Welcome; Study of: Grace and the Holy Spirit.
My Prayer: “Dear Father,  help us never be ashamed, afraid,
or refuse to teach the truth and ramifications of your amazing grace”.
Introduce the study – Parables – Luke 15  “Things Lost and Found” (May see King David/Apostle Peter)(May see SELF)(Will definitely see God and His grace)
This world is full of “lost things”… ‘lost’ people… Luke 15 is a 3 parable chapter
which introduces us to ATTITUDES/ Law, Prejudice, (Big) GRACE – and
CONFLICT!
(Note: Some of the material contained in this series is from Jay Guinn’s study on Amazing Grace (oneinjesus.info) although I will be putting some of my own thoughts in the lesson as well. Jay’s book, “The Holy spirit and Revolutionary Grace” has been very helpful as well. Most of this material will be coming from dad’s workbook “Amazing Grace – God’s power to be”… it will be expanded here, and my own thoughts included. The purpose of this study is to help Christians better understand God’s grace, and how it is applied in the Christian life.)

1. THE SETTING
    A. Luke 14:25-34 Count the cost! (Things dear: vs25-27),
         1.) Build tower – COUNT THE COST!
         2.) King goes to war – COUNT THE COST!
         3.) Salt – (MANY BEGIN… LOSE DESIRE TO FINISH)
    B. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (REALLY LISTEN).
    C. Luke 15:1-2)Tax collectors( Luke 18:914) /sinners GATHERING TO LISTEN.
         (S/thg missing -“fill my cup”)
         1.) Pay attention!!! ATTITUDES/ EXAMINE YOURSELF…
    D. “Sinners” – Pharisees classified those who’s lifestyle was not in keeping with
         the law.. “People of  the Land”. Pharisaic regulations = “When a man is one
         of the people of the land, entrust no money to him, take no testimony from him,
         trust him with no secret, do not appoint him guardian of an orphan, do not
         make him the custodian of charitable funds, do not accompany him on a journey.”
         1.) Pharisees = forbidden to be guest of SINNERS or to have SINNERS as a
              guest. i.e. avoid any and all contact!
         2.) These were the people who did not observe the petty details of the law.
         3.) They looked forward to the destruction of the sinner not their salvation –
              (beyond hope!)
    E. “Tax Collectors” – Cf. Luke 19:1-10 Zacchaeus  (What = Jesus’ ATTITUDE
          to the lost?!)
    F. Extra study: Some prejudices are hard to shake. Cf. Acts 10 (Cornelius
        and Peter) Galatians 2:11-21 (Paul vs Peter)(Law vs Grace).
2. THE LOST SHEEP / THE GOOD SHEPHERD: vss. 3-7
    A. Sheep are the PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SHEPHERD.
    B. Sheep get lost/wander/distracted/hurt themselves/ don’t hate the
         shepherd or other sheep.
    C. ATTITUDE/ACTION = LEAVE/GO/SEARCH UNTILL/FIND/REJOICE!
3. THE LOST COIN / THE DETERMINED WOMAN: vss 8-10
    A. Coin is PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WOMAN
    B. SHE lost it! (Carelessness/forgetfulness/preoccupied with other stuff)
         – How it was lost is not the focus… THE ATTITUDE OF CARING/ SEARCHING
            IS IMPORTANT WHEN COMPARED TO VS. 1-2.
    C. ATTITUDE/ACTION = SWEEP HOUSE/SEARCH UNTIL/FIND/REJOICE
4. THE LOST SON / THE LOVING GRACIOUS FATHER: vss 11-32
    A. 2 sons! vs. 11-12 (Eldest = 2/3 inheritance)(younger = 1/3) Deut. 21:17
    B. Younger son – Took his part and left. (Dust from far off country= on his
         heart long before it got on his feet!)
    C. Life of the party/ riotous living/ popular – paid the tab!/ S/thg happened…
         MONEY RAN OUT!
         1.) Hires self out/ Pig Pen/ ‘slop the pigs’. (FORBIDDEN TO JEWS).
         2.) STARVING/ “pig slop” looking better!!!/ CAME TO HIS SENCES!
              (Thinks of HOME/ and all he had given up.)
    D. Decision time! vs. 17-20 “I HAVE SINNED” “I AM NOT WORTHY”
         “MAKE ME A SERVANT” – ATTITUDE = HUMILITY!  ACTION =
          GO HOME!
    E. Vs. 21-24 The way back was hard but needed.
         1.) Recognized land marks passed on his journey away from home.
         2.) Attitude going back = different from attitude when he left!
    F. WELCOME HOME! Father (God) was looking/ ran/ embraced/ didn’t listen/
        GRACE!
        1.) Son tried to finish speech… Father “Be quiet my son… I LOVE YOU ANYWAY…
             WELCOME HOME.
        2.) No probation/ “You’ll have to work your way back”/ “You’ve done too much…
             shamed me too much… hurt me too much… to be called a ‘son’.”          
        3.) That night in his bed, what was the son thinking? “THE ROBE, THE RING, THE
             FATTED CALF… ALL FOR ME, AN UNWORTHY SON. WOW!!! What a Father
             (God)! I will never do that again!” “Today, I SAW MY DAD (GOD) RUN.”
  4. THE OLDER BROTHER vss. 25-32
       A. ATTITUDE/ ACTIONS – (Response to GRACE)
            1.) Angry!!! Why???
            2.) Refused to go in (join the celebration). Why???
            3.) I worked/ never disobeyed your commands
            4.) Jealous!!! Why???
       B. The Pleading Father (God)
            1.) You have everything!
            2.) YOUR BROTHER is home!
      

Corrie ten Boom, “Tramp For The Lord” pg. 28 “Only to those who have been in prison, does freedom have such great meaning.” (Prodigal Son Version: “ONLY TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN STARVING IN A STINKING PIG PEN, DOES HOME (my Father/ His grace and forgiveness) HAVE SUCH GREAT MEANING.”

“AMAZING GRACE…. How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me….