“Lord, Teach Us to Pray”
This week’s texts from Scripture are:
Sermon Outline:
The Question Worth Asking
Why did the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray
Prayer as something caught before it is taught
Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed Be Your Name
Prayer begins with relationship and reverence
Not a casual salutation, but a worshipful invocation
Your Kingdom Come
The first request Jesus teaches us to make
God’s kingdom advancing requires my kingdom surrendering
Your Will Be Done, on Earth as It Is in Heaven
God’s will in daily, ordinary places
No sacred/secular divide in the life of prayer
Application Questions…
Comprehension Questions
(These will help you open the scriptures and understand the text.)
Why is it significant that the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray rather than preach or lead?
What does Jesus reveal about prayer through the way he himself prays throughout the Gospels?
Why does Jesus begin the Lord’s Prayer with “Our Father” rather than another title for God?
What does “hallowed be your name” communicate about who God is and how we approach him?
Why is “Your kingdom come” the first request Jesus teaches his disciples to make?
Life Application
How does viewing prayer as an invitation rather than an obligation change your desire to pray?
What images or experiences shape how you hear the word “Father,” and how does Jesus reframe that image?
Where do you most feel the tension between your kingdom and God’s kingdom in your life right now?
What might it look like for God’s kingdom to come in one specific relationship you have?
How does praying “Your will be done” challenge modern ideas about control and independence?
In what everyday spaces—home, work, commute—do you struggle to see God’s will as relevant?
How does rejecting a sacred/secular divide reshape the way you live out your faith during the week?
If God answered every prayer you’ve prayed recently with “yes,” what would be different in your life or community?
What keeps you from praying more honestly or more consistently?
How can you intentionally join others at Good Shepherd in seeking God together through prayer this year?