Matthew 6:9–13Scripture
Jesus sits on the mountain. He comes off of teaching about the biatitudes and he says this. Pray like this. Our Father 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. Notice how much plurality is in this.
Right. Right. So, pause for a minute. When we think about our prayer life, we think about us talking to God. Often times what happens is we speak with mentric mindset.
And forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. And notice it's connecting you with people who do evil. It's not all them do evil. God bless me. All those people have problems. I don't. It's looping you into the problem.
You're as much of a problem in the world as your neighbor.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 1:13
You know how you love your neighbor? Realize you're like them. I know things have been perpetrated against you by your neighbor. And you have been a perpetrator of evils to those around you as well. You're not unique in that sense. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others, that's not the right thing. Give us this day. I skipped. 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 forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Introduction
The rest I read was I skipped and then that's for next week. We don't we don't have time for that right now. I want to this morning I titled my sermon and I think it's fitting. We are not God. We're not quite honestly I can't I have difficulty managing my personal life. Then when you think beyond that, when you think of managing a home, I might every once in a while get a single on that one.
When you think of managing things beyond that, it begins to get overwhelming. It's overwhelming just to talk about managing herself, but managing the home. And then you think and you move the sphere out of the things that we're responsible to manage in life. It gets overwhelming.
Can you imagine being God with your current abilities?
Pastor Shawn Gray · 2:47
Yet often times our life is framed from this idea that we are God.
Now we would never say that. We certainly wouldn't say it in a small group setting. We wouldn't say it over dinner with our friends. We hopefully would never say it from a pulpit.
But the reality is there is this thing in us that the center of the universe starts with us and that's a problem.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 3:11
And really quite honestly if you were to ask me what Jesus is teaching us here when he teaches us how to pray is he's trying to help remove us off the throne and teach us how to pray with him on it.
Therefore, when he teaches us to pray, he teaches us h how to celebrate the one who should be on the throne, how to glorify his name, how to recollect and remember who he is.
Too often we don't consider these things. It's why our prayers are full of questions about his character and his nature because we don't often remind oursel through declaration who he is.
Let me explain it plainly for you.
Prayer is not where God serves you. It's not what prayer is. Prayer is where we remember that we are not him.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 4:14
I've traveled the world quite extensively over the last three years. I have done some missionary work and I've traveled some but over the last three years I've really traveled internationally. And it's really fascinating because there's different parts of the world where they worship all sorts of gods.
You can't even go into a mall without seeing some offering or gift placed there and incense burning day and night to the God that they want to serve them.
So if you have a need in your family, there's a specific God. If you have a need in your marriage, there's a specific God you can give offering to, you can give gifts to, and you can lift up incense to, and you can pray to that God that he might serve you.
It sounds silly, and when you think about it, if you were to experience that and watch that happen internationally, you might have questions about why people function this way. It would make you uncomfortable. Yet our prayer life is much like this. We approach him. We ask him. Not no not even we bring him gifts.
We ask him to bring us gifts because we think we're God.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 5:42
We think we should be worshiped. We should be appreciated. We should be loved and respected and honored. And because of our service to him, we should receive blessing.
We've placed oursel on the throne and it's affected our prayer life and we should be reminded and I think Jesus is helping to unhitch us from this idea that we're God.
Although we would never say it affects the way we pray. And you can get to the heart of the issue by hearing how you pray.
This generation does not struggle primarily with atheism. We struggle with selfexaltation.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 6:25
That's our struggle. And it frames everything. How we have conversations with one another, how we engage one another, and ultimately how we engage God.
We want to exalt oursel. And we don't we dare not we dare not inside the church or in open conversation, we dare not deny God with our mouths. So we sing to him and we post about him on social media and we quote him. We love posting Scriptures about him.
But in practice in every area of our life we have a tendency to center our self and put him on the outskirts.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 7:10
Our comfort is sacred for our lives. Our ambition in life is the ultimate thing and ultimately our feelings are paramount.
