playnext.fm

Sermon

Jesus On ... Daily Life 03-15-2026

·24 min·2 clips
Jesus instructs his followers to pray secretly in a room, not like hypocrites who perform for others.
The episode begins with a reading from Matthew 6:5-18, where Jesus instructs his followers to pray in secret, not like hypocrites who perform for others. It then transitions to a narrative from Brennan Manning's book 'Abba's Child,' about a dying man with cancer who prays by talking to an empty chair, imagining Jesus sitting there. The host, reflecting on this story, confesses that he initially misread Jesus's teaching as a syllogistic 'if-then' logic but corrects this view, emphasizing that prayer is an invitation to come to God even amid anxiety and fear. He connects this to Martin Luther's concept of the 'bondage of the will,' noting how humans often feel bound by worry. The sermon systematically unpacks the Lord's Prayer, highlighting its personal call to 'Abba Father,' the role of the Holy Spirit in interceding when words fail, and the prayer for God's kingdom to come on earth. It addresses practical needs like daily bread, framing God's provision through both miraculous and ordinary means like farming. The host discusses forgiveness as essential in relationships such as marriage and friendship, warning against spiritual pride. He references Jesus's temptation in the wilderness to illustrate how believers can trust in Christ's victory over evil. Statistics on Jesus's prayer frequency in the Gospels are cited to encourage regular prayer, whether scheduled or spontaneous. The episode mentions John Stott's insight that the 'room' for prayer in Matthew 6 is a treasure chamber, symbolizing the value of God's presence. It concludes with a call to use the 'empty chair' method to lean into Jesus's presence, overcoming anxiety and remembering his resurrection promise.

As heard by us

Matthew 6 is framed as a practical word for prayer, fear, forgiveness, and returning to God.

The episode traces Matthew 6 from praying in secret and avoiding empty phrases to the Lord's Prayer, forgiveness, and fasting, then widens into anxiety and the call back to prayer.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

For the morning when prayer shares the room with a leak, a debt, and too much worry.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Listen to the show on
Apple PodcastsSpotify
Play clips from this episodeMore from Sermon