Opening (10 minutes)

Icebreaker Question: “Think about a time you were invited to a dinner or gathering where the experience was new to you. What was your demeanor when you sat down? Were you fully yourself, or did you hold back and observe first?”

Leader Note: This question connects directly to the sermon’s opening illustration. The pastor used this to help people think about how they approach God’s table—do we come boldly and confidently, or do we hold back, feeling unworthy or like we’re a bother? Listen for themes of comfort vs. discomfort, belonging vs. feeling like an outsider. This will set the stage for the deeper conversation about how we approach God.

Discussion Section 1: Understanding the Invitation (15 minutes)

Context from Sermon: The pastor emphasized that through Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles have been given equal access to God—something that was unthinkable in that culture. He stressed that “it’s one thing to make a general statement that through Jesus we have been given a seat at the table and we can be excited about that. But then the question that I would ask us is, for the rest of our life, do we live and do we take advantage of the fact that we have a seat at the table?”

Discussion Question 1: “The sermon said that many of us struggle to feel worthy to be at God’s table, even though we’ve been invited through Jesus. Where do you find yourself—living in unworthiness, living in entitlement, or living in understanding that you belong because of Jesus?”

Leader Guidance:

• Give people time to think before answering—this is a vulnerable question
• The pastor made clear that “all of us are unworthy to be at the table. That’s a fact. But God does not want us to live in a state of unworthiness, nor does he want us to live in a state of entitlement.”
• Watch for people who might be stuck in shame or those who might take God’s grace for granted
• Gently redirect if someone is being overly theological—this is about personal experience, not just right answers
• Share your own struggle with this balance first to model vulnerability

Discussion Question 2: “The pastor said we can come ‘boldly and confidently’ into God’s presence. What does that actually look like in your daily life? What keeps you from approaching God this way?”

Leader Guidance:

• The sermon defined “boldly” as “undoubting confidence in our fellowship with God” and emphasized we should “continuously pursue him with humility and boldness”
• Help the group get practical—what does bold prayer sound like? What does confident access to God look like on a Tuesday morning?
• Common barriers might include: past failures, current sin struggles, feeling like prayers aren’t answered, comparing themselves to “better” Christians
• The pastor emphasized: “Never let your brokenness and your fractures…never let our brokenness cause us to sheepishly pursue Him. No, we can be humble and bold.”
• Affirm that feeling unworthy is normal, but living in that state isn’t what God wants

Discussion Section 2: The Power Within (15 minutes)

Context from Sermon: The pastor walked through Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-19, emphasizing that Paul prays for inner strength through the Spirit so that Christ can make His home in our hearts “as you trust in him.” He challenged the group: “Do you trust him in the spontaneous disruptions? Do you trust him in the face of uncertainty? Do you trust him when you don’t have the answers?”

Discussion Question 3: “Paul prays that ‘Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.’ The pastor pointed out that this isn’t automatic—it happens as we trust. What area of your life right now is testing your trust in Jesus?”

Leader Guidance:

• The pastor was vulnerable here, saying “I’m learning that life will perpetually produce more questions than answers” and asking “What do I do with the knowledge of my lack of knowledge? Do I still trust Him?”
• This is where the group can get real about current struggles—finances, relationships, health, parenting, career uncertainty
• The key tension the pastor highlighted: “How can we say that Jesus is in our heart, that he has made his home in our heart, and yet our life is a story of freaking out about everything. They don’t match.”
• Help people see that trust doesn’t mean absence of concern, but it does mean not being “gripped with fear”
• Ask follow-up: “What would it look like to trust Jesus in that specific situation this week?”

Discussion Question 4: “The sermon talked about roots growing down into God’s love. The pastor said, ‘When you keep getting flashcards and snapshots of God’s faithful love, there’s a deepening that takes place.’ What are some ‘flashcards’ from your past where you’ve seen God’s faithful love?”