You ever been there? Listen, how much have your feelings dictated the way you operate? Oh man, I'm man. And then we walk into prayer expecting heaven to revolve around us. So Jesus then steps into Matthew 6 and he dismantles this delusion.
He does not just give us poetic language. He gives us dethroning ceremony.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 7:56
This is important. He does not teach us not just teach us how to pray.
He teaches us how to come off the throne through prayer.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 8:08
He says this, pray like this. He's teaching you how to come off the throne. And with those words, he begins to rearrange the universe inside of us.
Point 1Prayer reorders the conversation
Now, listen. Point one, we'll do this quickly. Prayer reorders the conversation. All right. Before we even examine the words, notice the structure. Jesus does not say when you pray, make sure you listen for instructions for the decision you need to make.
It's not there. Listen for instruction. He does not say when you pray, wait for strategy. He does not say when you pray expect a revelation. It's not what he says. He says when you pray say speak.
Prayer is about speaking declarations of his goodness and his nature.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 9:26
This is not accidental. We live in a generation obsessed with hearing.
What did God tell you? What did you receive from him? What was revealed to you when you asked him questions? But when listening, listen to me, listen to me. When listening becomes central, something subtly happens inside of us. We become a reference point for all of life. It's all about you. It's about what you hear. It's about the direction you get.
It's all about you. So, he doesn't start with listening. Matter of fact, he doesn't even talk about it at all. And when they ask him how to pray, if you had the world's leading expert on prayer to come to a conference, you would inc you would expect in a world where much of our conversation about prayer is about hearing, you would expect if that was paramount in our prayer life that he would talk about that in a seminar.
This is the world's leading expert on prayer. Yet he says nothing about listening. Nothing. When listening becomes central, something happens on our heart.
Did I hear you correctly, God? Did I feel you move just now? God, did I receive clarity about that? God see the focus shifts to you. Prayer is not about you. It's about him. It's not about your will. It's about his.
Prayer in Matthew 6 does not start with what God is saying to you. It starts with what you must say about him.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 11:42
Here's a truth you can write down.
When your spiritual life revolves around what you're hearing, you can slowly place yourself at the center of the conversation.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 11:52
So Jesus in fact here is restoring order. This prayer protects us from self-enthonement.
It reminds us that the primary issue in prayer is not revelation, but it is reverence.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 12:13
Track with me here. If you enter into prayer wanting revelation all the time, good luck revering him. You will only revere you. So he is teaching us how to get ourself off the throne so we can place him on the throne.
And the best way we do that is declaring his goodness. And you can't see his goodness if you're on the throne. It's not about revelation. It's about reverence.
Point 2The throne is already occupied
Point two. We're moving real quick, aren't we? You're getting to lunch quick today. The throne is already occupied. And this should be good news. He says, "Our father in heaven." Our father, not your father, not my father. Our father who is in heaven. Every time we speak of him, we speak of him through the lens of community. Hallowed be your name.
Stop right there. Here. Here's the key. He is in heaven. You are not. He is in heaven. You are not. That shatters our ego just a smidge, does it not?
Prayer does not begin with your problem. It begins with his position. And your problem is not a problem when you understand his position.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 13:57
Don't make your problem Lord. Don't make your problem bigger than God.
Your problem is in the lower realm. He is above it. That's good news. Can I get an amen? That's good news for all you who have a problem today. He's higher than your problem. Your problem exists here on earth. It's a lower realm. He is above your problem and he is above you. That should encourage you today. He is father.
He is in heaven. His name is holy. This is good news. Holy means set apart or other or unmatched.
Prayer begins by restoring the distance between the creator and the creation.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 14:57
There is a chasm there. His ways are higher than your ways. He's reminding you as much as he came near, there is still grand separation between man and God.
He has reconciled the through reconciliation, through the belief in Jesus Christ, his death and atonement for our sin. And we've all sinned through the death of Jesus and the resurrection of death and sin and the grave. And we're thankful. But there still is a physical separation that will one day be remedied when he returns.
