Into The Deep End Week 1: Prayer

Big Idea: Prayer is more than just words.

Primary Scripture: Matthew 6:5-13

Supporting Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:17

CAPTURE (Why should students pay attention to and care about your message?)

Have you ever been told there’s something you can’t do?

Not because you’re not allowed...but because from the outside, it looks impossible? 

Derek Rabelo was born into a family of surfers with dreams their son would someday become a professional surfer. 

They even named Derek after a professional surfing legend named Derek Ho. 

But there was a problem: Derek was born blind. 

Yet at 17, Derek started praying like someone who believed the impossible wasn’t just a dream.

He practiced surfing often, always getting back up when he wiped out.

He eventually rode one of the most dangerous waves in the world: the Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii.  

Prayer wasn’t just something he did… it became part of who he is. 

This week, we’re kicking off a brand new series called Into the Deep End, about faith that doesn’t settle for a shallow connection with God and isn’t content to just play it safe.

God is calling us deeper… and if we want to go where God is calling us, it starts with prayer.

Jesus taught us how to pray like that during one of His most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount.

SCRIPTURE (What does God’s Word say?)

The Sermon on the Mount is the longest and most complete sermon of Jesus’ that was recorded.

Jesus covered a lot of different topics during the Sermon on the Mount, but we’re going to focus on what he had to say specifically about prayer.

5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. (Matthew 6:5 – NLT)

In Jesus’ day the religious leaders would pray, and they would pray often loudly in front of other people 

For these religious leaders, prayer had become a performance for attention, to try and make themselves look super spiritual in front of everyone else. 

Matthew 6:5 (MSG)“And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?”

Jesus said the attention they got from people was the only reward they were going to get because they weren’t talking to God at all.

6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6 – NLT)

Jesus flips the script saying prayer isn’t about it’s about being seen, it’s about seeking God.

Prayer is about having a relationship with God, not trying to impress Him (or anyone else).

When you pray in secret, God sees you. The focus will shift from you to GOD, and you will begin to sense His grace.

7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! (Matthew 6:7-8 – NLT)

You don’t have to talk longer to make God listen better. 

Prayer isn’t about unlocking a door. It’s about stepping into an ongoing conversation with someone who’s eager and excited to hear from you.

9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:9-13 – NLT)

We often call this The Lord’s Prayer 

Notice how Jesus starts it: “Pray like this” and not “pray these exact words.” He’s giving us a model, not a script.

Jesus starts with worship: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

Then, He prays for surrender: May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

Third, He admits His dependence on God: Give us today the food we need. In the Old Testament, there was this food called Manna that the Israelites received from God in the wilderness. God gave the people just enough for each day so that they would learn to trust that He would provide for them. This is a testimony of His faithfulness to His people, which is assumed in the Lord’s Prayer.

"Do you trust God to get you through each day?  That He will provide EVERYTHING you need?"

“Everything I need, my Father has it. EVERY SINGLE TIME… THE LORD WILL PROVIDE…”

Finally, He asks for forgiveness: Forgive us our sins… and rescue us from the evil one.

Jesus isn’t just teaching us how to pray, He’s inviting us to something deeper. 

It’s not just reciting words. It’s about living connected to the One who already knows all of us and still wants to hear from us.

INSIGHTS (What might this Scripture mean?)

1. Prayer is personal.

But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6 – NLT)

Jesus could have said pray to God but He said, “your Father” which is personal, familiar, and relational.

And He says we shouldn’t make prayer a big public spectacle because private prayer tends to be the most honest  prayer.

When it’s just you and God, and He already knows it all, prayer is actually a safe place to just pour it all out. 

And you don’t need to perform for God or clean yourself up, you just show up and talk to your Father. 

So, here’s the question: When’s the last time you had a real, honest, no-filter conversation with God—not saying what you think He wants to hear… but telling Him what’s really going on inside you? 

2. Prayer is purposeful.

Jesus didn’t just say, “Talk to God however you want.” He gave us a model for prayer that’s intentional. 

Here’s the rhythm He gives us:

Start with worship

Surrender your will

Admit your dependence on God, and ask for what you need

Confess when you miss the mark and ask God for forgiveness

Prayer isn’t just about what we want, it’s about learning to want what God wants and letting Him shape our hearts and not just our circumstances.

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 – NLT)

When we “Pray about everything” the result isn’t getting everything that we want, the result is peace  .

It’s a peace that comes from being in sync with God—the One who already knows what’s best.

3. Prayer is continuous.

Jesus shows us that prayer isn’t just a moment; it’s meant to be a lifestyle. 

Never stop praying. (1 Thessalonians 5:17 – NLT)

To stay connected to those you’re closest to, you don’t just have one big conversation every few months. You send texts, or audio messages, or you might randomly FaceTime.

There are people you communicate with all day, every day because those relationships are really important to you.

That’s the kind of relationship God wants with you. 

You will have focused times of serious prayer, but there can also be these ongoing moments like prayer texts throughout your day.

“God, help me focus.”

“God, give me peace.” 

“God, I need your help.” 

It’s about being available and building a rhythm of real connection because God isn’t looking for perfect prayers. He’s just looking for you.

ACTION (How could we live this out?)

1. Set a prayer alarm.

Pick a time every day this week, and block out five minutes to be still, be honest, and talk with God, just to connect.

Set an alarm for the same time each day and make it a habit.

If you miss a day? Just pick back up the next day. 

Remember, it’s not about perfection. It’s about consistency. 

2. Try a prayer journal.

A prayer journal is simply a journal where you write down your prayers. 

For some people writing helps them slow down and focus, plus it can also help them be more consistent.

Write about

What you’re praying for

How God is answering your prayers

Or even just writing out your actual prayers in the form of a letter

Try it for a week and see if this is something that helps you connect with God more consistently.

3. Ask someone to pray with you. 

This week, don’t just pray on your own, invite someone into it. 

Ask a friend, a leader, a family member, or someone in your small group to take 60 seconds and pray with you.

It could be about something specific, or it could be something simple.

This might feel a little awkward, but sometimes the breakthrough happens when we stop trying to navigate everything by ourselves. 

*Prayer*