When Kathy Keller heard Tim’s message on this parable, she told him it was the most important sermon he’d ever preached. It certainly is a paradigm changer. I panicked a bit when I realized we’d done it before, but looking back, it was just a one-week overview. Yet it was remembered! So the day has come to go deeper with this wonderful group. I know it will help us all.
The Sin Beneath Every Sin is Always Idolatry:
Instead of trusting our Father to meet our needs, we run to His gifts or to our own sinful way of solving problems, rather than His pure way.
This is running to another god. This is idolatry.
Idols help us at first, and then cut us to pieces. That clever retort, that first potato chip, that sexy movie may seem harmless, like a playful dolphin…
But too late you find it’s a shark that cuts you to pieces.
Click below to listen to the sermon:
https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/give-me-mine/
My comments are in blue.
Sunday:
- How have you experienced the love or presence of the Lord during the last week?
- Where do you tend to:
- Run when you feel stressed or sad?
- When you aren’t sure what you should do about a problem?
Monday: The Text
3. Read again Luke 15:1-2 . What two groups is Jesus addressing?
4. Read Luke 15:11-14
A. What is the first thing we are told in verse 11 and why might this be a clue to the meaning of the parable?
B. What does the younger son ask of his father, and why is this disrespectful?
C. Why do you think the son wants this so badly — what lie might he be believing?
D. How does the father respond? Why do you think God allows us to go down a hurtful path?
This is written as a parable, not a treatise on parenting. Often a wise parent does not give into a child’s foolish demands. This is a parable showing us our foolishness, whether it is bad boy rebellion or good boy rebellion, in not trusting the Father’s love and, instead, looking for love in all the wrong places and hurting ourselves and one another.
E. What did the younger son do, and what was the result?
Tuesday: An Assault on Community
Listen and also read (if you like) the text below. Answer questions. Blue comments are mine.
For seven weeks, we are looking at Luke 15. In Luke 15, we’re learning how the gospel creates a special kind of community, how the gospel creates a new kind of community. Today, we start looking at the last of the three parables. It’s the most famous. It’s the longest, and we’re going to look at it for six weeks. This is just an overview, really, and an intro, though I hope it will be a convicting one.
We don’t have to say everything about it here, but I’d like you to think about this story (it is a familiar story, is it not?) in a slightly different way than you probably want to do. I’d like you to consider the story is giving us a picture of an assault on community because of idolatry which is only overcome by agony. It’s an assault on community through idolatry, and it’s only overcome by agony. This is our first avenue into understanding this very rich and important text.
1. This is an assault on community
Maybe you don’t see it that way. That’s probably because we’re modern Western people, but if you look at it, certainly most people in most times and places and cultures in the world would realize what this story is about is about the dissolution of a family. This is about a family that is unraveling and coming apart.
There are two great assaults on the integrity and the cohesion of this family. The first great assault comes from the younger brother, of course, because the younger brother comes to the father and says in verse 12, “Father, give me my share of the estate.” The older son in those days and in those places always got a double portion of what every other sibling got.
Since there were two sons, the younger brother would have had coming to him when the father died a third of the estate, so he was coming and asking for a third of the estate, but the operative words here are when the father dies. One commentator put it like this. In Middle Eastern culture, to ask for the inheritance while the father is still alive is to wish him dead. A traditional Middle Eastern father can only respond in one way. He would be expected to strike the boy across the face for his insolence and drive him out of the house with verbal and physical blows.
Why is this an assault on the family? First of all, it’s a huge assault (we’ll get back to this in a second) on the economic status of the family, because the father is going to have to liquidate a third of the estate. Even more than that, this would have been an absolute humiliation. Everyone in the town and everyone around would know what the son had done, and in a Middle Eastern, patriarchal society that was absolutely unheard of. It was over the top. The name of the family had now been assaulted.
Most of all, of course, the son was saying, “I want out of here. I don’t want you to be my father anymore. I want to live without a family. I’m gone.” This is an enormous assault on the cohesion in the family. But that’s not all. As you know, and we will again get to this in some detail later on, hope beyond hope, it’s a miracle … In the middle of the story we see the younger brother brought back in, the father embracing the younger brother, and it looks like there’s a reclamation project that’s about to restore the family.
At the moment of the greatest triumph, it’s the elder brother now who assaults the integrity of the family. When the elder brother refuses to go in, what he’s saying is, “I don’t want to be part of the family like this. I’m the heir now. All this inheritance is mine, and I refuse to let you do what you’re doing. I will not be part of the family with him in it.”
That’s why there’s a crisis now, and the story at the end is at just as much a crisis point as it was in the beginning. You know that. Anyone who understands the family is the basic human community, and especially in those days the listeners would have been like, “What is the matter with these kids? They’re both assaulting the family.” And they are! There has been an assault on community. What is causing the assault? What is the underlying cause for the disruption? What is it that is tearing this family apart? The answer is here if we read the text carefully.
5. What stands out to you at first and why?
6. How is each brother assaulting the integrity of the family?
Though I’ve done this study before, I am really seeing how, as John Donne says, “No man is an Island.” If I am speaking badly to another about a brother or sister in our congregation, I am assaulting our community. Even those who claim, “What I do in the privacy of my own bedroom is my business” are wrong — for it affects their heart, and a rotten heart is an assault on the community.
7. Where in your life might you be assaulting your community at home or at church? How might you replace your sin with a good practice from the Lord.
This New Year I am taking my judgmental thoughts captive and praying for the person, or singing praises, or revising my memory work.
Wednesday: The Sin Beneath the Sin
Idolatry. You say, “Where’s the word?” The word doesn’t show up, but let me show you how this works out narratively. First of all, the younger son for many years has been part of the family. He’s obeyed the father. He’s talked to the father. He’s eaten with the father. He’s been doing what a son should be doing. He’s been relating to and obeying the father’s wishes and so forth as a Middle Eastern ancient son in a family would have done.
But when he says, “I’m tired of waiting for you to die, so give me my money now,” it means all along, or at least for a very, very long time, the son had actually been after the father’s things rather than the father. He wanted the father’s things more than the joy and the happiness of the father. He wanted the wealth. He wanted the estate. He wanted the comfort and the prestige and the independence that comes with having that.
He must have come to some kind of “Y” in the road. Something showed him he wasn’t going to be able to have his relationship with his father and still have the money he wanted. For a long time, he was playing his cards so, “I can have my father and the money, but what I’m really after is the money,” but when it looked like in order to use the money the way he wanted, he was going to have to cut out.
He came to a “Y” in the road, and he chose the father’s things. Why? Because all along his heart had been set not on the father, but on the father’s things. That is a definition and that’s a narrative representation of what the Bible says one of the main problems with all of us is. It’s idolatry. Why?
Do you realize you can be in church, you can read the Bible, you can pray, and you can obey the Ten Commandments? In other words, you can be obeying the Father and you can be relating to the Father and you can be praying to the Father, and all along have actually put your heart on the Father’s things rather than on the Father.
What are the Father’s things? You want blessing. You want health. You want your life to go well. You want your children to be fine. In other words, you’re asking God for things, as if, “That’s what I’m here for.” As a pastor, I’ve seen this happen many, many times. Younger-brother idolatry (that’s what this is) is a very, very hard thing to see. It’s actually easier than elder-brother idolatry. We’ll get to that in a second.
For a long time it’s not easy to see, because you say, “Well, I’m living the life, and I’m obeying God, and I’m believing God. I’m doing everything right,” but then you come to a “Y” in the road, and there’s a love or there’s money or there’s power or there’s status or there’s something you set your heart on, that if you’re going to get it, you’re going to have to disobey the law of God.
Do you know what? You say, “Give me mine. I’m out of here.” At that point, it’s pretty obvious you’ve been using God. You’ve been using the Father to get the Father’s things. If there’s a choice between the two, you’ll take the things, because that’s where your heart has been set.
8. Why would Middle Easterners be shocked by this story?
9. Where was the younger son’s heart set?
10. What does Keller mean when He says he wanted the Father’s things and not the Father. Give illustrations of two scenarios of this that have been true in your life.
You say, “Well, that’s not me. I can’t identify with that because I’ve never cut out on God. Look! Here I am. I’m listening to you.”
But there’s another kind of idolatry, and it’s elder-brother idolatry. You say, “What do you mean, elder-brother idolatry?” Let me show you something. When the elder brother found out the younger son was back … You don’t have to have a PhD in psychology to realize this is the greatest day of the father’s life.
When he kills the fattened calf, the fattened calf would have been able to feed 75 to 100 people, and back in those days you almost never ate meat at a meal anyway. It was a delicacy. The fattened calf, as you know (you can sort of tell), was an incredible delicacy because it was extremely lavish. You never did it.
Basically, by killing the fattened calf, he was throwing a party for the entire village. It was probably the biggest feast the village had ever seen that he had ever thrown, but it was a way of expressing the fact … It’s so obvious. If you lose a son like this and he comes back, you embrace him. This was the greatest day of the father’s life!
Anybody could have seen that. Even the elder brother could see it, and it didn’t matter to the brother, because all the brother could see was the father was deploying his inheritance now in a way he didn’t approve of. It clearly shows his heart had been just as much set on the father’s things as the younger brother’s, because he is ballistic now.
He is furious, and he’s humiliating his father on the greatest day of his life, and he’s making his father, the Middle Eastern paterfamilias, come out to him. He won’t come into the feast. This is absolutely awful. This is terrible! Yet, he’s so angry he doesn’t care what he’s doing to the father. He doesn’t care because he’s not that concerned about the father’s heart; he’s concerned about the father’s things.
Here’s what is so weird. Younger-brother idolatry shows itself in immorality. “I’m going to go do what I want.” Elder-brother lostness shows itself in self-righteousness and lots of anger. Why? “Because, you see, the father owes me. I have been good. I have been slaving. I have obeyed the Ten Commandments. I’ve gone to church. I’ve read my Bible.”
The anger at the father if things don’t go right shows you set your heart not on the Father but on the Father’s things. You’re not obeying him because of the beauty of who he is and the worth that he is due. You’re not obeying him just to resemble him and to delight him and to please him and to get near him. You say, “I signed up for some blessing, and where is it? I’ve been a good guy.”
There’s bad-boy idolatry and there’s good-boy idolatry, but both destroy community, and they’re destroying this family. They are tearing it to pieces. How is it idolatry tears up community? There is no better expositor of this, and I mean this, than Saint Augustine. In fact, he’s the original.
11. How does the older son show he also does not love the father? Find everything you can.
12. What is bad boy rebellion and what is “good” boy rebellion?
Thursday: Inordinate Loves
When you’ve heard me talk about and quote Luther or Jonathan Edwards or whoever else, it all comes from Augustine. I would like to just take a little time here, because those of you who come to Redeemer have heard this theme before. Those of you who are newer have not heard the theme before. I want to make sure even those of you who have come get a take you haven’t heard before.
To get ready for this sermon, I basically re-read Saint Augustine’s (one of the greatest books ever written) Confessions. I hope you’re satisfied. I had to read Confessions just to get ready for this sermon. Please, give me some credit. As I read it I was amazed. I was amazed. It’s about this!
Context … Saint Augustine had a lot of trouble with two things: food and sex. At first, I said, “Nobody in New York is going to be able to relate to this,” but I decided to go ahead anyway. He’s one of those great figures. I know it’s hard to relate to somebody like this, but please think. In other words, as he put it, he just couldn’t get enough of beauty. He loved beautiful bodies, beautiful smells, and beautiful tastes, but he began to realize because he was so driven by beauty, three things were happening to his life.
First, he was always empty and unsatisfied. Secondly, he was constantly doing things he didn’t really want to do, but he kept doing, and he couldn’t seem to stop. Thirdly, his relationships were always breaking up. He was trying to figure out what was wrong with him, and he came up with a couple of things. He came up with a theory. It’s a theory that all of our problems come from what he calls disordered loves. Listen. Here’s the first place in Confessions very early on.
13. What three ways was Augustine being destroyed because of his inordinate loves?
14. Now, how does an inordinate love that tempts you destroy you in these three ways as well?
To paraphrase, he says, “So you say a man has murdered someone. Well, what was his motive? Either he desired the man’s wife or his property, or maybe he was afraid of losing something to this man he held dear, or maybe he had lost something to him and now he was burning to be revenged. So let’s ask this question again. Why does any man commit murder? Every man who commits murder does so because he loves something, because he loves something too much, and that is the motive for his crime.”
Isn’t that interesting? You say, “What?” That’s right. When you see murder, it’s because somebody loved something too much. He goes on and explains. He basically says, “There’s a splendor in all bodies that are beautiful to the eye. The senses of touch and taste have their own power to please. Worldly honor, too, has its own glory, as does the power to command.
