Element Christian Church
Week 5: Parables - Who Do You Eat With?
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Element Christian Church
4890 Bethany Ln, Santa Maria, CA 93455, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
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We strive to ensure the biggest thing people think when they hear about Element is Jesus! We aim to glorify God by teaching and living out the Scriptures, transforming community into Gospel Community, and planting churches.
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https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/setupThis week's song list
Interested in looking for some of the songs we sang this week? Here's the titles and original artists:
Praise the Lord Ye Heavens - Young Oceans
Your Love Never Fails - Jesus Culture
Through the Darkness - Ryan Delmore
In Tenderness - Joy of Being Together
Reckless Love - Cory Asbury
Glorious Day - Passion
Praise the Lord Ye Heavens - Young Oceans
Your Love Never Fails - Jesus Culture
Through the Darkness - Ryan Delmore
In Tenderness - Joy of Being Together
Reckless Love - Cory Asbury
Glorious Day - Passion
Parables
Week 5 - Who Do You Eat With?
This sermon explores Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and scribes who criticized Him for eating with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus answers with three parables: the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son. The focus is primarily on the parable of the Prodigal Son.
Week 5 - Who Do You Eat With?
This sermon explores Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and scribes who criticized Him for eating with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus answers with three parables: the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son. The focus is primarily on the parable of the Prodigal Son.
The Prodigal Son parable tells of a father with two sons. The younger son demands his inheritance early, leaves home, and squanders everything. In desperation, he returns home, hoping to be accepted as a servant. However, the father welcomes him back with extravagant love and celebration. The older son, angry at this reception, refuses to join the celebration, revealing his own spiritual “lostness” through his self-righteousness and pride.
Key points:
1 - Jesus seeks and celebrates finding the lost, as illustrated in all three parables.
2 - The father’s actions in the parable reflect God’s lavish grace and unconditional love.
3 - The older son represents the Pharisees and scribes, revealing their self-righteousness and inability to rejoice in God’s grace toward others.
4 - Both sons are “lost” in different ways - the younger through rebellion, the older through self-righteousness.
5 - The Gospel is for both types of “lostness” - offering grace to the rebellious and breaking down the pride of the self-righteous.
6 - Many Christians may identify more with the older son than they realize, struggling with self-righteousness and pride that prevent them from fully experiencing God’s love.
7 - True understanding of grace leads to joy, freedom from condemnation, and a deeper relationship with God.
Key points:
1 - Jesus seeks and celebrates finding the lost, as illustrated in all three parables.
2 - The father’s actions in the parable reflect God’s lavish grace and unconditional love.
3 - The older son represents the Pharisees and scribes, revealing their self-righteousness and inability to rejoice in God’s grace toward others.
4 - Both sons are “lost” in different ways - the younger through rebellion, the older through self-righteousness.
5 - The Gospel is for both types of “lostness” - offering grace to the rebellious and breaking down the pride of the self-righteous.
6 - Many Christians may identify more with the older son than they realize, struggling with self-righteousness and pride that prevent them from fully experiencing God’s love.
7 - True understanding of grace leads to joy, freedom from condemnation, and a deeper relationship with God.
Discussion Questions:
Share a time when you felt truly welcomed or celebrated by someone. How did it make you feel?
What the Text Says:
Read Luke 15:1-2, how does Jesus respond to the Pharisees’ criticism about who He eats with?
Understanding:
Why do you think the father in the parable acted the way he did toward the returning son?
How does the older son’s reaction reveal his heart condition?
Application:
In what ways can you relate to either the younger or older son? How does this parable challenge you?
How might pride or self-righteousness be hindering your relationship with God or others?
Next Steps:
What practical steps can you take to cultivate a deeper understanding of God’s grace in your life?
Where do you need to repent of self-righteousness?
How can you mirror our Father’s generosity and grace toward others in your life?
Missional Living:
How is the Gospel good news for both those who are rebellious and those who are self-righteous?
Who do you eat with?
Finally, what did this parable leave you to think about?
Share a time when you felt truly welcomed or celebrated by someone. How did it make you feel?
What the Text Says:
Read Luke 15:1-2, how does Jesus respond to the Pharisees’ criticism about who He eats with?
Understanding:
Why do you think the father in the parable acted the way he did toward the returning son?
How does the older son’s reaction reveal his heart condition?
Application:
In what ways can you relate to either the younger or older son? How does this parable challenge you?
How might pride or self-righteousness be hindering your relationship with God or others?
Next Steps:
What practical steps can you take to cultivate a deeper understanding of God’s grace in your life?
Where do you need to repent of self-righteousness?
How can you mirror our Father’s generosity and grace toward others in your life?
Missional Living:
How is the Gospel good news for both those who are rebellious and those who are self-righteous?
Who do you eat with?
Finally, what did this parable leave you to think about?