Session 23: Luke 15

 

Session 23: Luke 15 

Summarize

1. The Setting: A Complaint and Three Parables (1-3)

 a. Tax collectors and sinners gather to hear Jesus (1). 

b. The Pharisees and scribes complain that Jesus welcomes and eats with sinners (2). 

c. In response, Jesus tells them three parables (3).

2. The Parable of the Lost Sheep (4-7) 

a. A shepherd with 100 sheep loses one (4). 

b. He leaves the 99 in the open country to go after the one lost sheep until he finds it (4).

 c. He joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home (5).

 d. He calls his friends and neighbors to rejoice with him because he has found his lost sheep (6). e. Jesus concludes there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don't need to repent (7).

3. The Parable of the Lost Coin (8-10) 

a. A woman with ten silver coins loses one (8). 

b. She lights a lamp, sweeps the house, and searches carefully until she finds it (8). 

c. She calls her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her because she has found her lost coin (9). d. Jesus concludes there is rejoicing in the presence of God's angels over one sinner who repents (10).

4. The Parable of the Two Lost Sons (11-32) 

a. A younger son asks for his share of the estate (11-12). 

b. He travels to a distant country and squanders his wealth in wild living (13). 

c. A severe famine hits, and he ends up in desperate need, hiring himself out to feed pigs (14-16).

 d. He comes to his senses and decides to return to his father as a hired servant (17-19). 

e. While he is still a long way off, his father sees him, is filled with compassion, runs to him, and embraces him (20).

 f. The son begins his confession, but the father interrupts to restore him fully with a robe, a ring, and sandals (21-22). 

g. The father commands a celebration because his son who was dead is alive again; he was lost and is found (23-24). 

h. The older son, working in the field, hears the party and becomes angry, refusing to go inside (25-28).

 i. He complains to his father about his own dutiful service and the grace shown to his sinful brother (29-30).

 j. The father pleads with him, affirming his place in the family but explaining the necessity of celebrating his brother's return (31-32).

Analyze

Read Luke 15:1-10

1. What is the complaint from the Pharisees and scribes that prompts Jesus to tell these parables? (v. 2) 

a. In the first two parables, what do the shepherd and the woman do when they realize something valuable is lost? (v. 4, 8) What does the intensity of their search tell you? 

b. What is the common reaction in both parables once the lost item is found? (v. 6, 9) What does this reveal about God's heart toward those who are lost?

 c. Jesus contrasts the one lost sinner with the 99 "righteous persons who need no repentance" (v. 7). Considering his audience, who might the 99 represent? How can a "righteous" attitude actually prevent someone from experiencing the joy of being found?

Read Luke 15:11-24 2. What does the younger son's request for his inheritance signify about his relationship with his father? (v. 12) 

Cultural/Historical Note: A son asking for his inheritance while his father was still alive was a profound and calculated insult. It was essentially saying, "Father, I wish you were dead. Your existence is an obstacle to my happiness, so just give me your stuff now." 

a. At his lowest point, feeding pigs (an unclean animal for Jews), what motivates the son to return home? (v. 17-19) Does his repentance seem to be more about sorrow for his sin or sorrow for his circumstances? 

b. Describe the father's reaction when he sees his son returning. (v. 20) What do the gifts of the robe, ring, and sandals signify? (v. 22) 

Theological Note: The father's response is one of radical restoration. The robe signifies honor and restored status. The ring (likely a signet ring with the family seal) signifies restored authority and full sonship. The sandals signify he is a son, not a slave, as slaves typically went barefoot. The father doesn't just forgive him; he completely reinstates him. 

c. The father says his son "was dead and is alive again" (v. 24). In what ways have you experienced this kind of spiritual resurrection? Where might you need to "come to your senses" and return to the Father today?

Read Luke 15:25-32 3. When the older brother learns the reason for the celebration, what is his reaction? (v. 28-30) 

a. How does the older brother describe his relationship with his father? (v. 29) Does it sound like a relationship of love or one of servanthood and transaction ("I've been slaving for you and you never gave me...")? 

b. How does the father's gentle response to the older son reveal his heart for both of his lost children? (v. 31-32) 

c. The parable ends without telling us if the older brother joins the party. Why do you think Jesus leaves it open-ended for his audience (the Pharisees)? Which brother do you identify with more in this season of your life—the rebellious younger son or the self-righteous older son? Why?

Contextualize

• God's character is one of a loving Father who actively, diligently, and joyfully seeks out the lost.

• It is possible to be lost in two ways: through rebellious living far from the Father (the younger son) and through resentful, self-righteous religion in the Father's house (the older son).

