It's tough to imagine the Living God being so gracious with us. It's easy to let ourselves believe lies from Satan and our own sel-doubts that say that "the Living God won't forgive that" or "he didn't really forgive you." Today let's look at some stories Jesus told about his heavenly Father to see what kind of heart the Living God has for us. Remember, Jesus was the Father in the flesh- he did everything exactly how the Living God would and treated people the way the Living God wants people to be treated.
Take some time to just connect and catch up wtih your heavenly Father. Thank him for what he has done in and through Jesus.
Check out Luke 15.
- What are the three parables, or stories/metaphors, that Jesus uses to talk his Father's heart for the lost? What items are lost and how does the owner react when they lose them and when they find the object again?
- What would you have done if you were the shepherd? Would you have let 99 sheep in the open country unprotected from wolves and robbers to track down one or would you have stayed with the 99 and hoped the one would be found?
- Have you ever lost money at your house? What did you do?
- Have you ever found money in your couch or book bag that you didn't know you had? What was your reaction then? How much greater is your reaction when you find something you know you were missing?
- What are three questions you would ask the son in the 3rd story? What are two questions you would ask the Father? What is one question you would ask the older brother?
- Did you know that the younger son's request in verse 12 is the same as telling his Father, "I wish you would die so I could have my inheritance?" Knowing that, how would you expect the Father to react to the younger son's request? Are you surprised by what Jesus says the Father does?
- How does the younger son plan to earn his own way according to verses 17-20? How does that compare with us trying to earn our way back into the Living God's good graces or into Heaven?
- How does the Father ruin the younger son's plan? What are some of the things the Father does to welcome back his youngest son (list as many as you can from verses 20-24 but at least 3)?
- What is the older brother's response to all of this? Who do you think the older brother represents in this story? (hint: check out verses 1-2) Based on those verse, who does the younger brother represent?
- What is the Father's response to the older brother? How is it similar to his response to the younger brother? How is it different?
- How does hearing these parables affect the way you approach the Living God? How about the way you approach and treat other people?
Having read this passage, how would your view of the Living God's grace and love for us change if I told you that according to middle eastern culture (where this story was originally told), the accepted response of a father to sons that behaved that way would be to beat them until they apologized. How much more do we appreciate the living God's grace in light of that fact?
Take some time to just bask in the Father's love for you. Reread verse 24 and think about it for a few minutes- insert your name in place of "this son of mine" and read it three times out loud to yourself: "For _________ was dead and is alive again; he/she was lost and is found.' so they began to celebrate."
Peace.
Richard
2 comments:
8-27-08
1) Jesus tells the parable about the lost sheep and the 99 others. 1 sheep is lost(sinner who repents) and it asks if you would leave the 99 others(in other words righteous) to go find that one lost sheep and put it on your shoulders and go home then calling all your neighbors to come and rejoice. Which is just like the celebration in heaven over 1 repented sheep rather than 99 righteous people.
2) I probably would have played the safe route of staying with the "flock" rather than going and looking for my one lost sheep. In my view 99 is better than 1 but i know that is not true in this situation.
3) Yes. I looked around for it until I found it or until I got tired and realized I was out of luck.
4) Yes. I am always really happy and I am surprised to see it. When I find something I know I was missing I am really relieved and happy. I always go and show my parents that I found it and I cant believe it.
5) A. 1. How did it feel to be gone and slaving away for others?
2. We you glad when your father was happy to see you and he took you back?
3. How did it feel when your brothers talked bad about you?
B. 1. Was it hard taking your son back after he betrayed you?
2. How did you feel when your other son complained and whinned to you?
C. 1. How did it feel to see your younger brother, who betrayed your father, be praised and celebrated after all he had done wrong?
6) Yes. I would have thought that the father would have been like no son and gotten mad. Yes I am surprised because that would have been a hard position for the father.
7) He plans to go back and work for his father. It compares to us because we think we will gradually go back or come to the Lord and sometimes our plan changes into something different.
8) The father ruins his plans by just taking him back and celebrating that he is back. The father 1. Gives him the best robe 2. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 3. Bring the fattened cow and kill it 4. Have a feast and celebrate
9) The brother bacame angry and refused to go in. So his father comes out and pleads with him about it. I think that the older brother represents the teacher and the younger brother represents the sinners.
10) His respones is son you are always with me and everything I have is yours but we have to celebrate and be glad because the brother or yours was dead and is now alive. It is similar since he is proving his point in both. It is different because he is praising one and he is telling the other one why he is praising him and that he is already with the father.
11) Hearing these parables makes me rethink a lot of stuff. It makes me realize that if you stay with the lord and say you know him then you will just be one of the righteous people. If you go on a walk or fall away from the lord and ask for forgiveness, then you will be saved. The sinners will be forgiven while the righteous claim and think they are doing the right thing.
~ Richard this passage and lesson tongiht was great. It made me think about the way I go through life. Thank you.
Jessica
11)
1. The three parables were called One Sheep, One Coin, and Two Sons. In the One Sheep parable, one out of a hundred sheep got lost and when the owner found it again he put it on his shoulder, carried it home, and celebrated. For One Coin, one of a womans 10 silver coins got lost. When she found it she celebrated. For the Two Sons story, a son gets "lost" by him sinning against his father and God. When he comes back and apologises to his dad, the dad celebrated.
2. I probably would have stayed with the 99, but that is just what my first instinct would be. Maybe if there was no sign of it anywhere I would go out and look for it but would always keep my flock in sight.
3. If I lost a coin, I would be like no big deal. Barely anything can be bought with just coins anymore so dollar bills would be a bigger deal. If I lost a 1 or a 5, I would look for them.
4. If I just found it in the couch, I would be like "sweeeeet." and I would put it away. If I found something I was looking for, I would be very relieved.
5. For the son:
a)Why did you spend all of your money?
b)How did you think your father would react?
c)Do you think your father reacted too much?
For the father:
a)Did you feel at all mad about what your son had done?
b)Do you think you might have over reacted towards your son coming back?
For the other son:
a)What did you think your father would do if your brother came home?
6. I would have expected the father to get really upset that the son just wanted him to get out so that he could have that he wanted. I would think he would have kicked him off the list for receiving the family fortune. Yes I am surprised at what Jesus said the man did.
7. It finally just dawns on him that he was wasting his time starving when he could just go back to his dad and get plenty of food like what the servants get. It compares to us because we are starving of God's grace and we need to figure out that we are wasting our time without it when it is all available.
8. The Father ruins the plan because he throws a huge party and gives the sone the BEST calf instead of what the servants would get. The younger brother represents the people who are sinners and turn to God for help. The son gets a ring, the best calf, a party, sandals, and the best clothes.
9. The older brothers response is that he gets very mad that he has been like the angel child and had done nothing wrong and barely ever gets praised, while his brother who is the picture of sin is treated as royalty. The older brother represents the people of God who have followed him since birth and have known nothing of not following him. The younger brother represents the sinners of the world who have turned their backs to God, but eventually come back.
10. The father's response to the older brother is that he needs to get in there and join the celebration and be happy. He kind of says in a way that he knows that the older son had a better history of being good but they need to celebrate the coming around of the lost one. It is similar to the response to the younger brother because in both the father is in a jubilant mood and wants them to celebrate. It is different because with the older brother he isn't welcoming anyone back.
11. Hearing them makes me rethink how I used to think God looks at me and makes me feel really comfortable when I approach him because I know he really cares a lot about me. I guess it should make me feel like I have to forgive people and "welcome" them back after their mistakes with me with joy. That is hard.
That was a pretty awesome lesson Richard! :)
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