Chapter 7 - The Feast of the Father
1. How is salvation ‘experiential’? (p. 106…)
2. What is the difference between believing in the abstract idea of God’s love and knowing it at the deepest level of your heart? How does this affect your daily life?
3. “(Jesus) love can become more real to you that the love of anyone else. It can delight, galvanize, and console you” (p. 108). How has Jesus’ love delighted, galvanized, or consoled you or someone you know?
4. How is salvation ‘material’? (p. 110…)
5. What does the author say on page 112 is the “inevitable sign that you are a sinner saved by grace”? In what ways can you live this truth out?
6. How is salvation ‘individual’? (p. 112…)
7. Do you agree with Martin Luther that ‘religion’ is the default mode of the human heart? In what ways can ‘religion’ be an obstacle for us as we seek to obey Christ? (p. 115)
8. “Behavioral compliance to rules without heart change will be superficial and fleeting” (p. 119). How have you found this to be true in your own experience? How then is real lasting change possible?
9. What was Bonhoeffer’s view of grace? (p. 122, 123).
10. How is salvation ‘communal’? (p. 124…)
11. “There is no way you will be able to grow spiritually apart from a deep involvement in a community of other believers” (p. 127). Is this true?
12. The book mentions four things we need in order to have a foretaste of future salvation now – prayer, service to others, changes in our inner nature through the gospel, and healed relationships that Christ can give. Which of these do you hunger for the most and why?
13. Summarize the key teachings for you from the Prodigal God book.
- Study Questions, Discussion, Comments from the Ladies' Bible Studies at Nampa Bible Church
4/5/10
Prodigal God, Chapter 6
Chapter 6 – Redefining Hope
1. What positive images come to your mind when you hear the word, ‘home’?
2. Why is the concept of home so powerful, but so elusive? (p. 90).
3. Have you experienced homesickness or a longing for home? How do you handle the fact that sometimes holidays or special days don’t live up to your expectations?
4. Describe some of your longings for a place, a time, a circumstance that you can’t get back to. The author says on page 96, “we have been living in a world that no longer fits our deepest longings.” How does this help you understand your experience?
5. What are some of the examples of exile in the Bible? According to the author, what are the reasons that none of the homecomings of the Israelites in the Old Testament really worked? (p. 99). Comments?
6. What were the Israelite people longing for as Jesus came on the scene? What did Jesus give them? (p. 100,101).
7. How is our longing for home explained by the biblical narrative of:
a. Creation (p. 95-96)
b. Fall (p. 96)
c. Redemption (p. 101-102)
d. Restoration (102-103)
8. In ancient times, a feast had more dimensions to it that eating. It was a time to sing, dance, reunite with long-last friends, renew relationships, celebrate community, and so on. What joys do you anticipate at the feast of the Father?
9. What was the most significant point in this chapter for you?
10. Action Point:
1. What positive images come to your mind when you hear the word, ‘home’?
2. Why is the concept of home so powerful, but so elusive? (p. 90).
3. Have you experienced homesickness or a longing for home? How do you handle the fact that sometimes holidays or special days don’t live up to your expectations?
4. Describe some of your longings for a place, a time, a circumstance that you can’t get back to. The author says on page 96, “we have been living in a world that no longer fits our deepest longings.” How does this help you understand your experience?
5. What are some of the examples of exile in the Bible? According to the author, what are the reasons that none of the homecomings of the Israelites in the Old Testament really worked? (p. 99). Comments?
6. What were the Israelite people longing for as Jesus came on the scene? What did Jesus give them? (p. 100,101).
7. How is our longing for home explained by the biblical narrative of:
a. Creation (p. 95-96)
b. Fall (p. 96)
c. Redemption (p. 101-102)
d. Restoration (102-103)
8. In ancient times, a feast had more dimensions to it that eating. It was a time to sing, dance, reunite with long-last friends, renew relationships, celebrate community, and so on. What joys do you anticipate at the feast of the Father?
9. What was the most significant point in this chapter for you?
10. Action Point:
Prodigal God, Chapter 5
Chapter 5 – The True Elder Brother
1. As the father is pleading with his elder son to come in, what picture comes to your mind of God?
2. Do you find yourself judging the judgers or grumbling about the grumblers? How is Jesus approach to the Pharisees so different than this?
