Prodigal God Fellowship Group

Chapter 7 – Part Two – The Feast of the Father

In this chapter Tim Keller lists four descriptions of what salvation is. Last week we looked at the first two. This week we will cover the last two and finish the book.

Here are the four descriptions:

Salvation is Experiential
pages 106-109

Salvation is Material
pages 110-113

Salvation is Individual
pages 113 - 124

Salvation is Communal                

pages 124 - 133

 

Salvation is Individual

Note this stark contrast between religion and the gospel.

              Religion operates on the principle of I obey, therefore I am accepted by God.

The gospel operates on the principle that I am accepted by God through the work of Jesus Christ – therefore I obey.

Keller then goes on to set the stage for the battle between the flesh and the Spirit that Galatians 5 speaks about. Keller puts it this way: “We must not think, however, that once believing it, the Christian is now finished with the gospel message.”  Using Luther as a reference Keller says, “…even after you are converted by the gospel your heart will go back to operating on other principles unless you deliberately, repeatedly set it to the gospel mode.”

Keller describes this conflict in language that is strikingly similar to that of Jay Adams when speaking of this same conflict  between the spirit and the flesh. He says, “We habitually and instinctively look to other things besides God and his grace as our justification.  Take some time to think carefully about the content of page 115 in the book. Then ask yourself this question:  Where is my heart’s functional trust? Is it in the gospel or is in other things?

The balance of this section can be summed up with this statement – “Faith in the gospel restructures our motivations, our understanding, our identity and our view of the world.  Behavioral compliance to rules without heart change will be superficial and fleeting.”

There is a lot of material in this section. There are applications to giving, marriage and stinginess. At the beginning of the section there is a fresh look at your participation in the Lord’s Supper. Take the time to delve into this rich teaching.

Salvation is Communal  

Feasting is communal by its very nature.  A meal draws people together. However, our culture is one where the desires of the individual take precedence over the family, group or community.  Thus our modern culture is at immediate cross-purposes with the Church of Jesus Christ at its most basic core.  Thus people think that they can grow spiritually without losing their independence.

Keller makes this observation on page 127:

It takes a community to really know an individual. “How much more would this be true of Jesus Christ?  Christians commonly say they want a relationship with Jesus, that they want to get to know Jesus better. You will never be able to do that by yourself.  You must become deeply involved in the church, in Christian community, with strong relationships of love and accountability. Only if you are a part of a community of believers seeking to resemble, serve, and love Jesus will you ever get to know him and grow into his likeness. “

Give this serious thought! Reconsider why Jesus describes himself as the Bread of Heaven. Jesus is our Feast. He gives us a foretaste of what is to come.

⁶ On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare
       a feast of rich food for all peoples,
       a banquet of aged wine—
       the best of meats and the finest of wines.

 ⁷ On this mountain he will destroy
       the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
       the sheet that covers all nations;

 ⁸ he will swallow up death forever.
       The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
       from all faces;
       he will remove the disgrace of his people
       from all the earth.
       The LORD has spoken. Isaiah 25:5-8

 

 

Week Seven - The Feast of the Father

There are two weeks left in this study of the Prodigal God. They will both cover the last chapter of the book The Feast of the Father.

Keller says, "Jesus's parable of the lost sons ends in a party-feast that represents the great festival of God at the end of history.

    Why does he speak this way? He does so because there is no better way to convey vividly what it means to out a life of based on his saving work. There are four ways to experience a feast that correspond to the ways our lives will be shaped by the Jesus's gospel message."

Question: would you have chosen a "feast" to represent your idea of the most vivid way to convey the meaning of the Christian life?

Keller then lists four descriptions of what salvation is. This week we will cover the first two and part of third.

Here are the four descriptions:

Salvation is Experiential
pages 106-109

Salvation is Material
pages 110-113

Salvation is Individual
pages 113 - 124
for this week read through the top of page 119

Salvation is Communal
pages 124 - 133

Give thought to the striking statements made in this chapter.

How is understanding this parable in its full biblical context reshaping your thoughts about the gospel message?

Week Six – Longing for Home

The parable of the lost son is like the theme of all of the bible – exile and homecoming.

