Sermon on the Mount Part 8: Praying Like Jesus

Sermon on the Mount

Part 8: Praying Like Jesus

Matthew 6:4-18

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. Matthew 6:1

Jesus continues to emphasize His concern for over .

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:5-8

Jesus teaches us to remove any so we can fully on God.

6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:6

7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord;

    be merciful to me and answer me.

8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”

    Your face, Lord, I will seek. Psalm 27:7-8

Jesus teaches us to pray , not .

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Matthew 6:7

Jesus teaches that an effective prayer can be and .

7 … for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Matthew 6:7b

Jesus teaches God already knows our needs, but our prayers express and in Him.

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8

We pray to Him, to exercise our in Him and to relieve our through Him!

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘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 today 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 the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13

The Lord’s Prayer is in two parts; the first part is concerned with God’s and the second part is concerned with our .

How to Pray…

1) Pray to a and God. (Matthew 6:9a)

2) Pray that God’s name would be . (Matthew 6:9b)

3) Pray that be done. (Matthew 6:10)

4) Pray for God to meet your . (Matthew 6:11)

5) Pray for God to you. (Matthew 6:12)

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15

6) Pray for God to rescue you from the lure of . (Matthew 6:13)

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:16-17

Four Biblical Reasons for Fasting:

1) To illustrate and .

2) To develop .

3) To what we may have eaten (or the cost) with another who is hungry.

4) To pray ahead of a major .