My house a house of prayer

CELL MATTERS

Palm Sunday, 2009

“My house, a house of prayer”

OPENING QUESTIONS:

1. When you see something wrong, are you more likely to react without thinking, or think without reacting?
2. John Quinones of ABC news recently did a news show where he had an African American actress go into a store and had the manager of the store attempt to kick her out because of her color.  (It was all pre-arranged.) He did this to see how many people would come to her aid.  Do you think you would have defended her or would you have kept on shopping?  Why so?

1. READ Matthew 21:12-17.
2. What upset Jesus as He walked into the Temple area?
3. How would this market scene prohibit sincere people from worshipping God?
4. What purpose would a “house of prayer” serve?  Is it literal prayer, or is it something else?
5. Verse 15 says that once the temple was cleared, the blind and lame came to Jesus.  How do you suppose they heard about the now cleansed temple?  How do you suppose that they felt as they entered the temple area?

1. What kinds of things exist in the modern church that prohibit people from coming to God?
2. Let’s make it really personal.  Knowing that you and I are called “The temple of the Holy Spirit”(I Corinthians 6:19), is there anything within you that robs you of a more intimate relationship with God?  If so, what?

1. If anyone has opened up and talked about something that robs them from intimacy with God, be sure to pray specifically for them.  Otherwise, take general prayer requests and pray for one another.

Who will you invite to the Easter Celebration this Sunday?