Luke 15:1-32 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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Comments for Study 28

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Memory Verse: 15:20b
Questions
Outline
A MAP OF JESUS' LATER MINISTRY TRAVELS
A MAP OF GALILEE
A MAP OF PALESTINE IN JESUS' TIME
A CHART COMPARING JESUS' PARABLES

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I. The Lost Sheep (1-17)

Jesus' Late-Ministry Travels

>1. To whom did Jesus tell this parable, and what criticism was he answering?

* Luke 15:1-2 "Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

* Luke is in the middle of his recording many events unique to his gospel. This unique record started in Luke 9:51 (or 10:1) and continues to Luke 18:14 (i.e., the sending of the seventy-two in 10:1-23, a unique visit to Martha and Mary's house in 10:38-42, ten healed of leprosy in 17:11-19). Much in these eight plus chapters are parables unique to Luke's gospel. (See a chart comparing Jesus' parables by using the link above.) Luke 18:15, Matthew 19:13, and Mark 10:13 record the same event, people bringing little children to Jesus. The events only recorded in Luke's mid-chapters seems to document events that happened during Jesus' trip to Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication (winter) as John 10:22 records. Jesus was crucified during the Feast of Passover (spring). If these facts are true than its possible that Luke 13:22, 31, 14:25 or Luke 17:11 or Luke 18:31 documents the start of Jesus' final trip to Jerusalem. (See chart to the right.)

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>2. In what respect is a sinner like the sheep who wandered away?

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>3. According to verse 4, what does one do when he discovers one of his sheep has wandered away?

* Luke 15:3-4 "Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?"

* Matthew 18:12-14 also records this parable of the lost sheep.

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>Describe the heart of a shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep to search for the one that is lost.

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>4. What happened when he found his lost sheep?

* Luke 15:5-6 "And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'"

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>What does this response teach us about God?

* Luke 15:7 "In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!"

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>How does it explain Jesus' welcoming the tax collectors and sinners?

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II. The Lost Coin (8-10)

>5. In what respect is a sinner like the coin that rolled away?

* Luke 15:8-10 "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

* Luke is the only one to record the parable of the lost coin.

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>What does the woman who looses one of her ten coins do?

* "Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?"

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>What does this reveal about her character?

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>What does she do when she finds her lost coin?

* Luke 15:9 "And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'"

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>How does this parable reinforce the other in its teaching about the heart of God?

* Luke 15:10 "In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents."

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III. The Lost (Prodigal) Son (11-32)

>6. Why do you think the younger son wanted to leave home? (11-12)

* Luke 15:11-12 "To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: "A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, "I want my share of your estate now before you die."So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons."

* Luke is the only one to record the parable of the Lost (Prodigal) Son.

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>What does his father's way of dealing with his son teach us about God?

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>7. What happened to the younger son?

* Luke 15:13-16 "A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything."

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>Why did he decide to go back home?

* Luke 15:17-10 "When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, "At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.'"

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>Why is this a crucial and significant decision?

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>With what kind of attitude did he return?

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>8. Describe the waiting father?

* Luke 15:20-21 "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.'"

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>What did he do when he saw his son coming?

* "Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him."

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>How did he reveal his unconditional love and forgiveness?

* Luke 15:20-24 "But his father said to the servants, 'Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.' So the party began."

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>What does this father teach about God and God's attitude toward sinners?

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>9. Why would the older son not understand his father's actions or his father's heart?

* Luke 15:25-30 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 'Your brother is back,’ he was told, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.' "The older brother was angry and wouldn't go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, 'All these years I've slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!'"

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>In what respect was he a lost son too?

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>What is Jesus' message to the critical Pharisees?

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>10. How did the father counsel the older son?

* Luke 15:31-32 "His father said to him, 'Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!'"

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>What is Jesus primarily teaching in this parable about God?

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