The bond of human friendship has a sweetness all its own binding souls together. But it’s in the way we seek these pleasures that sin is committed because we have an inordinate love for the goods of a lower order and neglect the better in the higher order, neglecting you, our Lord God, and your truth and your law.
For these inferior values have their delights, but they’re not equal to you, my God, who has made them all. Therefore, when we inquire why a sin was committed, we do not accept the explanation unless it appears how his heart was set on some of those values which are inferior to the superior and the celestial goods.”
Material things (money, possessions) are not as valuable and as important as human beings. Right? Human beings are a higher order of good. A great roasted chicken is good, but not as important as a human being, but human beings are not as important and as glorious and as valuable and as good as God.
If you put (this is what everybody in New York is doing) money and possessions over relationships, over people, over family, over friendships, that’s a disordered love. You’re loving something as if it was first or second when it should only be third. It’s a disordered love, but, he says, if you love something (human beings, which are second) as if they were God, as if their love, their honor, and their beauty is the ultimate beauty that is going to satisfy your desire for love and honor and beauty, that’s a disordered love.
All disordered loves lead to brokenness, and all the problems you have in your life and all the problems we have in the world come from disordered love. You say, “How can that be?” Here’s how. Because disordered love (making a good thing into an ultimate thing) creates three problems in you. He says it starves you, it emotionally enslaves you, and it divides you. First of all, it starves you. You know Augustine’s most famous statement in Confessions, but let me read you the run-up.
I’m paraphrasing a bit, but he says, “What does ambition seek except honor and glory? But only you, Lord, have a glory forever that can never be lost. What does power of the mighty desire except to be feared? But none has power that can ever be seized and stolen but you. What do the lonely and anxious long for except a love that they cannot lose?
But who can give a love that does not fade and die but you? What does weariness seek except rest? But what sure rest is there apart from you? Thus the soul commits adultery whenever it turns from you and seeks these things that it cannot find except in you. O Lord, you made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.”
15. Why does an inordinate love starve you?
Here’s what sin is. It’s not sinful to want honor. It’s not sinful to want love. It’s not sinful, even, to want power, and it’s not sinful to want rest. The sin in our hearts makes us seek a kind of honor, a kind of power, a kind of love, and a kind of rest in creatures, in creation, in the Father’s things rather than in the Father.
We put our highest hopes for honor in how we’re doing in our work. We put our highest hopes for love in some other human being or human beings. That will destroy them and you. Why? First of all, they can’t give it because that’s empty. Right? Secondly, emotionally enslaved. There’s a place, and I won’t read it to you, where Augustine says when you see something you love, you want to repose in it. You want to rest in it. The problem is there is no source of honor and love and power and rest you can absolutely rest in except in God.
This was the problem of the elder brother, because you see, his heart was, “I’m going to get all this money. I’m going to have the whole thing. I’m going to get everything now.” But when it was jeopardized, he goes ballistic. Why? Here’s why. If you want a good name and someone ruins your good name, you’re mad, but if you make a good name into the ultimate honor because you really don’t really know God, you’re getting your self-image from what people say.
If you make a good thing into an ultimate thing and somebody ruins your name, you go ballistic. You may kill them! To know that suddenly your father is giving away part of your inheritance and you were expecting to have this much and now you’re only going to have this much, that will make you sad.
It would make me sad! It will make you sad, but when that is the ultimate thing in your life, when that is how you feel good about yourself, when that is actually the thing you’ve mainly set your hope on and somebody starts to shrink it, then you go ballistic, and you might kill. That’s what Augustine means.
16. What is the difference between seeing someone or something as an ultimate thing versus a good gift?
Friday: The Illustration of the Trinity
Here is the ultimate reason why this divides us, why idolatry kills community. There is nobody like Saint Augustine at explaining the beauty of the Trinity. I know the Trinity hurts your mind when you think about it. I know it gives you kind of a brain lock as you try to think, “Three beings in one God? There’s only one God, but the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are all divine persons in the one God. What does all that mean?”
Augustine says if the world is here by accident (if there is no God), then ultimate reality is basically impersonal, and you’re here because of powerful, accidental eruptions and forces. Secondly, he says, if there is a unipersonal God (a God who is only one personality), that God would not have known love until he created the universe filled with angels and human beings, because you can’t have love unless you have more than one person.
If there was one God (a unipersonal God) before he made the universe, he would have had power but not love and only felt love later. Love would have come in second. Love would have been peripheral. Right? Therefore, if there’s no God, then what life is really about is power. If there is a unipersonal God, then power is more important than anything else. It’s first.
But if God is the Christian God, if God is triune, then that means before they exercised their power to create the world, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit … God was a community, a community of beings knowing and loving one another and communicating with each other. That means community and loving relationships are the ultimate meaning of life. It is ultimate reality.
It comes before achievement. It comes before building. It comes before power. It comes first, and the infinite happiness of God and of the love of God works like this. We know from what Jesus has told us that the Father glorifies the Son, and the Son glorifies the Father and the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit glorifies the Father and the Son. What does that mean?
Each divine person serves the others, glorifies the others, and adores the others and does not take glory but gives it. If we were made in the image of God, that God, then there are two bottom lines for our existence. First, your life is about community. Your life is about loving relationships. That’s what life is all about.
15. How does our Triune God illustrate true love?
16. Describe what it would look like in your life to love and serve like the Trinity.
If you come to New York City and do what pretty much everybody does, you put individual achievement, money, status, and advancement ahead of community, ahead of friendships, ahead of relationships, and ahead of serving other people, you’re going to dash yourself on the rocks of ultimate reality. You were not built for that. There’s going to be brokenness in your life.
If you’re made in the image of that God, it’s not just that relationships in general are important, but you were built to do with God what God does within himself. Each of the divine beings center on the others. They don’t say, “Me, me, me, me, me!” Each one gives glory and adoration to the others.
If you were made in God’s image, you were meant to put God in the center of your life, to say, “I’m going to serve God and not myself. I’m going to meet God’s desires and not my own.” If you do with God what God is doing within himself, you will know the joy, because he will fulfill those great, deep needs for beauty and for love and for honor and for power and for rest.
Then you’ll be able to give them to others, but if you try to seek for those things in other finite human beings, do you know what’s going to happen? You’re going to be too broken up, too needy, too angry all the time like the elder brother and too addicted like the younger brother to care about others. You have to have your disordered loves healed so God is the beauty of your life and the center of your life.
You can’t just believe in him. You can’t just obey him. Then you might just be a younger brother or an elder brother. You have to center your life completely on him and say, “I don’t care what you give me. I don’t even care how many prayers you answer. I love you. I find you not just useful to get things; I find you beautiful, and I serve for you for who you are in yourself.” Finally … I did tell you this was an intro to the whole. There are so many features of the story we haven’t even begun to touch on, but let’s just look at one more.
The assault is only overcome by agony
Do you remember what the commentator said a Middle Eastern patriarch would have done when the younger son came and said, “You must give me my third of the inheritance”? He should have slapped him across the face and should have driven him out with physical and verbal blows.
I’ll tell you why most of us would do that, even if you’re not a Middle Eastern patriarch. When you’re hurt badly by someone, you want to staunch the wound, and the best way to staunch the wound is to turn your admiration and your desire for that person into anger and bitterness and sour grapes.
You want to start saying, “That person? Why did I ever see anything in him? Why did I ever see anything in her?” What you want to do is you want to close your heart. You want to harden your heart. You want to fill it with anger and bitterness because that stops the hurt. If he had done that, if the father had done that, there never would have been a reconciliation. The son would have never probably come back, but even if he had tried to come back, the father’s heart would never have been open.
17. Contrast the natural and supernatural response to being hurt.
I always remember Lee Ezell, who considered abortion but kept the baby conceived by rape, saying. “The wrong response seems easier at first and leads to great heartache. The right response often feels so hard at first but leads to joy.
This is what I see in this parable – the joy of the younger brother and the Father, and the agony of the older brother.
18. With this in mind, how might you apply this to your life?
What does the father do? One of the things the commentators always find fascinating is it says there after the younger brother says, “ ‘… give me my share of the estate.’ So [the father] divided his property between them.” The Greek word property there is not the ordinary word for capital or property or possessions. It’s very strange. All commentators point it out.
For some reason, Jesus’ story uses the word bios there. It’s the word for life (bios, biology). It’s an intriguing word, because here’s what it’s saying. The only way for this father to have really given this son a third of the property is … They didn’t have cash. You didn’t have ATM windows. It didn’t work like that. They didn’t have banks. Better for them!
The only way he could have given a third of his estate would have been he would have had to sell his land. He would have had to sell his ancestral land. Even in the movie Oklahoma! there is a line that says,
We know we belong to the land
And the land we belong to is grand
How sweet! Did you hear it? It doesn’t say the land belonged to them. Did you hear it? It said they belonged to it. In ancient times, in older times, even in the time of Oklahoma!, a family’s land was their identity. “That was my family land, my ancestral land.” Therefore, what the text is telling us is the younger son, because of his sin … The only way the father could keep open the possibility of salvation was for him to tear his life apart. He divided his life. He tore his life apart.
The way we would have dealt with this is with agony. We would have thrown the agony on the son. We would have hit him. We would have beaten him. We would have turned our heart away from him, and that would have helped, but not this father. This father suffered for his son’s sin. He suffered for the possibility of redemption. He bore the agony of his son’s sin so eventually they could be reconciled.
Near the end of Confessions, Augustine finally tells us how his soul was healed. There’s a place where Augustine basically says, “It’s all about beauty, because if I just sit there and say, ‘Well, I guess I’d better love God more and put him before my family, or otherwise, I’m going to screw my family up.’ Okay. I have to like God more and serve him more than I like making money, because that will make me worry too much or do unethical things. Okay.”
He says you can’t do that with an act of the will. You can’t just say, “Well, I guess I’d better serve God first before everything else.” What are you going to do? What he does says is we’re made for beauty, he says (this is Augustine saying), “When you see a beautiful body go by, when you see a beautiful human being, you cannot but be attracted to that human being and want to go over and talk to him or her.”
In other words, when you see beauty, it automatically attracts you and engages action. The answer to all of our problems, the answer to the breaches in community, the answer to all of our disordered lust is, “I have to see God beautiful, not just believe in him in some general way.” This is what happened.
Finally, he gets to this place in Confessions where he says, “How you have loved us, O good Father. You did not spare your only Son, but delivered him up for us … How you have loved us. [Lord Jesus who though equal with the Father] ‘became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross!’ ” This is an amazing section.
“[Father, your Son] … became to you both Victor and Victim—Victor because he was the Victim. For us, he was to you both Priest and Sacrifice, and Priest because he was the Sacrifice. Out of slaves, he makes us your sons, because he was born of you and served us. Rightly, then, is my hope fixed strongly on him, that you will ‘heal all my diseases [of my soul].’ ”
There is nothing more beautiful … There is no more beautiful sight or even thought than that an infinitely perfect and happy being would descend into this world and sacrifice everything for ungrateful, undeserving human beings like us, that an infinitely happy being who doesn’t have to do it would tear his life apart for us.
If you even get a glimpse of the beauty of that, it will heal the diseases of your soul. You’ll have to go after it. It will have to engage action. It will center you on him, so you are finally free to love everyone around you. Let us pray.
Our Father, one of the reasons why we take the Lord’s Supper is it is physical. It’s palpable. It helps us take abstract thoughts and make them real. You have promised in your Word you would be present with us at this Table, so we pray you would make the sacrifice of your Son so real to us that we see the beauty of it and, like Augustine, we begin to get healed.
19. What did Augustine say was the secret of overcoming idolatry?
We thank you … It’s amazing that 1,500 years ago somebody could write the things that are so absolutely relevant. We thank you that you are the same God yesterday, today, and forever. It’s the same gospel yesterday, today, and forever. It’s not a matter of our modern Western culture. It’s a truth that has come down out of heaven, the gospel, and it will change us. We pray you would help us in some small but significant ways to be changed by it right now. We ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.
Saturday:
20. What is your take-a-way and why?
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Sunday:
How have you experienced the love or presence of the Lord during the last week? – Our good friend and neighbor is transitioning from this world to a life with Jesus and just seeing how the family has put their differences aside and have come along Valerie this past week is definitely showing how God works in the lives of his children. He loves us so much that he brings his peace into every situation.
Where do you tend to:
Run when you feel stressed or sad? – Once I get over the initial shock of what is happening, I turn to the Lord and ask him to be with me and guide the situation as he sees best.
When you aren’t sure what you should do about a problem? – I run to the Lord and ask him to help me see what I need to see and how I should handle things. To give me confirmation so I know my answer is from Him.