Leader Guidance:

• This question is designed to build faith by remembering God’s faithfulness
• The pastor used the illustration of bringing a newborn home from the hospital—those moments of uncertainty where we had to trust God
• Encourage specific stories, not just general statements like “God is always faithful”
• This is a great place for the group to encourage each other—hearing others’ stories builds our own faith
• Connect past faithfulness to present trust: “If God showed up then, why wouldn’t He show up now?”
• The pastor’s point: “If we are rooted in God’s love, I’m waiting for the day where I’m like, oh, that’s a spontaneous one right there. I didn’t see that one coming. But I’m really curious how God’s gonna flex, right?”

Discussion Section 3: The Power to Ask (20 minutes)

Context from Sermon: This was the climax of the sermon. The pastor unpacked Ephesians 3:20, emphasizing that God can do “infinitely more than we might ask or think.” He explained that “to ask something” means we’ve spoken it out loud, but God also knows what we “think”—the prayers we’re too embarrassed to voice. He challenged: “Our dilemma is we don’t ask.”

Discussion Question 5: “The pastor said that we filter our prayers through ‘sensibility’ before we speak them to God, and that God will do infinitely more than both what we ask AND what we think. What prayer have you buried because you convinced yourself it was too silly, too outlandish, or would never happen?”

Leader Guidance:

• This is the most vulnerable question and may require the most leader modeling
• The pastor shared his own example: “I was like, so pray for anything. I want a 911 Porsche. Do you know what has yet to be in my driveway my entire Life? A 911 Porsche. Why? Because it has nothing to do with the glory of God.”
• Some people may have buried prayers about healing, restoration of relationships, financial breakthrough, ministry dreams, or personal transformation
• Others may have stopped praying because they prayed for years without seeing an answer
• Create safety: “We’re not going to judge anyone’s prayers here. We’re just being honest about what we’ve stopped bringing to God.”
• The key question is: why did we stop asking? Fear of disappointment? Feeling like a bother? Doubt?

Discussion Question 6: “The pastor emphasized that God will do all this ‘to his glory.’ How can we discern whether our prayers are truly for God’s glory or for our own? And does that mean we can’t pray for personal things?”

Leader Guidance:

• This is a crucial nuance that the pastor addressed: “God is not power hungry. He’s not glory hungry. It’s just the right placement of where the glory goes.”
• Help the group understand that praying for personal needs isn’t selfish—God cares about our needs
• The issue is motive: “I want to flexhere, I want to show off here, I want a little bit of credit here.”
• Examples to discuss: Praying for a job promotion so you can provide for your family vs. so you can impress others; praying for healing so you can serve God vs. so you can avoid discomfort; praying for a restored relationship so God gets credit vs. so you look good
• The pastor’s challenge: “May we be disciplined, discipled, pruned, trimmed in our requests, whether they’re spoken or unspoken, and trimmed down to the point where God gets the glory.”
• Emphasize: God isn’t looking to deny us good things—He wants to give us things that will ultimately bring Him glory and bring us true fulfillment
• Ask: “What would change about your prayer life if you truly believed God wanted to do infinitely more than you could ask or imagine?”

Discussion Section 4: Living from the Table (15 minutes)

Context from Sermon: The pastor addressed the church’s role and warned against obligation-based Christianity. He said, “If this gathering ever becomes obligatory, stop coming…Jesus is not moved by obligation.” He also emphasized that when we’re filled with God’s Spirit, “you can enter spaces that are unpredictable to you and bring the life and the love and the joy and the hope that is in Jesus name. And it’s not on you, it’s the one living in you.”

Discussion Question 7: “The pastor said that if church ever becomes about obligation rather than pursuit of Jesus, we should stop coming until we reach ‘a place of desperation’ where we realize what we’re throwing away. How do we keep our spiritual life from becoming obligatory? What’s the difference between discipline and obligation?”

Leader Guidance:

• This is a potentially challenging question because it might make people uncomfortable—that’s okay
• The pastor wasn’t saying to abandon church; he was saying that God doesn’t want reluctant participants
• The illustration: “How many of you have ever sent out invitations and you can just see it on people’s face? Like, I’m just here. Cause I have to be here. Well, then get out. I don’t want you to eat my food.”
• Help distinguish: Discipline = choosing to do something because you know it’s good for you, even when you don’t feel like it; Obligation = doing something out of guilt, duty, or fear of consequences
• Discipline flows from desire and leads to life; obligation flows from “should” and leads to resentment
• Ask: “What would it look like to pursue Jesus and His people out of desire rather than duty?”
• Be prepared for honest answers about spiritual burnout or going through the motions

Discussion Question 8: “The pastor shared a story about being in a meeting where he spoke words of encouragement and the facilitators said, ‘You’re like, powerful.’ But he knew it wasn’t him—it was Jesus living in him. When have you experienced God’s life and power flowing through you in a way you knew wasn’t just you?”

