The Gift of Prayer

The Gift of Prayer

The Fourth  Wednesday of Lent, 3/24/2025

Matthew 6:5-14

Rev. Christopher W. Brademeyer

That portion of God’s holy Word for consideration this evening+ is our second lesson from the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew in the sixth chapter with special emphasis on verses five through eight which read as follows,

[Jesus said,] “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”[1]

Thus far the Scriptures.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Introduction: Why Do We Pray?

Dear friends in Christ, what a gift and privilege it is that we may pray! Prayer is not a burden, nor is it something we must do to earn God’s favor. Rather, prayer is a gift that our heavenly Father has given us, an open invitation to come before Him as dear children speak to their dear father.

Yet, if we are honest, we often struggle with prayer. We may neglect it in our daily lives, only remembering to pray when we are in crisis. Or, we may fall into the habit of thoughtless repetition, saying words without considering their meaning. Or perhaps, we hesitate to pray at all, feeling unworthy to come before God or that our concerns are beneath His interest or attention.

But in today’s lesson from Matthew, Jesus teaches us how to pray—not as a performance, not as a mindless ritual, but as true children of God. And as we learn from both Scripture and Luther’s summary of it in the Small Catechism, the Lord’s Prayer is the perfect model and guide for all our prayers.

Not Like the Hypocrites: A Heart Devoted to God

Jesus begins by warning against two common errors in prayer. First, He tells us not to be like the hypocrites who pray for show, seeking attention and praise from others. Their prayers are not truly directed to God but are a performance directed towards other human beings. Instead, Jesus calls us to pray in secret, not to be seen by others but to be heard by our Father in heaven.

This does not mean public prayer is wrong—Jesus Himself prayed publicly. Rather, it means that our prayers should come from a sincere heart, not from a desire for recognition or earthly attention. As Luther reminds us in the Large Catechism, prayer is an act of faith: We should be encouraged and drawn to pray because God has promised that He will listen to us. [2] We pray not to impress others, but because our Father invites us to do so and promises to hear us.

Not Like the Gentiles: Trusting in God’s Will

Next, Jesus warns against another mistake: using “empty phrases” or many words, as if we could manipulate God by our effort. Prayer is not about convincing God to listen; He already knows what we need before we ask.

This reminds us that prayer is not about bending God’s will to match ours, but about aligning our own desires with His will. In the Small Catechism, Luther explains that when we pray “Thy will be done”, we are not changing God’s plan, but asking Him to strengthen our faith so that we trust in His wisdom: “The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.”[3] True prayer is not about demanding of God what we want, but about trusting that our Father knows what is best for us.

The Lord’s Prayer: A Perfect Model

After these warnings, Jesus teaches us how to pray properly by giving us the Lord’s Prayer. This prayer is not only something we should recite—it is a model for all prayer. Luther called the Lord’s Prayer “the greatest martyr on earth” because it is so often spoken without thought or understanding.[4] But when we truly consider its petitions, we see that it covers every need of body and soul:

1. “Our Father who art in heaven” – We come as children before our loving Father Who gladly hears us.

2. “Hallowed be Thy name” – We ask that God’s name be honored among us in teaching and deed.

3. “Thy kingdom come” – We pray for faith, for the spread of the Gospel, and for Christ’s work to be carried out among us as well.

4. “Thy will be done” – We ask for the strength trust that God’s work and will is good, even when we do not understand it.

5. “Give us this day our daily bread” – We ask for all that we need, remembering that all things come from God.

6. “Forgive us our trespasses” – We seek the forgiving grace of Christ and pray for a forgiving heart toward others.

7. “Lead us not into temptation” – We ask for strength to resist sin and that God would deliver us from being led into sin by our selves, the world, or the Devil.   

8. “Deliver us from evil” – We ask God to save us from all harm and evil and are reminded of God’s ultimate victory over sin, death, and the devil.

Prayer as a Way of Life

In the Large Catechism, Luther exhorts us to make prayer a daily habit: A person who does not pray or call upon God in times of need and gratitude surely does not consider himself a Christian.[5] This is not a command to burden us but an encouragement to see prayer as a way of life. Just as we daily breathe air and see the act of breathing as essential to life, so should we daily call upon God—whether in times of joy or sorrow, thanksgiving or need.

Conclusion: The Confidence of Prayer

Dear friends, what a gift prayer is! We are not left to struggle through life alone, but have a Father who listens, a Savior who intercedes for us, and the Holy Spirit who helps us in our weakness.

So let us not neglect this gift. Let us pray with faith, knowing that our Father hears us. Let us use the Lord’s Prayer as our guide, remembering that in it, Christ Himself has taught us how to pray. And let us pray with confidence, trusting that God will both hear us and answer our prayers according to His perfect will.

In the holy Name of + Jesus. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] Matthew 6:5-8 English Standard Version

[2] Large Catechism, Lord’s Prayer, par. 19.

[3] Small Catechism, Lord’s Prayer, 3rd Petition

[4] Martin Luther, Volume 43, American Edition, p. 200

[5] Large Catechism, Lord’s Prayer, par. 5.