The Bridge Church
Upside Down Kingdom - When You Pray
October 20, 2024
Locations & Times
Englewood SKY Academy
871 S River Rd, Englewood, FL 34223, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
Sunday 9:15 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
Prayer shifts our focus and realigns our will.
Dependence
We tend to pray for help and provision that would give us independence from God rather than reliance on God.
We tend to pray for help and provision that would give us independence from God rather than reliance on God.
You are never more like Jesus than when you forgive.
Prayer increases our reliance on God.
Prayer deepens our trust in God's perfect plan.
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
https://thebridgevenice.churchcenter.com/people/forms/500390
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
https://thebridgevenice.churchcenter.com/people/forms/500390
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
Dig Deeper:
1. What has been your biggest takeaway yet from this sermon series?
2. Why is prayer an essential part of our walk with Jesus?
3. Matthew 6:9-13 is often known as “The Lord’s Prayer” and is a well-known passage of scripture. What thoughts come to mind when you think of this passage of scripture?
4. Read Luke 11:1. Why do you think the disciples wanted to be taught how to pray like Jesus? How does this passage bring more context to Matthew 6:9-13?
5. How is this prayer an example instead of a script?
6. Without sharing with others (unless you want to!), rank your current prayer life (non-existent, wish it was better, fairly consistent, or dedicated to prayer daily). Why do you think you are currently in this stage in your prayer life? Keep these thoughts in mind as you continue with this time of reflection.
7. Why do you think Jesus provides us instructions on how to pray? How would this have been impactful to the original audience? How is it useful to us all?
8. Read Matthew 6:5-8. Why do you think Jesus shares how not to pray before He shares how to pray?
9. Read Matthew 6:9. What does Jesus call God at the beginning of the prayer? Why is this important? What other names could He call God? Again, how would this have been impactful to the original audience? How is it useful to us all?
10. God is holy. What does that mean? Why is it important that we share that with Him?
11. Read Matthew 6:10. How is this passage made personal? What is a person who says “Your will be done” actually saying about their own posture and heart towards God?
12. What happens when we focus on God’s plans instead of our plans? Describe a time when you’ve done that. What was the outcome? How does prayer shift our focus and realign our will?
13. Read Matthew 6:11. Why is it important to ask God for help? Why is the focus on only one day?
14. What does it look like to be dependent on God? Are we to be dependent on God only when we have less or are in need?
15. Thinking back to your own prayer life, do you tend to pray for help and provision that would give you independence from God rather than reliance on God? How is praying for dependence on God, or for your daily needs, different than saying you want to live meagerly?
16. Read Matthew 6:12. Look up different translations of this passage. What are our debts? What is a debtor?
17. Why are you never more like Jesus than when you forgive? Is Matthew 6:12 an easy prayer to pray in some situations? Why?
18. Read Matthew 6:13. Why would Jesus instruct us, in prayer, to ask God not to do something that he already said he will never do?
19. What are some examples of prayer that could actually be a request for temptation?
20. Is it bad to want things? Is it wrong to ask God for them? How can we discern what we think might be good for us with what God wants or believes is best for us?
21. How is trust critical in our relationship with God? How does prayer deepen our trust in God’s perfect plan?
22. Review all the parts of this prayer? Is each section difficult, at times, to pray? Which do you find easiest to pray? What do you find most difficult to pray? Why?
23. Looking back at question six, would you now change your answer after reflecting on Matthew 6:9-13? Why?
24. What is one take away from this sermon that you can intentionally live out this week? Share with others what that is and when you plan to do it!
Live It Out/Reading Plan:
This week, write out Matthew 6:9-13 on a piece of paper or in a journal. Write out one verse each day. Try to memorize each passage as you write it down. Then, underneath the scripture you wrote down, write in your own words a version of this same prayer. By the end of the week, read collectively your own version of “The Lord’s Prayer,” and pray to God. Praise Him for loving you so much and spend time in worship and prayer for being able to have such a close and personal relationship with Him!
Example:
Monday:
Matthew 6:9: “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy.”
