In our Teach Us to Pray Series, we’re diving into the Lord’s Prayer and going line by line, learning what it really means to pray “Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done, as it is in Heaven” When we pray this, we’re asking for God to take his rightful place in our hearts, in our homes, in our cities, and in our world. Instead of apathy, where do you need to pray for heaven to come down?
Discussion Questions:
Warm Up:
In this series we have been learning how to pray from Jesus, the ultimate authority on how to pray and the Son who communicated with his Father perfectly.
Share about a skill or task that you learned how to do from an expert.
“Your Kingdom come”
Reflect on the Message:
- Pastor Rob described the Kingdom of God as “what life is like when the King is in charge”. Why do you think Jesus teaches us to pray that God’s Kingdom would come?
Scripture Engagement: According to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12:
- Who is God’s Kingdom for? What types of people enter His Kingdom?
- What is the Kingdom of heaven like? What is it not like?
- What does it mean to be “poor in spirit” (5:3)? Pastor Rob contrasted this with being “middle class in spirit”.
Personal Connection:
- Pastor Rob talked about how the Kingdom of heaven is “already and not yet." In your life and community, what are some ways that the Kingdom (as described in the Beatitudes) is already here? What are some ways that the Kingdom is not yet here?
- What “kingdom(s)” are you living in besides God’s Kingdom?
- When we pray for God’s kingdom to come, what does this mean for your kingdom(s)?
“Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”
Reflect on the Message:
- Why do you think Jesus teaches us to pray for God’s will to be done? What message does this convey to God and to our own hearts?
Scripture Engagement: According to Matthew 5:13-16:
- How are Christians supposed to conduct themselves in the world as “salt” and “light”?
- Why do you think Jesus instructs His followers to be visible representatives of our Father in Heaven?
Personal Connection:
- What are areas in your life or community where heaven needs to come down? Read Revelation 21:1-4 for a description of what the new heaven and new earth will be like.
- What are some examples you have seen of believers bringing heaven to earth as an answer to prayer?
- What is one way you can pray and act to bring heaven to earth as God’s hands and feet this week?
Group Prayer Time
Pastor Rob suggested five ways the Lord’s Prayer impacts how and what we pray. Choose one to personally focus on this week and commit this to God in prayer as a group.
- We are not just waiting for Heaven to come, we are praying it down!
- We are praying for more people to enter the Kingdom of God.
- We are asking God for his justice to come.
- We are praying for more of the Kingdom in us.
- We are praying and looking with hope to the future when God’s Kingdom comes fully.
Questions Written by: Clare So, Community Group Leader
