Kingdom Alignment Part 4 with Discussion Guide

BySteve

Kingdom Alignment Part 4 Discussion Guide

Summary

This sermon focuses on the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6, exploring how Jesus gave His disciples a beautifully crafted poem-prayer in response to their request to be taught how to pray. The pastor emphasizes that the prayer is not merely a formula to recite but a guide for aligning our hearts with God. Beginning with the words “Our Father,” Jesus invites His followers into an intimate, personal relationship with God, one that is both tender (like a child calling out “Abba” or “Daddy”) and reverent (“hallowed be your name”). The sermon also unpacks the phrase “your kingdom come, your will be done,” connecting it to the ongoing human struggle between dependence on God and self-reliance. Using the imagery of the two trees in the Garden of Eden, the pastor illustrates that life is only found when we choose God’s way over our own. Prayer, then, is not about convincing God to bless our plans but about repeatedly returning to a place of surrender and trust, choosing God’s kingdom and will above our own desires and agendas.

Intro Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before you today as your beloved children. Before we bring our needs, our worries, or our plans, we simply want to acknowledge who you are. You are holy, faithful, and good. As we open your Word together, soften our hearts and open our ears. Let this time not be about confirming what we already think, but about hearing what you want to say to us. Align our hearts with yours, and may everything we discuss today draw us closer to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Ice Breaker

What is one word or phrase you would use to describe your relationship with your own Father or a Father figure in your life, and why?

Key Verses

  • Matthew 6:9-13
  • Romans 8:15
  • Luke 22:42

Questions

  • Jesus gave the Lord’s Prayer in response to His disciples asking Him to teach them to pray. What do you think prompted them to ask that question, and what does it tell us about the kind of prayer life Jesus modeled?
  • The sermon highlighted that calling God “Our Father” was a remarkable and even shocking idea to people in Jesus’ day. How does thinking of God as a loving Father rather than only a distant ruler or judge change the way you approach prayer?
  • The word “Abba” carries the meaning of “daddy” or “papa,” pointing to a deeply intimate relationship with God. Does that level of intimacy with God come naturally to you, or does it feel uncomfortable? What do you think shapes that feeling?
  • The pastor described a tension between intimacy and reverence in our relationship with God. How do you personally balance approaching God with warmth and closeness while also honoring His holiness?
  • “Hallowed be your name” shifts the focus of prayer away from ourselves and toward God. In what ways do you find it difficult to begin prayer with worship rather than immediately jumping to your needs or concerns?
  • The sermon used the image of the two trees in the Garden of Eden to illustrate the choice between dependence on God and self-reliance. Where in your life right now do you find yourself most tempted to go to the wrong tree?
  • “Your kingdom come, your will be done” is described as a prayer of surrender. Can you share a time when surrendering your own plans to God turned out to be the right decision, even if it was difficult at the time?
  • The pastor said that prayer is not about getting God to agree with us but about aligning ourselves with Him. How does that reframe the way you think about unanswered prayer or times when things did not go the way you asked?

Life Application

This week, try restructuring your daily prayer time using the pattern Jesus taught. Before you bring any requests or concerns, spend at least two or three minutes simply worshiping God and acknowledging who He is. Then, before presenting your own plans or needs, honestly ask him: “God, what are you doing today, and can I join you in it?” At the end of the week, reflect on whether starting with worship and surrender changed how you felt about the situations you were praying about.

Key Takeaways

  • Prayer is not a performance or a formula but a living relationship with God, and the Lord’s Prayer is a guide for aligning our hearts with His rather than a script to be recited.
  • Calling God “Our Father” (Abba) is an invitation into intimate, beloved relationship with Him, not as distant servants or fearful strangers but as His children.
  • Beginning prayer with worship and the phrase “hallowed be your name” reorients us away from self-centeredness and reminds us that God, not us, is at the center of the story.
  • Praying “your kingdom come, your will be done” is an act of surrender that moves us away from self-rule and back toward dependence on God, which is where true life is found.
  • The ongoing choice between God’s way and our own way mirrors the two trees in the Garden of Eden, and prayer is the daily practice of returning to the Tree of Life by choosing trust and dependence over self-reliance.

Ending Prayer

Father, thank you for this time together and for the gift of your Word. Thank you that you are not a distant or indifferent God but a loving Father who invites us to come close and call you Abba. As we leave today, help us to carry this posture of worship and surrender into every part of our week. When we are tempted to rely on our own plans and our own understanding, remind us to return to you. May your kingdom come and your will be done in our homes, our relationships, our workplaces, and our hearts. We trust you because you are good, and we love you because you first loved us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

Similar Posts