Pastor Ralph Posted October 6, 2022 Report Share Posted October 6, 2022 Q13. (Luke 15:11-31) What does the Parable of the Prodigal Son teach us about God? About repentance? About grace? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lottie Posted January 29, 2023 Report Share Posted January 29, 2023 Q13. (Luke 15:11-31) What does the Parable of the Prodigal Son teach us about God? About repentance? About grace? That He forgives us totally and fully and doesn't hold anything against us. He loves us and wants us to have full pardon and be with Him. He is gracious and merciful and loving. He accepts us when we ask Jesus into our hearts. That all we have to do is ask forgiveness and turn from what we were doing and God will forgive us. That is what repentance means turning your life around. That God is willing to overlook all our sins and bring us into His family even though we do not deserve it and we did not earn it. His heart is wide open to us as His children, once we accept Jesus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen Posted January 29, 2023 Report Share Posted January 29, 2023 Q13. (Luke 15:11-31) What does the Parable of the Prodigal Son teach us about God? About repentance? About grace? While thinking about this I started thinking about the pain the father in this story felt as a flesh and blood father and then I thought about our Heavenly Father and wondered how much pain we cause Him by rejecting His gifts, His love, His warnings etc. All the good things He gives us and gets no thanks just rejection. Sometimes I am painfully reminded about how much have to learn and how my children have taught me many times about how God feels. My youngest daughter is now apologizing to me for the grief she caused me because she is learning from her kids. She is a lovely devoted mother and now she is learning from her own teenagers and we can learn from our children about God's feelings for His own children. In spite of the pain we cause Him He runs toward His prodigals, holds no resentment and has a big celebration because the wayward son has returned and He is filled with joy. We need to be sorry for the pain we have caused Him and express our sadness and regret for our sins. It has been ( not sure of the word) comforting to hear my daughter express her regrets and also to hear her say "I am in this stage now with my kids (teenagers ) and I don't like it" . And now I can comfort her. An aside about my daughter, her husband went to the store for diapers when her youngest was four days old and was in an accident and lived on life support for 10 days before he died. She would go to the hospital and put the baby in his arms as he lay there and spend time with Him. They had no insurance and God in His grace had her working in a company that did remarkable things to provide for her. Remarkable! Only God! It is by God's grace which He demonstrated in the parable that we can extend the same grace to our prodigals. We forgive and love them home again and we thank God for it all. "Through it all, through it all I learned to trust in Jesus I've learned to trust in God." Andrea Crouch I love this parable also Pastor Ralph! God Bless! Jen Numbers 6:24-26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissi Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 The father in this parable is like so many fathers/mothers who have wayward kids and pine for their restoration, salvation and return. (I pray often for my children who are much like the prodigals of this story.) Is God like this with us? Yes. But God's Spirit pulls us toward Him, closer to salvation. We are saved because God the Father didn't passively wait, as we must with our prodigals, but actively searches for us. That's where the analogy breaks down. The son's sincere repentance is the part of the story I find most touching for it's difficult to truly repent. There's often a wee bit of holding back, or self-justifying, but not in this story. This boy was truly repentant, so much so that he asked to be restored not as a son but as a servant. Where is the grace in this story? In the father, of course. He loved his son without hesitation or doubt. He didn't question him. He didn't seem worried that the son was truly repentant. He wasn't concerned that his son would take advantage of him, once again. He just loved the kid. That's the point, I suppose, that we to love our own prodigals unquestioningly, without doubting their motives for returning or the sincerity of their repentance, leaving that to God to work out as well as to protect us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liliane Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 The obedient son did it by rules and not out of love. He showed no mercy towards his brother. He should ve felt happy that his brother finally recognized his mistakes and repented. This is how God feels, because God is pure love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-c Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 So many things it seems: God care about the lost, God forgives , God cares about the one. God doesn’t force us to do anything but celebrates and welcomes us home in our broken and repentant attitude. He celebrates forgiveness and reconciliation. God’s grace is always enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane D. Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 If we were to look at this story as evidence of God's character, God loves us so much that He will forgive us and holds out his arms to us even when we have been willful and have walked away from him. He is always there for us, to take us back. It was good to reread this parable again. When I did, I noticed a couple of things: The Prodigal son was willing to confess his sins and sees himself (correctly) as not being worthy to be called a son. Instead, he was happy to be accepted back as a hired servant. Reality hit, and this young man had learned from it and was hard on himself and did not expect any special treatment. The Father looked for his son all the time! Here it says: "20) And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and rand, and fell on his neck, and kissed him". To me, this indicates that God is always on the lookout for us, watching for our coming. Great News! I'm also doing a study on inheritance. Notice here that the son may have lost/spent all his rewards and the good things that His Father had stored up for him, however, he had not lost his sonship. We should also be secure in this. I admire the younger son who was so honest with his father and realistic about himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 Q13.This parables teaches us that God is gracious, kind, loving and long suffering. The father , who represents God is waiting and longing for the return of his son despite the terrible way the son has treated him. He then restores him fully to enjoy all the benefits from being his son. This is a picture of just how God treats us every time we turn from our waywardness and turn back to him. We can learn for this parable the importance of repentance, it must be sincere, and heartfelt and turn us away from sin and on a path to holiness. The son in the parable realises just how wicked he has been and knows he is unworthy to be called his father’s son so goes back seeking to be a servant in his father’s household. He is sincere and truly sorry for what he has done. We see Grace at work here, the son did not deserve to be allowed to be reinstated as a member of the family. He was totally undeserving and his gracious welcome was totally unwarranted but that is God’s grace in action, the son was shown his fathers grace motivated by love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janzie Posted February 2, 2023 Report Share Posted February 2, 2023 On 10/6/2022 at 7:31 PM, Pastor Ralph said: Q13. (Luke 15:11-31) What does the Parable of the Prodigal Son teach us about God? About repentance? About grace? It teaches us how much God loves us and how patient He is in waiting for us to come to our senses. How willing He is to receive us with open arms as we repent and comeback to Him and even celebrates our return. His love for us motivates His grace! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanks Posted February 3, 2023 Report Share Posted February 3, 2023 Q13. (Luke 15:11-31) What does the Parable of the Prodigal Son teach us about God? About repentance? About grace? We learn about God as a loving Heavenly Father who is also gracious, wise, compassionate, kind, and patient. He will not force His will on us, but will give us opportunities to respond to His love. He gives us the freedom to make choices, but of course not the consequences. He waits patiently for us to come to our senses. This teaches us that God will accept us as sinners wholeheartedly when we repent, acknowledging our sin, and seeking pardon. We receive full forgiveness and restoration – grace that is truly undeserved and unmerited! He will support us and encourage us as we grow in Christ, and surrender our will to His. I think of all the angels in heaven that are rejoicing when an unbeliever repents and turns to God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoazNigel Posted February 3, 2023 Report Share Posted February 3, 2023 The parable illustrates God's generosity of grace in that the father gives the son his inheritance before he dies. And we are told 'while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming' (v20, NLT) the father is looking - he is eager - for the son's return & runs to greet him even before he is home (v20). This is grace & we are told that the father was 'filled with love & compassion' (v20) this is grace - laying aside all that had gone before & responding in generous grace. Repentance is 'turning around' & returning to God which is excatly what the son did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonia Ugodike Posted February 4, 2023 Report Share Posted February 4, 2023 Q13. (Luke 15:11-31) What does the Parable of the Prodigal Son teach us about God? About repentance? About grace? About God,it teaches that God never holds grudge on us sinners and it is his desire to reconcile with us at all times. About repentance,a dinner is usually not in his or her right sense of mind. So christians so ernestly pray for all sinners all over the world to come back to their senses and stop sinning About grace,it is always available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haar Posted February 4, 2023 Report Share Posted February 4, 2023 Q13. (Luke 15:11-31) What does the Parable of the Prodigal Son teach us about God? About repentance? About grace? The parable of the prodigal son teaches us that God is extravagantly gracious as he could forgive what may seem to a human mortal, an impossible thing to do- to forgive such a great miss conduct/ offence. The parable also teaches us that God is ready to forgive us no matter the magnitude of the sin if we genuinely repent. And this big heart of God is due to grace extravagant that is available to a genuine repentant soul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Mc. Posted February 4, 2023 Report Share Posted February 4, 2023 As humans, we grow up living for the flesh. We grasp after “things,” wanting to better ourselves based on “keeping up with the Joneses.” Even after we accept Christ, we are but babies in the Word, not understanding the commitment we must make to live by Spirit and Truth. God, however, knows our heart and wants what is best for us. He allows us our time to search the world, seeing what is out there and allowing our free will to guide our lives. When we finally get hit with the truth, like the Prodigal son, God welcomes us to him with open arms. He showers Grace on us, though we have done little more than recognize our failures. We are now awake to sin and the law of the Ten Commandments. We understand the need to repent for our sins. But we do not need to earn God’s grace by actions. We are given it freely. We just need to accept it. Easy… right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanele Tlhakanelo Posted February 8, 2023 Report Share Posted February 8, 2023 The Parable of the Prodigal son teaches us that God is Love. He is a true Father who does not give up on His children no matter how wayward we turn out to be. He is patient, kind and ready to receive us with open arms. About repentance- God is patiently waiting for us. He wants us to take our rightful places as the chosen generation, the royal priesthood, the holy nation, His own special people. God will not impose Himself to us but gives us time to come to our senses just like the prodigal son did. About grace- no matter how red our sins may be, God forgives us all of them. God will not count how many times we sinned against Him but when we ask for forgiveness and repent from our sins, He loves a repentant heart and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lighthouse2014 Posted February 9, 2023 Report Share Posted February 9, 2023 The parable of the Prodigal Son teaches us that even as we have fallen from our faith and gone back into would he will be overjoyed if we sincerely repent of our sins and return him. God loves us dearly even while we were sinners. If we sincerely repent of our sins and ask for forgiveness he is merciful to forgive us. His grace is bestowed upon as our faith in the the Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed us from Gods wrath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmela Posted February 11, 2023 Report Share Posted February 11, 2023 13. (Luke 15:11-31) What does the Parable of the Prodigal Son teach us about God? About repentance? About grace? Just as that father gave the son a choice, so God allows us to choose. Nothing is forced on us. The prodigal son chose to go into the world. The father let him go, albeit