Oh, Julie! What a sweet blessing for this family from Jesus. I pray that God is holding Valerie’s close, as she transitions to her new eternal home with Jesus.
Praying for Valerie’s family at this time, Julie. Yes, it is so true that He gives us peace that passes all understanding.
So glad to hear of this friend of yours! Praise to God! Good to see you here too ❤️
How good to see a family reconciling and how death is the instigator of something so good.
Ladies, I guess I didn’t write that out correctly. Valerie’s husband Bill passed away last night. Her and his family surrounded her with love this past week as they waited.
Praying for Valerie, as she adjusts to life without her precious husband. So thankful she has such a caring community.
Sunday:
How have you experienced the love or presence of the Lord during the last week?
—In my quiet times in the early morning alone with Him. Reading the Word and praying is when and where I experience Him expressing his love to me and addressing the needs in my heart. A song that led me in worship and spoke to me this week was “You’re Worth It All” by Magen Thurman.
https://open.spotify.com/track/0DNiNCBYixqUHq7Y0md89S?si=mnoXIvg_R9SKVxmfqPIsRA
Where do you tend to:
Run when you feel stressed or sad?
—My first inclination is to turn to food but as I have aged I am more inclined to try and get alone with the Lord because in my relationship with Him I find comfort for my soul that cannot be found anywhere but in Him.
When you aren’t sure what you should do about a problem?
—Turning to the Lord in prayer and asking Him has proven to be my most important resource. It takes relying on the Holy Spirit. He might use godly voices from believing family and friends but more often than not He speaks to my heart through his Word. I believe every solution to any problem should start with prayer and has to be grounded in God’s Word as I seek His wisdom.
I believe this, too, Bev: I believe every solution to any problem should start with prayer and has to be grounded in God’s Word as I seek His wisdom.
How have you experienced the love or presence of the Lord during the last week? For 3 weeks my church is having a 6:30 am prayer service. It was pleasing to see people attending and the headlights of cars pulling into church. First morning we sang old hymn Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty. Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee.
Where do you tend to:
Run when you feel stressed or sad? Sometimes food, sometimes to His word and I read and try to meditate until I sense His peace.
When you aren’t sure what you should do about a problem? Usually prayer and I try to surrender the situation to Him. Sometimes to a friend.
Judy, I love that you are having those early morning prayer services!
3. Read again Luke 15:1-2 . What two groups is Jesus addressing? Tax collectors and sinners and Pharisees and teachers of the law
4. Read Luke 15:11-14
A. What is the first thing we are told in verse 11 and why might this be a clue to the meaning of the parable? Jesus continued. The three parables have a recurring theme.
B. What does the younger son ask of his father, and why is this disrespectful? He asked his father to give him his share of the inheritance. He as not interested in his father just what he could get from him. Teachings say it’s like wishing his father dead.
C. Why do you think the son wants this so badly — what lie might he be believing? He wanted to do what he wanted. The grass is greener on the other side and that his father may be withholding good things from him.
D. How does the father respond? Why do you think God allows us to go down a hurtful path? The father divided the property between them. Unfortunately mistakes can be a good teacher and draw us back into what is true and best.
E. What did the younger son do, and what was the result? He goes far away and spends all his wealth until he has nothing and a famine comes to the land
Sunday:
I’m just on to share that I came from meeting Rasha for the second time now. She is bursting with joy over her new little boy, Eden. I found out from friends tonight, that she is starting to ask questions about Jesus. Growing up in Egypt, her family had to pick a religion, either Muslim or Christian. Her family chose Christian. She is now 44 and alone in the world with her new Down’s Syndrome baby. Our friends who befriended her speak often of Jesus and she is asking why. God is working. I found she wanted a name with meaning for her little boy. She chose Eden, because the meaning fit so many things about him. He is a miracle. He is paradise to her, etc. She speaks very fast with a strong accent, but I tried to understand as much as I could. I’m looking forward to seeing them again. She has invited me back. She says she is not alone anymore since my friends “adopted” her. It’s beautiful when the hands and feet of Christ are at work.
This is very exciting, Chris: It’s beautiful when the hands and feet of Christ are at work. So true! Several of our elderly members in our small church have experienced a decline in their health. One couple who are our good friends is dealing with the husband’s new diagnosis of stage 4 prostate cancer with spread to other organs. My husband and I are looking at these situations as opportunities for God to unite us in loving concern for our elderly. There is no better time than now for our church to hold each other up and to see the kindness and goodness of God. What matters to us, to His bride, matters to Him.
Wow — He brings beauty from ashes. Lord, please woo her as only You can!
Praising God for this good news, Chris. May God bless your friendship and may Rasha come to know and love our Savior. It is so exciting to see her in community with all of you.
Sunday:
How have you experienced the love or presence of the Lord during the last week?
I mentioned last week about being called back to work for 1 hour, 1 day a week, to assist the new RN who took over my position last fall. I had my first meeting with her on Tuesday. I felt God’s presence as she and I formulated a plan for the semester. I felt God’s love for me by opening my eyes to His love for this nurse who is needing direction, for the institute which is trying hard to offer opportunities for caregiver certification, and for their future patients under their care. I felt humbled by the little part that I will play to bring about good.
Where do you tend to:
A. Run when you feel stressed or sad?
I have run to different things when I feel stressed or sad: sleep, food, a person, feel good movie, or a hobby, like baking. Just writing them down here gives me a good “jolt” to face the myriad of things I run to! I dread the discomfort or pain of its cause. Yet, time and time again, the Lord is merciful, and He brings me back to Him. I am learning to go to God and His Word first. I am re-reading Mark Vroegops’ book, “Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy.” It has been giving me peace and hope.
B. When you aren’t sure what you should do about a problem?
In the past, I often tended to be too introspective and self-focused-I want to solve it myself. Ugh! I had auto responses that I realize were heart idols (thank you for the study and mentions of idols here). Going to God FIRST when a problem arises has been a slow process for me. I am thankful for the ministry of this blog in my life; God has been gracious in offering nudges of conviction and clarity. I have been my own idol, as Mark Vroegop mentioned in his book, Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy. As of late, I have a deeper understanding of Job’s words, “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Acknowledgment of my sinfulness and repentance before God are freeing me and have given me unexpected joy through and in my present trials. So many Scripture verses have made their way from my brain to my heart. Lord, help me let You be my first one to run to and trust. “Keep trusting the One who keeps you trusting. “ John Piper
Bing, I greatly appreciate your transparency. One of the things I like about this group is the willingness to speak truth about ourselves and to ourselves and to each other. No shallow content here. 💕
Fantastic report of your mentoring.
Bing, I am so happy that you felt the presence of the Lord, as you mentored this dear RN. I agree with Bev, I love and appreciate your sharing.
Sunday:
1.How have you experienced the love or presence of the Lord during the last week?
There’s this thing about God intentionally pulling me to Himself at every point in my life. No matter what I do or say or think I can always feel His quiet love, strength and Presence in my heart.
So, there was something I needed to hear, something I need to be consistently reminded of. I couldn’t see it, neither could I hear it. But in church He told someone else those words I needed to hear. And I’m glad He did. I’m so grateful.
2. Where do you tend to:
i. Run when you feel stressed or sad?
Most of the time, I pray. Then, I go to my friends. Sometimes I just pick up a book and read.
ii. When you aren’t sure what you should do about a problem?
Sometimes, prayer cokes out as the first thing I do, but other times, th problem feels too big for me to lay bare, so I just turn to my friends and I share my problem with them. Their heads are clear, so they pray with me, for me and the offer solutions for whatever it is.
Happy New Year everybody.
It’s so good to be back here.
Happy New Year and nice to see you back here Eunice.
So glad you have felt His love, strength and presence…wonderful!
Eunice, for such a young woman as you are-you have such an honest and thoughtful way of conveying your words. “ Their heads are clear”made me smile. Glad you are back here.
And it’s so good to have you back!
Happy New Year, dear Eunice. It is so nice to see you here!
1. How have you experienced the love or presence of the Lord during the last week?
I felt so loved by many people today, as it was my birthday and many texted me to wish me a happy bday 🥰. I had the privilege to sing in our worship today and I felt so joyous just singing for Him! It was a wonderful time. Thank You Lord, for being my Savior!
Where do you tend to:
Run when you feel stressed or sad
Probably food.
When you aren’t sure what you should do about a problem?
These days God. In the past I would go to a friend or my mom.
Happy Birthday Laura…how special that you felt loved!
Prayers for the court appearance on Tuesday🙏
Thank you for both!
Laura, happy birthday and glad you felt the love from others. We love you here as well.
Thanks Bing! I think I am growing up! Hahaha…
Belated happy birthdaayyyyy to youuu Mama Laura!
I’m soooo excited.
Laura — I feel badly I missed the day because you are important to me and loved by me. I love your honesty, humor, and faithfulness. How often you make me ponder or laugh out loud. I admire you raising your grandchildren — that’s HUGE. I LOVE YOU!
Awww…thank you Dee. Those are the sweetest words I could ask for! I am totally blessed to be here with you. I’m “over” birthdays now! I’ve grown up hahaha! 62 wow, it’s hard to believe. I had a lovely day, as I got to sing for praise and worship, and my son made me Julia Child’s “beef Bourguignon.” I also took a walk because the weather was lovely. I helped the kids with a puzzle too! Just a great all around quiet day. I love you too 🥰.
Happy Birthday Laura! I so appreciate you and your perspective on the scriptures! I hope your day was very special! I look forward to seeing you again, when the weather gets better! Wishing you a blessed year ahead! Praying for your court appearance tomorrow!
Thanks everyone!!
I wanted to ask for prayer, as we have a court appearance on Tuesday at 9:00 EST. I’m not sure exactly what will happen as we continue to wait for the court to decide if the guardianship will end or not. I want what is best for Cooper and Grace. As hard as it is, I believe they are better off with us. Ultimately, God has the answer and I will live with whatever is decided. I am now a bit unsettled however, as NYC has become a scary place, considering they have a self described Communist as a mayor. The school our daughter wants the kids to attend does not acknowledge Christian holidays, only Muslim and Jewish. Now that the mayor is not American born, and a Muslim, who has admitted a Jewish hatred, I fear that the schools with spiral into some sort of indoctrination of a bad sort. Isn’t it crazy that 24 years ago NYC was attacked by Muslims, and yet it is now being run by one? We live in an upside down world these days for sure! I have to continue to tell myself that God is in charge. Dear Lord please help us!
Prayers for Tuesday’s hearing, Laura.
Thank you.
I really pray everything works out well. We know what we want, but God definitely knows how He wants things to play out and He has plans of good for the kids, not to hurt or harm them. I believe everything is going to turn out well.
I’ll keep praying for you all.
Oh Father, how we intercede for these children. Please work within the judge’s heart and do what is best for now and eternity. Please be with Laura and give her Your peace.
I will be praying for you on Tuesday and for God’s good hand to be on the decisions that are made on behalf of Cooper and Grace. This has been such a long haul but like Dee I deeply admire you and how you have stayed the course caring for those two precious grandchildren. May God richly bless you!
Oh Laura, I’m so sorry you are having to face this craziness. I will continue to pray for justice for you and the kids.
I am late getting here, Laura, but I join the others in praying for your court hearing tomorrow. May God be very present and may His will be done.
Prayer, Laura for peace for you and Grace and Cooper and the best possible decision.
Thank you all. It means so much to have such caring sisters in Christ here. Thank you Dee, for our little place.
I will be praying for you on Tuesday, Laura.
3. Read again Luke 15:1-2 . What two groups is Jesus addressing?
The tax collectors and sinners.
4. Read Luke 15:11-14
A. What is the first thing we are told in verse 11 and why might this be a clue to the meaning of the parable?
The man had two sons. I’m not sure about the clue. Maybe because children are so different even though they come from the same person? The man loves his sons?
B. What does the younger son ask of his father, and why is this disrespectful?
He asks for his inheritance! The dad hasn’t even died! That’s rude.
C. Why do you think the son wants this so badly — what lie might he be believing?
He wants to spread his wings and be independent. He wants to go experience the world without having to answer to his father. He thinks he would be freer and have more fun/joy in his life.
D. How does the father respond? Why do you think God allows us to go down a hurtful path?
The father says okay. He wants to teach us a lesson.
E. What did the younger son do, and what was the result?
The younger son squander all of the wealth and ends up homeless and hungry.
