Pray Then Like This - Matthew 6.5-15

In Matthew 6, Jesus draws attention to how two groups of people approach God in prayer. The first group approaches God in order to be seen by the other employees – as if to show Him, as well as their co-workers, how hard-working and dedicated they are to the corporate mission. Jesus calls them hypocrites. Religious hypocrites pray in order to be seen praying in public. But there is a better way to approach God in prayer than by seeking public approval.

The second group Jesus mentions are the Gentiles. In the Bible, a Gentile is anyone not born into the nation of Israel. Most Gentiles worshiped idols. Judging from what Jesus says about them, Gentiles approached God with the attitude that He was just one god among the many they already worshiped. Gentiles were religious pagans. Modern day Gentiles would self-describe as spiritual not religious. But whether spiritual or religious they are approach God with the attitude they can use a waterfall of words to persuade Him to give them what they want. Jesus calls them babbling fools who think God will listen their prayers because they can pile up word upon word, sentence upon sentence, and phrase upon phrase. Jesus says there is a better way to approach God in prayer than by using a Thesaurus.