Bible Study “Amazing Grace”
Share: Your highs (something that made you happy) and lows (something that made you sad) this week with others around you or write them down.
Season of Lent. Is a time for spiritual preparation through repentance of our sins and growth in our faith for Easter. It is the time of the Church Year when the suffering and death of our Savior come into focus.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come, let us adore him. And what if, during this season of Lent, we sought a deeper understanding of this amazing gospel of grace? Will that image of grace energize us to do the spiritual housekeeping we need to be ready for the "new thing" God is doing in Easter?
Tax collectors, who are sinners, invited to the table? Shocking! So Jesus tells them a story: A son who blows an inheritance and a father who forgives before the son even has a chance to ask. What might we discover about the gospel of grace?
Opening Prayer: Dear God, thank you for this story Jesus told us that gives us yet another picture of your amazing love. Amen.
Please open your Bibles to Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 and read or read the scriptures below.
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this parable:
“There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 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.’”
Reflection Questions: (True or False)
- The young son wanted to live life his way. T
- The older son was obedient and helpful to his father. T
- The father held a grudge against his son. F
- The son expected to be accepted back into the family. F
- The older son cared about his brother deeply. F
Young Brother (ran away)
- How did this brother dishonor his father?
- How did the Father respond to this bad behavior?
- What do you think it would take to make the Father stop loving this Son?
- What do you think the Son will do next?
Older Brother (stayed home)
- How did this brother dishonor his father?
- How did the Father respond to this bad behavior?
- What do you think it would take to make the Father stop loving this Son?
- What do you think the Son will do next?
Additional questions:
- What did you notice about this story.
- What seemed odd to you?
- Were there any surprises?
- Who, do you think was surprised in the story?
Jesus wants those of us who think that we have gone so far away that God would never want to take us back to really stop and hear these words
Feel the arms of God around you when you return home ashamed and broken
No matter what you have done
No matter what you have tried to run away
No matter how bad you have failed.
God loves you and will always be standing there waiting to see you return home.
And when he sees you, it’s like he runs to hug you and welcome you home.
That is the kind of love that God has for you
You are his child and nothing will ever change that.
Click here for the young learner’s lesson
Videos (Click on the words or url)
ENGLISH KJV The Gospel of Luke 15:11-32 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mqrBChzPp4
The Prodigal Son: Luke 9-19 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUCCUHurV0I
Song
The Light of the World is Jesus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Naub5vbDycs
Activities:
Story Bag: Write something to put in your bag about what you noticed in this story about the father's forgiveness. Who do you think Jesus was describing with the father? Think about how God would react to dumb stuff we do.
I AM FOUND WALL HANGING: Print out the words to the hymns, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD IS JESUS (click here for the words https://library.timelesstruths.org/music/The_Light_of_the_World_Is_Jesus/score/ ) and “fancy cut” with scissors around the song. Highlight the words, “once I was lost, but now I am found”, and decoupage the song sheet to a thin board or construction paper for a reminder of God’s love and forgiveness and how he “found us” Then brush the picture with (Elmer’s) white crafts glue and let dry for a shiny, clear look.
CELEBRATION POSTER: Write the word CELEBRATE in many colors and styles of writing all over the poster. After writing the main words in BLACK…..”once I was lost but now I am found … by JESUS …. Or JESUS FOUND ME! The poster can be decorated then with squiggles, stars, dots, etc.!
Maze: https://sermons4kids.com/prodigal_son_maze.htm?fromSermonId=219
Decoder: https://sermons4kids.com/do_right_thing_decoder.htm?fromSermonId=219
Word Search: https://thewordsearch.com/puzzle/3478737/amazing-grace-prodigal-son/
Prayer: Thank you, God, for this story that helps us see how eager you are to forgive us when we come to you. Amen.
