"Did you ever have a big brother or sister? Maybe you are one! Sometimes that is wonderful and sometimes it is challenging. Well, the big brother we meet in Luke 15 proves to be challenging (to say the least). Jesus is telling some stories to a group of people who are VERY committed to religion and morals. They are upset that Jesus is spending time with folk who aren't that religious or that moral. Reading the group of 3 short stories Jesus connects about a lost sheep, a lost coin, and 2 lost sons brought me to some conclusions.
1) We should rejoice, not be upset or uncomfortable, when "sinners" respond to
Jesus.
2) Those who are slavishly committed to the "high road" can be just as LOST as
those in the "pigpen"!
In our series on forgiveness we now encounter the "transforming" life of Christ within us to forgive the unforgiving. We all have encountered "big brothers" who cannot forgive our mistakes, think they are better or smarter than we are, look down their noses at us or consider themselves more spiritual = doubting the quality or reality of our faith. I think it can take a large dose of God's grace to have the right attitude toward such brothers and sisters. Perhaps as Jesus told the stories that day some of the "sinners" were stirred to have more of God's loving heart toward their critics, the “big brother" Pharisees.
Hopefully this passage will help us to be more forgiving if we are "big brothers" and more forgiving toward those we see as "big brothers".
See you Sunday!
1. Who is Jesus primarily instructing with these parables in Luke 15? vv. 1-3
2. Do you think Jesus is teaching that some people don't need to repent? v.7
3. How many "sinners" need to repent to stir Heaven to rejoice? v.10 How stirred
up do we get over the salvation or spiritual transformation of someone?
4. Describe the big brother's attitude when the little brother is welcomed back
home. v.26 Do you think his attitude is warranted - why or why not?
5. The father is described as running to meet the little brother. Consider the
father's approach to the big brother in vv. 28-31.What might that represent
about God's heart toward the Pharisees and teachers of the Law?
6. Would you describe the big brother's response to his father as respectful or
disrespectful - why? vv. 28-30
7. Do you think the father stopped the party because the big brother was upset?
v.32
8. Are there any hints in the story on how to forgive the "unforgiving" big brother?
