Dock Resource Kit
Sunday sermon, 19 January 2025
This week, Michael spoke to us about the importance of praying in community. He reminded us that prayer is how we live out our relationship with God, who is Himself a community—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Drawing on Matthew 7 and examples from the early church in Acts, Michael highlighted that we are created for both community with God and one another. Prayer in community transforms us, strengthens our faith, and unites us as the body of Christ. He encouraged us to embrace vulnerability, build trust in prayer relationships, and use tools like prayer cards to guide and deepen our practice of praying together.
Dock Discussion Questions
Michael described prayer as joining in the community of God. How does this idea of prayer change the way you think about your relationship with God?
Reflect on the last time you prayed in a group or with another person. What did you find encouraging or challenging about the experience?
In Acts, the early church prayed together constantly. What are some practical ways we can build a culture of regular community prayer in our small group or wider church?
Michael talked about the vulnerability of praying together. How can we create a safe and trusting environment that allows for deeper, more honest prayers?
Long-form, editted transcript
Prayer in Community
Good morning. Lovely to see you all. My name is Michael, and I’m part of the team here at SPS. As Bridget mentioned, we’re in the middle of a month of prayer, which is so exciting. Over these weeks, we’ve been exploring the theme of prayer in our Sunday services, and today I have the privilege of speaking about praying in community.
Last week, we heard about praying as individuals and the kind of habits we can develop around personal prayer, which was amazing. Today, we’re shifting focus slightly to think about how we pray with others.
This morning, I want to explore three key areas with you:
Why do we pray?
Why should we pray in community?
How might we pray in community?
So that’s where we’re heading, but before we begin, I’d like to hear your thoughts.
Why Do We Pray?
Let’s start with a question: Why do we pray? If someone asked you to explain why Christians pray, how would you answer? I’d love for you to turn to someone near you and take two minutes to discuss. Keep it simple—boil it down to the shortest answer you can. Go for it.
(Pause for discussion)
Okay, maybe swap now if one of you hasn’t had a chance to share. One more minute.
(Pause again)
Alright, let’s draw those conversations together. I hope you found it encouraging to talk about this, and perhaps you’ve learned something from each other.
Now, the thing about prayer is that it’s both deeply nuanced and incredibly straightforward. We could go around this room and gather a hundred different answers about why we pray, and every one of them would be meaningful and profound. But at the same time, prayer is so fundamental to who we are as Christians that we can sometimes lose track of why we do it.
At its core, I believe we pray because we’re created for relationship with God. Genesis 1:26-27 reminds us that we are made in the image of God. And what is God’s image? God, in His very being, is community—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Prayer is how we participate in that divine relationship.
John 1:12 tells us that those who receive Christ are given the right to become children of God. Through prayer, we experience that identity—we step into the reality of being God’s children.
I love what the Jewish theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel says about prayer: “The issue of prayer is not prayer. The issue of prayer is God.” In other words, prayer isn’t just about the mechanics or even the answers we seek—it’s about knowing God, understanding ourselves, and being transformed.
Jesus’ Words on Prayer
To understand why we pray, let’s look at what Jesus says about it. In Matthew 7:7-14, part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
In this passage, Jesus paints a beautiful picture of prayer as the intimate connection between a loving parent and a child. God is a good Father who longs to give us good gifts and wants us to bring our needs to Him.
Jesus also describes following God as walking a narrow path through a small gate. He is the gate through which we enter life, and prayer is the act of walking that path—moving toward God, step by step.
So why do we pray? Because we are made to know God, and prayer is how we live in that relationship.
Why Should We Pray in Community?
Let’s move to our second question: Why should we pray in community? Before we dive in, I’d like you to share your own experiences of praying with others. Maybe it’s in a small group, with a friend, or even just sitting here while someone leads from the front. Take a couple of minutes to chat with someone nearby.
(Pause for discussion)
Community: God’s Design for Us
Let’s talk about community. We’ve already said that God is community—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and that we are created in His image. But here’s the thing: when Jesus reconciled us to God through His death and resurrection, He also reconciled us to one another.
The cross itself shows this dual reconciliation. The vertical beam reminds us of our restored relationship with God, while the horizontal beam points to our restored relationships with one another.
Paul speaks about this in Ephesians 3:4-6, describing how Christ unites all people—Jews and Gentiles alike—into one body. In Christ, we are no longer separate, but one people.
This is why community is so central to our purpose. You were made for community with God and with others. Everything else—your work, your achievements, even your personal growth—is secondary to that purpose.
The Power of Community Prayer
Let’s look at what happens when we pray in community. The Bible is full of examples of people praying together:
In Acts 1:14, we see the apostles and other believers constantly joining together in prayer after Jesus’ ascension.
Acts 2:42 describes the early church devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer.
In Acts 4:23-31, after Peter and John are released from prison, the believers gather to pray together, lifting their voices as one.
When we pray together, we experience the unity and power of the Holy Spirit. Community prayer transforms us, strengthens our faith, and reminds us of God’s goodness.
How Should We Pray in Community?
Now we come to the practical question: How do we pray together? Take a moment to think about the last time you prayed with someone else. How did it feel? What was the context?
(Pause for reflection)
Praying together can feel vulnerable—it’s an act of opening your heart to God in front of others. But that vulnerability is also what makes it so powerful.
Here are a few things to keep in mind as we pray in community:
Start Small: It’s okay to begin with simple, structured prayers. Over time, as trust and intimacy grow, you can share more deeply.
Set Expectations: Be clear about what your prayer time will involve—how long it will last, what you’ll pray for, and how you’ll close.
Use Tools: Sometimes, having a tangible resource can help guide your prayer. For example, I’ve brought some small cards that focus on key areas: prayer, the Word, fellowship, mission, and a “wild card” for anything else. You can use these to spark conversations and prayers in your groups.
Closing Thoughts and Prayer
Prayer is foundational to who we are as Christians. It’s how we relate to God, grow in community, and walk the narrow path to life. My prayer for us is that we would embrace the call to pray together, building relationships that reflect God’s love and light.
Let’s pray:
Father, thank you for this incredible community. Thank you for their willingness to encourage one another and step into deeper prayer together. I pray that we would take steps this week to seek out opportunities for community prayer, building intimacy and bringing light into our lives.
Thank you for being a good Father who longs for relationship with us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.