Laura, I just read your prayer request. I’m trusting our great God with your grands who he has known from conception in the womb. May he be their strong tower and refuge as you trust in Him for their ultimate care. Lord, we can only see today, but you know the future and we pray the future for these children is one that glorifies you. Our hearts are hurting at the thought of any harm coming to them. May they always know You, Lord, and live for you. Thank you for the time Laura and her husband have had to teach them about your love. May they have many more years to teach them the gospel and may their mother also know you with her whole heart. Only You can work these kind of miracles for Your glory. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Monday: The Text
3. Read again Luke 15:1-2 . What two groups is Jesus addressing?
—Tax collectors and other notorious sinners. The Pharisees and teachers of religious law.
4. Read Luke 15:11-14
A. What is the first thing we are told in verse 11 and why might this be a clue to the meaning of the parable?
—“A man had two sons”. We generally focus on the younger son called the Prodigal son as the object of the story but there were two sons and both play a part in this story.
B. What does the younger son ask of his father, and why is this disrespectful?
—Culturally what he asked in wanting his inheritance before his father’s death would have been have been horribly disrespectful because it was like saying your are dead to me already and I just want your wealth but I don’t want your way of living.
C. Why do you think the son wants this so badly — what lie might he be believing?
—He felt his life wasn’t good enough as it was. He wanted something more satisfying and he thought money and pleasure was the answer. He was concerned about his own selfish wants and desires. I think of phrases like
“Do You” / “Go for the Gusto” / “You Deserve It”. / “Have it your Way” /
“Follow Your Dreams” All those cultural lies being sounded daily through all the media forms which are the age old lie of putting Me first.
D. How does the father respond? Why do you think God allows us to go down a hurtful path?
—He did not withhold from the son his request and was actually more generous in what he gave the younger son than was culturally required.
—God doesn’t force anyone to follow his commands and live according to his ways which really are best for us. We still have a free will to choose our actions and actions have consequences. But his concern is not what we do as much as our heart. He wants our heart to be right with him. Sadly it often takes the pain of consequences to cause us to examine our hearts and then recognize our true need is something only He can satisfy.
This is written as a parable, not a treatise on parenting. Often a wise parent does not give into a child’s foolish demands. This is a parable showing us our foolishness, whether it is bad boy rebellion or good boy rebellion, in not trusting the Father’s love and, instead, looking for love in all the wrong places and hurting ourselves and one another.
E. What did the younger son do, and what was the result?
—He took his father’s money and went his own way spending it all foolishly on himself and his own wants and desires. When it was all gone and he had nothing left he ended up alone with nothing at the bottom of the barrel so to speak.
Monday: The Text
3. Read again Luke 15:1-2 . What two groups is Jesus addressing?
Tax collectors and other notorious sinners.
Pharisees and teachers of religious law.
4. Read Luke 15:11-14
A. What is the first thing we are told in verse 11 and why might this be a clue to the meaning of the parable?
“A man has two sons.”
That there are two parts to the meaning of this parable.
B. What does the younger son ask of his father, and why is this disrespectful?
He asks for his share of the estate now.
His father hadn’t died yet.
C. Why do you think the son wants this so badly — what lie might he be believing?
He wanted to be independent from his father and live the way he wanted to.
That he doesn’t need his father and can handle what life brings.
D. How does the father respond?
He agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
Why do you think God allows us to go down a hurtful path?
To grow us up and show our need to be in His will.
E. What did the younger son do, and what was the result?
He packed all his belongings, moved to a distance land where he wasted all his money in wild living.
His money ran out about the same time there was a famine and he began to starve.
What I see in you, Sharon, is that I know you know this parable very well, yet you still answer the objective questions, knowing God’s Word may show you something new or may remind you of something important. It would be so easy to think “I’ll just skip these.”
Oh Dee, I do know this story but I like the angle that Keller is coming from in bringing a newness…I have so much to learn but even more importantly applying it, being a doer of it.
Monday: The Text
1. Read again Luke 15:1-2 . What two groups is Jesus addressing?
Tax collectors and sinners, Pharisees and teachers of the law
4. Read Luke 15:11-14
A. What is the first thing we are told in verse 11 and why might this be a clue to the meaning of the parable?
There was a man who had two sons… that the parable will represent the two “camps” and the differences between them. One group would be one son (sinners and tax collectors), and the other son represented by the Pharisees and teachers of the law.
B. What does the younger son ask of his father, and why is this disrespectful?
He asked for his part of the inheritance. This is disrespectful because it is as if he already considered his father dead by asking for it.
C. Why do you think the son wants this so badly — what lie might he be believing?
He feels entitled. He believed the lie that he could be better off on his own and not have to be under the authority of his father and the influence of his older brother. He wanted to be independent and to have his own way with his life. The song, “I did it my way,” comes to mind.
D. How does the father respond? Why do you think God allows us to go down a hurtful path?
He agreed to give the younger son his share. God will not coerce us to follow Him. He foreknew the hurtful path for the younger son. And yet, in His heart, He already forgave the son and knew He would welcome him home when the younger son came to his senses. I sensed the love of God for His children here. Since the younger son is in God’s family, God will never forsake him. Oh, how great the Father’s love for us!
This is written as a parable, not a treatise on parenting. Often a wise parent does not give into a child’s foolish demands. This is a parable showing us our foolishness, whether it is bad boy rebellion or good boy rebellion, in not trusting the Father’s love and, instead, looking for love in all the wrong places and hurting ourselves and one another.
E. What did the younger son do, and what was the result?
He went to a distant land and squandered his wealth in wild living. He spent everything and ended up being hired help to feed pigs. He ended up starving.
Monday: The Text
3. Read again Luke 15:1-2 . What two groups is Jesus addressing? – Jesus is addressing the tax collectors and the sinners
4. Read Luke 15:11-14
A. What is the first thing we are told in verse 11 and why might this be a clue to the meaning of the parable? – There was a man that had two sons. What I think of first is that this parable has to do with relationships within a family.
B. What does the younger son ask of his father, and why is this disrespectful? – The younger son wanted his share of the property. It is disrespectful because it shows selfishness on the younger son and that it implies that he has no respect for his father and thinks of him as dead. The younger son would rather have his independence and worldly pleasures instead of honoring and respecting his father.
C. Why do you think the son wants this so badly — what lie might he be believing? – Like most kids younger or older, we think we know what is best for us. That we can be independent and handle all things that would then come our way I think is what we believe. We don’t think things through and end up not knowing what to do when the first signs of trouble come. The lie that he is believing is that he has control over his own life, when in reality we don’t. We mess it up each time. God has a much better plan for us if we let him have control. The
D. How does the father respond? Why do you think God allows us to go down a hurtful path? – The father divides up the property and gives each son his share. I think God is really trying to get us to run to him and put our trust and faith in him and not rely on our own abilities. He wants us to see that nothing is impossible with Him. In our own strength we cannot produce the results that would come if we gave it all to the Lord.
This is written as a parable, not a treatise on parenting. Often a wise parent does not give into a child’s foolish demands. This is a parable showing us our foolishness, whether it is bad boy rebellion or good boy rebellion, in not trusting the Father’s love and, instead, looking for love in all the wrong places and hurting ourselves and one another.
E. What did the younger son do, and what was the result? – The younger son took his inheritance and left his father’s home. It didn’t take him long to lose everything he had been given. He wasted it on sinful pleasures and soon after found himself in need.
Monday: The Text
3. Read again Luke 15:1-2 . What two groups is Jesus addressing? Publicans,sinners/Pharisees,scribes
4. Read Luke 15:11-14
A. What is the first thing we are told in verse 11 and why might this be a clue to the meaning of the parable? A man had two sons. There were two distinct classes of people listening to Jesus. The two sons might be a picture of the two groups.
B. What does the younger son ask of his father, and why is this disrespectful? He wants to have his inheritence NOW. It was disrespectful in implying that he could not wait for his father to die, and that he values his father’s money above his father.
C. Why do you think the son wants this so badly — what lie might he be believing? I think the son might have wanted to get away from always being in his brother’s shadow, and that he might have felt the life he was leading was dull and boring. He might have been believing that if he was in charge of the money, and could live how he pleased under no one’s authority, his life would be better.
D. How does the father respond? Why do you think God allows us to go down a hurtful path? The father agrees and divides the inheritence money between his sons. If we ignore the Holy Spirit and make bad choices, there will be consequences. Sometimes the only way we will learn and trust something is if we have learned “the hard way.” I don’t think God desires our obedience and love because we are obligated, have to, but becuase we want to out of a loving heart.
E. What did the younger son do, and what was the result? Not too long after recieving the money, he packed up and left home (kind of like leaving the country for the big city). The son squandered all his money and ended up destitute.
He valued the father’s money above the father. As we value God’s gifts above Him.
3. Read again Luke 15:1-2 . What two groups is Jesus addressing? Tax collectors and sinners. Pharisees and scribes.
4. Read Luke 15:11-14
A. What is the first thing we are told in verse 11 and why might this be a clue to the meaning of the parable? That the man had 2 sons. Jesus is addressing 2 groups, so this is a clue that he is speaking about each group.
B. What does the younger son ask of his father, and why is this disrespectful? He wanted his inheritance. It was taking away from what the father needed to live on and it was like he was saying that his father wasn’t dying fast enough for him.
C. Why do you think the son wants this so badly — what lie might he be believing? He thought that he would have more fun and a better life away from his father and the responsibilities at home.
D. How does the father respond? Why do you think God allows us to go down a hurtful path? His father gave him what he wanted. God sometimes lets us experience the consequences of our actions because it may be the only way that we learn.
E. What did the younger son do, and what was the result? He spent all that he had and was forced to seek work. He got a job feeding pigs.
Yes, the two groups. I can see this as two groups of sinners as well. Those whose sins are visible actions and those who’s sins are more in thought than deed, or maybe sins of omission. The older brother was DOING the right thing (outwardly) but his heart was still wrong. They both loved the father’s gifts more than the father.
So good, Chris. I have a man in my church who just can’t see what the older brother was doing wrong!
I remember when I first realized how our actions can seem opposite but are the same sin before God. The one that helped me see this was a sermon on tithing from our pastor years ago. He talked about how saving money and over spending are both not trusting God with our needs. We can hoard money not trusting Him to provide for the future or we can spend beyond our means, not trusting him to provide in the moment. Either way we are lacking trust in God. Before this I always felt better than my husband because he likes to spend and I like to save and on the surface, saving seems better!
Such thoughtful answers, Dawn!
Sunday:
How have you experienced the love or presence of the Lord during the last week? This question always makes me think of the verses that tell us God is always with us. We just need to look for Him. Am I looking? Sadly, not always. Yesterday, I finally got connected with a ministry I am hoping will help our son. It’s called Set Free Ministries. The man I spoke with has an adopted child with much of the same trauma as my son. I’m so excited to get started with this and help him heal. I’m sure the Lord is in this.
Where do you tend to:
Run when you feel stressed or sad? If a person can run to tea and chocolate, then that’s it. Haha. I do sometimes run to my tea cupboard and get the kettle going when I’m feeling stressed. There’s something calming about that hot drink. Another place I run is here. The calming voices of confidence in God’s word and his promises always help me calm my fears. Of course, the Word, prayer, and praise music are right there, too. My husband and close prayer partners are right alongside all of this.
When you aren’t sure what you should do about a problem? The Word, prayer and trusted counselors both personal (husband, friends) and professional. Once when my sister was in trouble with a big sin, she actually called someone who professed to tell the future. She was desperate. It definitely did not help her situation. I counseled her to trust God with her problem, but her fears turned her down a path that led to more and more sin. Sadly, she has never recovered from this. There was a place in our town that did “readings”, crystals, etc. The website is still active, but I don’t see the store front anymore. When I google searched psychic readings near me, many places come up and the advertising is so deceptive. Wording like inter-faith, angel card readings, etc. They are using divination to speak to the dead and foretell the future, just like King Saul sought out in the book of I Samuel 28:3-19. It’s satanic and Christians should have nothing to do with it. This is what people were led to in the Old Testament and Satan is still using those tricks today.
We’re glad you run here! And I don’t think calming tea is an idol. 🙂
Haha! Depends on how much you drink!
I run here too, Chris. I am comforted by the love and honesty we have with one another.
Monday: The Text
3. Read again Luke 15:1-2 . What two groups is Jesus addressing?
4. Read Luke 15:11-14
A. What is the first thing we are told in verse 11 and why might this be a clue to the meaning of the parable? There was a man who had 2 sons. The younger said give me my share of the estate and he left and squandered his inheritance.
B. What does the younger son ask of his father, and why is this disrespectful? He asks for his share of the father’s estate while he is still living. It’s like wishing him dead.
C. Why do you think the son wants this so badly — what lie might he be believing? He wants what the father has without having earned it. He believes he is entitled to it.
