"Should We Repeat Prayers?" 6-20-21

Overview

Should We Repeat Prayers?

Scripture is filled with people at prayer—Solomon 1 Kings 3, the tax collector Luke 18, Daniel Daniel 9, Hannah 1 Samuel 1, and many more. But what about repeating the same prayer? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, "When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words" Matthew 6:7. The phrase has been rendered "meaningless repetition"—the kind of thing seen in pagan worship, where worshipers tried to cajole their gods into action. The prophets of Baal cried out from morning to noon 1 Kings 18, and Jeremiah rebuked those who chanted, "This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord" Jeremiah 7, as if the words themselves carried power.

Yet Scripture also commends persistence and even literal repetition. Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow who keeps coming to the unjust judge with the same plea Luke 18, promising that God will grant justice to those who cry to Him day and night. Paul prayed three times for the thorn in his flesh to be removed 2 Corinthians 12. In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed three times, "saying the same words" Matthew 26:39–44. The early church devoted itself to "the prayers" Acts 2—a definite article suggesting recorded, repeated prayers alongside spontaneous ones. And Jesus Himself gave us a prayer to pray: "Pray then in this way…" Matthew 6:9–13.

So what is Jesus condemning? Not repetition itself, but the belief that something we generate—lots of words, intense emotion, sufficient faith, perfect concentration, enough people praying along—will move God's hand to do our will. Verse 8 settles the matter: "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him" Matthew 6:8. The parable of the unjust judge is a parable of contrast: if even an unjust judge answers, how much more will our loving Father respond—not because of our technique, but because of His grace.

This is freeing news. Prayer is rooted not in our performance but in the work of Jesus Christ—His cross, His empty tomb, our baptism into Him. Even our tendency to treat prayer as works-righteousness is forgiven at the cross. We can stop trying to convince God and instead submit to His sovereign, gracious will. That means we are free to pray long prayers and short ones, fresh prayers and familiar ones, spontaneous cries and the words our Lord taught us. Pray boldly, pray often, and pray again—trusting the Father who already knows what you need.

Transcript

Let's open our Bible's please to Matthew the sixth chapter for our study today. 3s

Matthew chapter six as we study God's Word. 9s

Solomon, first Kings the third chapter, and there we find Solomon praying. 14s

Luke the 18th chapter, the tax collector, and the tax collector is praying. 23s

Daniel, the ninth chapter, and there is Daniel, praying. 32s

First, Samuel, the first chapter. 40s

Hannah, praying. 44s

Example after example, after example, in Holy Scripture of people that are praying. 48s

As we continue, are some resurmin' series Q and A, question and answers, in which we 60s

biblical exam and the question each and every week. 67s

I'd like to ask a question today about prayer, and it's this. 73s

Is it okay to repeat prayers? 80s

Is it okay to repeat prayers, or should we not repeat prayers? 84s

Let's examine that, biblical, and to do so, we turn to Matthew the sixth chapter. 95s

This is the sermon on the mount, and as part of the sermon on the mount, Jesus is great 101s

sermon. 107s

Jesus is addressing this topic of prayer. 109s

Luke when they please, at verse 7, Matthew the sixth chapter. 113s

Jesus says, when you are praying. 119s

Notice the assumption there, right? 124s

That we will be a people of prayer, when you are praying. 126s

Then he says, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do. 130s

For they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 138s

I like how they knew American standard version translates that phrase empty words. 146s

It translates it meaningless repetition, meaningless repetition. 154s

You see, heaping up empty phrases, or this is meaningless repetition. 161s

That's really found in association with pagan religions. 168s

The understanding that the God or God's have to somehow be cajold into action. 172s

I think, for example, back in, first came, is the 18th chapter. 181s

There we have the exchanges between the priests of Bale, the false God and Elijah, verse 26 says. 186s

So they, the priests of Bale, so they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, 198s

and called on the name of Bale, from morning until noon crying, 204s

O Bale and Sirus, but there was no voice and no answer. 208s

They limped about the altar that they had made. 215s

At noon, Elijah mocked them saying, cry aloud, surely he is a God, either he is meditating 221s

or he is wandered away or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened. 232s

