This week in our series through Matthew, Pastor Tim Miller teaches on fruit-bearing prayer and what it truly means to approach God in a way that produces lasting spiritual fruit Building on the call to go low and go deep in prayer, this sermon explores how the gospel of reconciliation shapes the way we pray. Because we have been reconciled to God through Christ and entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation, we are living in a time of salvation and favor. The question Jesus presses is this: What does prayer look like when it is not wasted, useless, or fruitless, but produces the righteousness God desires? From Matthew’s Gospel, we see that fruit-bearing prayer is:

• Prayer that is not hypocritical or performed for human praise

• Prayer aligned with God’s character, priorities, kingdom, and will • Prayer shaped by humility, righteousness, compassion, and a desire for God’s glory

• Prayer offered with right motives, not selfish ambition

• Prayer that is persistent, trusting, and dependent on the Father

Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, His example of private prayer, His call to love enemies, and His promise that the Father gives good gifts all reveal that true fruitfulness flows from faith-filled dependence on God and alignment with His purposes. The sermon closes with a call to a paradigm shift: recognizing the privilege of representing Christ in our present moment and committing to pray with the mind of Christ, staying aligned with God’s will so that our lives bear lasting fruit. Join us as we learn how to approach God in fruit-bearing prayer.