Lost Sons

Luke 15:11-32

Key Verse 32

“But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

1. Read verses 11-12. What did the younger son want from his father and what does this show about him? (11, 12a) What was the father’s response and how was this response unusual in Jewish culture? (12b; Dt. 21:18-21; Ps 145:8)

2. Read verses 13-21. What did the younger son do after gaining his freedom? (13-16) What plan did he make and what did he do when he came to his senses? (17-20a) What might the father have been doing? (20b; 2Pe 3:9 ) What did he do as soon as he saw his son? What does this tell us about the father? What did the younger son confess and why was this important? (21, 1Jn 1:8-10)

3. Read verses 22-24. How then did the father respond? (22-24) What significance is there in the father giving his son a robe, a ring, sandals and preparing a fattened calf? From this display of the father’s love in this passage, what can we learn about our Heavenly Father? (Rom 5:8; Lk 5:31-32)

4. Read verses 25-30. What might have made the older son upset? (25-27) What did the father do for the older son? (28) How did the older son complain to his father? (29, 30) How did the father correct him? (31) What further explanation did he give for celebrating the return of his younger son? (32) What can we learn about God’s loving heart?