D. How does the father respond? Why do you think God allows us to go down a hurtful path? The father gives it to him. The Lord gives us our way because trusting Him must be learned. Like a child who wants what is bad for him. For a while we keep them safe, while they are too small to understand. But at some point they are of age to make decisions and choices which will lead to difficult problems if they do not choose God’s way. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6.
1. How have you experienced the love or presence of the Lord during the last week?
The Lord helped me through a crazy weekend. My garage door would not open, and fortunately I was returning home, not leaving, so my car was not in the garage. My son in law and daughter were both out of town. I prayed and just left it, knowing my son in law( a good problem solver) would be home early Sunday morning. He came over before church and when he tried to open the garage door, the spring broke and the door crashed closed. Thankfully, he was not near it. After he left. I discovered the freezer, oven, stove, and much of my electrical was not working. Thankfully, he was able to come back later in the day. I knew it probably was a circuit breaker, but I could not find it because the two panels in my house are unusual. Thankfully, after much sleuthing, Marcus found the problem and all was well. Apparently when the door crashed it tripped a major circuit. How thankful I was that I did not panic, I prayed and was calm. It has been difficult for me sometimes, even with little problems, since I’ve been alone and in a new area, where I don’t know a lot of people.
2. Where do you tend to:
Run when you feel stressed or sad?
I am inclined to go to chocolate and a latte’! My dogs do give me great comfort.I do pray and read God’s Word. I do that first everyday, I praise God and pray for my day and several friends in need, before I get out of bed. I like to do my Bible study first thing, to keep me on the right track through the day. But, I often take back my trust and try to solve things on my own. This never works.
When you aren’t sure what you should do about a problem?
I read God’s Word, often a Psalm. Since I lost my husband, I press into God about everything. I try not to focus on myself, because so many have illnesses and much more difficult needs. I pray for friends, who are also going through difficult times. I know several new widows and many women with very ill husbands. I often listen to a Tim Keller sermon.
Thank God for bringing you Marcus. Sorry about all the trouble. That is stressful. I’m always calling out, “Lord you promised to be my Husband. I need You to be that now!”
I do that too, Dee!
Oh Patti, so glad you stayed calm (only God) and got it figured out. In praying for my husband this morning…before I read your post here, I asked that I wouldn’t take him for granted…I realize how much I depend on him.
I also understand how your dogs bring you comfort as mine does too…no judgement, just love.
Made me smile: Dogs bring no judgment, just love.
Amen, Sharon! And Dee! I agree: Dogs=no judgment, just love!
Patti, I do love your response to your tough situation and all the ways you run to God.
3. Read again Luke 15:1-2 . What two groups is Jesus addressing?
Jesus was speaking to the sinners and tax collectors.
4. Read Luke 15:11-14
A. What is the first thing we are told in verse 11 and why might this be a clue to the meaning of the parable?
A man had two sons. The love and motives of the sons, a comparison of forgiveness and attitudes.
B. What does the younger son ask of his father, and why is this disrespectful?
The younger son asks his father for his inheritance, which is 1/3 of the value of all the father owns.
C. Why do you think the son wants this so badly — what lie might he be believing?
The son might think the money and all that he can do with it, will make him happy. He is thinking only of himself, and what he feels he is entitled to have.
D. How does the father respond? Why do you think God allows us to go down a hurtful path?
The father divided his wealth and gave the younger son his share. God allows us enough freedom to realize (hopefully) that our only true freedom is loving God first, with all our heart. And then, loving others. Once we realize we are not so wise, as we believed, we will repent and return to God, our only true provider.
The impetus for coming to our senses — realizing we are not as wise as we believed!
Tuesday: An Assault on Community
5. What stands out to you at first and why?
—The statement at the very beginning of Keller’s comments stood about to me and he said “the story is giving us a picture of an assault on community because of idolatry which is only overcome by agony. It’s an assault on community through idolatry, and it’s only overcome by agony.”
The bottom line is that idolatry is just simply wanting what I want and wanting what I want is about me and putting me and my interest first above God and others. But there’s something that overcomes idolatry and it is agony. The end result is idolatry always involves painful consequences.
6. How is each brother assaulting the integrity of the family?
—The younger brother in his sin was willing to disregard his father and his family and go away from that security and fellowship for his own selfish pleasures. It separated and pulled his family apart.
The older brother wanted justice and revenge and his sin was anger and withholding grace so he refused to join with the family and stayed away from their coming together again. It kept the family broken.
Though I’ve done this study before, I am really seeing how, as John Donne says, “No man is an Island.” If I am speaking badly to another about a brother or sister in our congregation, I am assaulting our community. Even those who claim, “What I do in the privacy of my own bedroom is my business” are wrong — for it affects their heart, and a rotten heart is an assault on the community.
7. Where in your life might you be assaulting your community at home or at church? How might you replace your sin with a good practice from the Lord.
This New Year I am taking my judgmental thoughts captive and praying for the person, or singing praises, or revising my memory work.
—The details are way too many but last year when we left Texas the end of March we left with one of the grandson-in-laws very angry with us and rejecting us for an interaction we had with him about a serious difference on a philosophical and spiritual issue where he was biblically very wrong. In his immaturity of youth along with being naive and poorly taught and having read information based in lies and listening to voices on media that instigate anger we had an emotionally charged conversation that left him mad and offended. He just simply had never been challenged with truth and couldn’t answer us well so he got mad. I was deeply hurt and offended by his lack of respect.
At that time my husband sent him an apology but he flatly refused it. So in coming back down to Texas this year we felt we had to do everything we could to reconcile the relationship or we would not be allowed by him to be with our granddaughter and baby great grandsons. Because he has been unwise and volatile with others in the family here it is easy to get together and be critical of him. My sin was in my attitude of being right and comments I made about him. As my husband and I had given it over to prayer God led us to offer our apologies to him again which we did He called my husband yesterday and was willing to accept our apologies and reconcile with us. God deserves the praise and credit for that. Yesterday prior to that call God had clearly led my thinking to scripture calling on me to back out of condemning him which is easy to do because he gives us so much ammunition 🥴 but which is sin against him. Instead I have been led to practice grace toward him which is a good practice. 😊💕 Today’s lesson is very practical to where I am right now. One of the greatest and hardest lessons I am learning in my old age is to just be quiet!
What a grace filled and inspiring way to handle this situation, Bev.
Wow, Bev. An impressive model!
Bev, What a stressful situation, but you handled it with such grace, prayer and waiting on the Lord. Thank you for sharing this. This is so helpful to me! I need to always be quiet.
Bev, I so respect your response to this situation and your willingness to share the difficulty and sin such a situation brings to a believer. This is quite often the case today in families. Your husband being willing to apologize says so much. How can we win such a case for Christ without grace? We get offended and want to be angry as much as the immature Christian, but the more mature Christian often has to be the one offering grace first. ❤️
Tuesday: An Assault on Community
5. What stands out to you at first and why?
“The story is giving us a picture of an assault on community because of idolatry which is only overcome by agony. ‘
I had to read this several times as I just wasn’t getting it. As I read on, the first part (assault on community) was making more sense…hoping the rest will eventually.
6. How is each brother assaulting the integrity of the family?
Younger brother: asking for his share of the estate before his father died and basically saying he didn’t want to be part of the family anymore.
Older brother: refusing to celebrate his brothers homecoming which is saying I don’t want to be part of this family if he’s in it…all the inheritance is mine!
7. Where in your life might you be assaulting your community at home or at church? How might you replace your sin with a good practice from the Lord.
I assault with my critical spirit and I need to replace those criticisms with praying for that person, asking God to replace my tearing down with building up and realizing I don’t know their circumstances. Trusting God that He can change me.
Your application is mine too.
This is a wonderful application! I need to have a clean heart that builds up and does not tear down, before the Lord, daily.
Yes, we all need this! So easy to be critical.
Tuesday: An Assault on Community
Listen and also read (if you like) the text below. Answer questions. Blue comments are mine.
5. What stands out to you at first and why? – I could see that this was an assault on family, but I never connected idolatry. I think of selfishness and control by the younger son. That he didn’t care about anyone but himself and wanted to handle his own life all on his own.
6. How is each brother assaulting the integrity of the family? – The younger son, would rather his father be dead just so he could have his inheritance and the older son, doesn’t show any grace or forgiveness to the younger son. They are both being selfish and not putting others before themselves.
Though I’ve done this study before, I am really seeing how, as John Donne says, “No man is an Island.” If I am speaking badly to another about a brother or sister in our congregation, I am assaulting our community. Even those who claim, “What I do in the privacy of my own bedroom is my business” are wrong — for it affects their heart, and a rotten heart is an assault on the community.
7. Where in your life might you be assaulting your community at home or at church? How might you replace your sin with a good practice from the Lord. – Dee that is good. I never thought about how my mumbling and grumbling even to myself or in my own home affects my heart. This is my biggest attack against God when I mumble and grumble.
This New Year I am taking my judgmental thoughts captive and praying for the person, or singing praises, or revising my memory work. – This is a great plan Dee.
We can be together in this!
Wednesday: The Sin Beneath the Sin
8. Why would Middle Easterners be shocked by this story? – Because the actions of the younger son go against what they know to do. It seems that they are family oriented and would stick together and help each other out. So, for the younger son to not want any part of his family, would be against the norm of what they believe.
9. Where was the younger son’s heart set? – It was set on the things his father had and what would become his once the father died.
10. What does Keller mean when He says he wanted the Father’s things and not the Father. Give illustrations of two scenarios of this that have been true in your life. – The younger son didn’t care about his father. His priority, his heart was on things, stuff that he thought he was due. I’m trying to get this in my head and I’m not sure if this would be the same thing. But when I reach out to the Father, would it be how I ask him for things, or maybe even demand him. I know when I got divorced, I was very upset and kept saying to God, why. Why can’t I find someone, you know I want to be married and here I am still single. Is it where my heart is at the time of my seeking God?
11. How does the older son show he also does not love the father? Find everything you can. – The older brother was angry; he didn’t care about his brother being home. He was acting childish for not wanting to go in and see his brother and making his father come out to him and plead with him to come in. He didn’t think of the blessing being able to work for the father, but he thought of it as being a slave to his father. He’s not seeing all that he had gotten from the father by working for him and living with him. All his daily needs were supplied, but he didn’t see that. He is not giving his brother grace as God would do, he’s bringing up all that he had done.
12. What is bad boy rebellion and what is “good” boy rebellion? – Bad boy rebellion is when you don’t care about what is right and you go and do things against God. You hurt the heart of God by acting selfish and wanting to control your own life. Good boy rebellion is when you do what is right toward God, but when things don’t go your way, your heart turns to bitterness, and you think you are entitled to blessings just because you did what was right. But your anger ruined it all. Your anger became sin and put a distance between you and God.
8. Why would Middle Easterners be shocked by this story? It was a patriarchal society where the father was to be respected. Both sons disrespected the father in public displays of rebellion or anger/hostility.
9. Where was the younger son’s heart set? On the father’s things, having his own way and doing things the way he wanted.
10. What does Keller mean when He says he wanted the Father’s things and not the Father. Give illustrations of two scenarios of this that have been true in your life. The Father had wealth. The son rather than staying with and working alongside his Father requested that the Father give him his share (before the father was even dead) so that he could sever his connection with family and the father and go to a distant land. Impatience in waiting on prayer answer. So I take things into my hands which sure can make a mess of things. I like the inspiring passages of scripture, like Ephesians 1; but not as receptive to the how I should conduct myself scriptures (no murmuring).
11. How does the older son show he also does not love the father? Find everything you can. Anger, humiliating his father, lack of concern for what he was doing to his dad and the breaking of his dad’s heart, rejecting his father’s invite to join the celebration and ignoring his father’s love and his concern. The dad made a personal face to face appeal and the son rejected everything. I can do horrible things when I am angry.
12. What is bad boy rebellion and what is “good” boy rebellion? bad boy rebellion is selfishness. The boy saw what he wanted, asked his dad to let him have it, and then went far away with no concerns for anyone else.
good boy rebellion is doing the right thing for the wrong reasons. He saw what he wanted and worked hard so when the father passed he could get it. His work had nothing to with love for the father and the companionship of pleasing someone he cared about.
I love your answer to 12, Julie! Our anger can become sin and put a distance between us and God.
5. What stands out to you at first and why? you to consider the story is giving us a picture of an assault on community because of idolatry which is only overcome by agony. I have not heard it presented this way. For me it’s like pulling back and taking a much bigger look than just analyzing each brother and his response to his father and his father’s response to them.
6. How is each brother assaulting the integrity of the family? The younger brother is ripping apart the family, possibly causing property to be sold, shaming his father then going on his merry way. The older brother when his brother returns despite his father’s plea and reassurance refuses to enter back into the family circle.
