The Gospel according to Matthew and chapter six. Matthew chapter six and commencing to read at verse five. Matthew chapter six verse five, um and when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when, but thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your Father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask him. After this manner, therefore, pray ye, our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. I think most of us will be aware that Matthew chapter six forms a part of what has been commonly termed the Sermon on the Mount. There is a broad division of Matthew Chapter six, and the twofold division is this, verses one to eighteen and verses nineteen to thirty four. And the contents of these two divisions are as follows. From verses one to eighteen, our Lord is dealing with the lack of sincerity. And in verses nineteen to thirty four, our Lord is dealing with a lack of faith. In verses one to eighteen, our Lord is dealing with a lack of sincerity in the performing of one's devotions. He's dealing with that kind of hip- hypocrisy, where a man would parade his piety to have from men a chief, uh, to have from men a cheap reputation. Let me repeat, that hypocrisy that would parade one's piety to obtain from man a cheap reputation, performing one's devotions to be seen of man. Thus, we notice that expression seen of man occurs three times, verses one, five, and sixteen. In verses nineteen to thirty four, our Lord is dealing with a lack of faith, and it's a lack of faith in terms of one's possessions. And this lack of faith can evidence self in a twofold way. It can evidence self in an ambition for self, an ambition to have possessions, or it evidence itself in anxiety about self because of a lack of possessions. Thus, in the most orderly fashion, as we should expect, our Lord Jesus deals with these important matters, lack of sincerity and lack of faith. In verses one to eighteen, it is hypocrisy in acts of devotion. We would notice that in chapter five, verses seventeen to forty eight, our Lord is dealing with the moral law, the moral law given to Israel. Then in verses one to eighteen of chapter six, our Lord is dealing with the ceremonial law as it was given to Israel. And I think we would be aware that in the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord has told us that he had not come to destroy the law, but rather to fill it out, to fill it out by his teaching. And in verses seventeen to forty eight, uh our Lord is filling out the moral law by his teaching. And in verses one to eighteen of chapter six, he's filling out the ceremonial law by his teaching. And we notice that in verses seventeen to forty eight of chapter five, our Lord selects two commandments from the moral law. Thou shalt not kill, and thou shalt not commit adultery. He selects the two particular commandments, thou shalt not kill, and thou shalt not commit adultery. I wonder why he selects these two commandments. Thou shalt not kill involves violence. Thou shalt not commit adultery, this involves corruption. Thus he selects those two commandments that have to do with both violence and corruption. And how does our Lord Jesus fill out the Mosaic law in the Sermon on the Mount? Just this, under the Mosaic law, the act was condemned. Thou shall not kill. Thou shall not commit adultery. The law of Moses dealt with the act. But in the Sermon of the Mount, the Lord deals with the thought and with the motive. Thus, as he fills out the moral law in respect of thou shalt not kill, we discover in the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus actually condemns anger without a cause. Not just a matter of killing, but anger without a cause. And as he fills out the moral law, thou shall not commit adultery, our Lord, he condemns even the lustful Luke. Thus he fills out the moral law. But in verses one to eighteen, our Lord is of chapter six, our Lord is dealing with the ceremonial law, and he deals with three matters in particular. In verses two to four he deals with the matter of almsgiving. In verses five to fifteen he deals with the matter of praying. And in verses sixteen to eighteen he deals with the matter of fasting. Now let's just look at how he deals with this ceremonial law, verses one to eighteen, as he speaks against this hypocrisy in acts of devotion. Verses two to four, alms giving. Verses five to fifteen, praying. Verses sixteen to eighteen, fasting. Notice the order. Alms giving, praying, and fasting. Obviously, alms giving is manward. Praying is Godward, and fasting is selfward. That can be easily understood. Let me repeat, alms giving is manward. Praying obviously is Godward, and fasting is selfward. And notice between alms giving and fasting, the Lord speaks of praying, as if the this were central to almsgiving and fasting. And brethren, so it is, for the simple reason, if I'm not praying, if I'm not keeping in touch with God, I can never act right in relation to my fellow man in the matter of almsgiving, nor act right in relation to self in the matter of fasting or self-discipline. Thus, it is so important that we have this central exercise correct, this exercise of prayer. But coming back to alms giving, verses two and four, which is man world. The Lord Jesus makes it clear in verse two that alms giving must never be to have glory of men. That's the expression. Not giving alms to have glory of men. In this matter of praying, verse five, we must not pray to be seen of man. Then in this matter of fasting, it must never be fasting in order to appear unto man, verse sixteen. Notice the lovely expressions. Not to glory of man in the matter of alms giving, not to be seen of man in the matter of praying, and not to appear unto man in the matter of fasting. Praying, not to have glory of man, verse two, or rather alms giving, not to have glory of man, verse two. not giving and sounding a trumpet to be seen of man and to have glory of man. And secondly, and importantly, verse three, not giving as a matter of self-gratification. That's how verse three must be understood. