Message: Teach Us How to Pray
Speaker: Greg Holder
In Matthew 7:9-12, Jesus gives us a model for how we should pray.
Chapter 5, begins Jesus' teaching to His disciples. Believers are His disciples.
How would you define the word prayer?
How satisfied are you with your prayers? Discuss with your group
In a 2004 study, a survey found 30% of atheist admitted they prayed "sometimes" and another found that 17% of non-believers in God prayed regularly. - "Prayer" by Timothy Keller
How do you communicate with God? Verbally, Silently, In writing, other
In Chapter 6, before Jesus gives us His example of how to pray, He tells us how NOT to pray.
Verse 5 - "And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corner, in order to be seen by men..."
Discuss why Jesus said we are not to pray like this? Are we not supposed to pray in public?
What were the people doing when they stood and prayed in the synagogue and on the street corners? What purpose did they have?
Was it important to them for others to see them praying? Why?
How can we apply this verse to the way we pray, when we pray, and why we pray?
Verse 6 - "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you."
Verse 6 is a contrast of verse 5? In what way?
Discuss how we can make our prayers more private, more intimate as described in verse 6.
Verse 7 describes some prayers as having "meaningless repetition." Discuss what that means.
If God already knows what we need, why do we need to pray?
How does praying draw us closer to God?
What type of a relationship do you have with God because you have spent time with Him?
In Verses 9-10, Jesus tells us how we are to pray.
Read Verse 9-12
When you refer to God as Father, how does that draw you close to Him?
What other names of God have you used to describe your relationship with God?
The word "hallowed" describes God with value, honor, and worth. What name can you give to God that would draw you into a more intimate relationship with Him while giving him the value, honor, and worth He deserves?
Close your discussion by reading this model prayer together.