Pray Like Jesus, Part 6 | 05/10/2026

Devotional

Day 1: Your Kingdom, Not Mine

Jesus taught His disciples to pray “Your kingdom come” before asking for daily bread. The disciples knew earthly kingdoms – Roman soldiers patrolled their streets, tax collectors demanded their wages. Yet Jesus redirected their focus upward. To pray “Your kingdom come” is to dethrone personal agendas. Ben Sasse echoed this surrender when facing terminal cancer, declaring his illness pierced the illusion of playing God. [36:46]

This prayer confronts our addiction to control. Jesus prioritizes God’s reign over our comfort, His purposes over our plans. The disciples learned to seek first what lasts – not temporary safety, but eternal alignment.

Where does your clenched fist resist heaven’s rule? Name one relationship, habit, or worry you’ve refused to place under Christ’s authority.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
(Matthew 6:10, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal one area where you’ve substituted your plans for His reign.
Challenge: Write down three words describing what “your kingdom” looks like in your life. Burn or shred the paper as an act of surrender.

Day 2: Bread for Today

First-century workers earned daily wages to buy that day’s bread. Jesus told them to pray for today’s portion, not tomorrow’s stockpile. The disciples carried this dependence into missionary journeys – no extra tunics, no guaranteed meals. Modern believers face the opposite temptation: pantries full, retirement accounts growing, yet hearts still anxious. [37:50]

God trains us through scarcity. The Israelites gathered manna daily; Elijah relied on ravens. Jesus links daily bread to childlike trust – not self-sufficiency. Our abundance often blinds us to the Provider.

When did you last feel genuine need? What “daily bread” requirement pushes you to pray more than plan?

“Give us today our daily bread.”
(Matthew 6:11, ESV)

Prayer: Thank God for three specific provisions from the past week.
Challenge: Share a meal today with someone who can’t repay you.

Day 3: Debts We Cannot Pay

Tax collectors knew debts – they enforced them. When Jesus said “forgive us our debts,” He used transactional language. The disciples winced, remembering exploited families. Yet Jesus insisted: all sin creates moral debt. Like the woman caught in adultery, we stand exposed. Ben Sasse acknowledged this weight – no resume or reputation cancels the ledger. [44:05]

Confession isn’t self-flagellation. It’s agreeing with God’s assessment. The disciple Peter wept after denying Christ, then received breakfast by the sea. Honesty precedes restoration.

What hidden debt makes you avoid God’s gaze? Write it plainly – no spiritual jargon.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
(1 John 1:9, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one specific sin aloud to God, using simple terms.
Challenge: Tear up a $1 bill as a physical reminder of canceled debt.

Day 4: Releasing the Debt

Jesus told of two debtors – one owing 500 denarii (two years’ wages), the other 50. Both got pardoned. The disciples grasped the math: bigger debt, bigger relief. Yet we often act like the Pharisee comparing himself to the tax collector. Unforgiveness thrives when we minimize our own sins while magnifying others’. [01:05:23]

Forgiveness isn’t amnesia. It’s releasing collection rights. The disciple Stephen did this mid-stoning: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” He died free, while Saul carried chains.

Who owes you an apology you’ve resolved to collect? What would releasing that debt cost?

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
(Matthew 6:12, ESV)

Prayer: Name someone who hurt you. Say “I release you” three times.
Challenge: Delete one angry text draft or avoid one critical comment today.

Day 5: Scars and Open Arms

The resurrected Jesus showed His wounds to Thomas. Scars proved forgiveness’ cost – and its completeness. The disciples bore their own scars: Peter’s denial, Thomas’ doubt, Paul’s persecution. Yet they forgave because they’d been forgiven much. [01:10:48]

Healing follows forgiveness but doesn’t require reconciliation. Joseph forgave his brothers yet tested their repentance. God heals hearts while protecting His children.

What scar – emotional or physical – still tempts you to withhold mercy?

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
(Ephesians 4:32, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to heal one memory where forgiveness feels impossible.
Challenge: Place a bandage on your wrist as a reminder of Christ’s healing wounds.

Sermon Summary

We begin with the Lord's Prayer as our framework and then unpack its shape so our praying shapes our living. We name God as holy and recognize that our behavior reflects his name in the world. We surrender before we petition, asking that God's kingdom and will come into our homes, work, and relationships rather than insisting on our own rule. We bring daily needs to God as dependence, not as theological novelty, remembering that many pray this for survival while we often pray it as trust for provision.

We treat sin as a debt that creates moral responsibility and relational distance. Confession means saying the same thing about our sin that God already says, owning the reality rather than offering a cosmetic apology. Forgiveness removes the guilt and restores closeness; it does not require removing consequences, pretending trauma never happened, or forcing reconciliation. God guarantees forgiveness to those who confess, because Christ bore the full penalty for our sin once and for all.

We also see the inward logic that receiving forgiveness changes how we relate to others. When we grasp the magnitude of God’s mercy, we release the right to collect debts from those who wound us. Forgiveness means we refuse to hold sin as the ledger that drives our life, even while we may set necessary boundaries and pursue justice. The church must never weaponize forgiveness to silence victims or avoid accountability. Finally, the cross stands as the ground of both our pardon and our call to release others, and prayer practices help us live that reality daily.