7. Where in your life might you be assaulting your community at home or at church? How might you replace your sin with a good practice from the Lord. It’s been a time, of being happy for what’s happening in a friend’s life but still thinking about myself. What about me? Where do I fit in? I have been praying asking God to show me when there is any jealousy and to keep me and peace and to trust Him on how things roll out.
Good prayer, Judy. Always a little scary to ask God to show you where you are weak, but good.
I thought I would update everyone on our situation. I thought my husband and I did okay on the stand. I had to answer questions for an hour and was exhausted at the end. I don’t feel that it was my “best performance” but I did convey the information I wanted to have the judge hear. I do think the judge wants everyone to be appeased. This was the first time he wasn’t rude to us. I don’t like speaking poorly of others. Unfortunately, there is not much good to say about our SIL. He did bear the brunt of the “abuse” today in court. That makes me sad. The whole situation is sad. No one really “wins,” especially the kids. Now we wait for him to write his order. I’m guessing it will be that they have to visit regularly, coming to us, and most likely in the future we will have to allow the kids to go stay with them in NYC. I can’t stand that thought, but I can’t do anything about it. I did pray today and had many prayer warriors too (thank you all), but God was fairly silent. I know He reigns over it all. Thank You Lord.
Oh, my this sounds so hard. Not knowing the outcome and waiting for answers is so taxing. Continuing to pray for you.
I hate this for you, Laura — Father, help me remember to pray. Please work in the judge’s heart for what is best for the children and give Laura and her husband Your peace.
Thankyou for your update Laura. I certainly prayed for you yesterday. Your comment that “but God was fairly silent” stood out to me as something that is true of God when we are in a mode of waiting on Him. Right now I have “Trust God. Even if the answer is Wait.” On my phone wallpaper. You are so right that He reigns over all. But we wait and pray.
Oh, Laura. That is so hard. I will continue to pray for you, your husband and your grandkids. I am praying for the Lord to speak loudly to the judge’s heart.
I posted this late last night. When I say “stay in New York,” I don’t mean live there. More like visit every other weekend like divorced parents do. I was tired.
Laura, continuing prayers for you regarding your situation. By the way, my first day back in class went well. I am getting insight on how to help the new teacher.
5. What stands out to you at first and why? The patience of the father in this situation. He has unreasonable (and perhaps spoiled) sons.
6. How is each brother assaulting the integrity of the family? The younger one by demanding his inheritance and in effect wishing his father dead. The older one by not wanting cohesion and healing of the family.
7. Where in your life might you be assaulting your community at home or at church? How might you replace your sin with a good practice from the Lord. It’s pretty much the same as what you were talking about, Dee. It’s hard to be involved in a community and not notice things about people, like who NEVER prepares food or helps clean up after our weekly church lunch, but is always there to eat or who is always looking for hand outs, but doesn’t want to work. While I occasionally discuss these things with my husband, the fact that I’m even thinking about them is a reflection on my heart. I do pray for God to give me a servant’s heart and to work on taking the beam out of my own eye.
I find some comfort in you and my sisters here having the same trouble with thoughts. Oh Lord help us!
Yes! O Lord help us!
Yes, Lord, help us!
Dawn, you are so right: I do pray for God to give me a servant’s heart and to work on taking the beam out of my own eye.
Tuesday
5. What stands out to you at first and why? What stood out to me is that Keller is going at this parable in a totally different way; he’s digging deeper. It shows me that there are many layers to the words of Jesus that I can easily miss. What must have been running through the listeners’ minds as the story unfolds? The unheard of and shocking story that they were listening to never seemed that way to me before.
6. How is each brother assaulting the integrity of the family? It’s an assault on the family’s economic standing when the younger son asks for his inherience NOW. The father will have to liquidate some assets in order to do so. I had always thought it was just a matter of giving the son money that might have already been on hand. Now I understand that it was so much more. By doing this early division of the estate, the family’s name would have been sullied in the community.
The older son’s refusal to go into the celebration was an assault on the family. He showed that he did not want to have any part of a family that welcomed the son who had torn the family apart in the first place. I would compar the older son to the outside community watching this happen. They would have severely judged the younger son at the outset, condemned him and the father for giving in to him. I think the older son was much more angry with the father than he was with his brother.
7. Where in your life might you be assaulting your community at home or at church? How might you replace your sin with a good practice from the Lord. Unkind thoughts about someone or something. In the first instance it would be judgin a person’s actions/words but not saying anything. Oh no, I’s never put those thoughts into spoken words. In the second way concerning some”thing,” it might be thinking “that’s not going to work/happen,” but reluctantly participating anyway.
My ind turns immediately to Phillipians chaper 2 telling us to be of one mind, one love, putting others first. Then in verse 5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,” and the following verses detailing the mind of Christ. How could I have gotten so far from this, so puffed up in my own conceit ir regard to fellow believers?
This parable is not just applicable to “them,” it’s applicable to ME.
Amen, Cheryl! It is to me too!
Cheryl — his book on this parable was such a paradigm changer! It’s amazing how many Bible headers call this
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
Completely missing it!
Wednesday: The Sin Beneath the Sin
8. Why would Middle Easterners be shocked by this story?
The dissolution of the family…that a son would want his inheritance before the father died so he could leave and live on his own and that the other son didn’t want to be part of the family celebrating the brothers return.
9. Where was the younger son’s heart set?
On his father’s things rather than on the father.
10. What does Keller mean when He says he wanted the Father’s things and not the Father.
He wanted to satisfy his own selfish needs and used his father to fulfill that.
Give illustrations of two scenarios of this that have been true in your life.
There have been times in my life that I thought God would answer my prayers regarding financial or health issues and other things because I was having a quiet time and going to church…after all He owed me for being so good.
11. How does the older son show he also does not love the father? Find everything you can.
He became angry when he found out that his father had welcomed his younger son coming home with killing the fattened calf and celebrating. He refused to be part of the celebration. When his father came and begged him to come his reply was, “I’ve slaved for you all these years, never refusing anything you asked of me and not once did you give me a young goat for a feast with my friends. But you’re celebrating my brothers homecoming with a fattened calf after he has squandered your money on prostitutes.
All he’s thinking about is himself!
12. What is bad boy rebellion and what is “good” boy rebellion?
Bad boy rebellion shows itself in immorality…getting what I want.
Good boy rebelling shows itself in self-righteousness and lots of anger.
Love your entire post, Sharon!
Concise and clear from Sharon:
Bad boy rebellion shows itself in immorality…getting what I want.
Good boy rebelling shows itself in self-righteousness and lots of anger.
5. What stands out to you at first and why?
The pride and selfish ways of both brothers. Both brothers acted entitled, with no appreciation for the family, as a whole. Each made himself the center of the situation, instead of looking at how it hurt their family.
6. How is each brother assaulting the integrity of the family?
The younger brother is immature, and just thinking that if he had control of the family money, he would be happy. It was about self. The older brother felt that he was untreated fairly, because the younger brother was welcomed back after his bad behavior.
Though I’ve done this study before, I am really seeing how, as John Donne says, “No man is an Island.” If I am speaking badly to another about a brother or sister in our congregation, I am assaulting our community. Even those who claim, “What I do in the privacy of my own bedroom is my business” are wrong — for it affects their heart, and a rotten heart is an assault on the community.
7. Where in your life might you be assaulting your community at home or at church? How might you replace your sin with a good practice from the Lord.
I am praying that the Lord will control my thoughts, attitude and my heart. My son has alienated our entire family for a very long time. I have to let go of it daily and constantly lay it at the feet of Jesus.
“May the Lord control my thoughts”…my prayer also Patti.
I had a conversation with someone many years ago who told me his grandmother was totally sanctified as she was without sin. My response to him was, do you know her thoughts?
Love your response, Sharon!
I thought this quote went well in the context of our study…
”A Pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself.
But a spiritual man is easy on others and hard on himself.”
~ A.W.Tozer
That is a quote that will be easy to remember, Sharon. Thanks for sharing it.
Love this quote too! Thank you, Sharon!
Excellent Tozer quote!
Oh, wow, Sharon! That is a great quote!
Wednesday
8. Why would Middle Easterners be shocked by this story? As head of the family, the father would have complete control and would never agree to relenquish a large part of his property. It was to remain intact until his death, and only then would it be divided among his heirs. So there were two shocking things: 1. The son demanding his inheritence now, 2. The father agreeing and giving it to the son.
9. Where was the younger son’s heart set? His heart was set on his own selfish desires. He wanted money above all else to spend in the way he wanted.
10. What does Keller mean when He says he wanted the Father’s things and not the Father. Give illustrations of two scenarios of this that have been true in your life. The son wanted the money his father could provide. He showed no respect or love for his father and did not care about their relationship.
I can’t think of an example from my life.
11. How does the older son show he also does not love the father? Find everything you can. His first reaction is anger at the celebration. When his father comes out to speak with him, the son’s response is anger and criticism of his father. He does not discuss this in private but publically. He left, I stayed; he rebelled, I obeyed; he demanded money,I kept working for you; You are throwing him a big party,but you never offered me the calf so I could have a party “with my friends.” I don’t know that I’d agree this son does not love his father, but he certainly is bitter, jealous, and angry. He feels his younger brother got special treatment.
12. What is bad boy rebellion and what is “good” boy rebellion? The bad boy rebellion is shown by immorality. The good boy rebellion was revealed in self-righteousness and anger.
From Cheryl:
The bad boy rebellion is shown by immorality. The good boy rebellion was revealed in self-righteousness and anger.
5. What stands out to you at first and why?
That this story can be interpreted as an assault on the community is new to me. I look forward to understanding this perspective.
6. How is each brother assaulting the integrity of the family?
It is an assault on the economic status of the family since the father has to liquidate a third of the estate. The younger son, by asking for his inheritance, has also caused humiliation to the family name. He has assaulted the cohesion of the family. The older brother, on the other hand, assaulted the integrity of the family by refusing to go in and to rejoice with the father and others at his brother’s homecoming.
7. Where in your life might you be assaulting your community at home or at church? How might you replace your sin with a good practice from the Lord?
Judging and pulling away from other believers. We have started the book of Colossians and finished chapter 1 today. A few reminders of being a part ofthe body of Christ and helping each other, Paul’s prayer for the Colossian believers to grow in the knowledge of God’s will, to please Him in every way, bearing fruit for every good work. I am replacing this sin by seeking God to renew my mind through His Word. To be ready to forgive and not be quick to take offense. To pray for myself to seek God first, and to pray for that person, to remember that Jesus died not only for me but also for the other person.
I believe that the Word of God is powerful in changing my sinful thoughts and actions to that which pleases Him. I a mworking on Scripture Memory so I can speak it to my soul when I am tempted to judge others. To practice daily repenting and forgiving others.
I love scripture memory as a weapon against sin-it is the sword of the Spirit. I’m trying to do more and more of this.
What are you memorizing?
I’m on retrieving 1 John!
Dee and Chris, since we are studying the book of Colossians right now, I am trying to memorize Colossians 1 and perhaps have the 4 chapters memorized by the end of the year. I found that when I pray the prayers found in the passage, my heart is turning toward praying the same for others, and it keeps me from judging others, especially my brothers and sisters in Christ.
I am also trying to retrieve several verse/s that I have memorized through the years and have been radioactive for me nowadays. It is a challenge as my brain cannot keep up with proper grammar at times! But I am making progress, though very slowly.
Bing, I have memorized Colossians 1 and half of 2 but am now reviewing…such wonderful truths to hide in our hearts.
I so need to memorize more scripture! Thank you for this great inspiration!
Sharon and Patti, the first part of Colossians 2 is a challenge for me, “On, in, through, for, above…” they all get mixed up in my brain! I agree that it is such a great passage to memorize. My prayer is that as we read the Word more and more each day, the Spirit will let those words be diffused into our brain cells and find their way to our memory banks, where the Spirit again can help us retrieve them.
I love this!
5. What stands out to you at first and why?
What stands out is that I feel like I have this family. Although we haven’t had to liquidate our assets, we have definitely given our daughter a ton of assistance in the form of money, time, energy, and physical comforts of a car and home at times. I squirm at how I can feel the father’s pain here. It’s too real for me. He mentions the humiliation, check, and the fact that the younger son didn’t want a family anymore, check. She has written us off. We have definitely “…unraveled and come apart.”
6. How is each brother assaulting the integrity of the family?
The younger brother wants his money and wants to leave the family. The older brother is refusing to go into the house to celebrate so now he is disrespecting the family.
