Praying for Mercy
If you come before God thinking He owes you something, you will see Him as distant and powerless. We should approach God understanding our need and confident in His character.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS
- What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful or difficult to understand from this sermon?
- Read Luke 18:9-14, 35-43. What do these verses tell us about the nature of man? What do they tell us about Jesus? What do you observe about prayer? What do you observe about mercy?
- Compare & contrast the different prayers in the verses above. What are the similarities? What are the differences?
- How would you describe your prayer life? Do your prayers reflect a desperate need for God? Why or why not?
- How should knowing our need and being confident in God's character affect our prayers?
- Have you ever prayed for mercy? Share what happened.
- How can praying for mercy align our hearts with God's?
- Discuss the following quote from Tim Keller. Have you found it to be true? What does it mean and how can you apply it? To the degree you can shed the 'unreality' of self-sufficiency, to that degree your prayer life will become richer and deeper.
- Spend some time as a group praying through Psalm 51. Thank God for His great mercy in Jesus Christ and ask Him to help you see your desperate need for Him.