Sermon Response Guide
PRIMARY SCRIPTURE:
Luke 15:11-32 ESV
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Key Points
- The way we express our faith is through prayer.
- Prayer leads to alignment with God’s heart and action according to God’s will.
- The Lord’s Prayer captures the entire essence of Jesus’ teaching and ministry. It is a summary of the life of faith and a guide to spiritual formation.
- Praying “Our Father in heaven” reveals:
1) Our truest identity
In him, our identity is received not achieved. We belong to God our Father, and he defines us.
2) Our deepest relationships
Our Father in heaven is with us right now, and he is to be our utmost relationship. A right relationship with God precedes a right relationship with ourselves and with others.
3) Our highest calling
As children of God, we exist to live in God’s presence as we allow God to live in and through us. To recognize God as our Father is to be sent out into the world God made, the world God loves, and the world God has called us to love. - In the story Jesus told of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15, we learn our Father in heaven is steady, patient, running, forgiving, and inclusive.
Memory Verse
Ask God to write this word on your heart this week:
“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”
-Matthew 6:9-13 ESV*
*Note: Through the rest of this sermon series, “Patterns of Prayer,” we will be working together as a faith family to memorize and regularly pray the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 three times each day (morning, noon, and night). We invite you to pray with us in Ellis Chapel Monday through Friday from 11am to 1pm through April 15, 2022.
Questions for Reflection
Take time to reflect and respond to these questions on your own in the presence of the Holy Spirit, or with trusted friends or family members:
1: Why do you pray?
2: Why don’t you pray?
3: Why do you think Jesus prayed?
4: Why do you think Jesus took the time to teach us to pray?
5: Read Romans 8:15 and answer the following questions.
· What role does fear play in this verse?
· What role does our Abba Father play in this verse?
· Meditate on the phrases, “for you did not receive the spirit of slavery… but you have received the Spirit of adoption.” What truth is the Holy Spirit illuminating for you as you do so?
· What does this verse have to do with prayer?
6: When you reflect on the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15, what is it about our Father’s character that particularly stands out to you, and why?
7: What encouragement have you received in Christ today that you can share with someone else this week?
Pray
Lord, you are our Father in heaven, and we are your children. In Christ, we are simultaneously seated with you in the heavenlies and walking with you here on earth. When we stumble in fear, as we so often do, free us to cry out to you: our Abba, our Father in heaven. Whisper again to our trembling souls, “There is nothing to fear. Your Abba is here.”
references
For those interested in further study, our pastors want to share resources that have aided them in their sermon preparation (in conjunction with the Bible and the Holy Spirit):
· The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright
· Living the Lord’s Prayer: The Way of the Disciple by Albert Haase
· Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey
· On Earth as It Is in Heaven: How the Lord’s Prayer Teaches Us to Pray More Effectively by Warren W. Wiersbe
· With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray
· The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
· Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? By Philip Yancey
· The Practice of the Presence of God and the Way of Perfection by Brother Lawrence and Teresa of Avila
· Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home by Richard J. Foster
