Bible ReadingActs 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
[26:21]Luke 15:11-24 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”
[28:09]2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
[38:53]Romans 2:4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
[36:36]Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.
[48:15]Psalm 32:1-5 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
[50:01]Acts 17:30-31 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.
[41:11]2 Corinthians 6:2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
[59:51]Observation questions- In Luke 15, what are the different steps the lost son takes from the pigpen to the father’s house, and which of those steps show more than just feeling sorry? [35:18]
- In Acts 2:38, what two responses does Peter give, and what two promises are tied to that response?
- In Psalm 32:1-5, what words and images describe what happened to David while he kept silent about his sin? [50:01]
- According to Romans 2:4, 2 Corinthians 7:10, and Acts 17:30-31, what three motives are named that can lead a person to repentance? [41:02]
Interpretation questions- The lost son “came to his senses” before he got up and went home. What does that phrase suggest about the way sin can cloud a person’s thinking, and what does it look like when someone begins to see sin clearly again? [30:53]
- God’s kindness is meant to lead to repentance. Why can patience and mercy be misunderstood as permission to keep sinning, and what makes that such a dangerous way to think? [36:36]
- Godly sorrow leads to repentance, but worldly sorrow leads to death. What seems to be the difference between being weighed down by regret and actually turning toward God for cleansing? [38:46]
- Acts 3:19 connects repentance with “times of refreshing.” How does that help explain why repentance is not only about rescue from judgment, but also about restored fellowship with God right now? [48:09]
Application questions- Is there any area of life that feels like a pigpen right now—something that has brought shame, distance from God, or spiritual exhaustion? What would “getting up and going to the Father” look like in that situation this week? [35:18]
- God’s kindness gives space to turn, not space to drift. Has there been any place where mercy has quietly been treated as permission? What would it look like to stop making peace with that sin? [37:49]
- Hidden sin dries up the soul. Is there anything being kept silent before God, or even covered up from trusted believers, that needs to be brought into the light? What makes that hard? [51:31]
- Pride can keep a person stiff-necked and unwilling to admit, “I was wrong.” Where is it hardest right now to own sin without blaming circumstances or other people? [56:11]
- Sin offers pleasure for a season, but it never keeps its promises. What short-term pleasure or relief tends to pull the heart away from obedience, and what consequences usually follow behind it? [58:51]
- Procrastination often sounds spiritual: “I’ll deal with this later, after I get some things straightened out.” Has there been a delayed step of obedience—repentance, confession, baptism, reconciliation, or returning to God—that needs to stop being postponed? [59:30]
- Repentance brings cleansing and refreshing. Can the group share a time when confession and turning back to God brought real peace, relief, or renewed closeness with Him? [49:33]
