THE GOD-MAN LIVING

MESSAGE ELEVEN

THE FIRST GOD-MAN’S LIVING
A MAN OF PRAYER

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Scripture Reading: Matt. 6:5-18; 7:7-8

OUTLINE

2. The divine facts in the mystical human life of the first God-man in the record of the synoptic Gospels concerning the first God-man as the King-Savior in the kingdom of the heavens, the Slave-Savior in God’s gospel service, and the Man-Savior in God’s salvation:
   2. In His supreme teaching on the mount, the first God-man as the King-Savior in the kingdom of the heavens taught His disciples twice concerning prayer:
      1. The first time is in the central part of His supreme teaching, unveiling to His disciples the heavenly vision concerning the prayer which is critical to the kingdom life, with four negative charges as warnings—Matt. 6:5-18:
         1. The prayer: “Our Father who is in the heavens, Your name be sanctified; Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen” (vv. 9-13). This brief but critical prayer covers:
            1. 1) The Father’s holy name to be sanctified.
            2. 2) The Father’s heavenly kingdom to come.
            3. 3) The Father’s divine will to be done on earth as in the heavens.
            4. 4) The care of the supply of our necessity, our daily bread.
            5. 5) The Father’s forgiving of our debts as we have done with our debtors.
            6. 6) Not bringing us into temptation but delivering us from the devil, the evil one.
            7. 7) Recognizing and praising reverently that the kingdom, the power, and the glory belong to the Father forever.
            Note: Such a critical prayer surely increases our seeking of the kingdom of the heavens as the Father’s heart’s desire and affords us our need of the divine supply of grace to fulfill all the supreme and strict requirements of the kingdom of the heavens for the Father’s good pleasure.
         2. The four negative charges as warnings— vv. 5-8, 14-18:
            1. 1) His disciples should not pray as the hypocrites do, loving to make a show publicly that they may be seen by men and receive glory from them according to the lust of their fleshly desire; the disciples should enter into their private room, shutting their door and praying to the Father in the heavens to be seen by Him in secret and repaid by Him—vv. 5-6.
            2. 2) Neither should they pray as the Gentiles do, babbling empty words, supposing that in their multiplicity of words they will be heard; the disciples should not do like them, for the Father of the disciples knows the things that they need before they ask Him—vv. 7-8.
            3. 3) If His disciples forgive men’s offenses, their heavenly Father will forgive the disciples also; otherwise, their Father will not forgive their offenses. This annuls their prayer to their heavenly Father—vv. 14-15.
            4. 4) His disciples should not fast like the sullen-faced hypocrites, disfiguring their faces that their fast may appear to men. The disciples should fast by anointing their head and washing their face that their fast may not appear to men but to their Father who is in secret and who sees it and will repay them—vv. 16-18.
      2. The second time is in the conclusion of His supreme teaching concerning the kingdom of the heavens, when He promised the seekers of the kingdom of the heavens in Matthew 7:7-8, that they:
         1. “Ask [indicating the prayer at a distance] and it shall be given to you.”
         2. “Seek [indicating the pursuit of what is prayed for] and you shall find.”
         3. “Knock [indicating the reaching of the goal of what is sought] and it shall be opened to you.”
         Note: Such a promise assures the seekers of the kingdom of the heavens that they will be given an open door to enter into all the blessings in the kingdom of the heavens.