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. Here it's not so much doing at the mission of man, but letting one's own left hand know what one's own right hand doeth. What does the Lord Jesus mean by that? He says, give and forget. Don't give to have a sense of self-gratification, to feel that I've done something good, I've done something worthwhile. After the Lord, when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. Here it's not in terms of having glory of man, but giving out of a sense of self-gratification. For the hypocrite gives to glory of man out of a sense of self-gratification. Then, in this matter of praying, not to be seen of men, verse five, one must pray to the Father and Spirit. And we're going to notice our Lord mentions that they have not to pray like the hypocrite, verse five. nor the heathen, verse seven. The disciple must never pray like the hypocrite, verse five. We shall try and understand what is to say about that in a few moments. But one must neither pray like the hypocrite, one must not pray like the heathen either, verse seven. I will try and learn what that means in a few moments. Then in this matter of fasting, not fasting to appear before man, but if there be this matter of fasting, it must be unto the Father which is in secret, verse 18. And thus the Lord Jesus made it clear to his disciples that if they would fast, verse sixteen, they must not be of a sad countenance. And verse sixteen, they must not disfigure their face, that others might know that they're fasting and trading their chiasm. Now we might not care to fast today, though we can fast if we will. But my dear brethren, let me just mention this. Let's never become guilty of going about with a long face, a face that never smiles, a face that would intend to make people think, well, he's a very godly person. He's a very sober person. And often behind the long face, there's the heart of a hypocrite. If I'm living a life of self-discipline, trying to be near to God, I don't try to impress people with that. That's what the hypocrite does. Then in the second section, and very briefly, verses nineteen to thirty four, the wrong attitude to possessions, the lack of faith in the matter of possessions. We notice that in verses 19 to twenty four, the Lord addresses himself to the rich, and in verses twenty five to thirty four, he addresses himself to the poor, and his word to both is very simple. To the rich he says in verse nineteen, lay not up. And to the poor he says in verses twenty five, thirty one, and thirty four, take no thought. His teaching is very simple. He says, you who are rich, lay not up. Lay not up for yourselves, verse nineteen, um And to the poor, verses twenty five, thirty one, thirty four, take no thought, that is, take no anxious thought. Thus, in verses nineteen to twenty four, to the rich, he simply says, don't be ambitious for self. Lay not up for yourselves. But notice what he says. He does not say, lay not up for yourselves, riches are for now. What he says is this, lay not up for yourselves, treasures are now. I wonder why he says treasure and not riches. That is important. A treasure is something that I love. Treasure is something that has won my heart. And the disciple must always say that riches are not something that he loves. And riches have never become something that has won one's heart. This is lay not, lay not treasures on that, but he adds for yourselves. Lay not up for yourselves treasures on that. Why did he say for yourselves? He's dealing with self-centered ambition, laying up treasures for oneself. Did not our Lord Jesus say in verse twenty one of this chapter, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. And no disciple must ever set his heart upon wealth and esteem wealth as treasures. And the Lord Jesus makes it clear, very clear from verse nineteen that treasures are not, they're very insecure. And never has been a day when treasures or wealth were more insecure than the day in which we live. In the days of our Lord Jesus, treasures were exposed to three dangers. Verse nineteen: moth and rust and thieves. We cannot see to deal with these matters. But the Lord Jesus makes it very clear to the disciples in that day that treasures on earth were insecure. They were exposed to three dangers: moths, rust, and thieves. What, what does the Lord to say about the poor? Verses twenty five to thirty four. Be not anxious about self. If to the rich he says, don't be ambitious for self. To the poor he says, don't be anxious about self. If to the rich he says, lay not up, to the poor he says, take no thought, take no anxious thought, verses twenty five, thirty one, and thirty four. And if he has told the