Opening Discussion

• What are your top two pet peeves?

Read and Discuss

Luke 22:39-42 (This takes place immediately after the last supper, when Jesus knows He is about to be arrested and crucified)

39 He went out and made his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 When he reached the place, he told them, “Pray that you may not fall into temptation.” 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

• What temptations are the disciples about to face that Jesus wants them to pray against?
• What did Jesus mean by asking God to “take this cup away from me?”
• Why didn’t Jesus want to go through what He was about to go through?
• How did Jesus still trust God even in this difficult moment in His life?
• How does Jesus’ reaction show us His human side?
• Why do you think Luke included this experience about Jesus?
• What are some experiences in your life when you felt like Jesus did in this passage?
• How did you trust God through that experience?

Luke 22:43-46

43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. 44 Being in anguish, he prayed more fervently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 When he got up from prayer and came to the disciples, he found them sleeping, exhausted from their grief. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you won’t fall into temptation.”

• What do these verses teach you about Jesus?
• Why was prayer so important to Jesus?
• What experiences in your life have led you to prayer more fervently?
• Part of Jesus’ experience was that an angel from heaven shows up and gives Him strength. Have you ever had a supernatural experience?
• Why does Luke include the embarrassing part of the disciples falling asleep?
• What’s an embarrassing moment that happened in church or around church people?
• Why is it important to be real with people when it comes to our experiences?
• Talk about a time you had an experience with God.

1 John 1:1-3

1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— 3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

• Why does John want his readers to know that he observed all these things?
• What are some real life things the Bible points to so that we know it’s true?
• Why are our experiences important to our faith?
• How can you use your experiences with Jesus to tell others about Him?
• Why is it important to also know scripture and not just have experiences?

Apply it!

• What is a way you can experience the Lord this week?
• What is a step you can take to deepen your faith this week?

Memorize it!

Luke 22:40 When he reached the place, he told them, “Pray that you may not fall into temptation.”

Prayer TACOS (Leaders, this may be a guided prayer where you don’t pray out loud, but prompt your group to pray through these things on their own. You give them a prompt, then sit in silence and let them pray on their own for a little bit, then give the next prompt. You can close in prayer at the end if you wish.)

Thanksgiving- What do you need to thank the Lord for today?

Adoration- Worship the Lord for allowing us to have experiences with Him

Confess any sin that is holding you back from experiencing Jesus fully

Others- Who is someone you can pray for this week that has not yet experienced Jesus?

Self- What do you need from the Lord this week? Ask in faith with pure motives for that thing you need from Him.

Closing thoughts

My experiences are going to be different from yours. How I experience the presence of God, a worship service, a passage of scripture, and life in general is going to be different. Because we are different people. That’s what is awesome about God. He knows us all intimately and so He knows the best way to communicate with us and to help us grow in our relationship with Him.

All our experiences need to be grounded in the Bible because that’s how we know Him. Our experiences stem from those things we learn about God in scripture. Jesus quoted scripture all the time. It was His roadmap for life. Jesus also prayed…a lot. Sometimes after before or after big moments, times of grief, joy, after healing people, night time, day time, before dawn, He would get alone. He would be in the presence of His Father.

As you reflect back on your experiences with Jesus, think ahead to what you will continue to do to make time to be in the presence of the Father. Why not do something today to lean into Him just a little bit more?