Key Takeaways

1. Prayer begins with surrender We start by placing God’s name, kingdom, and will above our own plans. This order trains us to stop acting like owners and to live as stewards under Christ’s rule. Surrender reorients desires so petitions flow from dependence rather than entitlement. [35:40]
2. We all need forgiveness No one escapes the moral debt of sin, even if others never see it. Confession exposes self-deception and opens us to the cleansing God promises. Recognizing our need humbles us and keeps us honest before God and neighbor. [44:37]
3. Forgiveness restores relational distance Sin wounds the relationship with God and produces darkness, not final spiritual exile. Confession and forgiveness repair closeness by removing guilt and restoring fellowship. This restoration differs from erasing memory or avoiding consequences; it heals the bond. [49:02]
4. Forgiveness frees us to forgive others Grasping how much God has released us loosens our grip on others’ debts. Genuine reception of grace births generosity toward offenders and weakens the desire for retribution. Forgiveness therefore expresses the gospel and enables healthy boundaries and justice when needed. [62:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[27:22] - Reading the Lord's Prayer
[28:02] - Ben Sasse clip and introduction
[33:17] - How prayer shapes our lives
[34:06] - Hallowing God's name
[35:06] - Your kingdom come and surrender
[37:24] - Give us today our daily bread
[39:30] - Forgive us our debts explained
[49:02] - Confession and relational distance
[66:08] - What forgiveness is not
[69:44] - Gospel grounds for forgiveness
[71:20] - Prayer time and closing Lord's Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV)
“Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Observation Questions

In the Lord’s Prayer, why does Jesus instruct believers to begin with focusing on God’s name, kingdom, and will before asking for daily needs or forgiveness? [35:40]
How does 1 John 1:8-10 clarify the relationship between confession, forgiveness, and self-deception?
What does the parable in Luke 7:41-43 reveal about the connection between receiving forgiveness and offering it to others?
According to the sermon, what are three things forgiveness is not (e.g., forgetfulness, removing consequences)? [01:06:08]

Interpretation Questions

Why might sin create “relational distance” with God rather than total spiritual separation for believers? How does this distinction impact how we approach confession? [49:02]
The sermon emphasizes that prayer begins with surrender. How does prioritizing “Your kingdom come” reorient our desires and daily decisions? [35:06]
In the parable of the two debtors (Luke 7:41-43), Jesus highlights gratitude as a response to forgiveness. Why might someone who feels they’ve been forgiven “little” struggle to forgive others?

Application Questions

What area of your life (e.g., work, relationships, finances) feels hardest to surrender to God’s kingdom and will? What practical step could you take this week to pray “Your will be done” in that area? [36:19]
Confession requires agreeing with God about our sin, not just saying “I’m sorry.” Is there a recurring pattern of behavior you’ve minimized or excused that you need to confess honestly to God?
Forgiveness means releasing the “right to collect debts” from others. Is there someone you’re still trying to “make pay” for their wrongdoing? How could you begin to release that debt while still setting healthy boundaries? [01:07:16]
The sermon warns against using forgiveness to silence victims or avoid accountability. How can we advocate for justice and healing for those who’ve been hurt while still reflecting God’s heart of mercy? [01:08:51]
The Lord’s Prayer includes “give us today our daily bread.” How might praying for basic needs (even if you have plenty) cultivate daily dependence on God rather than self-sufficiency? [37:50]

Sermon Clips

37s

#SurrenderToGod

“You know, the world has struggled from its very beginning with human beings trying to be god. It begins in Genesis where Adam and Eve seek wisdom apart from their creator. And the truth is is you've demonstrated it in your life. I've demonstrated it in my life. When I'm in charge, I mess it up. When I get what I want, I hurt those I claim to love the most. And so we wake up every day with this kind of passion and desire to get what we want. But we must first begin by letting go, putting god in the proper place.”

46s

#WeAllNeedForgiveness

“What's John saying here? John's saying is that no one lives a life good enough. No one is exempt from needing the Lord's prayer. You may pray the Lord's prayer and not need to say, give us this day our daily bread because you have what you need for the next day, but no one prays the Lord's prayer and gets to skip, forgive us our debts. Why? Because if we claim to be without sin, we are deceiving ourselves. And the truth what is the truth? The truth is that we're broken and that we're sinners, that we are not living in reality. That truth is not in us. We all need forgiveness.”

41s

#HonorGodsName

“Hallowed be your name. The word hallowed simply means that it's to be made holy. And we saw in that second Sunday that when we pray that god's name be made holy, we are confessing that only god is holy, and we are reminding ourselves that the way we live influences how the world sees God. You see, that's the point is that when I, as a child of God, pray God, I want your name to be made holy in the world. What I'm saying is that I recognize that how I live in this world, how I interact with other people, what takes place, that is going to influence how people see and view God.”

37s

#ForgivenessIsGuaranteed

“And two, if you are wanting forgiveness, that is proof that you are willing to be forgiven. So forgiveness is guaranteed. And here's the good news, my friends. I don't want you to go on and repeat patterns of behavior in your life that hurt you and hurt others. I don't wanna do that myself. But I am also aware that I am going to make some choices down the road that I'm gonna look back on, and I'm going to regret, and they are sins. And there's a calm assurance that should come from this. Forgiveness is guaranteed.”

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Pray Like Jesus, Part 6 | 05/10/2026 | Grace Church Fremont