The Lord's "other" prayer

The Lord’s other Prayer

OPENING QUESTION:

1. If you were going to hike across country, what kind of person would you want to accompany you on your journey?  What equipment would you want to take with you? (assuming it all fits into a backpack!)

THE WORD:

1. Have someone READ Matthew 9:35-10:5.
2. What does Jesus see in these crowds?
3. What is the “harvest” that Jesus is referring to?
4. According to 9:38, what prayer request are we supposed to ask of God, the Father? 
5. Does it seem odd to you that we are supposed to ask God to get more workers?  Why or why not?
6. According to 10:1, what did Jesus give His disciples to help them accomplish their mission?
7. Has God given us the same bag of tools?  (Check out Acts 1:8)
8. Let’s follow this carefully. Jesus urges His disciples to pray for more workers, and then in 10:5, Jesus sent His disciples out as workers!  What is the connection between praying for more workers and then actually becoming a worker?

GETTING PERSONAL:

1. Do you regularly pray for the salvation of friends, family and neighbors? 
2. Have you ever seen your prayers for unsaved friends get answered?  How so? (ask people to tell some inspiring stories) 

MAKING A PLAN:

1. As a group, start a prayer list of people you will pray for.  Let’s trust God together that our loved ones will trust Jesus for salvation!
2. As a group, consider doing a “prayer walk” around your neighborhoods.  A prayer walk is simply taking a walk around your neighborhood and praying for your neighbors silently.  Many of us live every day in our neighborhoods without ever looking at them through the eyes of God.  A prayer walk can help to heighten our awareness of the spiritual condition of our neighbors.