When You Pray - Pastor Johnny Dyck

Today’s focus is on the heart of prayer as Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount. Prayer is not meant to be a performance for others, but an authentic, private conversation with our Heavenly Father. Jesus warns against praying for the admiration of people or using empty, repetitive words to sound spiritual. Instead, the invitation is to come before God with sincerity, seeking connection rather than approval. The call is to examine our motives: are we praying to impress, or to truly commune with God?

Jesus provides a model for prayer in what we call the Lord’s Prayer. The prayer begins with relationship—addressing God as Father, which speaks to intimacy and belonging. It moves to worship, recognizing God’s holiness and uniqueness, and then to submission, asking for God’s kingdom and will to be realized on earth. This first half centers on God’s purposes and glory.

The second half of the prayer shifts to our daily needs, dependence, and the reality of our brokenness. Jesus teaches us to ask for daily provision, echoing the Israelites’ dependence on God for manna in the wilderness. He emphasizes forgiveness, both receiving it from God and extending it to others, highlighting that forgiveness is not optional but essential for those who follow Christ. Repentance is not just about turning from sin, but about turning toward God, filling our lives with His presence and truth.

Finally, Jesus instructs us to seek deliverance from temptation and evil, not because God tempts us, but because we need His strength to resist the pull of our own wisdom and the lies of the enemy. The Lord’s Prayer is not just a formula, but a pattern for authentic, surrendered living. Jesus himself models this in Gethsemane, praying with honesty, intimacy, and submission: “Not my will, but yours be done.” True prayer may not always change our circumstances, but it will always change our hearts, aligning us with God’s will and making us His representatives in the world.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Authentic prayer is about connection, not performance. When prayer becomes a means to impress others, it loses its true purpose. God desires honest, private communion with us, where our hearts are open and motives are pure, regardless of who is listening. [03:54]
• 2. The Lord’s Prayer begins with relationship and worship, reminding us that God is both holy and intimately near. Addressing God as Father draws us into a place of belonging, while “hallowed be your name” calls us to honor His uniqueness and set-apartness. This foundation shapes every other aspect of our prayer life. [11:11]
• 3. Submission to God’s will is central to prayer. “Your kingdom come, your will be done” is not just a phrase, but a daily invitation to surrender our desires and join God’s mission of restoration and love in the world. True prayer bends our will to His, not the other way around. [14:16]
• 4. Dependence and forgiveness are daily necessities. Asking for daily bread is a humble acknowledgment of our need for God’s provision, while seeking and extending forgiveness keeps our hearts free from bitterness and open to God’s mercy. Forgiveness is not just a duty, but a reflection of the grace we have received. [18:06]
• 5. Deliverance from temptation is a continual act of trust. God does not tempt us, but we are called to seek His protection and strength to resist the pull of our own wisdom and the enemy’s lies. Turning from sin is not just about avoidance, but about turning toward God and allowing His presence to fill and transform us. [22:46]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:13] - Introduction to Prayer in the Sermon on the Mount
• [00:50] - Prayer as Conversation, Not Performance
• [01:45] - Reading Matthew 6:5-15
• [03:01] - The Heart of Prayer: Authenticity Over Show
• [05:42] - The Secret Room: Private and Genuine Prayer
• [06:58] - Guarding Motives and Avoiding Empty Words
• [07:50] - The Lord’s Prayer: Structure and Purpose
• [10:04] - Relationship and Intimacy with God
• [11:41] - Worship: Honoring God’s Holiness
• [14:16] - Submission: God’s Kingdom and Will
• [15:54] - Dependence: Daily Bread and Trust
• [17:25] - Forgiveness: Receiving and Extending Grace
• [20:57] - Deliverance: Seeking God’s Protection
• [23:50] - Jesus’ Example in Gethsemane
• [26:41] - Christ’s Fulfillment and Our Surrender
• [28:50] - Final Thoughts and Closing Prayer

Bible Reading

Matthew 6:5-15 (ESV) — > “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. 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.
> “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. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
> 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.
> For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Observation Questions

1. According to Jesus in Matthew 6:5-6, what is the difference between how the hypocrites pray and how he wants his followers to pray? ([01:45])
2. What does Jesus say about using “meaningless repetition” or “many words” in prayer? ([06:58])
3. In the Lord’s Prayer, what are the main things Jesus teaches us to pray for? (Look at verses 9-13) ([09:25])
4. What does Jesus say about forgiveness right after the Lord’s Prayer? ([18:06])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus is so concerned about the motives behind our prayers? What might be the danger of praying to impress others? ([03:54])
2. When Jesus teaches us to call God “Father,” what does that say about our relationship with God? How might this change the way we approach prayer? ([11:11])
3. Jesus links receiving forgiveness from God with our willingness to forgive others. Why do you think these two are connected? ([18:06])
4. The prayer asks for deliverance from temptation and evil. What does this reveal about our daily need for God’s help and protection? ([22:46])

Application Questions

1. Think about your own prayer life. Are there times when you have prayed more for the approval of others than to connect with God? What situations make this most tempting for you? ([03:54])
2. Jesus invites us to pray in secret, focusing on authenticity. What would it look like for you to set aside regular, private time with God this week? Is there a specific place or time you could try? ([05:42])
3. The Lord’s Prayer starts with worship and submission to God’s will. How can you make worship and surrender a bigger part of your prayers, instead of just bringing your requests? ([14:16])
4. “Give us this day our daily bread” is about depending on God for daily needs. Is there an area of your life where you struggle to trust God’s provision? What would it look like to bring that to Him in prayer? ([16:44])
5. Jesus says we must both receive and extend forgiveness. Is there someone you need to forgive, or someone you need to ask forgiveness from? What is one step you could take this week toward reconciliation? ([18:06])
6. Repentance is not just turning from sin, but turning toward God. Is there a habit or thought pattern you need to turn from? What could you fill your mind or time with instead, to focus more on God? ([19:55])
7. Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane was honest and surrendered: “Not my will, but yours be done.” Is there a situation in your life where you need to pray this kind of prayer? What would it mean for you to trust God’s will, even if it’s hard? ([24:37])