Sharon Reformed Presbyterian Church · Sermon study sheet

The Posture of Prayer - Matthew 6:5-8

Bryan Schneider · July 27, 2019

Matthew 6:5-8

sharonrpc.org/sermons/the-posture-of-prayer

Summary

Jesus calls his disciples to draw near to God in prayer rather than letting fear, news, busyness, or spiritual coldness crowd prayer out of life.
Prayer becomes hypocrisy when its purpose is to gain a reputation for piety before other people instead of seeking God himself.
The secret place removes the audience and gives the believer room to confess sin, express grief, give thanks, adore God, and commune honestly with the Father.
Vain repetition mistakes the quantity or formula of words for true prayer; God desires understanding, engaged hearts, and dependence upon him.
Believers can pray with confidence because the Father is near and already knows their needs, even when they feel tired, angry, apathetic, doubtful, or unable to find words.
The sermon challenges hearers to practice regular, heartfelt prayer and to begin with honest, brief petitions rather than waiting for ideal feelings or circumstances.

When I pray, am I seeking God or trying to maintain a reputation for spirituality?
What place and time can I set apart for undistracted, private prayer?
If the walls and floors of my home could testify, what would they reveal about my prayer life?
Do my prayers engage my understanding and affections, or have they become merely repeated words?
Which pressures or habits (news, busyness, tiredness, anger, or apathy) most often displace prayer?
What do I need to confess honestly to the Father when I do not feel like praying?
How does knowing that the Father already knows my needs change the confidence with which I approach him?
What simple pattern of morning and evening prayer can I begin this week?

Prayer: The believer's offering of desires to God with adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and requests, made in communion with the Father.
Hypocrisy: Religious performance that seeks the appearance and reputation of holiness before people without the corresponding reality in the heart.
Secret place: A private setting in which a person deliberately withdraws from spectators and distractions to seek the Father in prayer.
Vain repetition: Mindless or formulaic speech that assumes many words will secure a hearing while the heart and understanding remain disengaged.
Communion with God: Personal fellowship in which the believer draws near to the Father and pours out the realities of the heart before him.
Fatherly care: God's intimate knowledge of and loving attention to his children's needs before they ask him.