Red Letters - Prayer And Fasting

Why do we pray? Why do we fast? In Matthew 6 Jesus strips away every layer of performance and invites us into a family conversation with the Father. Pastor Scott Wiens unpacks this potent passage by contrasting two identities: boarder and child. A boarder treats God like a landlord—pay the rent of good behavior, expect prompt service on life’s leaky faucets. When prayers go unanswered, resentment bubbles up and faith erodes. Jesus warns that this transactional mindset leads only to fleeting human applause: you’ve “received your reward” already. A child, however, belongs by birthright. Children don’t schedule an audience with Dad; they barge in, confident of love. Scott illustrates this with a vivid image: only a child wakes a king at 3 a.m. for a cup of water. That’s the access Jesus grants when He teaches us to begin, “Our Father.” The Lord’s Prayer then reshapes priorities—honor God’s name, seek His kingdom, trust Him for today’s bread, release and receive forgiveness, rely on His protection. Prayer’s sibling discipline, fasting, suffers the same performance trap. In Jesus’ day people disfigured their faces to telegraph how spiritual they were. Today we’re tempted to do the digital equivalent. Jesus counters: wash your face, smile, keep it between you and Dad. Fasting becomes an inward hunger for God, not an outward badge of piety. Key takeaways Scott covers: Secret place > public stage – Real reward happens where only God sees. Simplicity > verbosity – Fancy words don’t bend God’s will; honest words bend ours to His. Identity > transaction – Romans 8 says the Spirit of adoption makes us cry “Abba.” Prayer is family talk, not rent negotiation. Scott ends with the gentle story of an elderly man who set an empty chair for Jesus during prayer; when he died, his head rested on that chair—picture of perfect trust. Press play to let these truths recalibrate how you approach God this week. Then share the message with someone who needs to trade performance for peace. We are Trinity Community Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Subscribe to our Podcast & YouTube channel to find past sermons, classes, interviews, and more! Find us on Facebook & Instagram