Grow In Faith, Prayer

Mark 11:22-25

Connecting Questions

Can you think of certain circumstances when people may be more likely to pray? Why do you think that is true?
If you were to poll the average person at your workplace and ask, “What is prayer?” What answers do you think you might receive?

Context

This week we continue our worship series called “Grow In Faith” by looking at the spiritual practice of prayer. The text comes from the Gospel of Mark. Jesus is entering Jerusalem with his disciples, he is hungry and he sees a fig tree so he wants to eat some figs. The tree has no fruit, so he curses the tree. Then he goes into the Temple, sees the money changers, gets angry, and drives them all out. The next day Jesus and his disciples come back into the city and notice that the tree that Jesus cursed has withered.

The disciples are astonished at this. Our text is Jesus’ response. This is a difficult passage to understand.

Look at the Book

Read Mark 11:22-25.
How would you summarize the promise Jesus makes in verses 22-24?
How does Jesus’ instructions regarding forgiveness relate to the message in verses 22-24?
What questions does this passage raise for you?

Taking it Home

Let’s be honest. This is a tough passage to interpret. There is a wide spectrum of interpretations people have had over the years. On one end, some people say the Jesus is telling us that God has to grant us anything we ask for, as long as we truly believe, or have faith, that God will deliver. It is as if God is a big vending machine in the sky and will produce what we want if we “get it right.”

Others have seen this story as a cautionary tale. Jesus allowed his anger with the fig tree and his anger with the money changers to lead him to violence. This is not the way he should have handled it. In other words, Jesus cautioned his disciples, “be careful what you ask for. Make sure that forgiveness and reconciliation is what motivates your prayer, otherwise people will get hurt.”

What of these two interpretations is more familiar to you? Which one seems more in line with what you know of the totality of Jesus’ teaching?
If prayer is being in a trusting and open communication with God, then how is prayer a practice that can help us grow in faith?
Share some ways that you practice prayer in your life?

Grow Guide | July 31, 2022