The Lord's Prayer - Lesson 3: Vain Repetition and Persistence

The Lord’s Prayer

Lesson 3: Vain Repetition and Persistence

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 as we also have forgiven our debtors;

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil.

For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.

Amen.

Matthew 6:7-8 [7] In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. [8] Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.

Luke 18:1 [1] He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,

The Main Points for This Lesson:

Vain Repetitions and Many Words.

In prayer, we should not use many words. Prayer is not better when we use many words. We should use less words for at least two reasons: One, God has told us to use few words (Ecclesiastes 5:2); Two, our Father in heaven already knows what things we need before we ask him (Matthew 6:8).

In prayer, we should not use empty or meaningless words and phrases. The Lord's Prayer is good to repeat as a prayer, but we should repeat it with understanding of its meaning. We should not repeat it as magical words that somehow command God's attention regardless of their meaning and our intention. “Abracadabra” is a meaningless word that we pretend is magic. If we say this nonsense word, something magical will happen. The Lord's Prayer is not like this. It is not a collection of nonsense words. We should learn to understand them. We should pray them because we agree with their meaning and intention in our own thoughts, words and deeds.

A further note regarding vain repetition. This exhortation against vain repetition in prayer does not mean we should therefore never use written prayers in our praying. After giving this instruction, Jesus then gave his disciples a form of prayer which he expected them to pray (Luke 11:2). It is not wrong to use a form of prayer, or a written prayer. Many Christians and Christian groups over the centuries have produced collections of written prayers. Many of the Psalms are in fact prayers that are written down. The use of such forms in our praying can be helpful. However, in using such we ought to be watchful in our prayers (Colossians 4:2), lest they become empty words to us, lest they become vain repetition.

In prayer, we should not try to use fancy words to impress others. Fancy words are not necessarily wrong in and of themselves. It is wrong to try to impress others with our prayers. Perhaps you may feel pressure from yourself or from others to pray eloquent prayers that others think are great. Beware of this. If you give in to such pressure, you will soon fall into the trap of the hypocrites who try to impress men instead of seeking to be heard by God (Matthew 6:5).

Persistence in Prayer. While we should not use vain repetitions or many words, we should persist, or persevere in prayer.

We should persist in prayer for what is good and needful. God's word (the Bible) in general, and the Lord's Prayer more specifically, teach us what is good and needful.

We should persist in prayer for what is according to God's will. Again, the Lord's Prayer teaches us God's will. The church prayed persistently for Peter when he was in prison (Acts 12:5). God heard their prayer and delivered Peter from the evil without. Paul prayed persistently that a thorn in his flesh be removed (2 Corinthians 12:8). While God did not remove the thorn, he did hear Paul's prayer and provide a different way of deliverance from the evil within (2 Corinthians 12:9).

We should persist in prayer in general. Even when there seems to be no pressing matter in our own lives, we should still be faithful to pray as Daniel did three times a day (Daniel 6:10), and as the early Christians gathered at the hour of prayer. What should we pray? We should ask God to grant the petitions of the Lord's prayer. In truth, the matters of the Lord's Prayer are always pressing, and should come to be the pressing matters on our own hearts.

Suggestions:

Open each lesson with prayer for the teacher and the students and this class time.

Read the verses in Matthew 6:7-8 and Luke 18:1.

Talk with the children for a short time about prayer. Help them to understand in a simple way about what God says about prayer and using many words, and using empty words. Help them to understand also about persistence (or perseverance) in prayer in a simple way. The stories will help to explain and illustrate more fully.

Read the stories from Luke 11:5-13 and Luke 18:1-8. Ask the children simple questions about many words and persistence from the stories, such as: Did the man in need and the widow use long and empty phrases, or did they use simple and plain words to ask for help? What did they ask for? Was it good or bad? Did they persist? What happened when they persisted?

If you have time, read the stories from Mark 10:46-52 about Bartimaeus and from Matthew 15:21-28 about the Canaanite woman. Use these stories to help explain and illustrate for the children both ideas of using few and simple words, and persisting in prayer, even when it seems God will now listen. You can use with the children questions similar to those for the previous stories.

