Life Groups // Spring 2023 // Week 5

Posted May 12, 2023 — Lincoln Berean

The Resurrected Jesus and Our Mission // Matthew 28:16-20

PDF Download
Word Download

← Return to the Group Questions Page

Serve Day – Prayer Walk

As part of our church-wide Serve Day for this year, this is the week we step out of our comfort zones and go for a prayer walk together. Praying for others is a good way to serve them well.  A prayer walk with others may feel a little awkward or strange at times, just remember, that is normal when we are trying something new that is out of a comfort zone. The questions below are formatted a bit differently this week. There are a few questions about the passage and sermon as well as some questions to help us reflect on and debrief our prayer walk experience. The passage is included below since it is rather short this week. There is also a Prayer Walk Helps Section included below.

The suggested flow for the night is:

Read the passage.

Go on the prayer walk.

Discuss & reflect on your experience.

Discuss the questions about the passage/sermon.

Close in Prayer.

Introduction

As we switch to the gospel according to Matthew this week, we are looking at what is referred to as the Great Commission. The eleven disciples proceed to Galilee as Jesus has commanded them and Matthew records Jesus appearing to them there and gives them their marching orders.

Getting Started

  1. Take a few minutes to get organized as a group or multiple groups if you are splitting into smaller groups.
  2. Find the lists you made of your neighbors or use the Prayer Helps Section below to make a list.
  3. Remember, there is no pressure to perform on this Prayer Walk. If you don’t feel like praying out loud, you can pray in your heart and participate in prayer as others pray.
  4. Remember, Jesus is walking with you through the Holy Spirit just as he promised in our passage for this week.
  5. Choose someone to read the passage (Matt. 28:16-20) aloud for the group as a way of sending you out.

Matt. 28:16-20 (NASB)

16 But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Study Questions (Suggested time: 40 min)

1) Make a simple list of those in your circle of influence.

(Family, neighbors, those you work with, those you see on a regular basis)

 

 

2) What do you know about these people that could guide you in your prayers for them?

 

 

3) Consider praying simple sentence prayers like those listed below for those on your list.

    • “Help ________ to see you, Lord.”
    • “Lord, give _______ comfort in their time of need.”
    • “Holy Spirit, reveal the beauty of Jesus to ________.”
    • “Father, orchestrate circumstances in _________’s life so they realize their need for you.

4) Here are simple sentence prayers you can pray for yourself as you consider caring for your neighbors.

    • “Lord, reveal to me what you are doing in ________’s life.”
    • “Father, give me opportunities to serve ________.”
    • “Holy Spirit, reveal to me how to best love ________.”
    • “Father, allow me to have a chance to have a conversation with ________ this week.”

Reflection & Discussion Questions

A few reflection questions on your experience with the Prayer Walk: (you don’t have to discuss every question)

1) Keeping in mind that anytime we try something new it can feel strange or cause us to feel out of place. What was this experience like for you?

 

What was hard/what did you enjoy about this experience?

 

What was something unexpected that you experienced during the Prayer Walk?

 

What felt significant to you during this experience?

 

2) What (if anything) did you hear Jesus saying through the Holy Spirit during the Prayer Walk?

Did any scripture come to mind during the Prayer Walk?

 

 

3) Read our passage ( 28:16-20) for tonight again. Does anything stick out from the passage? Or what has stuck with you from Pastor Jeff’s sermon this past weekend?

 

 

4) Jesus states, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” How does this statement change the way you think about your experience on the Prayer Walk or your thoughts about those you prayed for tonight?

 

How should our belief in this statement change our thoughts and actions about making disciples?

 

 

5) What would it look like for you to move forward from this night with a focus in your life on making disciples?

 

 

Prayer

Consider closing your time tonight with the following prayer that aligns us with God’s heart and passion.

Lord Jesus, you stretched out your arms of love upon the hardwood of the cross

that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace.

So clothe us in your spirit, that we, reaching forth our hands in love,

may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and experience of your love;

for the honor of your name and the good of all people. Amen.

Personal Spiritual Exercises

Just like physical exercises help strengthen and stretch our bodies for healthy living, these spiritual exercises are meant to move us spiritually in ways that may be new so we might experience inner growth. Since God longs for us to experience Him with our whole selves—mind, body, spirit—we invite you along each week to strengthen your souls with suggestions and prompts. Next week in Life Group, take a few moments to share how the Lord may have used this exercise in your life.

Prayer Focus: As you pray this week consider adding this simple sentence prayer to your routine. “Lord Jesus, please bring someone into my life or across my path today that I can influence for you.” Consider putting an alarm on your phone to go off twice during your day so you can return to this prayer for a few minutes.

Scripture Focus: Before we can make disciples of Jesus, we must make sure we are following Jesus and living as a disciple. Read Luke 14:25-35 and reflect on Jesus’ call to discipleship. What do you hear the Holy Spirit speaking to you about as you meditate on these verses?