7. Where in your life might you be assaulting your community at home or at church?
This is a difficult question. We have had a few integral families leave our church and we are struggling with the finances because of it. My biggest problem is that the people have just disappeared, not even saying goodbye, or being concerned about how they have left us in the congregation. It’s like there has been a death in our lives. It’s as if they just didn’t care enough about us to realize that the church congregation is the “family” and just up and leaving affected us all. I’m sad about it and wonder who will be next. I guess my sin would be lamenting about to others. Not that I have said that much, but I have spoken to a few long standing members about it.
How might you replace your sin with a good practice from the Lord?
I suppose instead of my lamenting, I could pray for God to help our congregation to stick together 🤷🏻♀️.
I suspect that just as some people stay away from grieving people because they don’t know what to say, it’s the same with people leaving the church. They must be critical but don’t want to say it. I understand that, yet I think it would be good to articulate their love toward those they have left. But I do get that it is hard.
We have been one of those that left a church after much prayer. We were not critical of anything per se, and I wrote a long letter of explanation to the pastor. We did not want to create any friction/division in the congregation, I only spoke privately to close sisters. If we saw anyone and were asked, we directed them to the pastor. It was a hard decision for us, and we felt the loss of family (after eleven years), but the Lord moved us.
I think you handled it well. Most of us sometime in our lives, expecially if we have been mobile will find ourselves in that hard situation and must do what we can to reduce hurt and blame.
Dee, I found that true. I received a text from someone who just told us she and her husband were not serving with us anymore. Though she did not give a reason, the rest of her text alluded to the fact that she cannot articulate herself or does not want to. I hurt, especially for them. They are relatively new to our church and have stayed away from their own church before they came to us. There is a tendency for me to do self-blame. So I have been talking to my soul a lot lately about looking to Jesus as my source of joy and praying for this couple, even when I find it hard to do.
Bing, you are in my prayers. Being a DIL of a pastor’s wife (now with the Lord)I know the struggle.
Praying for you and your husband, Bing. I love that you are focusing on the Cross. Only God can change hearts. We live in a very complicated time. May God give you both His peace and wisdom.
Laura and Cheryl, I appreciate your thoughts and feelings about either staying in church or leaving the church. As a pastor’s wife, any insight into these hard circumstances is good for me. We are going through a similar time right now in our church. Some who have left have talked to us about their concerns, and we understand their points of view. Though we are sad to see them go, we respect their decision. Others just up and left without explanation. I have to guard myself against presumptions and pray to God that I can continue to extend grace and love and not be encumbered by looking to people for validation. God loves me, and He does them as well. I am learning to focus on the cross of Jesus (a Tim Keller line from somewhere) between the person and me whenever negative thoughts enter my mind. He died for them as well. This has really been helpnig me.
“focusing on the cross between” myself and the other person. Such a good thing to do in all circumstances.
Good advice for pastors and their wives. It is such a hard situation.
Wednesday: The Sin Beneath the Sin
8. Why would Middle Easterners be shocked by this story?
—Because your place in the family hierarchy was determined by your place of birth and was not questioned. And the father was to be respected in his place as head of the family. To buck him was unthinkable and would have gotten the son kicked out with nothing let alone the father giving him the inheritance he was asking for.
9. Where was the younger son’s heart set?
—His heart was set on things like wealth, comfort, status and to be independent. It was idolatry.
10. What does Keller mean when He says he wanted the Father’s things and not the Father. Give illustrations of two scenarios of this that have been true in your life.
—He wanted the father’s things more than the joy and the happiness of the father. His heart had been set not on the father, but on the father’s things.
—Two! One is hard enough to admit let alone two. 🥴 I would have to confess that like the illustration from Keller I have gone to church and wanted the blessing, the health, for my life to go well and for my children to be fine failing to realize the Father Himself was Who and what I needed to be satisfied regardless of whether I had those other things in my life. Like the younger son over time I have come to see that the agony of not having those things meet the need of my heart caused me to seek and appreciate Him.
A second thing would have been wanting knowledge of the Bible for the sake of knowledge rather than appreciating the God of the Bible and seeking Him in the inspiration of its words and teaching. Over time I have learned the fallacy of that as well.
11. How does the older son show he also does not love the father? Find everything you can.
—He like the younger son was consumed with the Father’s things. And anger and jealousy took over his life so,that he wouldn’t even practice any kind of respect to his father. He had no appreciation for the joy his father took in the redemption of the younger son. His father’s loving heart meant nothing to him.
12. What is bad boy rebellion and what is “good” boy rebellion?
—The bad boy rebellion of the younger son showed up in immorality where as the older brother’s good boy rebellion showed up in self righteousness.
Thursday: Inordinate Loves
13. What three ways was Augustine being destroyed because of his inordinate loves?
—First, he was always empty and unsatisfied. Secondly, he was constantly doing things he didn’t really want to do, but he kept doing, and he couldn’t seem to stop. Thirdly, his relationships were always breaking up. None of it worked but rather it was all self defeating.
14. Now, how does an inordinate love that tempts you destroy you in these three ways as well?
—The addiction to sugar does not give lasting satisfaction and there feels like a need to consume more with an inability to stop going back for more. Physically in the end it causes misery and discomfort.
15. Why does an inordinate love starve you?
—Because it is empty in its ability to satisfy and to give lasting fulfillment then emptiness is the end result.
16. What is the difference between seeing someone or something as an ultimate thing versus a good gift?
—When someone or something is made the ultimate need for satisfaction it is an all consuming idol in life that cannot satisfy. But when those things are seen as good gifts the Giver becomes the focus and there is a much greater enjoyment and fulfillment in sharing the joy of the a Giver. It creates a heart of thankfulness in the receiver.
Good observation and one we must guard against from Bev:
A second thing would have been wanting knowledge of the Bible for the sake of knowledge rather than appreciating the God of the Bible and seeking Him in the inspiration of its words and teaching. Over time I have learned the fallacy of that as well.
Amen to Dee, Bev! So so good and true!
Wednesday: The Sin Beneath the Sin
8. Why would Middle Easterners be shocked by this story?
Asking for your inheritance before your father is dead is like saying that your father is dead. It is like asking for your father to die.
9. Where was the younger son’s heart set?
His heart was set on what he could get from his father.
10. What does Keller mean when He says he wanted the Father’s things and not the Father. Give illustrations of two scenarios of this that have been true in your life.
He wanted the “goods” or the gifts rather than the personhood of the Giver.
In my prayer life, when I pray for my loved ones and expect that I am entitled to have what I prayed for to be answered, as I have prayed. And when I do not get it as I thought I should, I mumble/mutter against God.
In ministry: Doing things so I can get something back from the Father. If I check off my good to-do list, then I expect God to favor me with what I want.
11. How does the older son show he also does not love the father? Find everything you can.
He refused to go in. He is angry. The father had to ask him to come in, but he refused. He resented the lavish show of love by the father to the younger son. He must be bitter and taken for granted.
I see so much of me in the older son at times.
12. What is bad boy rebellion and what is “good” boy rebellion?
The bad boy rebellion is going outside of the family and doing wild things. The good boy religion is staying inside the family, but only because of obligation and the desire to be rewarded. It is all about the heart. Did Paige say, “It’s the heart, stupid?” That liner always makes me laugh inside.
Thursday: Inordinate Loves
13. What three ways was Augustine being destroyed because of his inordinate loves?
He was always empty and unsatisfied. He couldn’t stop doing what he didn’t really want to do. His relationships are broken. His satisfaction, relationships, and sense of self are being destroyed.
14. Now, how does an inordinate love that tempts you destroy you in these three ways as well?
When people or ministries are first in my life, I will always be disappointed. It hinders my relationships because they would be based on how these two areas meet my expectations, and I would often struggle with a sense of defeat or unworthiness.
15. Why does an inordinate love starve you?
Anything, ambition, power, love from people, overwork, or effort cannot give what only God can give. It will leave us starving because we will never be satisfied unless we find them in Jesus.
This song: I am satisfied with Jesus by B. B. McKinney
I am satisfied with Jesus,
He has done so much for me:
He has suffered to redeem me,
He has died to set me free.
I have been convicted once again by these words from Augustine:
“…we have an inordinate love for the goods of a lower order and neglect the better in the higher order, neglecting you, our Lord God, and your truth and your law.
For these inferior values have their delights, but they’re not equal to you, my God, who has made them all. Therefore, when we inquire why a sin was committed, we do not accept the explanation unless it appears how his heart was set on some of those values which are inferior to the superior and the celestial goods.” All disordered loves lead to brokenness.
16. What is the difference between seeing someone or something as an ultimate thing versus a good gift?
It is not sinful to desire, honor, power, or love. But how do I respond when they are met or not met? Gratitude should be my response to God’s good gifts, for I did not earn them-they are gifts to me from the Father. But when those very gifts are the source of my satisfaction, they become the ultimate thing rather than the relationship I have with my Father.
Thursday: Inordinate Loves
13. What three ways was Augustine being destroyed because of his inordinate loves?
Always empty and dissatisfied.
Doing things he really didn’t want to do.
Relationships were always breaking up.
14. Now, how does an inordinate love that tempts you destroy you in these three ways as well?
I’m going to look at an inordinate love as an idol in my life and that idol is “comfort.” It keeps me from getting too involved in other’s lives so they won’t ask me to do anything that takes me out of my comfort zone(selfishness), which leads to emptiness and doing what I don’t want to. I do want to share that God is working on me regarding this idol and I’ve made baby steps in getting out of my comfort zone…not easy but it does bring joy and fulfillment. Continued prayers…thanks!
15. Why does an inordinate love starve you?
All our focus and seeking is on that inordinate love, depending upon it to provide what we want rather than focusing on or seeking the Lord. I take my inordinate love, comfort…it starves me from being used by God, being open to His will and direction for each situation where I want to chose comfort over the Lord.
16. What is the difference between seeing someone or something as an ultimate thing versus a good gift?
Seeing someone or something as an ultimate thing makes it an idol, the center and love of your life. Seeing them as a good gift gives you understanding that they are from God.
Good job at applying!
13. What three ways was Augustine being destroyed because of his inordinate loves? He was always empty and unsatisfied. He was constantly doing things he didn’t really want to do, but he kept doing, and he couldn’t seem to stop. His relationships were always breaking up.
14. Now, how does an inordinate love that tempts you destroy you in these three ways as well? I’ll need to give this more thought. I know this is the application part and I don’t want to rush through it.
15. Why does an inordinate love starve you? Because it keeps you from seeking and realizing the ultimate love, which comes from God. It’s like eating nothing but candy. It tastes good, but if you eat nothing but candy, you’ll eventually die from malnutrition.
16. What is the difference between seeing someone or something as an ultimate thing versus a good gift? If you think that you cannot live without it or that your life loses it meaning if you lose it, then you have turned a good gift into an ultimate thing.
3. Read again Luke 15:1-2 . What two groups is Jesus addressing?
Sinners and text collectors.
4. Read Luke 15:11-14
A. What is the first thing we are told in verse 11 and why might this be a clue to the meaning of the parable?
We are told that a certain man had two sons.
B. What does the younger son ask of his father, and why is this disrespectful?
He asked for his share of His father’s estate, and it’s disrespectful because he shows that he has no regard for the father’s timing, that he has no patience to wait for the right time when the father wanted to give him his part.
C. Why do you think the son wants this so badly — what lie might he be believing?
He wants to see life outside his father’s house. He might have heard stories from the sort of friends he kept about how interesting and fun life is outside of his father’s house, and might be believing the lie that “YOLO, you only live once, so enjoy it, and enjoy it Now.” That sort of thing.
D. How does the father respond? Why do you think God allows us to go down a hurtful path?
There is no record that the father struggled with him, or tried to make him see reason why he shouldn’t take that path. Instead we are told that he divided the estate between them.
God certainly doesn’t want us to come to harm. He has wonderful plans for us. Plans that would come to pass only if we can count on him, trust Him that He knows what He’s doing because He makes everything beautiful in His time, When we don’t walk in consciousness of this, and we go down a path that can harm us, taking decisions that can mar us, I think God allows it so that it can correct that stubbornness in our hearts, and make us realize, like the son eventually did, that Good and lasting things are only with the Father.
This is such good wisdom, Eunice: God certainly doesn’t want us to come to harm. He has wonderful plans for us. Plans that would come to pass only if we can count on him, trust Him that He knows what He’s doing because He makes everything beautiful in His time, When we don’t walk in consciousness of this, and we go down a path that can harm us, taking decisions that can mar us, I think God allows it so that it can correct that stubbornness in our hearts, and make us realize, like the son eventually did, that Good and lasting things are only with the Father.
Eunice, this is excellent:
good things can only come from the Father. He knows what is best for us. The Refiner’s fire can be painful but we know it is for our good and our joy.
5. What stands out to you at first and why?
What stands out to me is that even with this great insult on the Father He did not retaliate. Instead He allowed the son do what he wanted and when the son realized his mistake and came back to his senses the father received him back with wide arms.
