Are You Serious? – “Serious About Prayer”
Are You Serious?! – Serious About Prayer
ARE YOU SERIOUS?! - SERIOUS ABOUT PRAYER Big Picture Context • In Luke, this teaching comes as Jesus is on His journey to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51 onward), preparing His disciples for life without His physical presence. Teaching them to pray is part of equipping them for the Spirit-empowered mission ahead. Luke 11:1-13 • Jesus teaches the Lord’s Prayer and illustrates persistence and trust in God. HOW WE SOMETIMES MISUSE PRAYER 1. Treating Prayer Like a Performance – Matthew 6:6, 6:7–8 2. Using Prayer as a Vending Machine – 1 John 5:14 3. Only Praying in a Crisis – 1 Thessalonians 5:17 4. Treating Prayer Like Bargaining with God – Romans 11:35 WAYS TO PRAY 1. The Lord’s Prayer as a Model – Matthew 6:9–13 / Luke 11:2–4 2. ACTS Method (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) 3. PRAY Method (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) 4. Five-Finger Prayer 5. Breath Prayers 6. Conversational Prayer 7. Scripture-Praying MAIN POINTS 1. Prayer is Not Performance, It’s Relationship – Matthew 6:7–8 2. Prayer is Not Magic, It’s Alignment – 1 John 5:14 3. Prayer is Not a Last Resort, It’s a First Response – Phil. 4:6 4. Prayer Changes More Than Our Circumstances, It Changes Us – 2 Corinthians 3:18
Sermon Description
Ever wonder if prayer actually works, or if it’s just something religious people do? In this message, we break down how Jesus taught His disciples to pray and why it’s more about relationship with God than rituals or rules. We’ll explore common ways people misunderstand prayer and give simple, practical ways to make it a real part of your everyday life. If you’ve ever felt awkward, ineffective, or unsure about talking to God, this message is for you.
Small Group Discussion Questions
1. When you think about prayer, do you approach it more like a ritual, a last resort, or a conversation? Why? (Matthew 6:6–8; Luke 11:1–13; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
2. How has God’s “no” or “wait” shaped your trust in Him, and what’s your natural reaction to it? (1 John 5:14; Romans 11:35)
3. In what ways do you feel you’ve been performing in prayer rather than being authentic? How could you shift that? (Matthew 6:6–8; Philippians 4:6)
4. How does persistent prayer change your relationship with God, even if circumstances don’t change immediately? (Luke 11:5–10; 2 Corinthians 3:18)
5. How do you practically align your desires with God’s will in daily decisions and prayer? (1 John 5:14; Philippians 4:6)
2 Deep Journal Questions
1. When was a time you prayed more for control than for connection with God? How might your perspective change if you approached prayer as a conversation instead of a wish list?
2. What areas of your life might be transformed if you consistently brought them to God in prayer first, rather than trying to handle them on your own?