The Lord's Prayer - Part 1 - How

God Sees your Heart. Who is around you doesn't matter

Next Week

Part 2 - The Importance

Why do we pray?

Prayer is as human as loving

Prayer is as necessary as breathing

A conversation, but also more

Prayer can change the world if we each pray for our hearts to be transformed into God’s heart.

Vs 1 introduces a new section (3 weeks)

Beware (concentrate) your motives for righteousness

Giving

Prayer

Fasting

These sections are in parallel

When you ______

Don’t ________with lousy intent or you will only get earthly rewards

Rather ______ Jesus’ way and get God’s reward

Don’t be like the Hypocrites

Today - How

Formulas or Methods?

Matthew 6:5–6 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.

This passage in its context

Types of prayers

Spontaneous

Recited payers

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Recited Prayers 3 times

Before going to bed

When they got up in the morning

& Midday prayer ~3 pm

Jews didn’t normally pray in public

Guess where the “religious” guys were at 3 pm?

These recited public prayers are the ones Jesus is talking about.

There were people leveraging culture to look good.

Jesus says - “shut the door”

Inner room

God sees your heart. Who is around doesn’t matter

He knows - culture or authentic relationship

In our day its the opposite

Lifting my hands on at the front of the boat

When prayer is an authentic relationship with Jesus we learn not to care about what others think

Practically Pray

Bill - Prays Publicly

Waits a long time gathers himself and speaks at a pace that puts the attention on Jesus