Lord’s Prayer Week 6 Notes
Week 6: For Thine is the Kingdom & the Power & the Glory Forever, 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
Connecting: When you hear the word “Kingdom” what is the first image, picture, word or phrase that comes to mind?
Background: Today we’re discussing the final part of the Lord’s Prayer which was added by the early church after the triumph of the resurrection and the Way of Jesus began to grow and spread.
Have someone read the following from the Gospel of Matthew 6:7-13:
7 “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgiveus our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.[1]”
Have someone else read these verses from 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12:
“As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”
Discussion
- Think about the beginning and the ending of the Lord’s Prayer – what similarities do you see?
- What difference does it make in us when we pray and work for God’s kingdom rather than our kingdom?
- How do we avoid making the same mistakes as Yertle the Turtle (think back to the sermon illustration from the Dr. Seuss book)?
- What can we do on a daily and weekly basis to connect with God’s power for living?
- In 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 we’re invited to “lead a life worthy of God, who calls us into his own kingdom and glory.”As we conclude this series on the Lord’s Prayer, how excited or motivated are you by the opportunity Jesus gives us to share in the kingdom and glory of God? How do we “lead a life worthy of God?”
- Share one thing that you’ve learned or remembered about the Lord’s Prayer that you think will stay with you.
- Share one thing you have appreciated about your group’s experience during these six weeks.
Any final comments:
Closing Prayer: As we did in Week Two let’s close with a Prayer that Teaches us to Pray, Dallas Willard’s version of the Lord’s Prayer (say in unison).
Dear Father, always near us,
may your name be treasured and loved,
may your rule be completed in us
may your will be done here on earth
in just the way it is done in heaven.
Give us today the things we need today,
and forgive us our sins and impositions on you
as we are forgiving all who in any way offend us.
Please don’t put us through trials,
but deliver us from everything bad.
Because you are the one in charge,
and you have all the power,
and the glory too is yours – forever –
which is just the way we want it![2]
[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. 1989 (Mt 6:7–13). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
[2] Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy (Harper: San Francisco, 1998) p. 269