Grow Guide | Jan 29, 2023

The Great Teacher 

Matthew 6:7-15

Connecting Questions

·      Were there people in your life who taught you how to pray? What did they teach you about prayer?

·      What is your favorite thing about prayer? What are the benefits of prayer?

Context

We’re in the fourth week of our worship series called “The Great Teacher.” Each week we will focus on what we learn from Jesus through stories in the book of Matthew. We’re also in the liturgical season of Epiphany, which emphasizes how Jesus is revealed to us as the Messiah through scripture. The color of Epiphany is green, which symbolizes life and growth. How does this connect to Easter Lutheran Church’s mission statement, “To grow in faith and carry on the work of Jesus Christ?” What does Easter need to do as a community to keep learning, growing, serving, and living as our Teacher shows us?  

This week we continue to focus on the Sermon on the Mount, but we move from the Beatitudes to the Lord’s Prayer. As part of Jesus’ long section of teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his followers that communicating with God is crucial. He teaches them how to pray, giving them a framework for daily and meaningful prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is meant to transform us throughout our lives.  

Look at the Book

• Read Matthew 6:7-15. What stands out for you today in these verses?

• The Lord’s Prayer may be short, but it packs meaning into its few lines. What do you think about the length of the Lord’s Prayer? Do you think the length helps or hinders its power?

• Notice the focus of each line of the Lord’s Prayer.

  • Do you notice any patterns? What is the order? Is there movement and flow?

  • Does the order of the Lord’s Prayer make sense to you? Why or why not?

• What are we to ask God for in this prayer? Make a short list. In what ways does this prayer encourage us to look outward?

• What parts of the Lord’s Prayer are most challenging for you today? What lines give you comfort? How has your experience with this prayer changed throughout your life?

  • In this prayer, Jesus encourages us to ask for forgiveness—and for the power to forgive others—regularly. Why do you think the prayer focuses on forgiveness? What does it tell you about the role of forgiveness in our lives?

  • What do you think about Matthew 5:14-15? How does our ability to forgive affect our ability to receive God’s forgiveness with open hearts?

• Compare and contrast Matthew 6:7-15 and Luke 11:2-4. How are they similar? How do they differ? Do you like one version better?

Taking it Home

·      Pray the Lord’s Prayer regularly and slowly this week, paying attention to each line. What do you learn from it? What do you like about it? How does it challenge you this week?

·      Spend time reading Martin Luther’s explanations to the Lord’s Prayer in his Small Catechism: https://christian.net/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/little.book/web/book-3.html