Why Pray? (Matthew 5:6-13)

Introduction We refer to the prayer Christ taught us to pray as the Lord’s prayer. We should call it the Disciples' Prayer. Our catechism reminds us that prayer is the "chief part of our gratefulness" to God. Yet prayer remains one of the most difficult and probably misunderstood aspects of the Christian life. Dennis John says, “prayer is neither a guilt-laden duty to a distant deity nor a casual chat with a ‘buddy’ Jesus. Rather, true prayer flows from recognizing the presence of Jesus as Lord—marked by joy, confidence, reverent fear, and a preoccupation with God's kingdom rather than our own comforts.” We conder then three points to teach us about prayer. Why Is Prayer So Difficult? Prayer is difficult not because of how we were created (we were made for communion with God), but because of the Fall and our sinfulness. There are several practical reasons Christians struggle: * We feel inadequate—comparing our prayers to others' eloquence * We've been disappointed—God answers "yes," "no," or "wait," and we chafe at waiting * We feel foolish—praying to an invisible God seems odd compared to tangible human relationships * We doubt it matters—questioning why we should pray to a sovereign God (answered: God uses means, and He uses our prayers) * We're too busy—prayer feels unproductive in a culture that prizes accomplishment * We have faith in progress—trusting money, medicine, or other means more than God * God hides behind "masks"—providing through ordinary means (farmers, doctors, grocers) rather than miraculous drops from heaven To Whom Do We Pray? The "who" of prayer shapes the "how" and "why." Christian prayer is not a performance or a technique but a relationship—a conversation where our lives meet God. The text (Matthew 6) warns against two errors: praying like hypocrites (performers seeking human approval) or like Gentiles (heaping up empty words to manipulate God). The answer: We pray to our Father—the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is staggering: the eternal Son invites us to call His Father "our Father." This is not by nature or birth but by grace through faith in Christ. By nature, we are children of wrath; by grace, we are adopted, heirs. We pray to the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, who is no longer our Judge but our loving Father, who sent His Son to pay for our sins. This new covenant reality—calling God "Abba, Father" through the Spirit—is the foundation of all Christian prayer. Why Pray? The "why" flows from the "who": * Because we can—it is a privilege and gift, purchased by Christ, who now intercedes for us at the Father's right hand * Because God uses means, our prayers actually matter and accomplish His purposes * Because of our necessity, prayer is a declaration of dependency; we have nothing we did not receive from God * Because God delights in hearing from His children—unlike earthly parents, He never grows weary of us * To commune with the Giver, not just get His gifts—we pray out of love for who He is, not lust for what He gives * Because prayer changes us—it offers "a less busy heart," reorienting us to trust God's sovereignty even when circumstances don't change * Because God commands it—yet it is no mere duty, but a gracious invitation * Because we are grateful children, prayer is the chief expression of thankfulness for all we have received Conclusion We consider what Dennis Johnson says regarding prayer, calling the church to a "vivid consciousness of the presence of Jesus." True prayer is joyful and confident, reverent and kingdom-focused. It is not performed out of guilt or self-pity, but out of love for the Giver. As Johnson says, "We pray not because we must, but because we may, not out of lust for his gifts, but out of love for the giver, and not to bend his will to ours, but to bend our will to his."