Goes on to say, as midday past, they raved on until the time of the offering of the 244s

conjole their God or God's into action. 262s

Jeremiah addresses this also in Jeremiah the 7th chapter. 269s

These words of meaningless repetition, these empty phrases. 275s

The scripture records, God leading Jeremiah to say, do not trust in these deceptive words. 281s

This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. 288s

See the people just kept repeating that over and over and over again, thinking that somehow 295s

the repetition would have some type of effect or that the repetition of the words in 301s

other themselves would have some type of power to them. 309s

Back now to our text, Matthew 6, verse 7, Jesus says, when you are praying, do not 316s

up empty phrases as the Gentiles do for they think that they will be heard because of 328s

their many words. 337s

Just a lot of words said over and over repeated in the hope that perhaps some words will 341s

be at through and God will listen. 355s

When I was a boy, each and every night my parents would say, okay, it's time for your prayers. 364s

I would pray the same prayer every single night. 372s

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, guard me Jesus through the 379s

night and wake me with the morning light. 384s

Every single night I would pray that same prayer. 389s

So was that wrong? 400s

Was it wrong for my parents to teach me to keep repeating the same prayer every single 402s

night? 410s

If Jesus says when you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do. 412s

Don't have this meaningless repetition. 419s

Was it wrong for me to do that as a child? 425s

Is it wrong to repeat prayers? 431s

Well, let's complicate things. 439s

Shall we? 441s

I think of Luke the 18th chapter. 443s

There's a parable of our Lord, remember a parable's an earthly story with a heavenly 447s

meaning. 451s

It's a parable lot in unjust judge and a widow. 453s

And the widow keeps crying out to the judge for justice. 458s

And the unjust judge does not grant justice. 462s

The Bible tells us what are the widow keep doing. 468s

She kept coming to the judge asking for justice over and over and over again, repeating 471s

the same request. 478s

And the story tells us that finally the unjust judge, well, he just had enough. 483s

And the story says that he granted justice to the woman because he just didn't want 488s

to be worn out by her continually coming with the same request. 497s

Then it says, in that parable. 509s

And we'll not God grant justice to his chosen ones. 512s

I catch this. 517s

Who cry to him day and night? 519s

Repetition? 528s

What about the Apostle Paul? 532s

Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 12 chapter, it tells us that Paul cried out to the 536s

three times for the removal of the suffering that he was going through, the thorn in the flesh 541s

as it is described. 548s

Three times he prayed the same prayer. 551s

How about Jesus? 556s

Jesus in the Garden of Gassemony before the crucifixion, Matthew 26 chapter, verse 39, Jesus 558s

praise, my father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me yet not what I want, but 565s

what you want. 575s

Same prayer then, in verse 42. 577s

And then verse 44 records. 581s

He went away and prayed for the third time and then it says, saying the same words. 585s

How about the early Christians? 596s

In Acts 2 chapter, it talks about them praying the prayers, the definitive article there 599s

is very, very important to understand correctly. 607s

That pops up elsewhere, the prayers. 611s

In other words, as part of the prayer life of the early Christians, they had written down 616s

prayers. 623s

Sometimes we can think that the early Christians just always prayed temporarily, that no prayer 623s

was written down. 630s

That's not the case. 631s

The prayers were prayers that were recorded. 633s

It was said at certain times, they were prayers that were repeated again and again. 637s

They prayed temporarily, certainly. 649s

They also prayed, repeated, written down prayers. 651s

Or, how about the example that we have in our very text, the Lord's prayer? 661s

Pray then, in this way our Father in heaven, hellow it be your name, your kingdom come, 669s

your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 674s

Give us the stay our day, the bread, and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our 678s

debtors and do not bring us to the time of trial but rescue us from the evil one. 684s

We pray that prayer every time we worship, repeating the same prayer. 695s

So, which way is it then? 705s

Are we to repeat the prayers? 709s

Is that okay? 712s

Or is it not okay to repeat the prayers? 713s

Which way is it? 720s

It is said that Luther, every now and then, would share the story. 725s

Share the story about a monk named Bernard. 731s

The story goes that Bernard turned to this gentleman one day, they were having a discussion, 737s

and then he turned to the gentleman and he said, you know there is no way that you can pray 743s

the Lord's prayer without your mind wandering. 749s

Well, the man looked at him and thought he was crazy. 754s

He turned to Bernard and he said, well of course you can pray the Lord's prayer without 758s

your mind wandering. 761s

Bernard said, no you can't. 764s

You can't pray the Lord's prayer without your mind wandering, for now then, said this. 766s