Like the younger brother in the far-off land, we all begin to long for home.  Thinking about home, wanting to go home and actually going home are dominate themes in countless lives.

What are your thoughts about home?  Are you longing for “home”?

Is home a different country, or perhaps a different city? Is home more of a special place or a memory? As Keller says, these fond memories often disappoint us.

Home is a powerful , but elusive concept.

Often the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays are disappointments because the actual event can’t live up to the expectations formed by memories. See the quote from C.S. Lewis on pages 93-95.

See if this quote hits “home” with you.

“There seems to be a sense, then, in which we are all like the younger brother. We are all exiles, always longing for home. We are always traveling, never arriving.  The houses and families we actually inhabit are only inns along the way, but they aren’t home. Home continues to evade us.” Page 95

We were created to live in the garden of God. In this sense, no earthly home can ever match that beginning. Whatever we experience here, in terms of home will always fall short.  This is true for all people, not just Christians. This world can never come close to the “home” we were made for.

All people are severely impacted by the brokenness within human beings and the brokenness around human beings.

To prepare for Sunday night, think about these themes as you read the chapter.  Think about how they impact you and those around you, both Christian and non-Christian alike.  We truly are a race of exiles in a foreign land.

The grass really is greener in heaven!

Week Five - The True Elder Brother

                Thoughts and Questions

What we need.

How can the inner dynamic of the heart be changed from one of fear and anger to one of joy, love and gratitude?

The first thing we need is God’s initiating love.

What are some of the different ways that God my draw people to himself?

                Look at pages 73-75

Keller says that repentance must be at least something. But it also must be more than something.

What is the something that he is talking about?

How does this impact your understanding of repentance?

Keller says on page 78 “It is only when you see the desire to be your own Savior and Lord – lying beneath both your sins and your moral goodness – that you are on the verge of understanding the gospel and becoming a Christian indeed.”

But this realization only brings us to the verge of the issue. It tells us what we turn from – what is it we are to?

What is the difference between the first two parables in Luke 15 and the third parable?

Is it true that forgiveness and love are always free and unconditional?

What is the cost of forgiveness?

What is it that selfless love destroys?

Week Four - Redefining Lostness

Redefining Sin

•         Sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge just as each son sought to displace the authority of the father in his own life.

 

Understanding Sin

•         There are two ways to be your own Savior and Lord. One is by breaking all the moral laws and setting your own course, and one is by keeping all the moral laws and being very, very good.

 

Redefining Lostness

If Sin must be rethought then so must lostness be rethought

•         If sin is more than breaking the rules

•         Then lostness is more than “unholy” living

•         The Obvious Lost – Who might these be?

 

Acceptable Lostness

•         Lostness that is Comfortable & Desirable

•         People that you do not disdain

•         People that make your lives more enjoyable

•         Who might these be?

 

What are the dangers for Christians who have come from each type of background (elder or younger brother). Page 70

 

Chapter 3 - Redefining Sin

Two ways to find happiness

Moral Conformity – elder brother

The Way of Self-Discovery – younger brother

Fits Christians and non-Christians

Questions for your own meditation:

                Which way best explains your search for happiness

                Which way best explains the people in your social circle of friends

                Which way appears more righteous: moral rectitude (rightness) or self-discovery

                                See discussion on page 31 middle paragraph

                Which way is the most dangerous spiritually

Two Lost Sons

The stunning conclusion:

At the end of the story the lover of prostitutes is saved, but the man of moral rectitude is still lost.

Consider the impact of this ending on both groups listening to Jesus.

Keller’s conclusion is that the brothers’ hearts, and the two ways of life they represent, are much more alike than they first appear. Pages 35 & 36

Both Wrong; Both Loved – pages 44 – 47

Think carefully about the content of these pages. What to do think of Keller’s thoughts at the conclusion of this chapter?

There may be some additional thoughts about this later in the week, so check back.

 

 

Prodigal God - Week Two

Here are some things to consider in preparing for this Sunday’s discussion.

Chapter 1 - The People Around Jesus

Two Kinds of People

Summary

The first group

The Tax Collectors & Sinners = the younger brother

This group “left home” by leaving the traditional morality of their families and of respectable society.    

