The Church: Being A City Set On A Hill - Week 2 (Luke 15:11-32)
Luke 15:11-32
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The Gospel Amazes Us
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Luke 15:11-32 〰️ The Gospel Amazes Us 〰️
We're now in our second week of our series The Church: Being A City Set On A Hill. This week, our focus is on how the Gospel amazes us. There is so much to learn and take from each portion of the Gospel, let alone all of God's Word, so there are many passages we could dive into to reinforce this core belief that we hold. Over these coming weeks, each Sunday and group discussions will focus on the core traits we desire to hold as a church, and being in awe of God's Word is up first. As we read through this passage, let's keep at the forefront of our minds the ways in which God's Word speaks to its original audience and to us today.
The opening words of this week's passage are a continuation of Jesus's long discourse, including many parables, stretching from Luke 14-18. In many of these parables, it wasn't uncommon for Him to speak openly about the coming kingdom of God, Himself, or those who opposed Him, the religious leaders. As we approach this passage, as with any, we can stand in awe of the intentionality and tact with which Jesus spoke and the Lord has inspired.
In this parable, we encounter a fictional father and two sons. In this time, it was ordinary for someone to settle their estate before their death. In many cases, where there was more than one heir to an estate, the eldest would receive a greater portion. When this father allotted inheritances for his sons, the younger of the two requested his early, and so the father gave it to him. The son went on to spend his entire inheritance on luxuries and foolishness (and apparently prostitutes), losing all that he had. Famine struck, and he was left with nothing, living life among pigs, considered to be one of the most unclean and vile animals according to Hebrew law (Leviticus 11:7).
And we were not very different; broken and separated, we, too, needed restoration before our Father. Because of our sin and rebellion against Him, we were isolated and broken. But Christ's sacrifice on the cross, paying the debt we owed, is the center of the Gospel story. But Jesus's parable here comes with a warning. Most likely speaking to the religious leaders, Jesus rebukes them for their exclusivity and self-righteousness. They were like the older brother, seemingly angry at the father's mercy on the undeserving son. In the same way, the Pharisees were routinely holding on to what was "fair" in their eyes (Luke 11:37-54; 13:10-17), neglecting the opportunity for mercy from God.
So as we enter into discussion, we should consider the mercy of the father in this parable in two ways: in God's mercy toward us, which led to redemption, and the ways in which we can show mercy to others. Being set apart by Christ should lead us to live in such a way that is different from those around us. We should be the first to offer mercy and forgiveness to others when few do, because our Lord did the same for us first.
Discussion Questions
What stood out to you from the passage?
Does anything in this passage remind you of another part of Scripture?
Do you have any questions?
What do you think Jesus was trying to teach the original listeners in this passage?
In what ways does the older brother's reaction mirror the struggle of those who felt God's grace should be limited to the "deserving"? Who might that have been for Jesus's original audience?
How does this passage reflect the compassion and restoration we see from God through Jesus's sacrifice?