3. “We will never find God unless he first seeks us” (p. 75). How has this been true in your own experience? Where in the Bible can we see this?
4. Quote from page 75: “How can you tell if he is working on you now? If you begin to sense your lostness and find yourself wanting to escape it, you should realize that desire is not something you could have generated on your own.” Can you describe your experience of knowing God is teaching you?
5. What is and is not repentance? (p. 75 and 76).
6. What are the spiritual problems of the Pharisee as described on page 77?
7. “To truly become Christian we must repent of the reason we ever did anything right. Pharisees only repent of their sins, but Christians repent for the very roots of their righteousness too” (p. 78). How is this explanation different from the way most people understand repentance? How does this change the way you repent?
8. What would help you identify the “sin under all your other sins?” (p.78). How can you dismantle that particular sin under all other sins? (As a personal exercise, consider more fully the idols in your heart by thinking through the supplementary material at the end of the questions. Not necessarily for sharing).
9. Who should have gone out and searched for the younger brother? What are some of the characteristics in this person that kept him from searching? Where do you see these characteristics in your own life?
10. “Forgiveness always comes at a cost” (p. 83). How can this truth be seen in the parable? In your own experience?
11. What did it cost the father to bring his younger son home? What did it cost the elder brother? What did it cost to bring us home?
12. “How can the inner workings of the heart be changed from a dynamic of fear and anger to that of love, joy, and gratitude?” (p. 85).
13. If Jesus is our true elder brother, how does this change our relationship with him? Our worship? Our service? Our obedience? Our view of the service?
14. The author states on page 89 “To the degree, ‘we see his beauty’ we will be free from the fear and neediness that creates either younger brothers or elder brothers.” Describe what this means for you.
15. Action Item
Supplementary Material: The following is a list of questions from the Prodigal God discussion guide to help you discern idols/controlling sins:
1. What am I most afraid of?
2. What do I long for most passionately?
3. Where do I run for comfort?
4. What do I complain about the most?
5. What angers me most?
6. What makes me happiest?
7. How do I explain myself to other people?
8. What has caused me to be angry with God?
9. What do I brag about?
10. What do I want to have more than anything else?
11. What do I sacrifice the most for in my life?
12. If I could change one thing in my life what would that be?
13. Whose approval am I seeking?
14. What do I want to control/master?
15. What comfort do I treasure the most?
1. As the father is pleading with his elder son to come in, what picture comes to your mind of God?
2. Do you find yourself judging the judgers or grumbling about the grumblers? How is Jesus approach to the Pharisees so different than this?
3. “We will never find God unless he first seeks us” (p. 75). How has this been true in your own experience? Where in the Bible can we see this?
4. Quote from page 75: “How can you tell if he is working on you now? If you begin to sense your lostness and find yourself wanting to escape it, you should realize that desire is not something you could have generated on your own.” Can you describe your experience of knowing God is teaching you?
5. What is and is not repentance? (p. 75 and 76).
6. What are the spiritual problems of the Pharisee as described on page 77?
7. “To truly become Christian we must repent of the reason we ever did anything right. Pharisees only repent of their sins, but Christians repent for the very roots of their righteousness too” (p. 78). How is this explanation different from the way most people understand repentance? How does this change the way you repent?
8. What would help you identify the “sin under all your other sins?” (p.78). How can you dismantle that particular sin under all other sins? (As a personal exercise, consider more fully the idols in your heart by thinking through the supplementary material at the end of the questions. Not necessarily for sharing).
9. Who should have gone out and searched for the younger brother? What are some of the characteristics in this person that kept him from searching? Where do you see these characteristics in your own life?
10. “Forgiveness always comes at a cost” (p. 83). How can this truth be seen in the parable? In your own experience?
11. What did it cost the father to bring his younger son home? What did it cost the elder brother? What did it cost to bring us home?
12. “How can the inner workings of the heart be changed from a dynamic of fear and anger to that of love, joy, and gratitude?” (p. 85).
13. If Jesus is our true elder brother, how does this change our relationship with him? Our worship? Our service? Our obedience? Our view of the service?