Leader Guidance:

• This question helps people recognize how God works through surrendered lives
• The pastor’s point: “That’s what Paul is wanting all of us to get to. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to fully understand. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
• Some people may have dramatic stories; others may have quiet moments of unexpected wisdom, patience, or love
• Help people see that this isn’t about being super-spiritual—it’s about being available
• The pastor emphasized: “You’re living, but you’re not alive” if you’re not inviting the Spirit to work in you
• If someone says they’ve never experienced this, ask: “What might be blocking God’s power from flowing through you? Fear? Control? Unconfessed sin? Not asking?”

Personal Reflection & Response (15 minutes)

Context from Sermon: The pastor ended with a specific invitation: “Write the prayer that you’ve only ever thought you’ve never spoke it. What prayer have you always buried? Because it’s to this or it’s to that or it’s never gonna whatever.”

Activity: Distribute index cards or paper to each person. Say: “The pastor challenged us at the end of the sermon to write down the prayer we’ve buried—the one we’ve only thought but never spoken out loud. Take a few minutes in silence to write that prayer down. You don’t have to share it with the group unless you want to, but we’re going to pray over these requests together.”

Leader Guidance:

• Give 3-5 minutes of complete silence for people to write
• Some may need encouragement: “Don’t filter it. Don’t make it sensible. Just write what’s really in your heart.”
• After writing time, ask: “Would anyone like to share their buried prayer with the group?” (Don’t force this—let it be voluntary)
• Whether people share or not, have everyone hold their card and pray together

Group Prayer: Lead the group in praying Ephesians 3:20-21 together over their written prayers:

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. We bring these buried prayers before you—the ones we’ve been too afraid to speak, the ones we’ve rationalized away, the ones we’ve convinced ourselves would never happen. We ask that you would do exceedingly, abundantly beyond what we’ve written here, and that you would do it all for your glory. Glory to you in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

Follow-up:

• Encourage people to keep their prayer card somewhere visible this week as a reminder to keep asking
• Suggest they add to it as other buried prayers come to mind
• Challenge them to share their buried prayer with one trusted person this week for accountability

Closing (5 minutes)

Summary: “Tonight we’ve talked about the incredible invitation we’ve been given—a seat at God’s table through Jesus. We’ve explored what it means to come boldly and confidently, to trust Him in uncertainty, to let our roots grow deep in His love, and to actually ask Him for the things we’ve buried in our hearts. Remember: you’re not a bother to God. You’re created in His image. You’re the bride of Christ. He delights in your presence and wants to do infinitely more than you can ask or imagine.”

Challenge for the Week:

1. Daily Practice: Each morning this week, pray: “Dear Heavenly Father, by your help, I invite Jesus into my heart. By your spirit, make room in my heart for Jesus from this point forward. Let my mind be consumed with the presence and the nearness of Jesus the rest of my days.”
2. Bold Asking: Bring your buried prayer to God every day this week. Don’t just think it—speak it out loud. Practice bold and confident access to His presence.
3. Flashcard Collection: Write down one “flashcard” of God’s faithful love from your past each day. By the end of the week, you’ll have seven reminders of His faithfulness to anchor you in present uncertainties.
4. Check Your Motive: Before you pray this week, pause and ask: “Is this request ultimately for God’s glory or my own?” Surrender your desires to His purposes.

Final Prayer: “Father, thank you for giving each of us a seat at your table. Thank you that we don’t have to earn it or be worthy of it—Jesus has made us worthy. Help us this week to live like people who truly believe we have bold and confident access to your presence. Empower us with inner strength through your Spirit. Make your home in our hearts as we trust you. Let our roots grow deep in your love. And do infinitely more than we’ve asked or imagined tonight—all for your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”