SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

(Matthew 6 : 1-18)
A Message by Rev. Dr. Vincent Leoh on 28 & 29 October 2000

We have to learn if we want to live this life fully, that we have to discipline ourselves.

In Matthew 6:1-18, we see the Christian lives divided into three main sections in terms of what I do with others, what I do with God, what I do with myself. Let me focus on the second part, that is the Discipline of Prayer.

I. “WHEN YOU GIVE …” (6:1-4)

“Alms” is but the outward expression of the God-likeness of the Kingdom man whose giving stems from the grace of God. That almsgiving is, and always will be, a duty is plainly involved here.

II. “WHEN YOU FAST …” (6:5-6)

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen …” (Isa.58:6-7)

Man is body, mind and spirit. And these are very intimately related to one another and interact very closely upon one another. Fasting means an abstinence from food for the sake of certain special purposes such as prayer or meditation or the seeking of God for some peculiar reason or under some special circumstance.

III. “WHEN YOU PRAY …” (6:5-6)

There is a right way of praying, and again the whole secret is in the matter of the approach. Luther’s motto gives us the secret of success along these lines: “To have prayed well is to have studied well.”

1. EXCLUSION.

There are certain things, which we have to shut out whether we are praying in public or whether we are praying in secret. You shut out and forget other people. Then you shut out and forget yourself.

A. When You Pray : A Time to Commit
“When you pray” (:5). It is necessary to insist upon the duty of observing private prayer at stated times, because amid the cares and hurry of life men are very apt to neglect it.

B. When You Pray : A Place to Meet
“When you pray, enter into your closet” – that is, have a set place for prayer. The Savior assumes that each disciple has some such habitual retreat, the shrine of his most blessed recollections, the place were the soul feels most at home, enjoys its Sabbaths, its home of vision, and its walks with God.

2. REALIZATION

We must realize that we are in the presence of God. It means realizing something of who God is and what God is.

A. When You Pray : Error (1) to Avoid : Hypocrites
“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites.” (:5)
Hypocrisy of Pharisees : Danger of being interested in myself.

B. When You Pray : Error (2) to Avoid : Heathenism
“Use not vain repetitions, as the heathens do.” (:7)
Futility of the heathens : Danger of being interested in my manner of praying.

3. CONFIDENCE

When You Pray : A Name to Relate/Call
“Our Father.” (:9)
We must come with the simple confidence of a child. We need a childlike faith. It means that when I pray, I know that God is my Father, and He delights to bless me, and that He is much more ready to give than I am ready to receive. He is concerned about my welfare. The essence of prayer is found in two words: “Our Father.” If you can say from you heart, whatever your condition, “My Father,” in as sense your prayer is already answered.

IV. WHEN YOU … GOD WILL …

When you give, pray and fast, God promises you two things:

1. Presence of God
This is the fundamental thing, the most serious thing of all, that we are always in the presence of God. He sees everything and knows everything, and we can never escape from His sight. If we were to practice this is would be revolutionary. I am quite certain a revival would start at once. What a difference it would make to church life, and the life of every individual – just realizing that we are always there in the presence of God.

2. Rewards of God
Thank God, the reward is certain and safe, “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” The one thing that matters is that we be right with God and concerned about pleasing Him. If we are concerned about that we may leave the rest to Him. He may withhold the rewards for years, it does not matter. We shall receive it; His promises never fail.