
What is something you realized you were using wrong/incorrectly later in life?
In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, one of His biggest topics was the connection between religious actions and the individual’s heart when performing them.
Matthew 6:1-4
What name did Jesus give to insincere individuals? Why?
Can you think of a modern-day equivalent to the hypocrites sounding trumpets when they performed good deeds?
In a culture that loves to share everything publicly, do you find it difficult to give, be generous, serve, or perform good deeds “in secret” as Jesus said?
You might assume that even though there is an incorrect way to perform good deeds, there can’t possibly be an incorrect way to pray, but Jesus told us differently.
Matthew 6:5-6
Why do you think Jesus began teaching us the correct way to pray by telling us what NOT to do?
If those who do good/pray for public recognition receive their reward, what reward do those who do good/pray in secret receive?
We cannot manipulate God to move by praying repeatedly until He caves in, or by stringing together the perfect order of words. But does that mean that praying for the same thing consistently is bad?
Matthew 6:7-8
What is the difference between forcing God’s hand by prayer and praying repeatedly for the same thing?
If God knows what we need before we ask, why pray?