The Invitation - End of Week 1

INTRODUCTION
The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN QUESTIONS
When it comes to prayer, is there a practice that you have found particularly helpful or meaningful to you?  What’s your question about worship, or maybe something you’ve struggled with concerning the practice?

HEAD

1. Read Luke 18: 1-14 together and share any wisdom, insights, or thoughts that come to you from the reading.
2. What differences do you see between the harsh judge and God in the parable Jesus tells in the first eight verses?
3. Do you think persistence in prayer equals getting what you want?  Explain your answer.
4. What was the difference in attitude between the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in the second parable?
5. Read Luke 18: 15-30 together and share any wisdom, insights, or thoughts that come to you from the reading.
6. What got in the way between Jesus and the children?  How did he deal with the barrier?
7. What kept the Rich Man from Jesus?  How did the Rich Man deal with the barrier?

HEART

1. What significance do you see in Jesus’ teaching on prayer at the beginning of this journey to the cross?
2. Should the tax collector have said more in his prayer, or were his few words enough? Explain your answer.
3. As we’ll see in the coming weeks, Jesus doesn’t like barriers very much.  He wants people to have access to Him and the Father.  What other examples can you give from Scripture that speak to this truth?
4. How do you see Jesus preparing his disciples in these moments for what’s about to come in this Easter story?

HANDS
At the end of our first week in this series, pray for God to continue to reveal Himself to you through the coming weeks, to open your heart to what He has to teach you through the Easter story.  Then, maybe consider planting a flower or something that will bloom in the coming weeks (probably indoors for many of you) that will remind you about new life.

LIVING WORDS FOR YOUR WEEK
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then, you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NLT