• The heart of the gospel is repentance and unconditional restoration, which ought to lead to uninhibited celebration in the family of God.

Actualize

This chapter reveals that God's heart breaks for the lost and rejoices wildly when they are found. This week, reflect on two things. 

First, who in your life is "far off" like the younger son? Commit to praying for them daily, asking God to help them "come to their senses."

 Second, examine your own heart for any "older brother" attitudes. Is there any resentment, bitterness, or self-righteousness keeping you from celebrating when God shows grace to someone you feel doesn't deserve it? Confess that to the Father and ask Him to give you His heart for the lost so you can join the party.

Session 23 : Luke 15

 

Session 23: Luke 15

Summarize

1. The Setting: A Complaint and Three Parables (1-3)
   a. Tax collectors and sinners gather to hear Jesus (1).
   b. The Pharisees and scribes complain that Jesus welcomes and eats with sinners (2).
   c. In response, Jesus tells them three parables (3).

2. The Parable of the Lost Sheep (4-7)
   a. A shepherd with 100 sheep loses one (4).
   b. He leaves the 99 in the open country to go after the one lost sheep until he finds it (4).
   c. He joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home (5).
   d. He calls his friends and neighbors to rejoice with him because he has found his lost sheep (6).
   e. Jesus concludes there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don't need to repent (7).

3. The Parable of the Lost Coin (8-10)
   a. A woman with ten silver coins loses one (8).
   b. She lights a lamp, sweeps the house, and searches carefully until she finds it (8).
   c. She calls her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her because she has found her lost coin (9).
   d. Jesus concludes there is rejoicing in the presence of God's angels over one sinner who repents (10).

4. The Parable of the Two Lost Sons (11-32)
   a. A younger son asks for his share of the estate (11-12).
   b. He travels to a distant country and squanders his wealth in wild living (13).
   c. A severe famine hits, and he ends up in desperate need, hiring himself out to feed pigs (14-16).
   d. He comes to his senses and decides to return to his father as a hired servant (17-19).
   e. While he is still a long way off, his father sees him, is filled with compassion, runs to him, and embraces him (20).
   f. The son begins his confession, but the father interrupts to restore him fully with a robe, a ring, and sandals (21-22).
   g. The father commands a celebration because his son who was dead is alive again; he was lost and is found (23-24).
   h. The older son, working in the field, hears the party and becomes angry, refusing to go inside (25-28).
   i. He complains to his father about his own dutiful service and the grace shown to his sinful brother (29-30).
   j. The father pleads with him, affirming his place in the family but explaining the necessity of celebrating his brother's return (31-32).

Analyze

Read Luke 15:1-10

1. What is the complaint from the Pharisees and scribes that prompts Jesus to tell these parables? (v. 2)
   a. In the first two parables, what do the shepherd and the woman do when they realize something valuable is lost? (v. 4, 8) What does the intensity of their search tell you?
   b. What is the common reaction in both parables once the lost item is found? (v. 6, 9) What does this reveal about God's heart toward those who are lost?
   c. Jesus contrasts the one lost sinner with the 99 "righteous persons who need no repentance" (v. 7). Considering his audience, who might the 99 represent? How can a "righteous" attitude actually prevent someone from experiencing the joy of being found?

Read Luke 15:11-24

2. What does the younger son's request for his inheritance signify about his relationship with his father? (v. 12)

Cultural/Historical Note: A son asking for his inheritance while his father was still alive was a profound and calculated insult. It was essentially saying, "Father, I wish you were dead. Your existence is an obstacle to my happiness, so just give me your stuff now."

a. At his lowest point, feeding pigs (an unclean animal for Jews), what motivates the son to return home? (v. 17-19) Does his repentance seem to be more about sorrow for his sin or sorrow for his circumstances?

b. Describe the father's reaction when he sees his son returning. (v. 20) What do the gifts of the robe, ring, and sandals signify? (v. 22)

Theological Note: The father's response is one of radical restoration. The robe signifies honor and restored status. The ring (likely a signet ring with the family seal) signifies restored authority and full sonship. The sandals signify he is a son, not a slave, as slaves typically went barefoot. The father doesn't just forgive him; he completely reinstates him.

c. The father says his son "was dead and is alive again" (v. 24). In what ways have you experienced this kind of spiritual resurrection? Where might you need to "come to your senses" and return to the Father today?

