On Mission With Jesus Week 17: The Two Sons

On Mission With Jesus Week 17: The Two Sons

Questions:

1)      Are Christians always joyful and contented? Are they always gracious to those who have turned away from God? What effect does this have on the mission of the church?

2)      What struck you from Sunday’s sermon? Which applications did it have that you weren’t expecting?

Read Lk 15:11-32

3)      What are the younger son’s motivations for the actions he took? What are the legitimate desires that lie behind that? Where did he go wrong, in how he sought to fulfil them?

4)      Describe the younger son’s emotions at the end of Act 1 (vs 22-24). How does this relate to your experience of coming to faith?

5)      Do you feel sympathy for the elder son, in how he reacts?

6)      Who does he care most about: himself, his father or his brother? Why do you say that? Can you see that tendency in yourself?

7)      What would a Father-centric attitude look like for the elder son? How would that have liberated him? What would that look like for us?

8)      How well does Jesus’ Great Commandment (Lk 10:27) summarise what that elder brother is called to in this parable? Why is this an essential attitude for effective mission?

9)      What are the wrong ways to respond to not-yet-Christians coming into our services and church activities?  What are the right ways of responding to them and those who have drifted away?

10) What is the main thing you are going to take from this passage and session? Pray into those things.