Close the lesson with prayer related to the subject and the students. Pray the Lord's Prayer together.

Stories:

Luke 11:5-13 [5] He said to them, “Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, [6] for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,’ [7] and he from within will answer and say, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you’? [8] I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs. [9] “I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. [11] “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won’t give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, he won’t give him a scorpion, will he? [13] If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Luke 18:1-8 [1] He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up, [2] saying, “There was a judge in a certain city who didn’t fear God, and didn’t respect man. [3] A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, ‘Defend me from my adversary!’ [4] He wouldn’t for a while, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God, nor respect man, [5] yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.’” [6] The Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. [7] Won’t God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them? [8] I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Mark 10:46-52

Bartimaeus persisted in asking Jesus for help. When some told him to be quiet, to not bother the Lord, he cried out all the more to Jesus for help. This is a good illustration of persistence in prayer. Consider, Bartimaeus was not heard because of fancy words or long prayers. Nor did he use meaningless words. He asked for help from the one who could help him with simple words.

Matthew 15:21-28

This Canaanite women asked Jesus to heal her daughter. When she met one obstacle, she continued to ask. When she met a second obstacle, she persisted in asking. Jesus saw her great faith and answered her petition. This is a good illustration of persistence in prayer.

More Stories and Examples:

Genesis 18:16-33

Abraham persisted in praying for the righteous people in the city of Sodom (v23). God heard his prayer, and delivered righteous Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

** Numbers 22 Balaam was persistent, and yet not in a good matter. His persistence obtained an answer he wanted, but also brought God’s wrath.

Psalm 55:16-17 [16] As for me, I will call on God. Yahweh will save me. [17] Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice.

Daniel 6:10 When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.

Matthew 26:36-46 [36] Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go there and pray.” [37] He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and severely troubled. [38] Then he said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch with me.” [39] He went forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire.” [40] He came to the disciples, and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What, couldn’t you watch with me for one hour? [41] Watch and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” [42] Again, a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup can’t pass away from me unless I drink it, your desire be done.” [43] He came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. [44] He left them again, went away, and prayed a third time, saying the same words. [45] Then he came to his disciples, and said to them, “Sleep on now, and take your rest. Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. [46] Arise, let’s be going. Behold, he who betrays me is at hand.”

On the night of his betrayal, Jesus persisted in prayer. Three times that night he prayed regarding the coming suffering and death on the cross. While he prayed that he might be delivered from the coming evil, he prayed as a greater priority, as he taught his disciples to pray, that the will of the Father would be done.

Acts 2:42 They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.

Acts 3:1 Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

Acts 10:9 Now on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon.

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 [7] By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively. [8] Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. [9] He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

The apostle Paul also prayed three times regarded a “thorn in the flesh.”

Other Verses:

2 Chronicles 33:9-13 [9] Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did more evil than the nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the children of Israel did. [10] Yahweh spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed. [11] Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. [12] When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. [13] He prayed to him; and he was entreated by him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh was God.

Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience, but he who restrains his lips does wisely.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 [1] Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil. [2] Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few. [3] For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words. [4] When you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow. [5] It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. [6] Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands? [7] For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words: but you must fear God.

Isaiah 1:15-17 [15] When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. [16] Wash yourselves, make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil. [17] Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Judge the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”

In the time of Isaiah, it seems the people were persistent in prayer. Yet, God was unwilling to hear even when they persisted, because of the guilt of their sins and because they had not repented of (turned from) their sins. When there is no humble repentance for sin, persistence in prayer will not gain eternal goals. On the other hand, we are given the example of King Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:9-13). He was a very wicked king. When he was carried away captive, he humbled himself greatly before and prayed to God. God heard his prayer.

Matthew 7:7-11 [7] “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. [8] For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. [9] Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? [11] If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Matthew 12:36-37 [36] I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. [37] For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Matthew 23:13/14 [verse 14 in other manuscripts] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

Luke 6:12 In these days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.

The full story can be read in Luke 6:12-16. When it was time to choose the twelve apostles from his disciples, Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.

The full story can be read in Acts 12:1-17. It was the church that offered constant prayer to God for Peter. God heard their prayer, and delivered Peter from the evil that was planned by Herod.