Matthew 6:9-15 - How Should We Pray?

Matthew 6:9-15 - How Should We Pray?Preacher: Simon LawrensonSunday MorningDate: 12th September 2025Passage: Matthew 6:9-15-------------------In this sermon on Matthew 6, the pastor explores Jesus’ teaching on prayer, focusing on how Christ diagnoses six heart-level issues that prevent effective prayer while simultaneously providing the gospel cure for each problem.The first diagnosis is our pursuit of individualism. Jesus counters this by teaching us to pray “our Father,” not “my Father,” emphasising that Christianity is inherently communal, not merely individual. The pastor points to Acts 1:14 where the disciples “with one accord devoted themselves to prayer,” resulting in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The gospel cure is that God has placed us in a family, and our response should be to pray together in life groups, prayer meetings, and with prayer partners.The second diagnosis is our misunderstanding of God as Father. Many view God primarily as judge, sovereign, or king, but Jesus teaches us to approach Him as Father. The pastor notes that in every recorded prayer except one (when forsaken on the cross), Jesus addressed God as Father. The gospel cure is that through Christ’s sacrifice, we have been given “the right to become children of God” (John 1:12), allowing us to approach God with confidence rather than fear.The third diagnosis is “self on the throne” instead of God. Jesus teaches us to pray “hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done,” exposing our tendency to make ourselves the centre of our prayers. The pastor uses the analogy of microscopes and telescopes: “Oftentimes we come to God like we use a microscope… our small, insignificant problems, we make them look huge… Instead, we should come to God like a telescope, because telescopes make those things that seem small but are actually massive, look big.” The cure is found in Christ who perfectly submitted to the Father’s will.The fourth diagnosis is the illusion of control. By teaching us to pray for daily bread and forgiveness, Jesus reminds us that we are dependent creatures, not sovereign rulers. The gospel cure is seen in Jesus’ submission in Gethsemane: “Not my will but yours be done.” Our response should be to surrender control of those areas we’ve been trying to manage without God.The fifth diagnosis is unconfessed sin. Jesus teaches us to pray “forgive us our debts,” acknowledging that prayer is for the broken, not the perfect. The pastor emphasises, “Sin should not keep us from God. Sin should be the very thing that drives us to God.” The gospel cure is that through the cross, God has made a way for sin to be dealt with, and our response should be to extend that same forgiveness to others who have sinned against us.The sixth diagnosis is complacency toward spiritual warfare. By teaching us to pray “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” Jesus reminds us that we face a real enemy who “prowls around like a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8). The gospel cure is that Christ has equipped us with the Word of God as our sword and the Holy Spirit as our power to face temptation.The sermon concludes by emphasising that prayer isn’t about perfection but about coming to God in our brokenness: “It’s not bad news to admit that we need help. It’s good news because what Jesus is saying is that sinners can come to the Father and the redeemed can come to the Father. And both can say, ‘Help me.'” Every failure becomes an invitation to return to God and be filled with His Word and Spirit.