Luke 15:11-32
Did you every run away from home? Where did you go? What happened?
Who was (or is) the "obedient type" in your family? The "wild one"? Which were (or are) you? How did (or do) these types get along?
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- What do you see in Luke 15:11-21 that the prodigal son hoped to gain by leaving home?
- What stages does the young son go through on his pilgrimage? What brings him to his senses? What does he realize then? With what sort of attitude does he approach his father?
- Explain the reaction and emotions of the prodigal son's father. How does the father receive his son? Why?
- Explain why the older brother was upset. How does the older brother feel about his younger brother's return? Why? How does the father answer the older brother's objection?
- What's Jesus' point with this parable? What does this story teach about sin, repentance and God's love?
- In summary, how do these three parables answer the Pharisee's objection in Luke 15:2? What does Jesus want to teach the Pharisees in Luke 15:25-31? In light of the Luke 15:2, why does Jesus leave the story open-ended as to how the older brother responded to his father's plea?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- Comparing yourself to the two brothers in this story, who are you most like? Why? Are you quietly "at home"? Living only for today? Paying the consequences for yesterday? On the way home? Whom would you have identified with 10 years ago, or in your youth?
- How have you experienced God as similar to this father?
- When have you been like the older brother, quietly resentful of God's lavishness to less deserving people? Why?
- Consider Luke 15:31, what does God have to give you that you have not taken?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
- What makes it difficult to accept another person's repentance?
- Identify several ways the prodigal was repulsive to the Pharisees.
- Is there evidence in the story that the prodigal was able to repent?
- Find in the story ways that the father exemplified God’s total acceptance of repentant sinners.
- In describing the older son, of what sins did Jesus ask the Pharisees to repent?
- What was the most critical point of this chapter to you personally?
- Do you feel the father in this parable was totally fair to the older brother who had worked so hard for him all those years? Why?
- Imagine that your own child ran away from home and was gone for several months. What would you want your child to hear you say at your reunion? (After you decide, why not say it to your child today?)
- Why do you think the younger son in this parable really left home?
- If this parable were a play and you are an actor/actress, which part do you see yourself playing most naturally? Why?
- At the end of this parable, the family is still dysfunctional. If no attitudes change, what do you see this family becoming as time goes on? If the older son’s attitude changes in a positive way, what could happen?
- This week, how can you translate your repentance into actions that really show your change?
Document for DBS
Series: True Story “Parables of Jesus”
Stories are the language of the soul. We connect with stories and we remember them. That is why Jesus used storytelling so often to illustrate deeper truths. His stories, known as parables, were Jesus’ way to communicate important Kingdom principles. Although the details of these stories were imagined, the Kingdom principles are not. They are true and eternal.
Title: “Lost & Found” (Lost Parables)
Bookmark: Click Here
Opening Thoughts: Jesus' familiar stories of the wayward sheep, coin and son remind us of our own stories of lostness. But they also call us to join Jesus in his mission to seek and save the lost and to joyfully celebrate when the lost are found.
Have you ever been lost or left behind?
What would it feel like to have a lost child?
ABC news social experiment
How much you care determines how much you do
What about the spiritually lost?
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Text: Luke 15
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
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Summarize the main story: Describe the events of the story in your own words.
Review and retell the story.
Reflections for applications:
Pride is always a roadblock to confession
Luke 15:1-2 NIV - Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
Lost People Matter to God
Being “lost” is not about one’s character; it’s about one’s condition
There’s always a way back
John 14:6 NIV - Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Two Words
Seek the lost
Celebrate their return
Benjamin Hall’s book Saved A War Reporter’s Mission to Make it Home
Quote: “The book may have my name on it, but the story is really about all the people who came from all around the world to find me, to save me, to rebuild me … that community of courageous people who risk their lives to save others.”
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Digging Questions:
How will you respond to God’s “True Story”? What transformative move needs to be made?
What do these biblical texts tell you about God and His nature?
What is God calling us (me and you individually) to do?
Take Away Challenges
What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?
Whom do you know who needs to hear this?
What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts or actions need to be addressed or changed?
Hash tags #Parables #Talents #Faithfulness #Responsibility #Fear #Apathy #Risk-taking
Sunday sermon link https://youtu.be/xp-LEEThrAc
Kevin’s Blog Link to more resources: Click here for Kevin’s Blog Notes
Comments and resources with some more resources:
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