They engaged in wild living and little use for the moral or ceremonial purity of the Bible.

The second group

Pharisees and teachers of the law = the older brother

This group held to their traditional upbringing.

They studied and obeyed the Scripture.

They worshipped faithfully and prayed constantly

Each group’s response to Christ

The younger brothers continually flocked to Christ.

The religious leaders were angered that the “sinners” wanted to be with Jesus. But they were also angry that Jesus welcomed them and ate with them. See the bottom of page 8 and the top of page 9.

So to whom is the parable directed? – It is in response to the attitude of the religious leaders that Jesus begins to tell the parable.

Questions to think about?

Why did the first group like Jesus but not the second group?

What does Keller mean that when Christianity began it was seen as a non-religion?

Why was the religious establishment, the “Bible-believers”, offended by Jesus?

What is the chilling conclusion that Keller draws on pages 15 & 16?

What application of this should we make as we consider our involvement in our community?

Chapter Two  - The Two Lost Sons

The Younger Son

What did it mean for the younger son to demand his share of his inheritance:

                For his father

                For his brother

                For the community?

What is the significance of the land in the culture of the parable?

What is the extent of the disrespect shown to the father by the younger son?

How do things turn out for the younger son?

What is the plan the younger son devises to change his life?

How is the younger son different from when he left home?

How does the father respond to his plan?

What is the restitution that the younger son has to make?

What is the impact of giving the younger son the finest robe?

Does the father’s response seem fair?

How would you have responded to the return of this son? Be honest!

The Older Son

How does the older son disgrace his father?

Why is the older son angry with his brother?

Why is he angry with his father?

What is the financial impact on the Older Son because of his father’s actions?

What is the challenge that the Father gives to the older son?

 

 

About the Prodigal God

Sunday, January 11th, Redeemer will begin a short study of the book Prodigal God, by Tim Keller. Check out this blog at the beginning of each week to see the content of what we will be studying in the next Fellowship Group. If you have any questions or observations about any of the studies, just email me by clicking on the About Link. If you would like to leave a comment to share with others just click on the comment link below. The book is available in the bookstore.

To prepare for this week's study read Luke 15.

    As you read answer these questions:

           Who made up the audience that heard Jesus tell the parables?

           What is the common theme of each of the three parables?

           In the third parable, how were the two brothers different and how were they alike?

           What surprised you the most about the third parable?

           

Here are Tim Keller's comments about the book and its title.

What’s the book about? It’s about being ‘prodigal.’ The word ‘prodigal’ is an English word that means recklessly extravagant, spending to the point of poverty. The dictionaries tell us that the word can be understood in a more negative or a more positive sense. The more positive meaning is to be lavishly and sacrificially abundant in giving. The more negative sense is to be wasteful and irresponsible in one’s spending. (Some people think prodigal means ‘wayward,’ but there is no dictionary that indicates that the word means ‘immoral.’) The negative sense obviously applies to the actions of the younger brother in the Luke 15 parable. But is there any sense in which God can be called ‘prodigal’? I think so.

First, the elder brother is offended by the father’s extravagant and (to him) irresponsible welcome of his younger brother. The father, of course, represents God, and legalists are always offended by the gospel of free grace. They see it as wasteful and unfair. After all, they worked for their acceptance. These are the people to whom Jesus was telling the parable in the first place—the Pharisees who objected to Jesus’ lavish grace to tax collectors and sinners. They certainly thought Jesus was being far too free and irresponsible with the love and favor he was promising them from God. Jesus depicts them in the parable as the elder brother upset with his father’s prodigality.

Second, the positive meaning of the term ‘prodigal’ is definitely true of God. He spent himself to the uttermost on the Cross. He did so ‘recklessly’ in the sense that he did not reckon the cost to himself. Jesus was someone who spent himself into helpless poverty (2 Corinthians 8:9) and was ‘in want’ in the most extreme way.

So the title ‘Prodigal God’ calls attention not only to the mistaken way that legalists regard God’s gospel of grace, but also to how Jesus, though he was rich, spent everything without thought for himself, that we might be saved. Charles Spurgeon’s sermon on this text was entitled ‘Prodigal Love for the Prodigal Son,’ which sums up well all the senses of the word in one sentence.