My person prayer: God, thank you for not only being the creator of all things, but thank you for being my Heavenly Father. To know you as a father makes me feel so close to you. You are a perfect Father, and I thank you for that. To me, you alone are holy. Only you are worthy. No one or nothing is greater or better than You.
Tuesday:
Matthew 6:10: Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Continue each day until you finish the entire passage.
1. What has been your biggest takeaway yet from this sermon series?
2. Why is prayer an essential part of our walk with Jesus?
3. Matthew 6:9-13 is often known as “The Lord’s Prayer” and is a well-known passage of scripture. What thoughts come to mind when you think of this passage of scripture?
4. Read Luke 11:1. Why do you think the disciples wanted to be taught how to pray like Jesus? How does this passage bring more context to Matthew 6:9-13?
5. How is this prayer an example instead of a script?
6. Without sharing with others (unless you want to!), rank your current prayer life (non-existent, wish it was better, fairly consistent, or dedicated to prayer daily). Why do you think you are currently in this stage in your prayer life? Keep these thoughts in mind as you continue with this time of reflection.
7. Why do you think Jesus provides us instructions on how to pray? How would this have been impactful to the original audience? How is it useful to us all?
8. Read Matthew 6:5-8. Why do you think Jesus shares how not to pray before He shares how to pray?
9. Read Matthew 6:9. What does Jesus call God at the beginning of the prayer? Why is this important? What other names could He call God? Again, how would this have been impactful to the original audience? How is it useful to us all?
10. God is holy. What does that mean? Why is it important that we share that with Him?
11. Read Matthew 6:10. How is this passage made personal? What is a person who says “Your will be done” actually saying about their own posture and heart towards God?
12. What happens when we focus on God’s plans instead of our plans? Describe a time when you’ve done that. What was the outcome? How does prayer shift our focus and realign our will?
13. Read Matthew 6:11. Why is it important to ask God for help? Why is the focus on only one day?
14. What does it look like to be dependent on God? Are we to be dependent on God only when we have less or are in need?
15. Thinking back to your own prayer life, do you tend to pray for help and provision that would give you independence from God rather than reliance on God? How is praying for dependence on God, or for your daily needs, different than saying you want to live meagerly?
16. Read Matthew 6:12. Look up different translations of this passage. What are our debts? What is a debtor?
17. Why are you never more like Jesus than when you forgive? Is Matthew 6:12 an easy prayer to pray in some situations? Why?
18. Read Matthew 6:13. Why would Jesus instruct us, in prayer, to ask God not to do something that he already said he will never do?
19. What are some examples of prayer that could actually be a request for temptation?
20. Is it bad to want things? Is it wrong to ask God for them? How can we discern what we think might be good for us with what God wants or believes is best for us?
21. How is trust critical in our relationship with God? How does prayer deepen our trust in God’s perfect plan?
22. Review all the parts of this prayer? Is each section difficult, at times, to pray? Which do you find easiest to pray? What do you find most difficult to pray? Why?
23. Looking back at question six, would you now change your answer after reflecting on Matthew 6:9-13? Why?
24. What is one take away from this sermon that you can intentionally live out this week? Share with others what that is and when you plan to do it!
Live It Out/Reading Plan:
This week, write out Matthew 6:9-13 on a piece of paper or in a journal. Write out one verse each day. Try to memorize each passage as you write it down. Then, underneath the scripture you wrote down, write in your own words a version of this same prayer. By the end of the week, read collectively your own version of “The Lord’s Prayer,” and pray to God. Praise Him for loving you so much and spend time in worship and prayer for being able to have such a close and personal relationship with Him!
Example:
Monday:
Matthew 6:9: “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy.”
My person prayer: God, thank you for not only being the creator of all things, but thank you for being my Heavenly Father. To know you as a father makes me feel so close to you. You are a perfect Father, and I thank you for that. To me, you alone are holy. Only you are worthy. No one or nothing is greater or better than You.
Tuesday:
Matthew 6:10: Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Continue each day until you finish the entire passage.
Reading Plan:
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday: