GRACELAND: A place where grace rules and prodigals can call home.
On April 27 we started a 4-week series called “GRACELAND”, A Place Where Grace Rules and Prodigals Can Call Home. As we focus on and dig into Luke 15, we are praying that this series impacts how you see others, how you see yourself, and how you reach out to the prodigals in your world.
Week 4: “Search and Celebration” – Luke 15:1-32
In Luke 15 Jesus told 3 stories back-to-back-to-back all to make a point. People matter to God. All people. All the time. They matter so much that Jesus came to gather them to Himself. When something valuable is missing, God goes searching…and so should we. This week as we concluded the Graceland series, we talked about how we need to join Jesus on the search and join Him in the celebration.
LIVE OAK CONNECTION POINT: Everyone has a next step! Consider praying or talking with a trusted peer or mentor to discern what God might be calling you to next!
DISCUSSION/REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
- What are you looking forward to this summer?
- What is a movie you never get tired of watching?
READ: Luke 15:1-32
Spend some time SOAPing this passage. You can either spend time SOAPing individually and documenting for a several minutes and then spend time sharing with each -OR- SOAP in real time with each other. Either way make as many observations as you can.
- Observations: What are the things that stand out to you about this passage?
- Doug said that “a parable is an earthly story told to make a heavenly point…and to make you think.” So, what point is Jesus making? What is Jesus wanting us/you to think about?
- Doug said that both the younger and older brothers had a “you owe me” mindset toward their father. Do you ever find yourself thinking that way about God? How do you break free of that mindset?
- Jesus didn’t just tell stories about this idea of search and celebration; He modeled it and lived it out. READ: Luke 19:1-10.
- What are your observations about this passage and how it mirrors Luke 15?
- What are the barriers that keep us/you from having God’s heart toward those who are lost and missing?
- What are the barriers that keep us/you from joining in God’s mission to reach the lost and make disciples?
- Graceland is “the place where grace rules and prodigals can call home.” As we try to build Graceland at Live Oak, what does that look like? As a church? For you personally – How will you try to be someone who points people to God’s grace this week?
- As we try to build Graceland at Live Oak, what will you do to help make that happen?
- What else stood out from this week’s sermon?
- APPLICATION: What is your big takeaway from this week’s sermon? Be specific.
NEXT STEPS:
Everyone has a next step to apply what we have learned. What is your next step? Be specific.
MEMORY VERSE: *Challenge yourself or your group to commit this verse to memory:
Luke 15:10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
PRAYER:
Spend some time praying for each other.
Scripture References:
Luke 15:1-32; Luke 19:1-10; Luke 5:27-32; Ephesians 2:8-10; Hebrews 12:15
