Coming Home Week 2 | 29 March 2026 | 8am

The parable of the lost son exposes two different kinds of lostness: one that runs away and one that stays and hardens. The story contrasts a younger son who squanders his inheritance and comes to his senses with an older son who remains at home but becomes bitter, self-righteous, and transactional in relationship to the father. The father’s heart shines through a relentless, compassionate pursuit—running to embrace the returning son while extending forgiveness and celebration. The older son’s anger at the celebration reveals a deeper spiritual poverty: obedience without joy, entitlement to blessing, and a tendency to measure holiness by comparison rather than by grace.

The narrative sets the prodigal and the resentful in tension with the religious establishment that believed works earned favor. The parable identifies three markers of being “lost at home”: comparing oneself to others, treating God as a vending machine that rewards inputs, and serving out of duty or fear instead of love. Each marker twists identity: comparison inflates judgment and erases gratitude; transactional thinking reduces blessing to wages rather than gifts; slavish obedience drains delight and obscures sonship. The father’s response reframes everything—sonship precedes service, grace precedes merit, and joy should mark belonging.

The parable ends unresolved, deliberately leaving the older son standing outside to force a decision: remain resentful and miss the feast, or repent and enter the household where everything belongs to the child. The invitation remains open to both those who have run away and those who have stayed but grown cold. The gospel calls for honest self-examination, a return to grateful dependence, and renewed affection that serves out of relationship, not reward. The closing appeal invites anyone willing to turn—whether wounded by rebellion or exhausted by duty—to come home and receive the undeserved welcome of the father.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Both sons were truly lost The story teaches that departure from the father looks different: one son left physically, the other drifted inwardly while remaining present. Lostness can disguise itself as dutiful living that seeks the father’s things more than the father himself. Honest spiritual appraisal requires asking whether proximity has traded for possession. [02:19]
• 2. Grace confronts self-righteousness and anger The father’s compassion—seeing the son while he remained far off and running to embrace him—exposes the lie of earning favor through merit. Grace interrupts judgment, dismantles entitlement, and invites the resentful to rejoice instead of resent. Real repentance turns comparison into gratitude and softens the posture of condemnation. [05:33]
• 3. Beware of transactional faith Treating God like a slot machine—putting in obedience to get blessing—reduces relationship to a contract and converts gifts into wages. This mindset breeds bitterness when life’s outcomes don’t tally with perceived inputs. Reframe every blessing as unearned gift so service flows from gratitude, not ledger-balancing. [24:04]
• 4. Serve from sonship, not slavery Obedience that springs from fear or duty saps joy and misses the gospel’s identity claim: children, not employees. Sonship frees service to become worship; love produces obedience, not the other way around. Choosing joy in the Father’s presence transforms labor into privilege. [26:08]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:45] - Field series announcement
• [02:19] - Two lost sons introduced
• [03:32] - Get ready illustration
• [04:53] - Youngest son’s return
• [06:34] - Pharisees and tax collectors contrasted
• [08:04] - Older son hears the celebration
• [13:12] - Father pleads with the older son
• [19:35] - Three signs of being lost at home
• [26:08] - Sonship versus slavery
• [31:17] - Invitation to come home
• [36:44] - Closing prayer and benediction

Based on the sermon summary and transcript provided, here is a Bible study discussion guide.

Bible Reading
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.’”

Observation questions

1. What two different reactions did the father have when he saw each of his sons returning to him? (vv. 20, 28)
2. What specific words and phrases did the older son use to describe his relationship with his father and his work? (v. 29) [16:12]
3. How did the older son refer to his younger brother when complaining to his father? What does this reveal about his heart? (v. 30) [15:31]
4. According to the father's final words to the older son, what was already his and what was the reason for the celebration? (vv. 31-32)

Interpretation questions

1. The older son claimed he had never disobeyed his father's command. Is it possible to have perfect external obedience while having a completely wrong heart attitude? What does this tell us about what God values most?
2. The father tells the older son, "you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours." If the older son already possessed everything, why was he so angry about the celebration for his brother? What does this say about the difference between possessing an inheritance and enjoying a relationship?
3. Why do you think Jesus left the parable unresolved, without telling us if the older son decided to go into the party? What effect does this ending have on the listener? [18:37]
4. The older son saw his obedience as "slaving" ([16:12]), but the father called him "son." What is the fundamental difference between the mindset of a slave and the mindset of a son or daughter in how they relate to the father?

Application questions

1. The heart of the older son was revealed through comparison, thinking "I'm not as bad as my younger brother." [20:34] When are you most tempted to measure your spiritual life against others instead of against God's grace? What is one area where you need to replace comparison with gratitude this week?
2. A transactional faith treats God like a vending machine, putting in obedience to get a blessing out. [24:04] Can you identify a recent situation where you felt frustrated with God because you didn't get the outcome you felt you deserved? How can you reframe that situation to see God’s grace in it?
3. Serving out of duty or fear saps joy and obscures our true identity as children of God. [26:33] What is one responsibility or act of service in your life that has started to feel like a grind? How can you approach that same task this week from your identity as a loved son or daughter rather than as an employee?
4. The father pleaded with the older son to come in and join the celebration. [13:12] Is there an area in your life where you have been "standing outside" God's joy, refusing to fully enter in because of resentment, self-righteousness, or a sense of entitlement? What would it look like to take a step toward the Father today?
5. The older son was physically close to the father but far from him in his heart. [02:19] Have you ever experienced a season where you were going through the motions of faith—attending church, reading the Bible—but your heart was distant? What practical step can you take to move from proximity to possession, wanting the Father himself more than his things?