14. The author states on page 89 “To the degree, ‘we see his beauty’ we will be free from the fear and neediness that creates either younger brothers or elder brothers.” Describe what this means for you.
15. Action Item
Supplementary Material: The following is a list of questions from the Prodigal God discussion guide to help you discern idols/controlling sins:
1. What am I most afraid of?
2. What do I long for most passionately?
3. Where do I run for comfort?
4. What do I complain about the most?
5. What angers me most?
6. What makes me happiest?
7. How do I explain myself to other people?
8. What has caused me to be angry with God?
9. What do I brag about?
10. What do I want to have more than anything else?
11. What do I sacrifice the most for in my life?
12. If I could change one thing in my life what would that be?
13. Whose approval am I seeking?
14. What do I want to control/master?
15. What comfort do I treasure the most?
Prodigal God, Chapter 4
Chapter 4 – Redefining Lostness
1. Create a table to help you think about the relationships between the people in the parable.
How does the younger brother view?
Himself? His brother? His father?
How does the older brother view?
Himself? His brother? His father?
2. Keep a running list of ‘elder brotherish’ characteristics as you read through this chapter.
3. “ The first sign you have an elder brother spirit is that when your life doesn’t go as you want, you aren’t just sorrowful, but deeply angry and bitter” (p. 49). What thoughts, feelings and assumptions lead to such anger and bitterness?
4. What is the difference in our thought processes between anger toward God, toward self, and toward others? Share verses on anger and insights that are helpful to you.
5. How do older brothers use superiority and competitive comparison? (p. 53). How does this create an unforgiving, judgmental spirit?
6. Quote, “People who are no longer sure that God loves and accepts them in Jesus, apart from their present spiritual achievements, are subconsciously radically insecure persons” (p. 54). Do you agree with this assessment? Why or why not?
7. If your motivation to do good is to earn God’s favor, how does this affect the goodness of the action?
8. How does fear based morality strengthen self-centeredness? (p. 60).
9. What might the prayer life of an older brother look like and why? (p. 64, 65)
10. How would the attitude of the older brother make it harder for the younger brother to come home? How can you prevent this from happening to the people around you? (p. 66-67).
11. Do you tend to be more of a younger brother or elder brother? Were there times in your past when you behaved more like one or the other?
12. What else in this chapter was significant to you?
13. This chapter was packed with descriptions of ‘elder brother’ characteristics. Since we all have some of this, what convicted you the most?
Action Point:
Group Challenge
1. Create a table to help you think about the relationships between the people in the parable.
How does the younger brother view?
Himself? His brother? His father?
How does the older brother view?
Himself? His brother? His father?
2. Keep a running list of ‘elder brotherish’ characteristics as you read through this chapter.
3. “ The first sign you have an elder brother spirit is that when your life doesn’t go as you want, you aren’t just sorrowful, but deeply angry and bitter” (p. 49). What thoughts, feelings and assumptions lead to such anger and bitterness?
4. What is the difference in our thought processes between anger toward God, toward self, and toward others? Share verses on anger and insights that are helpful to you.
5. How do older brothers use superiority and competitive comparison? (p. 53). How does this create an unforgiving, judgmental spirit?
6. Quote, “People who are no longer sure that God loves and accepts them in Jesus, apart from their present spiritual achievements, are subconsciously radically insecure persons” (p. 54). Do you agree with this assessment? Why or why not?
7. If your motivation to do good is to earn God’s favor, how does this affect the goodness of the action?
8. How does fear based morality strengthen self-centeredness? (p. 60).
9. What might the prayer life of an older brother look like and why? (p. 64, 65)
10. How would the attitude of the older brother make it harder for the younger brother to come home? How can you prevent this from happening to the people around you? (p. 66-67).
11. Do you tend to be more of a younger brother or elder brother? Were there times in your past when you behaved more like one or the other?
12. What else in this chapter was significant to you?
13. This chapter was packed with descriptions of ‘elder brother’ characteristics. Since we all have some of this, what convicted you the most?
