OSM - The Lord’s Prayer

Over the last several weeks, we have been walking through the Prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray. We’ve been learning how to pray, and what our prayers mean. 

This guide will walk you through what we talked about each week, giving you the text, the bottom line, and some follow up questions to spur further conversation. Use this guide to further the conversation at home and grow your family to be more faithful followers of Jesus and His ways. 

Week 1: Orientation
Text: Matthew 6:5-9

Bottom Line:

“How we view God affects how we pray to him. When we begin prayer, we have to orient ourselves, so we can come to God with a heart focused on him.

Follow Up Questions: 

1. How do you see God? Do you see Him as a Good Father? Why or why not? 

2. How can our family orient our prayer life around God, and make Him the center of our life? (Maybe celebrate with the Church Calendar, marking certain days as celebration; maybe it’s remembering ones baptism date. If you need help with these ideas, feel free to email joey@theorchard.net) 

Week 2: Transformation
Text: Matthew 6:10
Supplemental Text: Matthew 3:7-17/Matthew 4:17-22

Bottom Line: “God wants to make it on Earth as it is in Heaven and we are his plan to make it happen. When we partner with God and live lives that show repentance, we help to transform the world.”

Follow Up Questions: 

1. How does our family already partner with God to bring Heaven here on earth? Do we serve in our church? Do we serve in our community? 

2. What are some new ideas where we could make our community more like Heaven? 

Week 3: Petition

Text: Matthew 6:11

Supplemental Text: Matthew 15:21-28

Bottom Line: “Jesus’ compassion extends to us and he wants to meet our needs.”

Follow Up Questions: 

1. How have you seen Jesus meet the needs in our family? 

2. What are some ways that we can record those moments? A gratitude journal? A prayer journal? (If you need more ideas, feel free to email joey@theorchard.net) 

Week 4: Recognition

Text: Matthew 6:12

Supplemental Text: Matthew 9:1-8

Bottom Line: “We can never be good enough on our own. Jesus is the only one who can forgive our sins. And just as he forgave our sins, we’re expected to forgive others.”

Follow Up Questions: 

1. How good are you at forgiving others? How good are you at asking for forgiveness? 

2. Is there anyone in your life that you need to forgive? Is there anyone you need to ask for forgiveness from? 

3. What are some ways we can work together towards those goals? 

Week 5: Protection

Text: Matthew 6:13

Supplemental Text: Matthew 27:45-55

Bottom Line: “Through Jesus’ death on the cross, we have been freed from sin and have been given the choice to live a life for God.”

Follow Up Questions: 

1. Jesus’ death tears the Temple curtain from top to bottom, ending the separation between Heaven and Earth. What does it mean to you now that Heaven is no longer separate from Earth? Do you feel as though Jesus can tear whatever metaphorical curtains in our life to allow us to feel free to live a full life? 

2. Jesus’ death also opens up tombs. What tombs in your life do you need Jesus to bring you out of? The tomb of anxiety? The tomb of depression? How can we as a family support one another and remind one another how Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection sets us free?