Prayer begins by restoring the distance. We live in a culture that erases that distance.
We talk about God like he's our peer. We approach him casually like he's our homeboy.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 15:52
I guess homeboy's fist bump. I don't know. We speak to him as if he needs our approval. But Jesus slows us down. He's teaching us before you ask, before you complain, before you petition, remember who you're speaking to.
I'm above you. I'm holy. You're not.
How silly is it for an unholy person to talk to a holy God about what he should be doing?
Pastor Shawn Gray · 16:36
So he start he kicks this whole thing off. Remember who he is. Remember he's holy and you're not. And if you're not holy, do you know how much perversion can happen in your request just by the nature of you not being like him?
So, let's just take a moment and let's declare his holiness rather than trying to act like we are and like we have a plan and like we know what he should be doing and like we you're not God.
Remember who you're speaking to.
Listen, if you're never humbled in prayer, you have suddenly enthroned yourself.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 17:22
It's a problem. I don't know about you, but I've I've been guilty of that. I've been guilty of that.
The throne is not empty. It never has been and it never will be. And prayer reminds you that you are not the center of reality.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 17:44
Point 3You cannot build two kingdoms
He is. Number three, you cannot build two kingdoms. They don't It just doesn't work that way. Your kingdom come, your will be done. It's reminding you, your heart should long for his will and his kingdom to come to earth, not yours.
Oh man, that's a hard one for me because I got some I got some ideas I'd like to present to him about how he could do this better.
You ever been there? Come on. Come on. Just be honest with me. Have you ever been there, God? I mean, if you would have consulted me first. I mean, we probably could have got this right. But since you just decided just willy-nilly crazy, silly just go off and do what you want. You've messed this whole thing up. That sounds crazy when I say it from the pulpit.
But really our prayers are marked by such things. God help us. Humble our prideful hearts help us. Your kingdom, your will. Not my dream refined. God. Oh great and mighty God, refiner of silver and gold, refine my plans and make them better.
I don't know why I'm doing that. And that's going to be weird on video.
He's not interested in refining you. He's interested in establishing his kingdom.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 19:40
Not my plan improved. Not by ambition baptized but your kingdom. I'll tell you I'll tell you quite honestly that have you ever been at a place where you realize later in life like so you're you know you're serving the Lord and you're doing these things and you're and you're and you're and you're wanting to be like him and later in life you realized all of that was vanity.
In the moment you felt like it was just really you just you know just selflessly serving the Lord. But later in life when you peer back you're like that was all that was rling people around a cause that you thought was Christ but really was self.
Been there? I have. If we live this way stands to reason we pray this way. So Jesus is trying to help us understand we are not God. We have plans and we have wills and quite honestly he's trying to help remind you that your will wrestles with his will. We live in an age of a obsessed with building personal empires, platforms, brands, churches, influence.
And then a matter of fact, not matter of fact, not only is that our heart's desire, but people who do its best are paid best. So we incentivize this behavior. Don't think this is not demonic. I'm not saying you have a demon. I'm not saying people have a demon. I'm just saying the enemy is involved with this kind of It's interesting.
And so what we
To live counterculturally, we've got to pray counterculturally.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 21:47
We've got to remember that what forms the culture is not necessarily what forms the kingdom. And then we ask God, we build platforms and brands and influence. And then we ask God to endorse it, bless my vision, accelerate my timeline, remove my obstacles. But Jesus teaches us to reserve the direction of prayer to reverse it.
Prayer is not heaven endorsing your kingdom.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 22:24
It is you surrendering to his.
If your will never bends in prayer, you're still pretending to be sovereign and you're not God.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 22:31
You cannot pray this prayer honestly and remain the ruler of your own life.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 22:44
When you say your will be done, you are laying down control and control.
Honestly, control is the idol of this age. And control is at the root of every problem you deal with.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 22:59
The best way you can unhitch yourself from one problem after the other is to lay down control and let him have it.
