The unfailing love of your heavenly Father is what gives you confidence that pain will not have the final word for you.

1. The Certainty of Suffering (vv. 1-15)

   1. Like Death and Taxes (vv. 4-5, 19-21)

   2. Friendship with God (vv. 6-12)

   3. A Prayer for Rescue (vv. 1-3, 13-15)

   4. A Prayer for Justice (vv. 4-8, 22-29)

2. The Certainty of Glory (vv. 13–36)

   1. The Confidence of Restoration (vv. 14-15, 34-36)

   2. Based in Love (and Justice) (vv. 13, 16-18, 22-29)

   3. Based in the Work of Jesus (vv. 4, 19-21)

3. The Pain of Waiting (vv. 3, 9-12, 30-33)

   1. Where We Struggle (vv. 3, 13)

   2. Zeal for Our Father’s House (vv. 9-12, 30-33)

   3. A Table in the Presence of Enemies (vv. 22-29)

Discussion Starters:

Monday—Have you ever had a hard time where time seemed to just slow down and drag on? How did you feel during that time?

Tuesday—Why is it impossible to be friends with God and the world? Why does the world treat God’s people with contempt?

Wednesday—Is God’s justice a good thing or a bad thing? How can it be scary? How can it be a comfort?

Thursday—Why is God’s love meant to be a comfort for his people? How does his love shape your understanding of the future?

Friday—Why is waiting so hard? What can help you while you wait to find comfort and hope as you face the pains of this life?

Devotion to God is an all or nothing matter.

1. The Shrewd Servant (vv. 1-8)

2. Jesus (vv. 9-13)

3. The Pharisees (vv. 14-18)

4. You (vv. 9-13)

Discussion Starters

Monday—What did you think when you first read or heard this passage? What should you not copy from the shrewd manager? What is the one thing he did that is admirable?

Tuesday—Why were the pharisees so upset when Jesus confronted their love of money? Do you ever get frustrated with the way the Bible talks about money?

Wednesday—How did Jesus model right priorities? What drove him to forgo earthly riches and comfort?

Thursday—What does God mean that how you handle the small things will be how you handle the big things? Why does he talk about loyalty when he addresses money?

Friday—Do you struggle with priorities? Where do you spend too much time? Where do you need to spend less time?

Because God loves us, he disciplines us.

1. Why Discipline? (vv. 1-4)

   1. The Danger of an Undisciplined Life

   2. The Many Forms of Discipline (vv. 1-4)

2. The Heart (vv. 5-17)

   1. The Motive of Discipline (vv. 5-11)

   2. Responding to Discipline (vv. 12-17; 1 Timothy 5:20; 1 Corinthians 11:31)

   3. Look to Jesus (v. 2)

Discussion Starters

Monday—Have you ever prayed for patience? What happened? What should you expect if you pray for righteousness?

Tuesday—What is the danger of raising a child without discipline? Where does a lack of discipline lead? Are you grateful or resentful for your parents’ discipline?

Wednesday—What are some different forms that discipline takes? How do you tend to respond to adversity? To a friend’s correction? What do you think when you see the church exercising discipline?

Thursday—Why does God discipline his children? What would it mean for us if God stopped disciplining us? Would that be an act of love?

Friday—How do you respond to correction? Does your response encourage or discourage others from speaking into your life? Where is the Lord calling you to grow in this regard?

We are all prodigals and God's grace is every bit sufficient for each of us.

I. THE DEBAUCHEROUS YOUNGER SON (VV. 11-19)

A. CHASING THE WORLD (VV. 11-13)

B. EMPTY PROMISES (VV. 14-16)

C. HUMBLE REPENTANCE (VV. 17-19)

D. UNSPOKEN ASSUMPTIONS

II. THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS OLDER SON (VV. 25-30)

A. BITTERNESS AND ANGER (VV. 25-30)

B. UNSPOKEN ASSUMPTIONS (VV. 25-30)

III. THE GRACIOUS FATHER (VV. 22-24, 31-32)

A. THE FATHER’S RESPONSE (VV. 22-24, 31-32)

B. HOPE FOR PRODIGALS

Discussion Starters

Monday—Have you ever had a time when your perspective about what was important changed rapidly? When was it? What changed? What did it teach you?

Tuesday—What was the younger son chasing? Where did he believe contentment was found? What are you tempted to chase after for fulfillment? Have you ever found it there?

Wednesday—Reflect on the younger son’s plan for returning to his father. What do you find admirable about it? What is he still missing? Are you ever tempted to believe that God can’t forgive your sin?

Thursday—Reflect on the older son’s response to his brother’s return. What doesn’t he understand? With whom do you relate more? The older son or the younger? Why?

Friday—What does the father’s response to his son’s return tell you about God? Do you ever struggle to believe that God really loves you and forgives? Why?

God is faithful to his promises even when he makes it look like they won’t be fulfilled.

1. The Faithfulness of God

   1. Faithfulness in the Past (vv. 1-7)

   2. God Uses Normal Means (vv. 1-14)

   3. God Uses Surprising Means (vv. 15-20)

2. Promises Under Attack (vv. 8-22)

   1. Ruthless Oppression (vv. 8-14)

   2. Secret Genocide (vv. 15-17)

   3. Public Genocide (v. 22)

   4. God Arranges Life so that We Have to Trust Him

Discussion Starters

Monday—How do you know God is faithful? What past promises has he fulfilled?

Tuesday—Why do we have confidence he will continue to be faithful? What promises are we still waiting for him to fulfill?

Wednesday—Have you ever doubted that God would be faithful to you? What normal or surprising means is he using in your life to show you his enduring faithfulness?