Action Point:
Group Challenge
Prodigal God, Chapter 3
Chapter 3 – Redefining Sin
1. Describe the two ways to find happiness (p. 29) and why they are so powerful. Give examples of these two ways. Which is more natural to you?
2. “You can rebel against God and be alienated from him either by breaking his rules or keeping them all diligently.” (p. 36-37). Explain this statement and give examples.
3. How do people seek to control God through their obedience? Can you give a personal example?
4. Create a simple chart showing younger brother characteristics, older brother characteristics, and characteristics shared by both.
Younger Characteristics Shared Characteristics Elder Characteristics
5. Where does the older brother find his significance and happiness? Where do we tend to look for our significance and happiness? Be specific. What is the connection to idolatry?
6. Do you agree or disagree that being an elder brother is a more spiritually desperate condition than being a younger brother? Why? (p. 46-47)
7. If you asked the average person on the street to define the word, ‘sin’, what would they say? How does Jesus challenge this definition in the parable?
8. What else was thought provoking to you in these chapters?
9. What has been the key point for you in this lesson?
10. Action Point:
11. Group Challenge
1. Describe the two ways to find happiness (p. 29) and why they are so powerful. Give examples of these two ways. Which is more natural to you?
2. “You can rebel against God and be alienated from him either by breaking his rules or keeping them all diligently.” (p. 36-37). Explain this statement and give examples.
3. How do people seek to control God through their obedience? Can you give a personal example?
4. Create a simple chart showing younger brother characteristics, older brother characteristics, and characteristics shared by both.
Younger Characteristics Shared Characteristics Elder Characteristics
5. Where does the older brother find his significance and happiness? Where do we tend to look for our significance and happiness? Be specific. What is the connection to idolatry?
6. Do you agree or disagree that being an elder brother is a more spiritually desperate condition than being a younger brother? Why? (p. 46-47)
7. If you asked the average person on the street to define the word, ‘sin’, what would they say? How does Jesus challenge this definition in the parable?
8. What else was thought provoking to you in these chapters?
9. What has been the key point for you in this lesson?
10. Action Point:
11. Group Challenge
Prodigal God, Chapter 2
Chapter 2 – The Two Lost Sons
1. Describe the scene, the actions and emotions of the son and father in the homecoming. What is most impacting to you?
2. When a parent reacts to a child’s behavior with, ‘after all I’ve done for you, how can you do this?’ what is at the core? Contrast this with the father in the parable. What do you learn about God?
3. The younger brother believes he is no longer worthy to be called his father’s son. What does this tell us about his view of what it takes to be loved and accepted? Is this view prevalent today?
4. Parents seen to have an overwhelming temptation to bring up the past failures of their children. (Can you think of an example?) Would the father in the story have the same temptation? Why not?
5. “There is no evil that the father’s love cannot pardon and cover, there is no sin that is a match for his grace.” (p. 24) How can this be seen in the parable, in other stories from the Bible, and in your own life?
6. If God’s grace is absolutely free and we cannot earn it or merit it in any way, what motivation is there to live an obedient life? What Bible verses come to mind?
7. As we turn to the elder brother, what are some of the poisonous thoughts, emotions and attitudes that come from him?
8. Action Point:
1. Describe the scene, the actions and emotions of the son and father in the homecoming. What is most impacting to you?
2. When a parent reacts to a child’s behavior with, ‘after all I’ve done for you, how can you do this?’ what is at the core? Contrast this with the father in the parable. What do you learn about God?
3. The younger brother believes he is no longer worthy to be called his father’s son. What does this tell us about his view of what it takes to be loved and accepted? Is this view prevalent today?
4. Parents seen to have an overwhelming temptation to bring up the past failures of their children. (Can you think of an example?) Would the father in the story have the same temptation? Why not?
5. “There is no evil that the father’s love cannot pardon and cover, there is no sin that is a match for his grace.” (p. 24) How can this be seen in the parable, in other stories from the Bible, and in your own life?
6. If God’s grace is absolutely free and we cannot earn it or merit it in any way, what motivation is there to live an obedient life? What Bible verses come to mind?