Prayer. This prayer specifically confronts the control you want.
Point 4Dependence destroys illusion
Number four, dependence destroys illusion. Give us this day. Give us this day our daily bread.
Daily not accumulated independence. We want to accumulate a lot in this age because we want to be independent. We don't want to be dependent on anybody or anything, right? We hate dependence. Matter of fact, the more independent you are, the more we'll celebrate you in our culture. It shows that you have your stuff together. You have a plan.
And I'm not saying be irresponsible, not to invest for later on. I'm not I'm not saying I'm anti Jeeoff, don't worry. I'm not saying that I am anti- compound interest. I think we should be wise with our finances. We should be shrewd businessmen. Right? I said Jeff because he's my financial adviser. You understand what I'm saying? I'm saying we should be shrewd businessmen.
We should be wise. We should not bury it in the sand, but we should multiply it. God teaches us this. But at the same time that can then foster in us independence. So then when we pray that independent attitude begins to shape how we pray and engage God. But he did not want you to be independent.
He wants you to be dependent on daily bread, not yearly bread.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 24:53
Well, I have stockpiles OF bread SO I never have TO depend on God. That's NOT what HE said. Learn TO BE dependent on him. Not a lifetime security.
Daily. In other words, you wake up needy. He remains faithful daily. That rhythm humbles pride.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 25:13
We celebrate self-sufficiency. Jesus teaches daily dependence. Listen, you're not the source. You're not the source.
You're not self- sustaining. You're not self-made.
Listen, every breath you breathe is borrowed. It's borrowed. Every meal from God is mercy.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 25:47
Here's a memorable truth.
The illusion of self-sufficiency dies at the altar of daily bread. When you ask for bread, you admit you're not God.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 26:02
It's time to come off the throne. Because God does not ask for provision.
He is the provider. You see the problem? You see what he's doing? He's inviting you to dethrone yourself. He's inviting you off the throne.
Point 5Confession crushes pride
Last point. Last point. Confession crushes pride. Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
If you were ultimate, you would not need forgiveness. If you were holy, you would not need forgiveness. If you were sovereign, you would not need guidance.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 26:55
But Jesus builds confession into the structure of prayer to remind you aren't God.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 27:11
Forgive us. Listen to not if we fail, when we fail.
This culture preaches self-affirmation. We celebrate things like people standing in the mirror and speaking affirmations over themsel. But in this prayer, God does not do that. He speaks God affirmations.
The pathway to true freedom is not enthroning yourself. It's in dethroning yourself and understanding he is the only true God who should be sitting on that throne.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 27:53
You see what culture does to pervert your life and your prayer?
He says lead us. Forgive us. And then he says, "Lead us." That is not language of a ruler. Rulers lead. He's like, "You ain't one. You need to be led." That is language of a follower. Deliver us. That is not strength. That shows you need him. That is surrender. Listen, he's putting you in your place. Man, I just wish I could come to Echo Church and be celebrated for a whole hour.
I know that's the problem. You're not God. Only he is worthy of praise. Are you with me today? It is rightly understanding that we rightly live as he intended us to live. And it is rightly understanding that we rightly pray as we are supposed to pray.
The mouth that refuses confession is the heart that still wants the throne.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 29:24
I'll close with this.
Many of us are exhausted because we're trying to carry a weight we were never meant to bear.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 29:34
Control the outcomes of life. Provision. Perfection. We're trying to function as if everything depends on us. But there is only one God. He is holy. He is king. He is provider. He's deliverer. And you ain't him. You're not him.
Some people are burdened beyond measure because they're carrying a weight they were never intended to carry.
You are not God. You're not him. It's not an insult. It's freedom.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 30:13
It's freedom.
When you pray this prayer slowly, re reverently, intentionally, you're not just reciting words. You are coming off the throne.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 30:25
We are not God. And that is the beginning of wisdom, the beginning of surrender, the beginning of true prayer as God intended.
Pastor Shawn Gray · 30:39
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