Sunday Sermons
Because They Don’t Know Yet
Three Elements for prayer to be answered
Matthew 6:33
Ⅰ. Key Idea
1.Apply principles of prayer from the story of five breads and two fish
Let us recall the scene where Jesus fed five thousand men with five loaves of bread and two fish. When Jesus split bread and fish into half and gave to the disciples?A bread and fish remained in whole in His hands. Disciples did the same to the people. And it should be the same when we pray for one another. When we offer our time and share our lives with others?A they get filled again. We can experience an aspect of heaven on earth through our prayers.
2.Throw away prayers of the gentiles
Is not the reason why our prayer requests have not been answered before because we were praying like gentiles? The way to receive answers to our prayers can start from asking such question. Gentiles prayed in order to fill their needs. As Jesus taught us to pray for our daily breads?A we also should pray for our needs. However?A prayers of the gentiles had the order of prayers wrong. Gentiles prayed to fill their needs?A but lacked heart to pray for other people’s needs. We can learn why we need to throw away self-centered prayers when we take a look at the prayers of the gentiles.
3.Pray to seek righteousness
Order of the prayer by the people of heaven should be different. We need to seek righteousness first. And Jesus is the righteousness. We need to seek Jesus Himself in our prayers. Seek His thoughts?A heart?A and will. Seek to become like Jesus. Seek to live a life to glorify and worship Jesus who saved us. Then?A pray for our daily breads and our needs. This is the key difference between the prayer to seek daily breads and prayers of the gentiles.
II. Small Group Discussions
1.Please evaluate your prayers. How can you improve your prayers?A if any?
2.If your prayer requests have been answered?A please share with others. What can we learn from Jesus’ prayer?
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