with a heavy heart. I am sure God's heart too is aching after the many who choose so foolishly to take the wrong path. And He too eagerly waits with a longing heart for the repentant sinner to come back. The prodigal son wasted his living by his own choice and then, when down and out, he was forced to work with animals that he had been taught were unclean. Total degradation. Then his eyes opened and he realized where his choices had led him to. He repented and returned home, acknowledged that he had sinned against God and against his father. He acknowledged that he was not worthy to be called a son. He was willing to work as a hired help. This was repentance, where he chose to turn away from his sinful lifestyle, where he gave himself over and was willing to 'pay' for his choices, by being degraded from son to worker. Having decided to do this he returned home and the father who had been looking out for him, ran to welcome him back, forgive and restore his position as son. This was truly (undeserved favour) grace shown to the prodigal son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickledilly Posted February 12, 2023 Report Share Posted February 12, 2023 To me, Jesus used this Parable of the Prodigal Son to represent God in the unending love and merciful grace of the father who longed for his irresponsible and foolish son’s return home. Just like this man, our Father is always actively watching and waiting for the moment when a wayward child chooses to turn back to Him in an exercise of free will. What joy and celebration there must be at every opportunity to offer forgiveness and restoration, to lavish undeserved and unmerited compassion, mercy, and grace on a repentant child come home. I do believe it is clear in this parable that the only but certain requirement for the release of this abounding grace is genuine repentance and humble confession of sin. Then the Father holds back nothing in releasing the blessings of grace! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blezed Posted February 20, 2023 Report Share Posted February 20, 2023 Q13. (Luke 15:11-31) What does the Parable of the Prodigal Son teach us about God? The Prodigal Son teaches us that our Father in heaven is a gracious and forgiving God. About repentance? When we repent, the Father is eagerly ready to celebrate our return back to him with open arms. About grace? God forgives us of our sin. His grace is undeserved and unmerited love he has for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOLLAM BANDA Posted March 7, 2023 Report Share Posted March 7, 2023 The Parable of the Prodigal Son teaches us that our God is a gracious and full of forgiveness and restoration. Our God forgives repentant sinners and is available to restore those who have repented their sins and have come back to Him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Jerry Posted May 24, 2023 Report Share Posted May 24, 2023 The Parable of the Prodigal Son teaches that God is a merciful God. He will forgive us for our sins if we just return to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Wolf Posted July 5, 2023 Report Share Posted July 5, 2023 Q13. (Luke 15:11-31) What does the Parable of the Prodigal Son teach us about God? About repentance? About grace? WOW. What DOES the Parable of the Prodigal Son teach us about GOD??? A profound, deep, HUGE question with an overwhelming, enormous, infinite response. My husband and I were dating when he became a Youth Pastor. In a series of retreats, we visited this passage with 8 different groups of junior high, high school, or college aged youth. The final time I remember thinking, "Lord, I am so sick of this parable. Can we study a different one???" And the Lord answered me with opening my eyes to a refreshing new aspect of the parable, gently showing me, and teaching me that His Word was AMAZING. Deep. Dynamic. Bigger than the ocean. God's blessings are new every morning. New. Further, this parable demonstrates that repentance is a complete turn around and God's grace abounds. His grace is deeper, wider, bigger, more amazing than anything we can imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HCDukes Posted May 30 Report Share Posted May 30 Topic: Prodigal Son Q13. Luke 15:11-31 (AMP) “Then He said, “A certain man had two sons. The younger of them [inappropriately] said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.’ So he divided the estate between them. [Deut 21:15-17] A few days later, the younger son gathered together everything [that he had] and traveled to a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and immoral living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to do without and be in need. So he went and forced himself on one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He would have gladly eaten the [carob] pods that the pigs were eating [but they could not satisfy his hunger], and no one was giving anything to him. [Jer 30:14] But when he [finally] came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough food, while I am dying here of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] treat me like one of your hired men.” ’ So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe [for the guest of honor] and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand, and sandals for his feet. [Gen 41:42; Zech 3:4] And bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let us [invite everyone and] feast and celebrate; for this son of mine was [as good as] dead and is alive again; he was lost and has been found.’ So they began to celebrate. “Now his older son was in the field; and when he returned and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. So he summoned one of the servants and began asking what this [celebration] meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But the elder brother became angry and deeply resentful and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. But he said to his father, ‘Look! These many years I have served you, and I have never neglected or disobeyed your command. Yet you have never given me [so much as] a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; but when this [other] son of yours arrived, who has devoured your estate with immoral women, you slaughtered that fattened calf for him!’ The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.” Question(s): 1)What does the Parable of the Prodigal Son teach us about God? 2)About repentance? About grace? Answer(s): 1) It teaches us about the power of humility and grace. The Prodigal Son humbled himself, repented and went back to his Father who forgave him and welcomed him back with joy, a feast, a robe and a ring (i.e. grace in action). James 4:6 states …But He (God) gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 2) Reference answer above regarding repentance and grace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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