wealthy that treasures are insecure, our Lord tells the poor that the necessities of their, these are secure. Our Lord will see to it that the necessities of that, these are secure. And if to the rich he speaks of a threefold danger in terms of their riches that make them insecure, the poor he tells them there is a threefold provision that is secure. And what is a threefold provision? Verse twenty five, what you shall eat, what you shall drink, and what you shall put off. And I love the language of the Lord to these disciples, verse twenty six, your heavenly Father feeds the fowls of the air. And verse thirty, uh God clothes the grass of the field, and if he looks after them, surely he'll look after you. There then is a broad outline of the teaching of this most interesting chapter. But tonight we're going to continue the thought of prayer. Verses five to fifteen. Prayer. We notice we have three prayers brought before us in this section. Verses five and six, we have the hypocrite's prayer. Verses seven and eight, we have the heathen's prayer. Then in verses nine to fifteen, we have the patron prayer. How orderly the Lord Jesus sets for his teaching, as every teacher ought to endeavor to be orderly in their presentation. Verses five and six, the hypocrite's prayer. Verses seven to eight, the heathen's prayer. And verses nine to fifteen, the pattern prayer. And please notice, when the Lord Jesus deals with the hypocrite's prayer, he deals with the manner in which the hypocrite prays. Verse five, to the sin of man. Thus he says, you must not pray like the hypocrite, for the hypocrite prays to the sin of men. That's the manner in which he prays. When we teach of the heathen's prayer in verses 7 to eight, It doesn't deal with the manner in which the heathen pray, but the matter of their prayer. He says, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do to be heard of God. The hypocrite prays to be seen. The heathen prays to be heard, and he uses vain repetition. Then we have the pattern prayer. It's not all negative with the Lord's teaching. We have the pattern prayer, and this is positive, and he says, after this manner, verse nine, pray ye. So let's look at the hypocrite's prayer, the heathen prayer, and finally the pattern prayer. The hypocrite's prayer. Why, says the Lord in verse five, and when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say to you, they have their reward. Now, please notice that in verse five, our Lord is not dealing with public prayer. Some turn to this verse to deal with condemnation of public prayer. Well, this is not in the Lord's mind at all. What is he dealing with here? Just this. Private prayer being offered in public places. That's what we're dealing with. What belongs to the private in matter, in the matter of prayer, being displayed in public. Praying in public, why? To be seen. Praying in public to have an audience. Praying in public to seek a reputation from man for one's piety. That's what the Lord is dealing with here. Private prayer offered in public to be seen of man, to have a reputation from man for being a pious person. Note that the Lord Jesus says, they love to pray. Well, all of us ought to love to pray. I've been dealing with that during the week, but notice the hypocrite loves to pray to the sin, to the sin of man. The Jewish practice of prayer lends itself to hypocrisy. Let me remind you, the Jew had stated times for prayer. He prayed at the third hour, and the sixth hour, and the ninth hour. Thus the Jew had stated times for prayer, and if the Jew wanted to be hypocrite and parade his piety, it was very easy for a Jew to order his circumstances to be at some conspicuous place at the third hour or the sixth hour or the ninth hour. It may be outside the synagogue, it may be at a street corner, and the manner in which the Jew prayed lent itself to ostentation, for the Jew prayed with his hands outstretched, his palms upward, and his head down. Thus, it was very easy for a Jew to be hypocrite in the matter of prayer, to pray ostentatiously at some public spot, to be seen of men and derived from man a cheap reputation, a reputation for his clarity. Now, let me make it very clear, our Lord Jesus here is not dealing with the matter of silently, unobtrusively, breathing a prayer to God, no matter where we might be. He's not dealing with that. What he says in verse six, but when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou shut thy door, pray to the Father which is in secret, and the Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee, most rendings of it the world openly. Thus the Lord Jesus makes it clear that there is both a place and a manner for private prayer. What is the place of private prayer? Ah, said the Lord Jesus, enter into thy closet. There's the place for private prayer, the closet or the inner chamber, not the street corner, but the inner chamber. This is why because in Matthew chapter twenty four verse twenty six, when the Lord Jesus is heard to say, wherefore? Oh, he is in the desert, that is the Messiah, go not forth. Behold, he is in a secret chamber, believe it not. Thus private prayer belongs to the secret chamber. And what is the manner of private prayer? That the Lord Jesus, pray in secret to the Father. Here is private prayer in the inner chamber and praying in secret to the Father. Of course, this is not always possible. You