Thursday—Does God still sometimes arrange circumstances to make it look like his promises are failing? How do we typically respond? How should we respond?

Friday—How can you encourage others to trust in God’s promises? What role do you have to play in God’s fulfilling of his promises?

God and his angels delight anytime you turn from sin to him.

1. Listeners and Talkers (vv. 1-2)

   1. Sharing a Meal with Sinners (vv. 1-2)

   2. Listening or Talking? (vv. 1-2)

2. Lost Sheep and Lost Coins (vv. 3-10)

   1. Searching for What is Lost (vv. 3-4, 8)

   2. Finding What was Lost

   3. What Makes God Rejoice

   4. He Still Eats with Sinners (vv. 1-2)

Discussion Starters

1. Monday—Do you think of God as smiling and rejoicing or as always dour and serious? Why? Where do you think this image came from?

2. Tuesday—What’s the difference between listening and talking? Why do some people always feel the need to talk? What does listening require?

3. Wednesday—Why was it a scandal for Jesus to eat with sinners? What does sharing a meal with someone represent?

4. Thursday—What do you do when you lose something important? Why? Do you tend to think God is the same or different?

5. Friday—What does it look like to go after someone who is wandering from God? What is the goal? How should we respond when they listen and come back?

Jesus surrendered all for you and calls you to surrender all for him.

1. The Cross Jesus Bore

   1. Hating Family? (vv. 26-27)

   2. What it Looked Like for Jesus

   3. An Apparent Failure

2. The Cross We Bear

   1. Defining the Cross (vv. 27, 34-35; Matthew 5:13; Leviticus 2:13; Number 18:19)

   2. What it Might Look Like for You (vv. 26, 33)

   3. Counting the Cost (vv. 25, 28-32)

   4. You Are What You Eat

Discussion Starters

1. Monday—What do you think leads people to say that their faith isn’t working? What are they assuming about what their faith is supposed to do?

2. Tuesday—What did it mean for Jesus to bear the cross? Was this only during his crucifixion or did it span his whole life?

3. Wednesday—Is the cross only martyrdom or overt persecution for being a Christian? Why not?

4. Thursday—What does it mean for you to bear your cross? What are some different ways that it might be manifested in your life?

5. Friday—What does it mean to count the cost? What is the cost of not following Jesus?

God shares heaven with those who don’t deserve it (and admit they don’t).

1. The Ways of Man (vv. 7-14, 18-20)

   1. Pride (vv. 7-11)

   2. Prejudice (vv. 12-14)

   3. Treating God Like the Enemy (vv. 18-20; Deuteronomy 20:5-7)

2. The Ways of God (vv. 15-24; Isaiah 55:1-9)

   1. The Heavenly Guest List (vv. 16-24; Isaiah 55:1-9; Leviticus 21:17-20)

   2. Eating the Bread of Heaven (vv. 11, 14-15)

   3. Go and Do Likewise (vv. 7, 10, 12-13, 15)

Discussion Starters

1. Monday—How would most people respond to the question, “Why should God allow you into heaven?” What do they assume?

2. Tuesday—What is Jesus addressing when he talks about what seat we choose to sit in at a dinner or banquet? How does this relate to spiritual matters?

3. Wednesday—What is Jesus addressing when he talks about whom you invite to a dinner or banquet? How does this relate to spiritual matters?

4. Thursday—Why does Jesus say he is like someone who invites poor, blind, lame, and crippled people? Why does he choose these afflictions? (Leviticus 21:17-20)

5. Friday—How would you respond if God asked, “Why should I allow you into heaven?”

The Sabbath reveals God's heart to heal and care for others, even if it costs him his life.

1. The Hearts of the Pharisees (13:31-35)

   1. Guarding Jerusalem (v. 31)

   2. Pursuing Jerusalem (vv. 32-35)

2. The Heart of God (14:1-6)

   1. The Law and the Heart of God (vv. 1-4)

   2. A Healing Heart (vv. 2, 5-6)

3. Healing on the Sabbath (13:32-33)

   1. One More Sabbath, One More Healing (vv. 32-33)

   2. Every Sabbath

Discussion Starters

1. Monday—Why do you think Luke records four different episodes of conflict with religious leaders surrounding the Sabbath?

2. Tuesday—How did the Pharisees expect Jesus to respond to hearing that danger awaiting him in Jerusalem? Why were they wrong?

3. Wednesday—Why did God give us his law? What is the most important benefit we get from it?

4. Thursday—What is the Sabbath all about? What does it teach us about who God is?

5. Friday—How did Jesus heal us while in the grave on the Sabbath? How should that affect how you see the Sabbath?

Those who will in heaven are those who cling to Jesus above all else.

1. Questions and Assumptions (vv. 23-24, 26 28-29)

   1. The Question (vv. 23-24, 28-29)

   2. The Assumption (v. 26)

2. Closed Doors and Wrestling Matches (vv. 24-25, 27-28, 30)

   1. Closed Doors (vv. 25, 27)

   2. Striving (vv. 24, 28; Genesis 32:22-28)

   3. The First Shall be Last (vv. 22, 30; Genesis 25:21-23)

Discussion Starters

1. Monday—What are some ways you strive to be first or recognized as great at what you do?

2. Tuesday—Why do you think people typically think of themselves as insiders with God? How might those raised in the church be tempted to think this way?

3. Wednesday—What does Jesus mean when he says that he doesn’t know where they come from? (vv. 25, 27) Is he saying he doesn’t know about them or something deeper?

4. Thursday—What does it mean to “strive” to enter by the narrow door? (v. 24) How is God calling you to strive?

5. Friday—How did Jesus (the first) become the last? How is he calling you to become the last?