Lakeside Church

Luke 11:5-13

These questions are connected to the message, “A God Who Desperately Wants to be With You” from Feb. 20, 2022. You can watch it here.
Dive In:  This is a very familiar passage on prayer so it could be particularly helpful to read this passage slowly, a few times, in an unfamiliar translation of the Bible (e.g. N. T. Wright’s The New Testament for Everyone, Contemporary English Version, Amplified Bible, or The Message).
Reflect:
  1. What is the most interesting part of either the text or sermon for you? Was there anything that surprised you in the text?
  2. This is a familiar passage on prayer for those who have spent any time in church. What was the most predominant takeaway that you’ve understood from this passage historically?
  3. What difference does understanding the ancient near eastern culture make for understanding the parable Jesus tells in Luke 11:5–8?
  4. Has God ever felt like the apathetic neighbour from the parable to you? How does the parable change when we realize that Jesus is comparing the apathetic neighbour to God?
  5. Why do you think Jesus spends time reminding his disciples of the character of God right after he’s taught them the Lord’s Prayer?
  6. Is there a time in your life when you needed to be reminded that God is like a good father or a friend that would run to us in the middle of the night?
  7. Do you know someone who needs to be introduced to God the way Jesus describes him in this section of scripture, as a caring, passionate and loving father?
Act on it:
When you pray this week I encourage you to begin your time with reflecting on the character of God. Read through this passage and remind yourself that he is a great father that will answer, be found and open the door. Remind yourself that he is like a friend that will come to comfort you in the middle of the night. When we pray knowing who God is, we are able to pray big, bold prayers.