Sermon Tone Analysis

Why We Pray in Community

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Before we can begin really talking about how we pray in community, I have to show you the importance of it    

Because I can talk all day long about it but if you do not see its importance in your life and relationship with the LORD and your fellow believers, this will always fall on deaf ears

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Mind you, this is not a comprehensive list, (despite the fact that is how I would normally prefer to handle a topic like this; just bombard you with every scripture regarding the topic so there is no guess as to whether we should or shouldn't) but rather because of how we are doing this service, this is a quick look at 3 really important scriptures on the topic before we do the how

This moment is just after the Ascension of Christ where the Disciples are waiting in Jerusalem as Jesus told them not to leave without receiving the Holy Spirit

We see the Disciples return to the Upper room and we see

“They were continually united in prayer” -

The Disciples as we see, not just here but in other texts we are going to look at, saw the value of being united together in prayer to the LORD

Here we see the Church expanding and growing after Pentecost and it says:

“They devoted themselves…to prayer”

Not only that but continue looking in that passage....

All believers were together

Held all things in common

Devoted themselves to meeting together

Do we not see the unity of the earlier Church here so clearly and the results of it!?

Here is another reason we see why we are called to pray in community to God

This moment is right after Peter and John are arrested and brought before the rulers and the High Priest for healing in the name of Christ

After being released, they go back with the other believers and we see what we just read

So it was after being arrested by the same authorities that arrested and crucified Jesus that the believers come together to pray

And what was the result of their prayers?

The place where they were was shaken and they again began to speak and preach the name of Christ with boldness

How We Pray in Community

So let’s for a second talk about practicality, the HOW of the thing

Because if you’re like most people praying in a group can be

Awkward

Non-fulfilling

Distracting

Terrifying

Not knowing what to say!

Afraid to say something wrong or sound “dumb”

We know Jesus “taught” the disciples how to pray like here in Matthew:

So let’s for a second talk about practicality, the HOW of the thing

Because if you’re like most people praying in a group can be

Awkward

Non-fulfilling

Distracting

Terrifying

Not knowing what to say!

Afraid to say something wrong or sound “dumb”

And honestly, that’s much more normal than you would think

We know that, but other than just repeating that word for word sometimes we feel really uncomfortable in praying

And honestly, that’s much more normal than you would think

We just saw and read the text in Matthew where Jesus is speaking to the crowds but check out this passage later on in Jesus ministry

I hope you caught that part.... “Lord teach us how to pray”

Even the disciples had the questions on pray and how to do it

We see this is really a common desire that people want to pray but sometimes feel intimidated by it especially in a group/community setting

So here is then the issue, we are seeing something we are called to in scripture as something we should do but can be and usually are afraid to do it

This is where we are going to get really practical

Today is going to look a little different because this sermon is going to end shortly and as will the service

The reason being is because we are going to have a time for those of you who would like to stay, we are going to pray together

But before that, I am going to walk us through and explain why the LORD’s Prayer is so important

Pray Like This

Before we start in on how to pray through the LORD’s Prayer let’s talk about the intent of the LORD’s Prayer

It was never ment to be repeated mindlessly before a meal or before sporting events simply as a thing you just do

Reason being notice Jesus says pray LIKE this

Not just, pray this

This is a MODEL for how to pray, not a script for WHAT to pray

Now is it bad to pray these exact words, no absolutely not

There is an immense power behind praying through this when you know the importance of each and every word chosen by Christ in this model

So hopefully when we walk through this, it will open our eyes to some things we may not have thought of and be a useful instruction into how we are to pray as Christians

Our Father

Notice first that Jesus begins assuming prayer in community by saying “Our”

Also we see Him use the name “Father”

What this implies is the relational factor we are to take as we pray

Jesus could have instructed us to say “Our Holy God” or “Our Righteous Judge” or “Our Perfect Creator”

All of these are biblically speaking accurate depictions of an aspect of God and His character

But Jesus specifically said “Father”

The relationship that implies of us being a child of God

Your Name be Honored as Holy

All of us have likely memorized this prayer and said it a million times over but how many of us have stopped and pondered what exactly it means when we say “hallowed be your name” ?

To have the name of the LORD hallowed is to have it as sacred or holy

Holy being completely set apart

So when we pray we are addressing God as our Father and yet there is this reverence and holiness in which we are to regard the name that we just spoke of as a child

That while yes we as Christians are children of God but we also children of God

Your Kingdom Come, Your Will be Done on Earth as it is in Heaven

So when we pray, we are praying for God to accomplish His will in the situation

We are praying that the LORD would further His Kingdom through the situation

We pray that God would show Himself sovereign in the situation just as His will is done in heaven and earth

Give Us Today Our Daily Bread

We see that we should be praying for provision FROM the LORD

We also recognize that this provision is daily

That we might see day to day His practical provision of things but also the spiritual provision provided in His Word as we seek Him daily in it

Forgive Us Our Debts as We Also Have Forgiven Our Debtors

Here we see that in our prayers we are to pray for:

Repentance (which overflows into)

Forgiveness

That when are praying to our Father who is God alone, our Father who’s will is always accomplished, our Father who provides daily our needs...

That we recognize our sinfulness as compared to His perfection

We see that we never come before Him in pride but in daily repentance

Daily because you can’t ask for daily bread once a month....that’s called starvation

We also see that our repentance is to overflow into our forgiveness of others

And I would argue its not true repentance if it doesn’t!

You can only forgive people especially the ones who hurt you most when you realize just how much the LORD has forgiven you of

Do Not Bring us into Temptation But Deliver Us From the Evil One

Lastly, we see that we are to see the LORD as our shelter, our refuge from sin

We do not pray that we would deliver ourselves because we have no ability to do that!

We see that our Father is the one we lean on when temptation comes, our Father is the one who we seek when sin comes our way

So with that being said we are going to move from here and begin to end our service today.