Year 2 Week 22

• Welcome everyone and particularly any newcomers this week.

• Remind each other of the vision of CIS and the purpose of the weekly group meeting. (Consider using CIS videos and resources to keep this fresh each week).

• Remind those graduating to fill in this form using a non-university email address so Christians in Sport can stay in touch with them after they leave university.

1. In pairs look back on your week of sport and discuss how last week’s group meeting helped you. Follow up with anything people asked for prayer about.

2. In pairs share prayer points for the week of sport ahead and spend time praying for each other.

   
   

Some weeks pray more widely for other clubs and teams in your university which are not represented in the group. Alternatively, you can also use the CIS prayer diary to pray for the whole mission of CIS.

You might also want to use this slot to discuss and plan your evangelistic event for the term and pray specifically about it.

Intro

As we continue to reach the world of university sport for Christ this session will help us to focus our hearts and minds on praying to Our Father in Heaven.

Read

Matthew 6:5-13

Reflect

What stands out in these verses for you?

On your own - think about, write down on ‘notes’ on your phone -

What are you currently thinking about/ maybe worrying about regarding your season?

What’s uncertain that’s occupying your mind/consuming your thoughts?

What percentage control do you think you have on each thing?

Talk together:

What kind of feelings does that bring in you?

How do you find praying about these things?

Do you feel you know what to pray or how to pray?

Explain

When Jesus was on earth with his disciples, he taught them how to pray. ‘The Lord’s prayer’ is a helpful structure for our prayer lives today too - it focuses our attention and heart on the priorities and purposes of God, whilst reminding us of the privilege of praying to ‘Our Father in heaven’ who we can trust with all things - big and small

V9 ‘Our Father in Heaven’

The creator of the Universe… who made us, who knows us completely, who reigns in Heaven and sees all things - from the beginning to the end - WE can call him ‘Father’. Prayer is not simply a discipline to master, first and foremost it is a relationship with ‘Our Father in Heaven’. You can talk to Him as our perfect loving parent because in Christ we have constant access to ‘Our Father’.

V9-10 ‘Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’

When we pray, Jesus says - start with the big cosmic prayers! Prayer for His name to be glorified, honoured and lifted high - in the world as a whole, in the world of sport, and in our lives.

Let’s pray for His kingdom to come in those places we train and compete, for His will to be done in our lives. God’s name, God’s kingdom and God’s will are ultimately what will last for eternity. All other names and kingdoms fade. It is the name of Jesus that is to be hallowed, His kingdom that people need to know about, and His will that matters more than anything.

V11 ‘Give us today our daily bread’

Jesus teachers his disciples to also come to their Father for their ‘daily bread’. We can bring Him our worries, our burdens, our needs. In His love, God’s concern is also for each of His children, daily.

V12 ‘Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.’

We can confess before our Father in heaven those sins we need forgiven. As we do we will receive His gracious forgiveness and love daily as we remember the cross. Our Father in heaven will also help us to forgive others.

V13 ‘And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.’

Remember that by His Holy Spirit, God will lead us in all things. He gives us strength to stand in the battles we are facing right now - battles of the flesh, of the body and of the mind. We can know He is with us and will lead and deliver us by the power of His spirit living in us.

Pray

• Pray together in line with the Lord’s prayer.

• Pray with thanks that you have a Father in heaven who delights to give you good things.

• Pray for God’s kingdom and glory to come in the Sports clubs and teams at your university.

• Look back to the things you wrote down – Pray God’s will to be done in your life, pray he will provide for your needs, and pray for his guidance in all situations.

Update everyone on the key messages for the week. These might include:

• Sharing the student sign up link

• Promoting your evangelistic event for the term

• Reminding people about carol services and other events the group can make use of.

Encourage group members to sign up for Back Pages Online to stay up to date with the latest videos, blogs, stories, podcasts and prayer content from Christians in Sport.