Prodigal Brothers

Luke 15:11-32

1. Do you tend to be more like the younger brother in this story or the older brother? How so?

2. What do you think kept the older brother from looking for the younger? What kept the father from hunting down the younger son?

3. What is the danger of celebrating the returning son? Why take that risk?

4. What do you think this story teaches us about child rearing?

Letting Go of the Debt

Matthew 18:21-35

1. What is something that someone has given you that you didn’t deserve?

2. What does it mean when the Bible says we are forgiven by God?

3. Who has caused the most hurt in your life?

4. Why is it a struggle for us to forgive others?

5. How does an economy of grace change the way we treat others?

6. Who do you need to forgive?

The Shameless Audacity to Ask

Luke 11:5-8

1. Read the parable in Luke 11:5-8 together. How does the parable challenge our normal understanding of prayer?

2. What have you prayed for that God has answered?

3. Why do unanswered prayers discourage us so much?

4. What areas of life do you typically try to handle in your own strength?

5. What is something “over the top” that you can commit to asking God for?

Parable of the Sower

Mark 4:1-20

1. Who first planted the Word into your life?

2. What has been the greatest fruit from the Word in your life?

3. Share some times when you’ve experienced each of these four responses to the Word.

4. Which of these four responses do you think is most common today?

5. How do stories play a role in your growth?

Counting the Cost
Luke 14:25-33

1. What’s something in life that you began but didn’t finish?

2. In what ways do these parables illustrate an important aspect of following Jesus?

3. What are some difficulties you’ve experienced as a follower of Jesus?

4. How can comfort get in the way of following Jesus?

5. Does bearing your cross look the same for every Christian? What does it look like for you?

Parable of Talents

Matthew 25:14-30

1. What are some of the valuable assets God has entrusted to you?

2. What have you done to expand or enhance what God has entrusted to you?

3. What is the best thing you’ve ever done with your money?

4. What risks do you wish you had taken but didn’t?

Not Ashamed

Romans 1:16

1. What are your earliest recollections of shame?

2. How is society trying to make you feel shame?

3. How does shame impact how we represent our faith?

4. What are some ways you could work on more consistently representing the gospel?

5. How should we balance between over sharing and under sharing?

Our Amazing Bible

2 Timothy 3:16-17

1. How often do you read your Bible? What gets in the way of you reading it more?

2. What are you typically hoping to get from the Bible when you read it?

3. When was the last time you can think of where the Bible told you that you were wrong?

4. Why is being fair such a big deal for Christians?

5. Do most Christians seem stale or fresh to you? How could we work on that?

1. If you could go back and be an Olympic athlete in any sport, what would it be and what would you have to do to get there?

2. What areas of your life lack motivation?

3. In what ways have you served the Lord in your life and what difference has that made?

4. What would it look like to do what you do in life, with your whole heart?

5. How would things look different if you put Jesus first in all that you do?

1. Have you ever had something happen that seemed devastating at the time but it turned out to be not that big of a deal in the long run?

2. Have you ever had something that devastated you years ago and it still feels devastating?

3. What are you worried about now that won’t be a big deal a thousand years from now?

4. In what ways are you seeing a synergy between the good and bad things that happen in your life?

5. What led you to trust God with your life?