The Lord’s Prayer: Session 8 (Spring 2023)

Session 8 – Small Group Study Guide

The Lord’s Prayer: Chapter 4

Study Questions

1. Why does Jesus teach us to pray “forgive us our debts” not just once, but regularly?
2. What are some reasons that cause you to neglect this aspect of confession and asking for forgiveness in your own prayer life? Or what are some wrong ways of thinking that you have encountered when it comes to this aspect?
3. How have you personally grown in your understanding of your own sin and the need for regular confession and repentance before God? What helped you (e.g. key truths, passages, resources, illustrations)? What are some blessings that you’ve experienced as you’ve grown?
4. What are some practical ways you can grow in your confession and regularly asking for forgiveness in your prayer life?
5. Reflect on the truth that you are a “debtor to mercy” and what it means for yourself. How have you personally experienced God’s mercy in your life?
6. This fifth petition doesn’t simply end with the forgiveness we need to receive, but also the forgiveness we need to give. How does the mercy that you have received from God lead you to extend forgiveness to those who have sinned against you? What other truths/verses have helped you grow in forgiveness?

Practicing Prayer Individually

One of our hopes this season is to not only meditate on the contents of our study, but to allow such meditation to transform how we think and interact with God. So answer the following questions:

1. Think back to session 1. What was the one area of your life that you identified that you’d like to grow in praying over for the rest of this season? How have you since grown in praying for that one area from our last study?
2. Based upon what you learned from this session, how might you use the following ideas in your prayers:
   • “We need daily bread that we might live and daily forgiveness that we might not die” (pg. 72). Take time to confess your sins to God and ask for forgiveness. Thank God that because of the gospel, your debt has been paid by Christ’s death on the cross.
   • Pray that the reality of God’s forgiveness of your sin would be so big that it would grow you to be a more forgiving person.
3. Write out a prayer based upon what you learned and take time to pray that prayer for work.

Sharing and Prayer in Groups

1. Based upon what you wrote down in “Practicing Prayer Individually,” how has this study impacted the one area of your life you’ve been praying for? Share this with your prayer group so they know how to pray for you.
2. Share other prayer requests: