Sermon Response Guide
PRIMARY SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 6:7-8 ESV
7 “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.
Key Points
- At its core, verbal communication is the sharing of information and ideas. Since God is all-knowing and knows our needs even before we do, prayer must be more than an informational exchange.
- Following Jesus’ example in Mark 14:32-42, our verbal posture in prayer should be one of heartfelt, emboldened humility before a throne of grace.
- Just as God freely pours out his blessing, God wants us to freely pour out our hearts to him in prayer, holding nothing back about how we truly feel and what we really want.
- In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus boldly asks for his heart’s desire, knowing full well it was not likely to happen. In the same way, as children of God, we can boldly ask our good Father for anything.
- Jesus prays, “not my will but yours,” and so should we. We don’t know what we need, or what the world needs, but we can trust God knows and God will provide.
- The humility of Christ should permeate every interaction we have with the Father.
Memory Verse
Ask God to write this word on your heart this week:
“Pray then like this: ‘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 lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”
-Matthew 6:9-13 ESV*
*Note: Through the rest of this sermon series, “Patterns of Prayer,” we will be working together as a faith family to memorize and regularly pray the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 three times each day (morning, noon, and night). We invite you to pray with us in Ellis Chapel Monday through Friday from 11am to 1pm through April 15, 2022.
Questions for Reflection
Take time to reflect and respond to these questions on your own in the presence of the Holy Spirit, or with trusted friends or family members:
1: If God our Father knows what we need before we ask him (Matthew 6:8), why do you think we pray?
2: Unlike the pagans who prayed to ancient gods, we don’t need to con God into liking us. God already loves us and always will. How does that encourage you when you think about prayer?
3: Read Mark 14:36 and answer the following questions.
· When Jesus prayed, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me,” he boldly asked for his heart’s desire, knowing full well it was not likely to happen. So, why do you think Jesus prayed this way?
· Knowing God the Father did not remove the cup of suffering from his Son like Jesus pleaded he would, why do you think this prayer is included in the Gospel of Mark for us to access today?
· What can we learn from Jesus praying, “Yet not what I will, but what you will?”
4: Read Mark 14:39 and answer the following questions.
· Jesus went away again and prayed the exact same prayer he had just prayed moments earlier in Mark 14:36. Why do you think Jesus did this?
· How does Jesus’ pattern of prayer in this passage encourage you in your own prayer life?
5: Consider the three primary postures of prayer Jesus demonstrated for us in the Garden of Gethsemane: heartfelt, bold, and humble. Which posture is most natural, and which is least natural for you to take in prayer? Why do you think that is?
6: If you could only remember one lesson God taught you through today’s sermon + response guide, what would it be?
7: Who do you know who may need to learn that lesson too? Stop and pray for that person. Ask God to make a way for you to teach that person what God first taught you this week.
Pray
Lord, thank you for not just telling us to pray, but teaching us how. We confess we have not seen you as we should, and therefore, have not prayed as we should. Give us a deep desire to come boldly before your throne to receive mercy when we need it most. Lord Jesus, we need your mercy. Lord Jesus, we need you.
references
For those interested in further study, our pastors want to share resources that have aided them in their sermon preparation (in conjunction with the Bible and the Holy Spirit):
· The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright
· Living the Lord’s Prayer: The Way of the Disciple by Albert Haase
· Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey
· On Earth as It Is in Heaven: How the Lord’s Prayer Teaches Us to Pray More Effectively by Warren W. Wiersbe
· With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray
· The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
· Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? by Philip Yancey
· The Practice of the Presence of God and the Way of Perfection by Brother Lawrence and Teresa of Avila
· Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home by Richard J. Foster