Read Luke 15:25-32

3. When the older brother learns the reason for the celebration, what is his reaction? (v. 28-30)

a. How does the older brother describe his relationship with his father? (v. 29) Does it sound like a relationship of love or one of servanthood and transaction ("I've been slaving for you and you never gave me...")?

b. How does the father's gentle response to the older son reveal his heart for both of his lost children? (v. 31-32)

c. The parable ends without telling us if the older brother joins the party. Why do you think Jesus leaves it open-ended for his audience (the Pharisees)? Which brother do you identify with more in this season of your life—the rebellious younger son or the self-righteous older son? Why?

Contextualize

• God's character is one of a loving Father who actively, diligently, and joyfully seeks out the lost.

• It is possible to be lost in two ways: through rebellious living far from the Father (the younger son) and through resentful, self-righteous religion in the Father's house (the older son).

• The heart of the gospel is repentance and unconditional restoration, which ought to lead to uninhibited celebration in the family of God.

Actualize

This chapter reveals that God's heart breaks for the lost and rejoices wildly when they are found. This week, reflect on two things. First, who in your life is "far off" like the younger son? Commit to praying for them daily, asking God to help them "come to their senses." Second, examine your own heart for any "older brother" attitudes. Is there any resentment, bitterness, or self-righteousness keeping you from celebrating when God shows grace to someone you feel doesn't deserve it? Confess that to the Father and ask Him to give you His heart for the lost so you can join the party.

Session 22: John 4:1-42

 

Session 22: John 4:1-42

Summarize

1. Jesus Travels to Samaria (1-6)
   a. Jesus leaves Judea to avoid conflict with the Pharisees (1-3).
   b. He intentionally travels through Samaria, a region Jews normally avoided (4).
   c. He arrives tired at Jacob's well near the town of Sychar (5-6).

2. Jesus and the Samaritan Woman (7-26)
   a. Jesus asks a Samaritan woman for a drink, breaking social customs (7-8).
   b. The woman expresses shock that a Jew would ask a Samaritan for anything (9).
   c. Jesus offers her "living water," which she misunderstands as physical water (10-11).
   d. Jesus explains that His water leads to eternal life and quenches spiritual thirst forever (13-14).
   e. The woman asks for this water, still thinking of its practical benefits (15).
   f. Jesus reveals his supernatural knowledge of her past relationships (16-18).
   g. The woman recognizes him as a prophet and pivots the conversation to a religious debate about the proper place of worship (19-20).
   h. Jesus teaches that true worship is not about location but about worshipping "in spirit and in truth" (21-24).
   i. When the woman mentions her hope for the Messiah, Jesus reveals His identity to her directly: "I who speak to you am he" (25-26).

3. The Woman Becomes a Witness (27-38)
   a. The disciples return and are amazed to see Jesus speaking with the woman (27).
   b. The woman leaves her water jar, goes back to her town, and tells people about Jesus (28-29).
   c. The townspeople go out to meet Jesus based on her testimony (30).
   d. Jesus teaches His disciples that His "food" is to do God's will and that a spiritual harvest is ready (31-38).

4. Many Samaritans Believe (39-42)
   a. Many Samaritans from the town believe in Jesus because of the woman's testimony (39).
   b. They urge Jesus to stay, and He stays with them for two days (40).
   c. Many more believe after hearing Jesus' own words (41).
   d. The people confess that Jesus is truly the "Savior of the world" (42).

Analyze

Read John 4:1-15

1. Why is the Samaritan woman surprised when Jesus asks her for a drink? (v. 9)
   a. What does Jesus mean when he offers the woman "living water"? (v. 10, 13-14)
   Cultural/Historical Note: Jews and Samaritans had a deep-seated animosity dating back centuries. Samaritans were a mixed-race people with their own version of the Jewish scriptures and their own temple on Mount Gerizim. Orthodox Jews viewed them as heretics and unclean, typically avoiding all contact and even traveling miles out of their way to avoid passing through Samaria. Jesus deliberately crosses this major racial, political, and religious barrier.
   b. The woman keeps thinking in physical terms (the well is deep, you have no bucket). How does this reflect how people often respond to spiritual truths?
   c. Jesus says the water He gives becomes a "spring of water welling up to eternal life" (v. 14). What earthly "wells" do you draw from for satisfaction that always leave you thirsty again? How does what Jesus offers differ?

Read John 4:16-26

2. Why does Jesus suddenly change the subject and tell the woman to "Go, call your husband"? (v. 16-18)

a. The woman perceives Jesus is a prophet and immediately brings up a long-standing religious debate about where to worship (v. 19-20). Why do you think she does this?

