SERMON ON THE MOUNT: PRAYER

We’re learning about the Sermon on the Mount. It’s Jesus’ most famous sermon! It’s called the Sermon on the Mount because he stood up on a hill—or mountain—to preach. Today we’re learning that Jesus preached about how God hears our prayers

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SUNDAY SCHOOL WORSHIP

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We’re learning that God hears our prayers! How do we know that? Well…let’s watch a bunch of examples of how God heard prayers in the Bible. As we do, you’ll get a turn to pray in different ways.

Which example of God hearing prayers was the most impressive to you? Why?
           
What’s something you prayed about or thought about during this video?
           
What’s something else you pray about often?
           
Why do you or don’t you think God hears people today like he did in the Bible?
           
All throughout the Bible, God heard people’s prayers. Over thousands of years that the Bible covered, God always listened. And God hears our prayers today, too.

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BIBLE LESSON

God loves to listen to us! God hears our prayers, and he wants to talk with us. Let’s see what Jesus said about praying in the Bible. The Bible is one of the ways God talks to us! 

            Matthew 7:7-8 -- Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
     
Why do you think Jesus said to keep on asking?
        
     Jesus said if we ask, we’ll receive. Does that mean God will give us anything we want? Explain your answer.
           
Jesus wasn’t saying God is like a magic genie who will grant our every request if we just ask the right number of times. He was making the point that God hears our prayers. God knows what we need, and we can trust him to hear our prayers and respond with what we need.
 
Pray
Let’s try that now. Jesus said to ask, seek, and knock. Let’s talk to God about three different things. First, we’ll ask God for help. Think of something you need God’s help with. Then silently talk to him, asking him for help.
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 Allow time.
           
Jesus also said to seek. That means to look for something. So let’s seek peace now. Hold your hands like binoculars as you silently talk to God about seeking more peace in your life.           

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Jesus also said to knock. When you go to a friend’s house, you knock, and your friend lets you in! When we knock, we’re asking to spend more time with God. Let’s knock now. 
Gently knock on the floor or table as you silently talk to God about wanting to be his friend and spend time with him.
         God hears our prayers because he’s our friend. He cares about what we’re asking for, what we’re seeking, and when we knock. He wants to hear our hearts. And he’ll always respond with good gifts.
 
Wouldn't it be great to have a snack right now? What do you think of this snack?

Okay, this isn't a very good snack, is it? But it reminds me of something else Jesus said about prayer.

            Matthew 7:9-11 -- You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not!  So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.
     
You know, Jesus said parents wouldn’t give kids a bad gift when they asked for something to eat. But what if kids asked for rocks to eat for dinner?
           
Do you think good parents would give the children rocks? Why or why not?

What are things people might ask God for that wouldn’t be good for them?
         
God hears our prayers. He hears every single one! And when we ask for things that are good for us, sometimes he says “yes.” But sometimes we ask for things that aren’t good for us. When that happens, we can still trust God…not to give us what we want, but to give us what we need. God always knows what’s best for us! 
       
God hears our prayers, and we can trust him to give us what we need. Just as a parent wouldn’t give you a rock or a snake when you need food to eat, God won’t give you something that wouldn’t be good for you. 
           
Think about something you might talk to God about that you think would be good for you. 
        
​God hears our prayers. We can trust him to take care of our every need, and we can always turn to him as we ask, seek, and knock to find good gifts.

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PRAYER

God, thank you that you hear all our prayers. We know you’ll give us good gifts if we ask, seek, and knock.
​In Jesus’ name, amen.

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