Read the passage: Luke 6:12-16 (ESV, Bible Gateway)
- What are some of the reasons why you, personally, pray?
- Read Luke 6:12-16. Why do you think Jesus spent all night in prayer?
- Read Proverbs 3:5-8. How do decision making, prayer and humility fit together? Why do you think Proverbs says such an approach to life is ‘healing’ and ‘refreshing’?
- How can the sovereignty of God help you avoid being paralysed in decision making?
- Read Matt 14:22-23 and John 6:15. This follows the feeding of the 5000. Why do you think Jesus withdrew by himself to pray?
- When you are aware that you’re being tempted in some way, how can prayer help you resist that temptation?
- Read Matt 21:12-13. Jesus cleanses the temple – almost certainly the court of the gentiles, which had become little better than a market place. What does this episode tell us about God’s desire that people pray?
- How can materialistic consumerism and legalistic religion (thinking you have to buy/sacrifice your way to God) hinder your own praying, or your confidence in prayer?
- Read John 17 – Jesus’ great high priestly prayer.
How could you summarise the motivation of Jesus’ prayer in just a few words ? (v1-5, but especially v1)- How much does the glory of God feature as a motive in your personal prayers?
- How could this increase?
- Who does Jesus pray for next (v6-9)?
- Considering v11-17, what is Jesus specifically praying for them?
- Who does Jesus pray for next, and what does he pray for them? (V20-23)
- Why do you think Jesus prays for these issues in particular?
- How often do you pray for the church, for your Christian brothers and sisters? And what do you pray for them – and how does this compare with the issues Jesus prays for?
- How can we become less ‘me’ focused in prayer?
- How much does the glory of God feature as a motive in your personal prayers?
- Read Luke 22:39-46 What does Jesus pray for in the Garden of Gethsemane?
- Why the agony and earnestness?
- Have you experienced a time when you have struggled in prayer to come to terms with what God is asking you to do?
- How can we echo Jesus’ mindset shown in v42 in our own prayer lives?
- Read the following verses – all prayers of Jesus from the cross:
Luke 23:34; Luke 23:46; Matt 27:46
- What do these prayers tell us about the heart of Christ for his enemies (Luke 23:34), what Christ is experiencing and achieving on the cross (Matt 27:46), and where his hope lay (Luke 23:46)?
- Why is forgiving those who have sinned against us a necessary component of our own prayer lives?
- How do the death and resurrection of Christ give us great confidence in prayer?
Recap & Reflect
- What was Jesus’ main motivation in prayer?
- What different themes do we see Jesus praying for?
- The Church (fellowship, protection, sanctification)
- Temptation
- Those who aren’t yet saved
- Surrender
- Forgiveness
- How will looking at Jesus’ prayer-life impact how you pray?
Leader’s notes
The notes are here to help you lead a group and answer tough questions. The idea isn’t to read the “right” answer out after each question, but rather to give you support or the helpful nudge in guiding your discussion in the right direction. Feel free to use them as best suits your group.
- Read Luke 6:12-16. Why do you think Jesus spent all night in prayer?
This was immediately preceding his choosing the 12 disciples – it was a critical moment of decision making.- How can the sovereignty of God help you avoid being paralysed in decision making?
Ultimately, we can trust God in our decision making, and make decisions without becoming paralysed by fear of making the wrong decision, because we know that our lives and decisions are in God’s hands and he is working everything for our eternal good. Anything less could leave us paralysed and unable to come to a decision.
- How can the sovereignty of God help you avoid being paralysed in decision making?
- Read Matt 14:22-23 and John 6:15. This follows the feeding of the 5000. Why do you think Jesus withdrew by himself to pray?
The crowd want to make him king. This must have been tempting. Jesus refuses to go down that path, and prayer will strengthen that resolve. - Read Matt 21:12-13 Jesus cleanses the temple – almost certainly the court of the gentiles, which had become little better than a market place. What does this episode tell us about God’s desire that people pray?
Jesus quotes Isaiah 56:7, where God talks of gentiles coming to his house and it being a house of prayer. By occupying the one part of the temple where gentiles could pray, the money changers and sellers of sacrifices were hindering their ability to pray. There was an expectation in Judaism that when Messiah came he would cleanse the temple of foreigners. But when Jesus came he did the opposite – he cleansed the temple for foreigners – that they might be able to pray. It is God’s desire that all nations come to him in prayer.- How can materialistic consumerism and legalistic religion (thinking you have to buy/ sacrifice your way to God) hinder your own praying, or your confidence in prayer?
If our lives are consumed with stuff, or if we think the answer to our problems is getting more stuff, we won’t pray, or if we do our prayers will be weak. If we think we have to earn our way to God (as those selling sacrifices in the courtyard did) then we will have little confidence in prayer: have I done enough for God to accept me and hear my prayer?
- How can materialistic consumerism and legalistic religion (thinking you have to buy/ sacrifice your way to God) hinder your own praying, or your confidence in prayer?
- Read John 17 – Jesus’ great high priestly prayer.
How could you summarise the motivation of Jesus’ prayer in just a few words ? (v1-5, but especially v1)
The glory of God- How much does the glory of God feature as a motive in your prayer?
- How could this increase?
We are often caught up with our own glory – our desire for a reputation, or to have people think well of us, or that job that ‘I really want’. And these things can occupy our prayer lives. Instead, by thinking deeply about God’s glory, meditating on it, and having his greatness fill our minds and hearts (for example, by singing about it) how we see glory can be refocused. With time, God’s glory can take prime position in our hearts. But also, as we examine our motives in prayer, we can consider ‘why am I asking for this? Is it for a reason lesser than God’s glory?’ The motives may be good, but asking this can help us consider how to pray for this need with a desire that God be glorified through his answering of it.
- How could this increase?
- Who does Jesus pray for next (v6-9)?
For the disciples and the early, new born church - Considering v11-17, what is Jesus specifically praying for them?
Perseverance and communion with the Father; unity; joy; protection from the Devil’s evil devices, sanctification through the Word - Who does Jesus pray for next, and what does he pray for them? (V20-23)
Those who will come to faith through the early church and apostles – including you and me. That they might experience unity & fellowship with Christ, the Father and the Church.
- How much does the glory of God feature as a motive in your prayer?
- How do the death and resurrection of Christ give us great confidence in prayer?
He was forsaken and abandoned so that we would never be; he was cast off so that we might be brought near. This is why he came, died and was raised again. Our ability to draw near to God lies at the very heart of the atonement – this is what Christ died to secure.
Download the complete study: Bible study on Prayer (PDF)