remember in Nehemiah chapter one verse uh four, Artaxerxes said to Nehemiah, for what dost thou make request? Answered Nehemiah, so I pray to the God of heaven. And there in the presence of the monarch, secretly, unobtrusively, Nehemiah sent a prayer to God. That's what the Lord is dealing with here. He's dealing with a hypocrite who prays publicly to be seen of man. I'd like to pause, my brother, my sister, and challenge all our hearts this evening. I want to ask us all, what do we know of praying in secret to the Father behind the closed doors of one's inner chamber. How much do we know of that? I've had a lot of ministry from John chapter twenty where John tells us the disciples were gathered together on the first day of the week, and the doors were shut. Then came Jesus as to do the midst and showed to them his hands and his side. And we have been exhorted, and rightly so, that that's what we ought to do in the Lord's the morning as we gather together to shut the doors, keeping out everything that would hinder us from enjoying his presence in our midst. And brethren, that is so necessary. But there is another side to the shut door. Not just the shut door of the upper room, the assembly, at the breaking of bread, but the shut door of one's inner chamber. Christian friend, let me ask you, when did you last have the experience behind the shut door of an inner chamber praying to the Father in secret? Then the Lord goes on to speak of heathen prayer, verses seven and eight. He says in verse seven, but when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that you be heard for their much speaking. The heathen use vain repetitions, and says the Lord, don't you use vain repetitions? And you've heard it said before, right, as so. The Lord Jesus is not here condemning repetition. He is condemning vain repetition. And it's not wrong to repeat ourselves in prayer. Let me remind you, in Gethsemane, our Lord Jesus prayed the same prayer three times over. And the Apostle Paul tells us that he himself besought the Lord thrice concerning the thorn in the flesh. Thus the Lord is not condemning repetition here. He's condemning vain repetition. The vain repetition of the heathen. As for instance the Tibetans with their prayer wheels, as for instance the Buddhists with his beads, and might I say the Roman Catholics with the repeated Ave Marias. That's the type of thing the Lord is thinking of here, not just repetition, but vain repetition. In fact, this word for repetition is an interesting word. Sometimes it is rendered babbling overmuch. In fact, literally it means to stammer, and that's the idea. And what does a person do who stammers, unable to do otherwise? That person repeats words with no additional meaning and no additional significance. Now, said the Lord Jesus, you must not pray like that. Well, that's how the heathen pray. They just repeat their words with no additional meaning and no additional significance. What the Lord is condemning here is just this, in our prayers, heaping up empty phrases. That's vain repetitions. You may remember in one Kings chapter eighteen, verse twenty six, the prophets of Baal, they cried out, "O Baal, answer us." And they cried out that for the space of half a day. "O Baal, answer us." And they cried it out for the space of half a day. In Acts chapter nineteen verse thirty four we're told that for two hours the Ephesians cried, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And why does the heathen heap up these empty phrases? Said the Lord Jesus, they think they should be heard for their much speaking. Brethren, it's not enlightening. They think they should be heard for their much speaking. My brother, my sister, please listen to this. God is never impressed by a mere multitude of words. We cannot impress God with a multitude of words. My brother, let me say this, neither the length nor the eloquence of a man's prayer impresses God. God wants his sincerity and not hypocrisy. In fact, I tell you this, my brother, God answers what we don't ask for. He said to Solomon, because the heart's not asked for. Remember in our prayers, God reads the heart. Not just impressed with words, God reads the heart. He even prayer. Verse eight: be not ye therefore light unto them, for your Father knoweth what things you need of before you ask him. I dealt with this already. We'll not delay to speak on it now, as time is going rather fast. We think now of the pattern prayer. Before thinking of this pattern prayer, let me just make one or two remarks. When we come to Luke chapter eleven, we discover that this prayer was given by our Lord in response to the request of the disciples. Luke eleven verses two to four: Lord, teach us to pray. It may be this prayer was taught by the Lord on more than one occasion. I want to make it clear that this prayer, strictly speaking, is not a Christian prayer. Not come understood, but this prayer, strictly speaking, is not a Christian prayer. The language employed, the person addressed, and the promises given are not Christian. In fact, we have to observe most clearly the Jewish character of the Sermon on the Mount. We cannot get away from its Jewish character. For instance, in chapter six, verses thirty one to thirty two, the Lord Jesus said to his disciples, take no thought saying, what shall we eat? What shall we drink? Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For all these things do the Gentiles seek. He says, I'm speaking to you as Jews, and don't do what the Gentiles do. Thus, this prayer, strictly speaking, is not a Christian prayer. It has a Jewish background. It was given to the disciples who did not know how to pray, who said to the Lord, Lord, teach us to pray. But more of that in a few moments. What about prayer in the day in which we live? What does the New Testament tell us about the character of prayer for the day in which we live. In John chapter six, in verse number six, the Lord Jesus said to his disciples, at that day, not the day in which we now live, the day of the Holy Spirit, ye shall ask in my name. Brethren, here's how we pray today. We ask in his name. But what is meant by asking in his name? My brother, my sister, I want you to understand this. If I do anything in a person's name, I do it in their absence, and I do it as their representative. Thus, after Allah's death and resurrection and ascension, brothers, sisters, listen to this. The believer in prayer is given the Son's own place before the Father. Now let me repeat that. And let the wonder sink into our hearts. When I pray today, I'm actually given the Son's own place before the Father, that's praying in his name. The Lord taught the disciples in Matthew chapter six, our Father waits us in heaven. Thus they had to pray. I won't busy here this evening. That is not the language of the Christian. That's the language of the Jew. Our Father which art in heaven. What is the language of the church of God of this day? Not our Father which art in heaven, but Abba Father. I want just to take a moment or two on that. In Galatians chapter three and chapter four, the Apostle speaks of the Jew being led unto a child under tutors and governors, under the time appointed of the father. And what was the time appointed of the father as far as the Jewish child was concerned? The time point of the father was when his child would enter into his majority, leave his minority, enter into his majority, cease from being a child and given the place of a son before the father. As a child, says Paul, he was under tutors and governors, and that was the due under the law. Due the child under tutors and governors. Tutors and governors looked after his education and after his morals. That was a due under the law. Thou shalt not, and thou shalt. What was the time appointed of the father? When the father wanted his child to be no longer a child, to cease from being under tutors and governors, and have the position of a son before the Father. Now, says the apostle, there came a time in God's dealings with man when God desired the longest of a people before him, just like a child under tutors and governors, like a people under the law. God wanted a people before him in the dignity and the position of sons. And how has God accomplished this? Ah, says the apostle, I'll tell you, when the fullness of the time was come. And that expression, the fullness of the time, equates with the time appointed the Father. When the through the time was come, God sent forth his son, made of woman made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the sonship. And please note the teaching of that verse. Not to redeem a people from the curse of a broken law. It doesn't say that. To redeem a people from the law as a way of life under tutors and governors, that we might receive the sunshine. And God's son in the throes of time went to Calvary to redeem a people from being tutors, under tutors and governors, under the law, that we in the day of grace might receive the Son's sight. And brother, because of Calvin tonight, we have received the Son's sight. We're given the place of sons before the Father, but God has done more. And please listen to this. Says the Apostle further in Galatians chapter fourteen, um and because you are sons, God has sent the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying out, Father. Not in the matter of our sonship. God sent the Son from heaven to Calvary that we might receive it. And God has sent the Spirit of his Son into his heart that we might enjoy it. God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your heart and mind, whereby we cry, Abba Father. Brethren, I want you to listen to this. To me, this is most precious, and not understood as it ought to be understood. A man might adopt a child. He might lavish upon that child all his love. He may expend upon that child all his wealth, but two things a man can never do. He can never alter that child's descent, and he can never impart to that child his own nature. And people who are adopting children are invariably told, never expect anything from a child, and never look for yourself in the child. And that's wise counsel. But brethren, what man cannot do, our God has done for you and me. He has brought us into his family and is sent into my heart and your heart the spirit of his son, whereby we cry Abba Father. And I have in my heart, and you have in your heart, the spirit of the son, whereby we cry Abba Father. But you ask the question, what is Abba Father? And I've said this here before, and I'm going to say it again. You dismiss from your mind all thought that Abba is the listing of an infant. That's what's being taught today, that Abba is just the equivalent of daddy. There's nothing farther removed from the truth than that. It's because you're