New Series: Pray this way...

What if prayer isn't just something you do... but someone you draw near to?

 

Prayer is one of the greatest privileges God has given His children, yet it's often one of the most misunderstood. It's more than reciting words, checking a box, or bringing God a list of requests. Prayer is an invitation into a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father.

 

You won't want to miss a single lesson in this brand-new series, Pray this way.

 

Together, we'll discover what Jesus taught about prayer and how Scripture invites us to approach God with confidence, humility, faith, and complete dependence upon Him. Along the way, we'll learn how prayer transforms our hearts, aligns our lives with God's will, strengthens our faith, and equips us to faithfully intercede for others.

 

Whether you've walked with Christ for decades or simply desire a richer prayer life, this series will encourage and challenge you to experience the joy of daily fellowship with God.

 

Because the greatest blessing of prayer isn't simply getting answers... it's getting closer to the One who hears every prayer.

 

"Lord, teach us to pray." 

Luke 11:1

Our first lesson is from Mark 1:35 and John 15:5–7.

Sermon Recap

Mark 1:35 and John 15:5–7 reveal that prayer is not a performance but a relationship to abide in. Jesus, in the middle of a demanding ministry schedule, withdrew early in the morning to a solitary place to be with the Father. His fruitfulness flowed out of His communion, not the other way around. John 15 makes the connection explicit: apart from Christ we can do nothing, but those who abide in Him bear fruit and find their prayers shaped by His will. Time with God is not a task on the to-do list; it is the root system that makes everything else possible.

 

Mark 1:35

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed.

 

John 15:5–7

[5] I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. [6] If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. [7] If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (ESV)

 

Discussion Questions

1. What stands out to you most in Mark 1:35 and John 15:5-7?
2. Why do you think Jesus prioritized prayer even during His busiest seasons of ministry?
3. What does it look like practically to "abide" in Christ throughout a normal day?
4. How does understanding prayer as relationship rather than duty change the way you approach it?
5. What competes most for the time you would otherwise give to prayer?
6. How might a life of consistent prayer change the way you handle stress, decisions, or busyness?

 

Closing Thought

Jesus' example in Mark 1 shows that even the busiest ministry calendar must be built on the foundation of communion with the Father. As a class, we can ask one another honestly about our rhythms of prayer, encourage each other when distraction and busyness crowd it out, and remind one another that fruitfulness in life always flows from abiding, not striving. A church that treasures time with God becomes a people who carry His presence into every space they enter.

END