Required to Pray

Prayer Time

Matthew 6:5–13 ESV

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 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. 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

God is optional.

What are actions say about our faith.

Prayer...

Prayer...

I didn’t know prayer was optional growing up...

The first prayer I ever learned was “now I lay me...”

the second prayer I ever learned was in High School “our father who art in heaven”

Although growing up in the church I didn’t grow up with memorized or read prayers. We didn’t even regularly say the Lord’s Prayer, but we prayed; in church, at meals, before bed.

But I always knew prayer was important and something that wasn’t to be taken lightly, this is true in our Methodist context as well. That’s why prayer is the first thing listed in our church membership vows. The vows that say.

I

As members of this congregation, will you faithfully participate in its ministries by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service, and your witness?

So then what does it mean to faithfully participate in the ministries of the church through prayer?

—> For starters it means that we actually need to pray.

—> —> In our text Jesus doesn’t say “if you pray” he says, “when you pray”

—>—> Prayer is the Google Maps for our Spiritual Cars, so to speak. When we pray we are searching for God and allowing him to give guidance to where we should go. God can populate points of interests along the way, a better way to get to our destination, keep us out of terrible traffic, or even a better destination all together.

—> By this point when I drive to Houston I don’t need to put the destination in my google maps. I know the way. What I don’t know is what is along the way. When we are in touch with God through prayer we are constantly being given direction that helps us along the journey.

—> —> He goes on to talk about how NOT to pray before he tells us how we should pray.

—> —> He warns against making a show of prayer

—>—> Prayer isn’t about us. Prayer is about God! When we pray it isn’t some grand courtroom drama, where we monologue and gesture about. It is an honest conversation between us and God.

—> Are you having that conversation daily?

—>—> Jesus then tells us how we SHOULD pray

—>—> Prayer is for God’s glory and not ours.

—>—> Prayer is for putting a smile on God’s face

—> conversations make people happy.

why does Jesus spend time talking about the mechanics of praying?

Because WHAT we pray is so important...

The Lord’s Prayer is our model for prayer ANY TIME we pray

—> acknowledge who God is and the power God has

—> acknowledge that God is in control and we are not, and ask for God’s guidance on our lives

—> give thanks for what God has provided and will continue to provide

—> we ask for forgiveness in direct proportion that we extended forgiveness

—> we ask for protection from the things of this world

—> —> When we follow this pattern of prayer, focusing on God, on others, and only on us in relation to God’s will for us. We are praying prayers that align with what Jesus says. We are praying prayers that matter and will yield results.

—>—> We are praying in such a way that the church benefits and becomes stronger.

—>—> Why is prayer the first item on the list of vows?

—> because when done rightly, prayer enhances all the others.

—> when we start with prayer, when we start with our focus on God and off of ourselves, we are able to give of ourselves and all that we have in ways that truly glorify God and benefit the Kingdom of God more than us.