> Cultural/Historical Note: The core of the debate was whether God should be worshipped at the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem or at the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim. By raising this issue, the woman shifts the focus from her uncomfortable personal situation to a "safer" theological argument.

b. How does Jesus redefine worship in his answer to her? What does it mean to worship "in spirit and in truth"? (v. 23-24)

c. After Jesus explains true worship, He reveals that He is the Messiah (v. 26). How has the conversation prepared the woman to receive this revelation? What does it mean for your worship to be "in spirit" (engaging your heart and emotions) and "in truth" (grounded in the reality of who God is)?

Read John 4:27-42

3. What is the significance of the woman leaving her water jar behind? (v. 28)

a. What does the woman say to the people in her town that convinces them to come and see Jesus? (v. 29) How does her testimony show a change in her heart?

b. Jesus tells his disciples, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me" (v. 34). How does this statement relate to what has just happened with the woman?

c. The townspeople's faith progresses from believing because of the woman's testimony (v. 39) to believing because of Jesus' own words (v. 41-42). What does this teach us about the role of personal testimony and a personal encounter with Christ?

d. The woman in this story is arguably the first evangelist in the New Testament. What fears or hesitations keep you from sharing what Jesus has done in your life? How does her simple, honest testimony ("Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did") encourage you?

Contextualize

• Jesus breaks down all human-made barriers—racial, social, gender, and moral—to seek out the lost and offer them salvation.

• True, life-giving satisfaction is not found in relationships, religion, or earthly things, but only in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

• A genuine encounter with Jesus compels us to share our story with others, becoming witnesses to His grace and power.

Actualize

The Samaritan woman didn't wait until she had all the theological answers or a perfect life. She simply went and told others what she had experienced. Her invitation was simple: "Come and see."

This week, pray and ask God to show you one person in your life you can extend that same simple invitation to. It could be inviting them to church, sharing a part of your story, or simply telling them why your faith is important to you. Focus not on convincing them, but simply on inviting them to "come and see" Jesus for themselves.

Session 20: Luke 5

 Session: Luke 5

Summarize

1. Jesus calls Peter (1-11)
   a. Jesus initiates a relationship with Peter (1-3)
   b. Jesus gives Simon the opportunity to trust Him (4)
   c. Simon doubts but obeys Jesus (5)
   d. Jesus provides Simon and his team with more fish than expected (6-7)
   e. Simon recognizes Jesus' power and his own sinfulness (8)
   f. Jesus repurposes Simon and his team; they follow Jesus (9-11)

2. Jesus performs ministry (12-26)
   a. Jesus encounters a man with leprosy (12)
   b. The leprous man begs Jesus to heal him (12)
   c. Jesus touches the leper and heals him (13)
   d. Jesus instructs the leper to present himself for cleansing but to keep who healed him a secret (14)
   e. People talked about the work of Jesus and sought Him to be healed (15)
   f. Jesus sought solitude in the wilderness to pray (16)
   g. People from all over, including Pharisees, come to hear Jesus teach and perform healings (17)
   h. Men try to bring a paralyzed man on a stretcher to be healed by Jesus (18)
   i. Unable to get through the crowds, the men lower the stretcher through the roof (19)
   j. Jesus rewards their faith and tells the lame man his sins are forgiven (20)
   k. The scribes and Pharisees think Jesus is a blasphemer because Jesus claims authority that belongs to God (21)
   l. Jesus reads the Pharisees’ minds and confirms His divine authority by commanding the lame man to pick up his stretcher and go home (22-24)
   m. The lame man gets up immediately and goes home glorifying God. Others praise God for what they have seen (25-26)

3. Jesus calls Matthew (27-32)
   a. Jesus sees Matthew at the tax booth and calls him to follow (27)
   b. Matthew leaves everything and follows Jesus (28)
   c. Matthew holds a great feast for Jesus at his house with other tax collectors (29)
   d. The Pharisees and their scribes complain about Jesus eating with sinners (30)
   e. Jesus explains that the healthy don't need a doctor, but the sick do (31)
   f. Jesus declares His mission is to call sinners to repentance (32)

4. Jesus Addresses fasting (33-39)
   a. The Pharisees ask why Jesus' disciples don't fast like John's disciples and the Pharisees (33)
   b. Jesus uses the analogy of wedding guests not fasting while the bridegroom is present (34-35)
   c. Jesus gives the parable of not putting a new patch on an old garment (36)
   d. Jesus gives the parable of not putting new wine into old wineskins (37-38)
   e. Jesus notes that people accustomed to the old do not immediately desire the new (39)

