The Lord taught us how we ought not to pray - hypocritical prayer and meaningless repetition. People of God do not pray like the hypocritical religious leaders of Jesus’ day, seeking to be seen by men, but keep our motives pure, as we go to God in prayer, treasuring the personal time we have with our Father. Neither do we engage in praying with meaningless repetition as pagans do, thinking to impress or obligate their deity. This is out of place for one who communes with the one and only true God. He has no interest in repeated words, but those who approach him with a sweet, quiet confidence, as one that approaches Him as their Father. How then shall we pray? The Lord shows us the way we ought to pray through His model prayer. In this sermon, we observe two facets of the Lord’s way of praying : knowledge and worship. We approach God knowing who He is and we approach God with an attitude of worship.

“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. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 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. “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. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]