The Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew 5-7 was addressed to the disciples. “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth, and taught them saying…” (Matthew 5:1-2).
The main divisions of Chapter 6 are: (1) on what the human mind should be set (6:1), (2) almsgiving (6:2-4), (3) how disciples should pray (6:5-8), (4) the model of what prayer should be (6:9-15), (5) fasting (6:16-18), (6) care about riches (6:19-24) and (7) the care about necessities of life (6:25-34). The Lord in this sermon not only taught what was not to be done, but He also taught what was to be done!
Prayer is so important that Jesus gave instruction as to how it should be done. Jesus did not use flowery and mysterious language. He used only the simplest of words. He did not teach men to pray so as to impress other men with their learning. Rather, the model prayer is the very essence of simplicity.
As part of the model prayer, Jesus taught His disciples to pray “Thy kingdom come.” Before the day of Pentecost, the followers of Jesus prayed, “Thy kingdom come.” Since the kingdom (the church) has been established, Christians are no longer to ask for what is already a reality (Matthew 16:18-19; Colossians 1:13; Mark 9:1). The preacher in the rural countryside in one of the oldest congregations in the area had the audience repeat all of the model prayer. J.W. McGarvey was correct when he said Jesus was teaching His disciples to pray for “the inauguration of the kingdom which Jesus came to establish.” Are brethren today to recite all of the model prayer?
[Editor’s Note: It is obvious that neither ought contemporary brethren to recite repetitive prayers nor should they pray words that no longer apply today. Our Lord condemned repetitious prayers (Matthew 6:7). In addition, it is a demonstration of ignorance and maybe arrogance, too, to ask in prayer for what has already occurred, namely the establishment of the Lord’s eternal kingdom or church. ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]