6. How is each brother assaulting the integrity of the family?
One is not being patient with the father’s timing. He just wanted to leave. And he broke the fellowship that was between them as a family. While the older brother did not show love to his younger brother, even after the father explained that this younger one was once lost but was now found, and that every other inheritance is his (the older brother).
To me, even after their father dies I think they’ll continue to assault the family, and the community because of the lack of love between them.
7. Where in your life might you be assaulting your community at home or at church? How might you replace your sin with a good practice from the Lord.
Sometimes I think about how people around me, or the leaders are doing things wrong, and I criticize them. But now, I’ll think about the good things they’ve done for God, and I’ll pray for them to remain steadfast so that they can continue to do God’s will and not follow after the desires of the flesh. And I’ll find ways to help them.
Wednesday
8. Why would Middle Easterners be shocked by this story?
I can only imagine a middle easterner hearing this story for the first time and the shock on their face when the father gave his son his share of the estate, and an even greater shock when he takes him back in with all the love a Father can give.
I think it’s only normal that the father should be angry with the son and then give him the share after a while of anger. And then when the son realized his unwise decision that the father turns him out or gives him what he asked for, space with the servants.
9. Where was the younger son’s heart set?
It was on the wealth of the father. Not on the overwhelming love that the father had for him, not on the father’s affection and hospitality, but on material things that he can squander without anyone’s supervision.
10. What does Keller mean when He says he wanted the Father’s things and not the Father. Give illustrations of two scenarios of this that have been true in your life.
That he wanted only what the father could give, the prestige of being a child of this father, the ability to get what he wanted when he wanted them, but not the love the father can give.
So, there was a time when I just wanted to follow God so that I could be spiritually protected and so that I could do well academically. I was not ready to submit everything to God. I’ve realized the truth now and by His Grace I’ve surrendered all to Him.
11. How does the older son show he also does not love the father? Find everything you can.
He was angry and deeply resentful about the father’s decision to take in his younger brother. He was not willing to share in His father’s joy of having a lost son returned to him.
12. What is bad boy rebellion and what is “good” boy rebellion?
Bad boy rebellion, I think that’s the one that comes from people who are openly rebellious. And “good” boy rebellion is the sort that the person is good in people’s perspective. He’s the kind one, the nice one, the one who doesn’t use swear words and all of those, but a time came when he eventually showed his true colours.
I love this, Eunice. I’ve realized the truth now and by His Grace I’ve surrendered all to Him.
Such thoughtful answers dear Eunice. So glad to see you here!
19. What did Augustine say was the secret of overcoming idolatry?
—It is coming to the point of understanding as a good Father how he loved us. How deeply and perfectly He loves us and when we can see the beauty of how He loves it changes us. In light of that Keller said “If you even get a glimpse of the beauty of that, it will heal the diseases of your soul.”
Saturday:
20. What is your take-a-way and why?
—I would like to say coming down to Texas and staying in our little two room Casita is a relaxing and easygoing experience but it’s not. But I am seeing how being here is needful. By separating from life as we normally know it back home in Nebraska I am seeing how in this small place I am able to focus more on the many many troubles around my life at the moment. My sleep has been interrupted for two nights now as I lay pondering and praying over the immediate needs of family and close friends. I currently have 7 prayer needs that are personally weighing on my heart. They are heavy needs.
At the top is my cousin Malcolm, his mother my Aunt Carol and the extended family. Malcom’s only son Andrew in his early 20’s chose to take his own life this week. Everyone’s hearts are broken that Andrew saw no other way out. The only comfort comes from Jesus. We believe Andrew is now with Him. It is the Cross that brings us hope. Beauty from the reality of Jesus dying and then the Resurrection.
My take away from this sermon by Keller is the last section where he relates the writings of Augustine about the beauty of the depth of God’s love. It has poignant meaning for me today.
Oh, Bev! What a very sad thing for your family and Malcolm’s! Just like you said, many don’t see a way out of their despair. I have been sensing an urgent need among our young people nowadays to see the light and hope of Jesus Christ.
Volunteering at the elementary school and seeing teachers, staff, and students deal with the daily aspects of school culture has given me a little glimpse of what Jesus must have felt when he looked at the city of Jerusalem and wept for it. I have been weeping more lately, but trying to “sow” those tears and looking to Jesus to make things right.
May the love and comfort and peace of our Lord Jesus envelop you and your extended family during this deep loss.
Oh, dear, Bev. I am so sorry for your family and for Malcom’s family. May our Father in Heaven, be very close to all of you right now. I will be praying for all of you.
I’m brokenhearted for your family, Bev. Sitting shiva and praying. 🙏
Dear Bev, I am so sorry. Oh The pain and sorrow, my hear aches. I’ll be praying for all of you.
Oh Bev — suicide is so heart breaking, and it hard not it take it personally, yet it so often is related to deep depression that has nothing to do with others.
Oh Bev, this is so heartbreaking. Praying that God will wrap His loving arms around you and your aunts family during this time of mourning.
8. Why would Middle Easterners be shocked by this story?
Middle Easterners seem to be very “family” and relationship oriented, more so than American or European modern families.
9. Where was the younger son’s heart set?
‘The younger brother’s heart was set on himself. He was self focused and became impatient, waiting to receive his father’s wealth. He was not interested in a relationship with his father.
10. What does Keller mean when He says he wanted the Father’s things and not the Father. Give illustrations of two scenarios of this that have been true in your life.
The sons both valued what the father could give them, more than the relationship with their father. When I focus too much on someone or something that God has taken from my life, I am saddened and upset. I need to be grateful for the time I had that person in my life and not be angry with God. I have asked “why God” a number of times, over losing my husband. Yet, I turned my heart around and was immediately thankful for the many years we had and that he is now with Jesus and not suffering. I am crushed to the core by my son, who only who gave a false apology to get some things he wanted, but he only wanted us on his terms. This parable has been very healing for me and given me a better perspective. It has brought me to my knees in repentance, and forgiveness. I am so thankful for our Heavenly Father, who knows and sees what I cannot understand.
11. How does the older son show he also does not love the father? Find everything you can.
The older son did not want the relationship with the father, either, but he followed the rules to get what he wanted. He was angry and jealous, when the younger son was welcomed home. He behaved like the Pharisees with his self-centeredness based obeying the rules, but his motives were about “self” and what he felt he deserved.
12. What is bad boy rebellion and what is “good” boy rebellion?
Both are idolatry, both destroy and tear apart community and the family. If God is not the most important thing in my life and my greatest desire is for anything other than relationship with the Father in Heaven, who provides all that we have, I am an idolator. I know I have been guilty of this. I know God’s love is pure and He loves to give good gifts to His children. His desire is all about a relationship with us, and it is based on love not on stuff.
I am so thankful if this parable has brought some healing to you in your saddest of situations.
8. Why would Middle Easterners be shocked by this story?
The son was disobeying the father.
9. Where was the younger son’s heart set?
He wanted to please himself. He was being selfish.
10. What does Keller mean when He says he wanted the Father’s things and not the Father.
The younger son wanted “stuff.” He didn’t care about their relationship.
Give illustrations of two scenarios of this that have been true in your life.
When I was 18, I couldn’t wait to leave my mom‘s house and go on my own. I didn’t ask her for anything other than to help me pay for my college.
A second example would be how I wanted my own children to make me look good. I was not interested in having the relationship I should have had with them, regardless of how they made me look to others as teens.
11. How does the older son show he also does not love the father? Find everything you can.
He has a temper tantrum that he isn’t being recognized for his contribution to the father. He was angry and wouldn’t go in the house. He was disrespectful by questioning the father. He spoke badly of the brother.
12. What is bad boy rebellion and what is “good” boy rebellion?
The idea that the younger brother wanted the money to do immoral things (bad boy). The older brother did all the “good” things (going to church, working on the house/farm, etc.) and felt like he should be the one honored.
15. How does our Triune God illustrate true love? They operate together in unity respecting one another, loving one another and honoring each other.
16. Describe what it would look like in your life to love and serve like the Trinity. I would have a servant’s heart, no jealousy, no what about me, just working along side others in joy enjoying the time together and accomplishing for God.
17. Contrast the natural and supernatural response to being hurt. Natural response is to do whatever it takes to get even or get rid of the hurt. Blame them, stay away from them, maybe verbally give them a pice of your mind, try to get even. Supernatural is focus on Jesus and how He endured all that He did. He forgave them from the cross.
19. What did Augustine say was the secret of overcoming idolatry? To focus on God and Jesus. Their beauty and the beauty of the sacrifice that Jesus offered for us.
Friday: The Illustration of the Trinity
15. How does our Triune God illustrate true love?
I love this: “if God is triune, then that means before they exercised their power to create the world, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit … God was a community, a community of beings knowing and loving one another and communicating with each other. That means community and loving relationships are the ultimate meaning of life. It is the ultimate reality. Each divine person serves the others, glorifies the others, and adores the others, and does not take glory but gives it.
16. Describe what it would look like in your life to love and serve like the Trinity.
I will treasure being in a community where I can serve and love unconditionally. Honoring others, in other words, as Keller once said in his little book,: Forget yourself. There is a blessing in self-forgetfulness
17. Contrast the natural and supernatural response to being hurt.
The natural response to a wound or hurt is to turn to anger and bitterness, which I have experienced or struggled with. There was and is a temptation to close my heart.
The supernatural response is to keep my heart open for a reconciliation. Only God can do this in me.
19. What did Augustine say was the secret of overcoming idolatry?
See the beauty of the Father. “If you even get a glimpse of the beauty of that, it will heal the diseases of your soul. You’ll have to go after it. It will have to engage in action. It will center you on him, so you are finally free to love everyone around you. ”
Bing, I agree 100% with your post. I love the healing of diseases of the soul. I always have loved psalm 103 and have thought of the healing of diseases as physical, misunderstanding this. The diseases of the soul-of course 😉
Saturday:
20. What is your take-a-way and why? One thing I am taking away this week, is the action of the father in the story. I don’t think I have ever heard it described this way, as him tearing his life apart for the hope of redemption in his son. This is beautiful and what Christ has done for us. Don’t we all with our children want to do what ever we must do to help them. Even more, the Lord has come down to us to give his life for our salvation. It is amazing and I am so grateful for this.
Friends please pray for my son who was married this summer and my new DIL. She has filed for divorce. Apparently, you can just go online these days and do that and 60 days later it is final. We are heartbroken and praying she changes her mind and decides to fight for her marriage. We are not really surprised at this, but it is heartbreaking to watch. She has a birthday coming up January 30th and we have a lunch planned to celebrate. I don’t know what will come of this. They are signed up for the church marriage conference in February. Everything is so up in the air. They are still living together, but it has been very stressful. My heart is hurting for them. We are praying the Lord will draw them to himself and restore their relationship. Pray for wisdom for my husband and I as we continue to try counseling them.
This is so heartbreaking for all of you, dear Chris. I will pray for your son and DIL.
Praying!
Chris this is so sad! I am sorry. I am praying for the family and the newlyweds.
Chris, I am so sorry to hear this. A friend from our church had a similar experience. They were about to celebrate their first anniversary, and she filed for divorce before the day of. Needless to say, our friend was devastated, although, like you and your husband, we were not surprised either. Praying your DIL will change her mind and praying for your son as he deals with this heartache and loss.
Soo hard, Chris. Father, please work in this marriage for Your glory and for this couple. And give wisdom about this planned birthday party!
Thank you all…prayer is our hope.
Lord, please work in their hearts and bring forgiveness and healing. In Jesus name
13. What three ways was Augustine being destroyed because of his inordinate loves?
He was always empty and unsatisfied. He was always doing things he didn’t want to do. His relationships were always breaking up.
14. Now, how does an inordinate love that tempts you destroy you in these three ways as well?
It leaves me empty, discouraged , and tests my relationships, for sure.
20. What is your take-a-way and why?
Dee, you are so right. Listening to Tim is beautiful and not just reading his writings. He is indeed anointed by God.
There is nothing more beautiful … There is no more beautiful sight or even thought than that an infinitely perfect and happy being would descend into this world and sacrifice everything for ungrateful, undeserving human beings like us, that an infinitely happy being who doesn’t have to do it would tear his life apart for us.
If you even get a glimpse of the beauty of that, it will heal the diseases of your soul. You’ll have to go after it. It will have to engage in action. It will center you on him, so you are finally free to love everyone around you.
Thank you, Lord, for tearing your life apart for us. Thank you for including us in the beautiful dance you have as Trinity. You serve, give joy, and honor one another. May I do the same with my brothers and sisters in Christ!
Beautiful prayer.