Text Study for Sunday, March 23, 2025

Series Theme: Finding What Is Lost

printable version

Reading: Luke 15:1-10

Connecting Question

What do you lose often? Keys, glasses, phone?

Prayer for Illumination

God of mercy, you promised never to break your covenant with us.

In the midst of the multitude of words in our daily lives,

speak your eternal Word to us,

that we may respond to your gracious promises

with faithfulness, service and love.

Amen.

CONTEXT

It’s Lent, time for Jesus to set his face on Jerusalem and reveal who he truly is. It’s time for each of us to look toward Jesus on the cross, what does that mean in our journey, how can you live faithfully during Lent? We want you to reflect and talk about lost things, what are you looking for your life? Use this Lenten season to let Jesus reveal himself to you, to allow yourself to be lost and found in Jesus. Let’s take this journey together in ‘Finding What Is Lost”!

From Dr Matt Skinner at EntertheBible.org:

In two linked parables, Jesus compares the finding of something that was lost to a “sinner who repents.” The response to an occasion like that has to be joy and celebration. These parables do much to characterize what the Gospel of Luke means by “repentance.”

Look at the Book

How is it with your Spirit as we head to the third week of Lent?
Do you have any hopes for connecting with God or others this Lent?
Open to Luke 15. What three stories are in this chapter? Which one is most familiar? Why?
The Pharisees are key to this story. Who are they? Google, if helpful. We always need to be careful in speaking about the Pharisees as it would be easy to slip into antisemitism. To understand Jesus fully is to understand he was a Jew.
In verse one, who is interested in listening to Jesus? How do you imagine the scene?
What was a tax collector’s job in biblical times? Google, if helpful. What did you learn?
The key word in verse two in “grumbling.” What is something you grumble about?
Jesus tells stories in response to the grumbling. Why is that?
Someone has 100 sheep; are they “poor?” Does it make sense for them to do what they do?
Someone has 10 coins; are they “rich?” Does it make sense for them to do what they do?
What is the punchline of both stories? Verse 7, verse 10.
Why is Jesus connecting these stories to “repentance?” What is he wanting us to know or see?
What would you like to talk about that we have not yet?

Taking it Home

Notice in both parables, celebration is the appropriate response to a life being changed. What is something you can celebrate today about God’s work in the world?

God of the promise, you call your people together into your one mission in Christ’s name. Make us brave, grant us peace, challenge our expectations, and empower us to truly follow your Spirit’s lead. You are our one God who calls us together as one people, and we thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Grow Guide | March 23, 2025