JUST A LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS
Matthew 6:5-8
Introductory Statement: I once saw a poster in an Adult
Christian Education classroom that said, “Prayer is not the last
resort.” I thought, ‘That’s true. It should be the first resort.’ Then
I thought about how many people use prayer as a last resort. Why?
I believe it is because prayer has a bad rep. When people think
about prayer, they think ‘boring,’ ‘long,’ ‘waste of time’, ‘useless,’
‘in vain,’ and the list goes on. I want to take this opportunity to
clear up some misconceptions about prayer.
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus was preaching His Sermon on
the Mount. One the things He wanted them to understand was the
importance of prayer. It was the first thing He talked to them
about. He didn’t start off talking about giving alms, fasting, or
tithing. He started off this portion of His discourse talking about
prayer. There were three things Jesus wanted them to know about
prayer.
I. Prayer is not an Option.
A. Prayer is a requirement. Jesus, when He taught on
prayer, did not even take into consideration if the Jews
would pray, but when they would pray. The Jews were
going to pray if for nothing else but for religious reasons.
The question was not if, but when and how. Jesus did not
want for His new people to be like the hypocrites–the
fakers and pretenders of their day–but to be different. They
were to pray. When they prayed it was to be different–in
secret and without vain repetitions.
B. For Christians, on the other hand, it is more of a matter
of if rather than when. It’s a sad indictment but for many
Christians prayer is a last resort. We turn to every worldly
aid– banks, loan sharks, casinos, shrinks, secular counselors
and friends, psychics, ungodly people, the dead, alcohol,
and drugs to find help. Some even find their help in Oprah.
When they all fail, and they will fail, then (and only then)
do we turn to God. Prayer should not be the last resort. It
should be the first.
C. Thomas Watson said, “Christ went more readily ad
crucem (to the cross), than we do to the throne of grace.”
What a friend we have in Jesus/ all our sins and griefs to
bear/ what a privilege to carry/ everything to God in prayer.
Have we found a friend so faithful/ take it to the Lord in
prayer. In His arms He’ll take and shield thee/ Thou wilt
find a solace there.
II. Prayer is not One Way Communication.
A. Jesus also wanted to teach that prayer was not a rote
speech to God. Prayer was not a long soliloquy or a
monologue to God. It was not meant to be a one-way
discourse of repetitions. It was meant to be a dynamic and
interactive conversation with a dynamic and personal God.
Prayer reinforces our dependence upon God. Prayer
strengthens our relationship with the Creator of the
universe. Any relationship without constant
communication will die.
B. Prayer is boring because we make it boring. Instead of
being interactive, is has become a one-way speech, poem,
ode, or lecture to God; a wish list or self-centered
communication to God and not a conversation with God.
For many people prayer is nothing more than, ‘Now I lay
me down to sleep...’ or ‘God is great. God is good...’ or
‘God, if it be Thy will, let me do such-n-such or give me....’
Another reason why prayer is boring is because it is too
constrained. You do not have to talk to God in the King’s
English to be heard. “God, I knoweth that Thou art a
merciful God, righteous and just in all Thy ways, forgiving
sins and calling others....’ If you spoke to God like that, I
don’t know if he’d been offended or entertained. Talk to
God as you would talk to a friend or a parent. You can’t
say anything that will shock Him. He knows you better
than you know you. So be transparent with Him and build
a relationship with Him. John Bunyan wrote, “When thou
prayest, rather let thy heart be without words than thy
words without heart.” More importantly, listen to what He
has to say.
C. If you hate it when some hogs a conversation, how do
you think God must feel when He has to listen to millions
of hoggers.
III. Prayer is not in vain.
A. Jesus definitely wanted His listeners to know that
prayer was not for nothing. God already knows the need.
He is just waiting for us to humble ourselves and ask Him.
(Prayer is more for us than it is for God.) The Bible
teaches us if we ask we shall receive. James said, ‘You
have not because you didn’t ask or because you asked for
the wrong reasons.’ In other words, you don’t have
because you either didn’t ask or something else wasn’t
right. Wrong things & right reason=no. Right things and
wrong reason=no. Right reason & right things=yes, in
God’s timing.
B. I am convinced most people don’t pray because they
feel that prayer is a waste of time or that they are praying in
vain. (We are an action-oriented society. John Wayne and
the Lone Ranger mentality.) For some people, that is a
correct assumption. For some people, their prayer did not
get above the ceiling. Wrong reason or wrong motives or
both. Immoral lifestyles also result in unanswered prayer.
But, for those who ask, humbling themselves before God,
seeking not only His hand, but His face, they shall receive
their requests.
C. A tale is told about a small town that had historically
been "dry," but then a local businessman decided to build a
tavern. A group of Christians from a local church were
concerned and planned an all-night prayer meeting to ask
God to intervene. It just so happened that shortly thereafter
lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground. The
owner of the bar sued the church, claiming that the prayers
of the congregation were responsible, but the church hired a
lawyer to argue in court that they were not responsible. The
presiding judge, after his initial review of the case, stated
that "no matter how this case comes out, one thing is clear.
The tavern owner believes in prayer and the Christians do
not." Sidlow Baxter said, "...Men may spurn our appeals,
reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our
persons -- but they are helpless against our prayers." Martin
Luther instructs us to “pray as if everything depends on
God, then work as if everything depends on you.” Thomas
Lye adds, “I had rather stand against the cannons of the
wicked than against the prayers of the righteous.”
Conclusion: Prayer is talking with God, not to God. The basis of
prayer is a relationship. Most people don’t talk to God because
they don’t know Him. Setting aside those who don’t believe He
exists, many people don’t talk to God because they have learned
since childhood: Don’t talk to strangers. To them (and some of
you) God is a stranger. They wouldn’t recognize Him if He sat
next to them on a bus or a pew. Just as it is hard for most to strike
up a conversation with a flesh and blood stranger, think how it
must be to try to strike up one with an invisible Spiritual One.
Well, I’ve got good news: today I can introduce you to Him and
He will be a stranger to you no longer. Unlike some of us, He likes
meeting new people. He’ll be your friend in good times and bad,
in prosperous time and in want, when your feeling well or feeling
down, happy or hurting. He’ll never leave. Best of all, He has the
power to do something about whatever situation you’re in. Would
you like to meet Him today?