I'll give you a horse. 775s

If you can pray the Lord's prayer without your mind wandering, man said, you're, for now 778s

and said, you need to be honest about this man said, absolutely. 786s

Man started to pray the Lord's prayer and then he stopped before he finished. 792s

He looked up to Bernard and he said, you're right. 802s

I couldn't even get past the first petition without wondering. 808s

I wonder if the horse will have a bridal. 814s

We all fall short. 824s

All fall short in our prayer life. 827s

In one of the ways that we think or one of the ways that we fall short rather in our prayer 832s

life is thinking that we can by what we do, by what we generate on our own power, that 840s

we can somehow move the hand of God so that God then will answer the prayer in accordance 851s

of course with what it is that we want. 860s

And we can do all sorts of mind games. 866s

We can think to ourselves, you know, if my mind just doesn't wander when I pray, well, 872s

then certainly God will answer my prayer. 881s

Or we can think, if I just had more faith, like a one pastor, he talked about this false 888s

notion that somehow God sits on the throne and has a faith o meter. 898s

And he just waits until we get a certain level on the faith o meter and then he says, 903s

no, no, I'll grant your prayer. 909s

But we can be tempted to think that we can just generate enough faith to impress God 913s

then God will grant our petition. 922s

You can be tempted to think, no, if I'm just maybe a little bit more emotional. 928s

Maybe just just express more emotion that God will be swept up in the emotion of the 934s

moment in particular my emotion and will then grant the prayer. 944s

Or we can think, you know, if I just get enough people to pray, the same petition with me, 952s

and will knock down the walls and get to God. 962s

Or if I'm just really, really sincere, then God will hear my prayer and answer it in accordance 969s

with my will. 982s

Or if I just say a lot of words and keep repeating those words over and over and over again, 985s

then maybe just maybe some of those words will catch the attention of God. 1005s

What is condemned in the text for today is not the repetition of prayers, 1021s

but it's the belief that there must be something that we do must be something generated from us 1031s

that then we'll move the hand of God, that there's something that we do 1044s

that then effects getting our answer. 1053s

Look again, please, at our text, verse 7, when you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases, 1061s

meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard 1073s

because of their many words, something that they do, you see, and then verse 8, 1081s

do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before you ask him. 1093s

God is not like the unjust judge in that parable in Luke. 1106s

Now that's a parable of contrast that if the unjust judge even answers, how much more will God 1115s

who loves us answer? Not because it's something that we do, but because he is loving and gracious. 1125s

God comes and frees us. He frees us from the feeling that we have to be verbose in our prayers, 1141s

or have to have to have this endless repetition of prayers to somehow catch his attention. 1151s

He already knows what we need even before we pray. He frees us to pray because prayer is rooted in the 1163s

home for by the Lord Jesus Christ. We are forgiven through the cross we've been reconciled unto God. 1181s

The tomb of our Lord is empty. He claims us in the waters of baptism. Prayer is rooted in a God 1190s

who forgives us all of our sins through the cross of Christ, including the sin of thinking 1200s

that it's some type of works righteousness that we do that moves the hand of God to answer. Prayer. 1210s

God frees us to pray in accordance with his will, to pray seeking his 1222s

expression of his sovereignty over our lives, that freedom that comes 1232s

in not having to try to convince God of an answer. Know that freedom that comes when we submit to his 1240s

sovereign will. God frees us. He frees us to pray long prayers in short prayers, 1253s

new prayers and repeat prayers. Free. Let us pray. Grace is Heavenly Father. Thank you for 1271s

this time in your word, your word is truth. We thank you, O Lord, for the gift of prayer 1288s

for give us. We ask for those times when we think that it's something that we do that will 1297s

move your hand. Thank you, Lord, for the forgiveness that is ours, who the cross of the Lord Jesus 1305s

Christ. And thank you for freeing us, for freeing us in our prayer life. Thank you, Lord, 1312s

that you free us for the long and the short, the new and the repeated prayers. In Jesus name, we pray. 1325s

Amen. 1342s