7. As we turn to the elder brother, what are some of the poisonous thoughts, emotions and attitudes that come from him?
8. Action Point:
Prodigal God, Chapter 1
Introduction:
1. Who is the author writing the book for? Why does he think long time church members need this?
2. Why is the traditional name of this parable not the best?
3. What does the word ‘prodigal’ mean? Describe what the concept of a prodigal God means to you personally.
Chapter 1: The People Around Jesus
4. Describe the two groups of people that Jesus is teaching and that are represented by the two brothers in the story.
5. How did each of these groups respond to Jesus?
6. Can you give examples of both groups in current society? How do both of these lifestyles lead to emptiness?
7. Consider these two author quotes about the older brother types:
“Jesus wants to show them their blindness, narrowness, self-righteousness and how these things are destroying both their own souls and the lives of the people around them” (p. 10).
“Religious moralism is a particularly deadly spiritual condition”(p. 14).
Comments? It might be easy to look at other people, let’s look at ourselves.
8. Why is it ‘ironic’ that Christianity has become mostly about religion and morality? (p. 14).
9. In Jesus’ ministry, over and over the outcasts were attracted to him and the religious were angered. As you skim through the gospels, give examples of this. Why were the religious so opposed?
10. Why do you think our Christianity of today is not attracting the broken and marginalized with Jesus’ message of grace?
11. What else did you underline or think about in these chaptaers?
12. What is God saying to your heart through this lesson?
Action Point: Group Challenge
1. Who is the author writing the book for? Why does he think long time church members need this?
2. Why is the traditional name of this parable not the best?
3. What does the word ‘prodigal’ mean? Describe what the concept of a prodigal God means to you personally.
Chapter 1: The People Around Jesus
4. Describe the two groups of people that Jesus is teaching and that are represented by the two brothers in the story.
5. How did each of these groups respond to Jesus?
6. Can you give examples of both groups in current society? How do both of these lifestyles lead to emptiness?
7. Consider these two author quotes about the older brother types:
“Jesus wants to show them their blindness, narrowness, self-righteousness and how these things are destroying both their own souls and the lives of the people around them” (p. 10).
“Religious moralism is a particularly deadly spiritual condition”(p. 14).
Comments? It might be easy to look at other people, let’s look at ourselves.
8. Why is it ‘ironic’ that Christianity has become mostly about religion and morality? (p. 14).
9. In Jesus’ ministry, over and over the outcasts were attracted to him and the religious were angered. As you skim through the gospels, give examples of this. Why were the religious so opposed?
10. Why do you think our Christianity of today is not attracting the broken and marginalized with Jesus’ message of grace?
11. What else did you underline or think about in these chaptaers?
12. What is God saying to your heart through this lesson?
Action Point: Group Challenge
Prodigal God, Intro/Video
Intro Lesson
1. Leader introduces self, book briefly
2. State ground rules of group
a. Confidentiality
b. Limits to sharing
c. Being on time
d. Prepared
e. Other
3. Group members share about themselves – brief testimony, what God has been teaching you recently and what you hope to gain from study
4. Read Parable out loud – Luke 15:1-3; 11-32
5. Watch DVD - 38 minutes (see Crystal for DVD)
6. Discussion questions (taken from Discussion Guide)
a. Was there anything from the DVD that was new to you or had an effect on you? Did you hear anything that raised questions in your mind?
b. Who do you identify with more, the younger brother or the older brother? Why?
c. How close is a great feast to your idea of heaven?
d. Is there anything you would like the group to pray for you personally as a result of the DVD?
7. Prayer Time
1. Leader introduces self, book briefly
2. State ground rules of group
a. Confidentiality
b. Limits to sharing
c. Being on time
d. Prepared
e. Other
3. Group members share about themselves – brief testimony, what God has been teaching you recently and what you hope to gain from study
4. Read Parable out loud – Luke 15:1-3; 11-32
5. Watch DVD - 38 minutes (see Crystal for DVD)
6. Discussion questions (taken from Discussion Guide)
a. Was there anything from the DVD that was new to you or had an effect on you? Did you hear anything that raised questions in your mind?
b. Who do you identify with more, the younger brother or the older brother? Why?
c. How close is a great feast to your idea of heaven?
d. Is there anything you would like the group to pray for you personally as a result of the DVD?
7. Prayer Time