Analyze

Read Luke 5:1-11

1. What does Jesus tell Simon to do after a long, unsuccessful night of fishing? (v. 4)

a. What is Simon's initial response, and what does he ultimately do? (v. 5) Why is Simon's obedience, despite his professional experience telling him it's pointless, an act of faith?
Cultural/Historical Note: Fishermen on the Sea of Galilee knew that the best fishing was done at night in the cool, deep waters. Jesus’ command to go back out into the deep in the heat of the day would have seemed illogical and fruitless to an experienced fisherman like Peter.
b. When Simon Peter sees the miraculous catch of fish, he falls at Jesus' knees and says, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord" (v. 8). What does this reaction reveal about what he now understands about Jesus?
c. Jesus tells Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men" (v. 10).  

ci. What is an area of your life where obeying Jesus feels illogical or counter-intuitive? 

cii. What "nets" might He be asking you to leave behind to follow Him in a new way? (v. 11)

Read Luke 5:12-26

2. What does the man with leprosy ask of Jesus? (v. 12) What is significant about Jesus touching him before healing him? (v. 13)

Cultural/Historical Note: According to Old Testament law (Leviticus 13-14), leprosy made a person ceremonially "unclean." They were social and religious outcasts, and anyone who touched them also became unclean. By touching the man, Jesus shows radical compassion and demonstrates that His power to make clean is greater than the power of disease to make unclean.

a. After healing the man, Jesus gives him specific instructions. What are they, and why would Jesus tell him to see a priest? (v. 14)

b. In the next story, what extreme measures do the friends of the paralyzed man take to get him to Jesus? (v. 18-19) 

bi. What does this teach us about the nature of faith that pleases God? (v. 20)

c. The Pharisees accuse Jesus of blasphemy for forgiving the man's sins (v. 21). How does Jesus prove that He has the authority to forgive sins? (v. 22-24)

Theological Note: In Jewish law, only God could forgive sins. When Jesus claimed this authority, the Pharisees correctly understood that He was claiming to be God. Forgiving sins is invisible, but healing paralysis is visible. Jesus performs the visible miracle to prove He has the authority to perform the invisible one.

d. The friends of the paralytic were determined to bring their friend into the presence of Jesus. Who in your life needs to be brought to Jesus? What practical, even radical, steps can you take to help them encounter His healing and forgiveness?

Read Luke 5:27-32

3. What was Matthew's (also called Levi) profession, and what was his immediate response to Jesus' call? (v. 27-28)

a. Why was it considered scandalous for Jesus, a religious teacher, to associate with and eat in the home of a tax collector? (v. 29-30)

> Cultural/Historical Note: Tax collectors were Jews who worked for the Roman Empire. They were viewed as traitors to their own people and were infamous for their corruption, extorting extra money for personal gain. Pious Jews, especially the Pharisees, would never share a meal with them.

b. How does Jesus' response in verses 31-32 define the purpose of His entire mission?

c. Jesus came "to call the sinners to repentance." This means we must first recognize we are spiritually "sick." In what areas of your life is it difficult to admit your need for the "physician"? How can you follow Jesus' example of showing hospitality and love to those society might label as "sinners"?

Read Luke 5:33-39

4. What is the question that the Pharisees and scribes ask Jesus regarding the practice of fasting? (v. 33)

a. Jesus responds with two analogies: a new patch on an old garment (v. 36) and new wine in old wineskins (v. 37-38). What is the central point Jesus is making with these illustrations?

> Explanation: Jesus is teaching that the new covenant of grace and life He brings cannot simply be added to the old, rigid structures of religious legalism. The "new wine" of the Gospel is so powerful and expansive that it requires a "new wineskin"—a new heart and a new way of relating to God, not based on external rules but on an internal relationship with Him.

b. How might we be tempted to put the "new wine" of our life in Christ into "old wineskins" of legalism, fear, or past habits? What would it look like to fully embrace the new life Jesus offers? (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Contextualize

1. Jesus demonstrates His divine authority over nature (the fish), disease (leprosy), paralysis, and sin itself.

2. A true encounter with the holy presence of Jesus reveals our own sinfulness and profound need for His grace.

3. Following Jesus means responding to His call with obedient faith, leaving behind old identities to join His mission of seeking and saving the lost.

Actualize

This chapter is filled with people taking bold, faith-filled risks. Peter cast his net into empty water. The leper approached Jesus when he should have stayed away. The friends tore a hole in a roof. Matthew left a lucrative career in an instant.

This week, identify one area where God is calling you to take a risk of faith. It could be a person He wants you to share your story with, a habit He wants you to leave behind, or a step of radical generosity He is prompting you to take. Pray for the courage to move beyond your comfort zone and act on His call.