CoreGroup Discussion Guide | September 21, 2025

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the second week in our sermon series focused on the Lord’s Prayer. Last week, we discussed the instructions Jesus gave us to help with prayer as well as the very first sentence of the Lord’s Prayer, which is packed full of meaning and message. This week we will dive deeper into the prayer by discussing God’s roles as sovereign and holy and his faithfulness as a provider. It is so special to think about all of the things that God does for us. Jesus gave us this prayer as a way to express our thankfulness for all of those things. This series is intended to help us see the meaning behind the words and to do so in a thoughtful and spiritual way. Let’s start with a prayer to set the tone.

Opening Prayer

Abba, thank you for this CoreGroup and for the time we get to spend with each other. We praise you for your creation and for giving us words of prayer so that we can feel closer to you. Please bless our time together and help us to see deeper meaning. Open our hearts and minds to your love and glory. It is in your name we pray, amen.

Ice Breaker

Soon, for many of us, leaves will change color and temperatures will drop into pleasant ranges.  What are your favorite Fall activities?  

The Head

This week, our bible verses come from the sixth chapter of the Book of Matthew, starting with the tenth verse. These verses frame the second and third sentences of the Lord’s Prayer and mark a transition from praising God and seeking his will to acknowledging life’s challenges and asking for God’s help. Again, like last week, there is so much meaning included in these brief words.

Matthew 6:10-11

10 Bring in your kingdom so that your will is done on earth as it’s done in heaven. 11 Give us the bread we need for today.

Bring in your Kingdom

• What comes to mind when you think about the phrase “bring in your kingdom”?
• In what ways do these four words convey a sense of humbleness as someone saying this prayer?
• How would you describe the reign of God or the kingdom in your life?
• What role do we have as believers in bringing forth God's kingdom on earth?

so that your will is done on earth as it’s done in heaven

• How do you know the will of God?
• What are some differences between God’s will on earth versus what you imagine as God’s will in heaven?
• Why do we ask God to lessen those differences?

Give us the bread we need for today

• Bread is mentioned frequently in the bible. Some examples include bread as a common source of sustenance for people. Bread is also a representation of God's provision for the Israelites when they were rescued from Egypt. Even more, Jesus was referred to as the “bread of life.”  How would you describe the bread that is the subject of verse 11?
• What is the “bread” that you need most in your life right now?
• Why do we only ask God for the bread we need today?

The Heart

When Jesus taught the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew, the audience that day included thousands of people who came to hear him teach. It is a passage we call the Sermon on the Mount. Most of the people in attendance were broken, poor commoners who struggled with a harsh life. They were people greatly oppressed by Roman occupation. Jesus provided a sense of hope that they had never experienced before.

By teaching this prayer, Jesus asked the people to remember how God provided for their ancestors when they were oppressed. It’s quite amazing to consider how their understanding of the prayer was so different from ours, and yet also the same. The words of the prayer provide a community that connects us to them and to every person who has ever prayed these words.

• Where do we most need God’s will done on Earth right now?
• In what ways do you feel a sense of hope when praying the words Jesus taught us?
• What are some things we can do to inspire a sense of community with other believers?
• How does a sense of community make you feel when society seems so divided?

The Hands

In a unique way, the Lord’s Prayer is a call to action. It’s more than just reverent words we say before communion. It calls us to be the hands of God when we actively think about it. The opportunities are out there! For example, when we pray to God to bring in his kingdom, well, we live in that kingdom. Our actions can truly help God’s kingdom in that way. In the same manner we ask God to provide us with bread and we can help others in that effort as well.

• What are some ways we can help God bring in his kingdom? (Hint: Matthew 22:37-40)
• What are some ways we can join God in supplying daily “bread” to others?
• How can we stay alert to recognize opportunities to be the hands of God?
• Someone else to consider is, our friend, the Holy Spirit. In what ways have you experienced the nudges of the Spirit when turning prayer into action? 

Closing Prayer

Hey God, Your love for us is amazing.  Thank you for being so true and for guiding us in ways that help. Please open our eyes to recognize possibilities to help others according to your will and forgive us when we fall short. It is in your name we pray, amen.

From Pastor Charity

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