Questions for further study…
1. What is your prayer life like? Do you have habits that keep prayer part of each day? Share those habits with your group.
2. What are some of the things that you find yourself praying about?
3. Paul teaches us in verses9-11 that there are three areas in which he prayed for believers. They were knowing God’s will, doing His will and being strengthened by Him. Do you find yourself praying these things for others and yourself? Why or why not?
4. In verses 12-17 Paul teaches and reminds the believers about what Jesus did, he is doing this to motivate us on how we should live. Pick one of those things and tell your group how it makes you feel and how it impacts your daily life?
5. What do you think it means that “He (Jesus) is the head of the body, the church”? (Vrs. 18)
It was not that often that Paul could hear how they are doing but he could always pray for them, they could not text Him, so he had a routine of praying these things for them.
Verses 9-11 Praying for them
1. (Know) Know God’s Will, wisdom and spiritual understanding. God’s Character, Theology and doctrine
2. (Do) our knowledge of Jesus and His character and doctrine would bear fruit (we would act on the knowledge) James talks about the mirror.
Pendulum swing Doctrine vrs application it needs to be both and that s what Paul’s prayer is about. One goal of Christian life is to have the general knowledge that God provides and then apply it to our particular situations
3. (Be) That they would have strength that only comes from Jesus. And also be strengthened by the trouble that comes into our lives. Suffering is a chance to do good, we need strength during the trouble and the trouble will strengthen us. When troubles come into our lives we don’t want to blow the opportunity to grow closer to Jesus.
Many times when problems come in they cause us to sin but we need to see the trouble as an opportunity to do good.
John 17:5 Jesus prays to the Father that He would be able to lift the name of the Father up.
We don’t have a culture of prayer like this, these are things that we need to pray for one another each day. I am not saying we don’t raise up the specifics but I am saying with a prayer life like this the specifics are not necessary to us praying, we can never say “I don’t know what to pray”
Verse 12 is the transition verse: We need to give thanks to Jesus for qualifying us. That we can even go to the throne.
Ok I can tell you what I told you, but let me show you why your perspective should be changed…
Perspective knowing these things about the Lord helps keep our perspective
This is the King that we are in service of and what He did. This should encourage our prayers.
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Kirkagaurd clip???
This is what King Jesus did…
Vrs 13-14
1. Delivered from the power of darkness 2 Cor 4:4 Vrs 13
2. Brought us into the Kingdom of the Son (Conveyed) members of the church Vrs 13
3. Redeemed with His blood Vrs 14
4. Forgave us Vrs 14
About King Jesus… Actually verses 15-20 was used as a hymn in the early church.
1. God in the flesh (incarnation) Vrs 15
2. Firstborn, rank and privilege (everything belongs to Him)
3. Creator Vrs 16 John 1
4. Sustainer Vrs 17
5. Head of the body and the church Vrs 18
Vrs 18 You hear or have a new teaching? Check with Jesus because He is in charge
Look at what He has done and who He is and not only does He let us come to Him but due to what He did we are reminded that He is willing and able to meet our needs and that is why we pray.
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