Sermon March 1 2026

Lent 2026 - Prayer

Psalm 85 NIV

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. You, Lord, showed favor to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins. You set aside all your wrath and turned from your fierce anger. Restore us again, God our Savior, and put away your displeasure toward us. Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger through all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation. I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants— but let them not turn to folly. Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.

Luke 11:1–13 NIV

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: “ ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’ ” Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Week 3 – “Prayer: Learning to Live in God’s Presence”

Text: Luke 11:1–13 Foster Focus: Prayer Key Idea: Prayer is not a technique to master but a relationship to enter.

Movement of the Sermon:

Prayer reshapes us before it changes circumstances

The Lord’s Prayer as formation, not formula

Honest prayer as an act of trust

Practice for the Week: Invite written prayers, breath prayers, or praying the Lord’s Prayer slowly each day.

—> Prayer is learned by experience not taught

—> The only way to get better is to do

The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 4: Matthew–Acts a. The Lord’s Prayer (11:1–4)

Literally he said: “Lord, teach us to be praying.” He did not say, “Teach us how to pray,” though that may be implied. One can only learn to pray by praying. Reading good books on prayer will help. But just as one could read a book on how to drive a car and yet be unable to drive, so one might study a dozen books on prayer and not know how to pray. In this area, as in all others, only practice makes perfect.

—> The Lord’s Prayer isn’t a formula for success (not a magic set of words) but is instead a guide for our formation through prayer

—> Who God is —> Father —> not just a title but character and qualities

—> Praise and Adoration come before anything else

—> Authority is given

—> Provide for our needs this day

—> not stock piling but coming daily to God

—> Forgiveness

—> For us first

—> That we may forgive others

—> Help us in all we do to do it for you and not be given over to the world

—> The Reinforcement

Parables are told alongside truths to reinforce them and bring them to life.

—> This parable is about relationship —> prayer is relationship

—> Misunderstandings and deeper truths

—> not just about persistance but about shamelessness

—> putting “me” aside

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