Image: “THE UPSIDE-DOWN KINGDOM“
WELCOME
Sunday, March 27, 2022
A Study in Matthew ~ The Sermon on the Mount
Series: THE UPSIDE-DOWN KINGDOM
LIVE Message: Pray Then Like This
Scripture: Matthew 6:5–13 ESV
Podcast “Living The Message” Episode 23
Pastor Philip Miller
Scripture Reading from Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV
Hebrews 4 ESV and Audio
Jesus the Great High Priest
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
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Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire 1818 by James Montgomery
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LIVE 11:00 AM EST
A Study in Matthew ~ The Sermon on the Mount
Series: THE UPSIDE-DOWN KINGDOM
Message: Pray Then Like This
Scripture: Matthew 6:5–13 ESV
Sunday, March 27, 2022
^Videos by Inspirational>1…
Message: Pray Then Like This
Sunday, March 27, 2022
A Study in Matthew ~ The Sermon on the Mount
Series: THE UPSIDE-DOWN KINGDOM
Message: Pray Then Like This
Scripture: Matthew 6:5–13 ESV
Pastor Philip Miller
Scripture: Matthew 6:5–13 ESV
Matthew 6 ESV and Audio
The Lord’s Prayer
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.
Image: Pray Then Like This
SERMON NOTES
Sunday, March 27, 2022
A Study in Matthew ~ The Sermon on the Mount
Series: THE UPSIDE-DOWN KINGDOM
LIVE Message: Pray Then Like This
Scripture: Matthew 6:5–13 ESV
Pastor Philip Miller
It is common to feel frustrated about prayer that doesn’t seem to work as we intended. We can feel like God isn’t answering in the way we want, or we don’t feel heard, so we just gave up. But what if you’re using prayer the wrong way?
In this sermon we learn about how to pray God’s way, the way that it’s designed to work. We explore two ways of praying that never work, and one way that always will.
Looking to Others
Looking to Ourselves
Looking to Our Father
Looking to Others
Prayer that uses God to look good will never work. We can do this by using prayer to gain status in the social order, to find our place in the world, or to look good in the eyes of others. Imagine how God feels by prayers like this. He doesn’t want to be used so that we can look good; He wants you to authentically desire His presence.
Looking to Ourselves
Prayer that uses God to get His stuff will never work. We can repetitiously plead with God hoping that He will give us what we want; we can use all the flattery and well-oiled phrases, but in the end we’re just bargaining to get our needs met. We’re trying to control our situation in the world through prayer, and our eyes are focused only on our needs, wants, goals, and priorities. These kinds of prayers treat God like a vending machine in the sky. In response, we’re saying we don’t really want God, we just want His stuff. God doesn’t desire these kinds of prayers.
Looking to Our Father
Prayer that pursues our Father with childlike trust, intimacy, and surrender will always be answered. Jesus says that prayer works when it is used as it was intended, to seek a trustful intimacy and surrender with God. Do you see how radically different this is from both religious and irreligious prayer? Instead of showing off to impress others and fit in, or trying to convince God to do what we want, gospel prayer is about trustful intimacy with God. Prayer never works when it’s about our agenda. Prayer is designed to draw us close to our Heavenly Father, in child-like trust and surrender.
Takeaways: Three ideas to orient our hearts to God in prayer.
- Pray when no one is looking.
- Pray to “waste” time with God.
- Pray as adopted heirs of our Father.
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Episode 23: Treating Prayer like a Vending Machine
Podcast: “Living The Message”
Episode 23: Treating Prayer like a Vending Machine
Pastor Philip and Pastor Eric
Podcast Updated Weekly
Prayer that uses God to look good or uses God as a vending machine doesn’t work. So what kind of prayers get His attention?
In this conversation, Pastors Philip and Eric discuss how to pray in a way that pleases God. How we orient our hearts to God matters to the outcome of our prayers. Our heart orientation should be to genuinely spend time with God, not to manipulate God for our personal gain. God honors prayer that primarily seeks relationship with Him.
They also answer important questions from the sermon:
1) How do we know if we’re trying to manipulate God? 5:11
2) What’s the right and wrong way to pray for a blessing? 9:00
3) Is public prayer a form of social platforming? 11:30
4) Who should we direct our prayers to? The Father, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit? 16:20
5) Do structural prayers have their place in our spiritual life? 21:49
6) What resources do you recommend on prayer? 25:38
In this episode, Pastor Philip and Pastor Eric will unpack questions from the recent sermon, “Pray Then Like This,” Scripture: Matthew 6:5–13 ESV
Questions about this sermon? Submit them to 312-682-1888 or by email to livingthemessage@moodychurch.org. Your submissions will help us shape the conversation for our weekly podcast, Living the Message.
PASTOR TO PEOPLE
Spring is on the horizon! Daffodil shoots are emerging and buds are beginning to swell as temperatures rise and rain waters the earth. It’s hard to believe Easter is just around the corner. Resurrection Sunday is coming. And Jesus is alive and changing lives here in Chicago!
In one of our recent membership classes, I met a young man who came to our church for the very first time last Easter. He’d grown up in church, but wandered away for a number of years. Over the course of a few weeks of hearing God’s Word, he recommitted his life to Christ, got involved in one of our Communities, joined one of our ministry teams, and has begun sharing what Jesus has done in his life with his coworkers. Talk about celebrating the joy of a changed life! And all of that in the last twelve months! It’s simply amazing what God can do in our lives when we yield ourselves to Him.
It’s good to remember that this time of year is a great opportunity to invite friends and family to come with you to church and consider the life-giving message of Jesus. People are spiritually hungry, and might be willing to give Jesus a hearing. Our team is working hard to create meaningful opportunities for people far from Jesus to connect with the good news about Him. Please check out the details in this bulletin of all the special moments that will make Holy Week unforgettable here at The Moody Church. Would you be praying about who the Lord might have you invite this Easter? Would you make a plan for how you’ll reach out to them in the coming days? You never know what God might do through a simple invitation!
Remember, you are loved, more than you know!
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