sons and along your infants. God has sent into your heart the spirit of his son, whereby we cry Abba Father. And let me remind you from Mark chapter fourteen, This was the language of God's Son in the Garden of Gethsemane, when he cried to his Father, Abba Father, all things are possible unto thee. Let this cup pass from now. And would you think for one moment that when God's Son said in the garden, Abba Father, that that was the listing of an infant. No, brethren, it was the heart cry of God's Son. And Abba Father is language of one who's enjoying with the fact that he's a son of the sons of God and has in his heart the spirit of his own Son. Thus we cry Abba Father. You might ask the question, why Abba? Why Father? Well, it is said that no slave was ever permitted to call his master Abba, and that is true. We are not slaves, we're sons. But I want to suggest something else. Whenever you have in your New Testament untranslated Aramaic, it always bespeaks deep feeling and deep pathos. Here the apostle said, one Corinthians chapter sixteen, if any man love not the Lord Jesus, let him be anathema maranatha. Paul is employing deep feeling and deep pathos. And Matthew tells us in his gospel that at the end of the hours of darkness, our Savior cried, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani. Language of deep feeling and deep purpose. And thus we're in God's family now. The spirit of God's son is in our hearts, and with deep feeling and patently cry, Abba, Father. Brethren, isn't it wonderful? In our unconverted days, Paul tells us in Romans chapter three, our thoughts were an open sepulcher. With our tongues we used to see. The point of us was under our lips, and our mouth was full of cursing and bitterness. But now, saved by God's grace, brought into God's family, given the position of sons and the spirit of his son in our hearts, we can employ, meaningfully and worshipfully, the same language as God's own son, Abba Father. I've intended to go to Romans chapter eight, but time doesn't permit. Time really has gone. But let me just, in closing to this, please observe that this prayer in Matthew chapter six. is not a form of prayer, either for private or public utterance. Our Lord Jesus said in verse nine, after this manner, therefore pray ye. He did not say in these exact words, pray ye, but after this manner, he was setting the disciples pattern, a pattern for and principles for prayer, and indeed a pattern and principle that remains for all time. What are the principles of prayer in this pattern prayer? Just very. We notice that this prayer divides itself into two. In the first half, it is thy, thy, thy. In the second half, it is us, us, us. That becomes very obvious. Our Father waits us in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done. Thus, in the first half of the prayer, it is concerned for God's name, God's kingdom, and God's will. Then, in the second part, it's us, us, us. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts. Lead us not into temptation, and deliver us from evil. Us, us, us. What then is the significance? Did not our Lord Jesus say, seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. Verse what he said. Brethren, here's an abiding principle in the matter of prayer. And what is it? God's interests first, and mine next. I wonder if that's how I pray. Is that how you pray? Is there predominant in your heart when you're praying God's interest first, then mine afterwards? And as we'd expect in this prayer, there are seven petitions in this pattern prayer. But will you please notice, only one of these petitions is for a material, a physical need. Give us this day our daily bread. Only one petition for a material and a physical need. I wonder if that's how we pray. Brethren, let me ask you this this evening. Is your desire for spiritual blessings in relation to material and physical blessings, the ratio of six to one? That's how the Lord teaches us to pray. Then notice further the tremendous range of petitions in this prayer. Thy kingdom come. Praying for the inauguration of God's kingdom, when God will accept, when God will assert his rights on the earth in irresistible power. Praying for that. Then praying for one's daily needs. Give us this day our daily breath. And finally, and I must close. Notice what our attitude and prayer ought to be from this breath. Number one, we approach as a reverent son. Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. The language of a reverent son. Secondly, we approach as a loyal subject. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, even as it is done in heaven. Thirdly, we approach as a dependent creature. Give us this day our daily bread. Fourthly, we approach as a strange child and forgive us our debts. And fifthly, we approach as a helpless mortal and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Deum masque. Shall we pray? Our Father, we thank thee again for these important principles, abiding principles in the matter of prayer. Write them on our hearts, we pray, and again we cry to thee to help us to take our prayer life more seriously, to recognize the deep need of being in touch with thee, laying hold upon thee in our weakness and in our inadequacy. Bless thy word, we pray, to all of our hearts, and grant us thy blessing too, as now we part in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Thank you.