be a reason for persecution,
But it can be the source of great accolade.
And that is how the Jews used it.
But again, there is a problem.
“Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”
I don’t know if they got patted on the back, or their name in the paper,
But whatever they got, I hope it was worth it.
Because they will get no credit from God.
God is not pleased with such displays of phoniness.
God is not amused with an actor playing the part of a praying man
In order to entertain others.
The prayer God wants is genuine communication.
The prayer God wants is for you to be attune to Him.
The prayer God wants is for you to seek Him out and listen to Him.
He does not delight in some token prayer meant to impress other people.
That is why Jesus said:
(6) “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
Now there again, don’t turn this into legalism.
Even Jesus prayed in public.
-Before the resurrection of Lazarus
-On the cross during His crucifixion
-Even in the upper room (how else would we know what He said?)
It is not that public prayer is wrong, after all, Daniel was rewarded for it.
Public prayer is not wrong, but it is a huge temptation.
It is a temptation to do it for the wrong reason.
If you are the only person in your house and you begin to pray,
You will only focus on your prayer and your time with God.
But if you are in public it is highly likely that you will begin to think about what other people think of your prayer, instead of what God thinks.
And that is not prayer, even though it holds the outward appearance of it.
And we all know what it is to pray, but not have our hearts in it,
Or to pray with other motives.
“Please nourish this food…thank You for everything”
And we’ve seen other examples of what was not prayer.
I’ve heard preachers preach sermons in their prayers.
I’ve heard others give announcements in their prayers.
We have all seen that, many of us have even been on the wrong side of it.
But that is not what God is looking for.
God wants you to commune with Him.
God wants you to speak to Him.
God wants you to listen to Him.
God wants your attention.
And let’s face it, it is easier to ensure that He will have your attention
In the closet than it is in the middle of Wal-Mart.
And that is why Jesus says to do it secretly.
Remove the temptation.
Remove the distraction.
Remove the opportunity for glory anywhere else.
And when you pray solely because you want to commune with God,
“your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
And so we see that the magnificent prayer of the hypocrite
Is not pleasing to God
Regardless of how magnificent everyone else thinks it is.
But the hypocrites prayer is not the only prayer Jesus warns against.
The Magnificent Prayer of the Hypocrite
#2 THE MANIPULATIVE PRAYER OF THE GENTILE
Matthew 6:7-8
There is another type of person who prays the wrong way
And Jesus warns against it as well.
“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.”
And you remember an example of this:
1 Kings 18:26 “Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they made.”
Morning until noon they shouted the same phrase, “O Baal, answer us.”
So much so that even Elijah saw the lunacy and began mocking them
To yell louder, for maybe Baal was asleep.
You see by keeping up with their vain repetition, it indicated they believed their god to be complacent and unconcerned about their situation
And that the only way to persuade god to answer was to pester Him.
They actually supposed that their repetition increased their odds.
First, you need to know that God doesn’t answer prayer
Based upon our persistent manipulation.
Now, I know some immediately say, “Wait preacher there are plenty of examples that say otherwise.”
TURN TO: LUKE 11:5-13
“See that man answered because his friend pestered him,
And Jesus says God will do the same if we pester Him.”
WRONG
(13) “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”
If you read the whole thing you will see that
God doesn’t answer because we pester.
God answers because He is good.
And that is Jesus point.
If even a carnal, wicked, sinful man can be persuaded to give what is asked,
How much more can we know that a loving, merciful God, will give what is good.
That parable doesn’t teach us to pester God,
It teaches us to trust God.
TURN TO: LUKE 18:1-8
“See preacher, that widow won because she pestered
And Jesus tells us to do the same.”
WRONG
(7-8) “now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
Did you notice the question Jesus ended with?
“when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
That indicates the point of this parable.
This woman was exhibiting true faith.
She continued because she believed the judge would do what she asked.
That was faith, not manipulation.
And Jesus says that our God responds to that type of faith,
Which will keep coming to Him and Him alone,
Even though it doesn’t see immediate results.
That is the same type of faith as the Sidonian woman.
Matthew 15:21-28 “Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.” But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.” But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.”
Jesus didn’t say, “O woman you are relentless!”
He said, “O woman, your faith is great”
And the point is that God responds to faith.
And so Scripture doesn’t teach us that
God can be manipulated by our persuasive tactics.
Scripture reveals that God answers because He is good
And He delights in those who wholly trust Him.
But you cannot manipulate God by wearing Him out.
Nor can you back God into a corner with technical rules
That you suppose He has to follow.
Let me give you another example.
Have you ever heard anyone say.
“Where two or more are gathered…it shall be done”
And people use that all the time as a way to manipulate God.
“Well God, You may not have wanted to do this, but that’s too bad because I found another believer and the two of us agree that You have to do it.”
Would it surprise you to know that when Jesus issued that statement
It was not permission to turn God into a Genie in a bottle.
He gave that statement to support the authority of the church
In following the commands of God.
TURN TO: MATTHEW 18:15-20
Jesus knew that if you discipline a brother to the extreme
And the church determines to kick him out, that he is likely to turn to you and say, “Who do you think you are? You don’t have the right!”
To which Jesus said, “Oh yes you do!”
In fact, anytime that two or three are together obeying My will and following My commands you can bet that I am in agreement.
It is very similar to another misconstrued statement on prayer.
John 14:13 “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
DO WE REALLY SUPPOSE THAT BY ADDING “In Jesus name” TO THE END OF OUR PRAYERS THAT GOD IS NOW OBLIGED?
Like God is saying, “Oh, they got Me again”.
And so I can ask for a new Cadillac as long as I ask in Jesus name,
And can get you to agree to ask for one too.
NO – you can’t manipulate God.
Those passages indicate that when you are following the will of God,
And seeking the will of God, and are living according to the will of Christ,
Then you can rest assured that God will support and aid your work.
But the fact that so many make such claims
Indicate that there still a part of us like the prophets of Baal
Who suppose that there are word gimmicks or manipulative tactics
That make prayer more effective.
And Jesus is unequivocally saying here not to use those gimmicks.
“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.”
In short don’t suppose you can manipulate God with a ceremony,
That is “meaningless.”
As we learned earlier God answers prayer because He is good,
And because He delights in those who trust Him.
And that is what Jesus is saying here.
(8) “So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”
God is not some sort of mystical being that requires you
To know the magic code, and then convince Him of your need.
God is good, and He is aware of your needs long before you ask.
Just trust Him, and speak to Him, and seek His face.
SO WE ASK OURSELVES
Why do I give?
Why do I pray?
And this morning, just determine to be real.
Matthew 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”
