The Lord's Prayer - Week 3
Sunday, August 15, 2021
When was the last time you felt forgiven? (big or small, practical or spiritual, etc)
Take some time to re-read the Lord’s Prayer. Matthew 6:9-13
Scan Matthew 6 and look at the references to “hypocrites” and “Gentiles”. How are those references connected to the big point of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7 - living the Kingdom life)?
(For clues, think about what the religious culture of that day was like. How did Jesus interact with the religious leaders? Why would it be important to Jesus that His followers not follow the examples of hypocrites & Gentiles?)
Phil talked about the big point of Matthew 6 and the call to live a genuine, worship, God-following life. What might that have looked like in that day? What does it look like today?
Matthew 6:12 starts by focusing on the “debts” owed to the Lord. What are those debts? What other scriptures come to mind to understand the debt we owe Him?
How is the record of sin-debt different for believers than for unbelievers?
What are the benefits of regularly confessing sin?
Verse 12 also conveys that we must be people ready to forgive. Colossians 3:13 tells us to “bear with one another”, also interpreted as “make allowance for each other’s faults”. How can we make allowance (or prepare ahead of time) to forgive?
How does forgiving others keep us genuine (not hypocritical)?
Do you ever find yourself wrestling with unforgiveness?
Is it a consistent struggle?
How could unforgiveness become idolatry?
If the Lord’s Prayer is a template for genuine, worshipful, Christ-following prayer, how can you be more mercy-minded when you pray?
Is confession a regular part of your prayer life? If so, is there a way (or a particular method) that you often use for those prayers of confession?
What are some ways that you can dwell on the mercy of God more than you currently do?
When was the last time you asked the Lord to help you forgive others in the same way you’ve been forgiven?