The Prodigal God (Discussion Guide)

The Prodigal God Curriculum kit contains everything that your church needs to experience a four or six week preaching and small group campaign. In this compelling six-session DVD study, pastor and best selling author Tim Keller presents a new way of looking at this well known parable. Where most teaching focuses just on the younger "wayward" son, Dr. Keller challenges us to consider both the role of the elder brother and the father as well. Even Jesus began his parable with "a man had two sons" so, you see, the story is not just about the younger son who leaves home and squanders his inheritance before eventually returning home. The story is as much about the elder brother as the younger, and as much about the father as the sons. To this end, Dr. Keller contends that the story might better be called "Two Lost Sons."

In six sessions your group will explore the prodigal who spent until he had nothing left, the self righteous and offended elder son, and the father who forgave with reckless abandon.
And in it all, your group will learn the love of the Heavenly Father who lavishes his love upon his children and welcomes us back into his loving arms. Session titles include the following:
-The Parable
-The People Around Jesus
-The Two Lost Sons
-The Elder Brother

• The True Elder Brother
• The Feast of the Father
  - Publisher

Publisher Description

Two sons, one who kept the rules religiously and one who broke them all. One Father who loved both lost sons beyond anything they could imagine. Discover how deep and far God's grace goes in The Prodigal God The Prodigal God discussion guide will help you uncover, personalize, and apply life-changing insights from The Prodigal God DVD and book. In six captivating sessions, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller opens your eyes to the powerful message of Jesus' best-known---and least understood---parable. The Prodigal God is a revelation of the very heart of the gospel: God's radical love for sinners of every kind. Taking you beyond the traditional focus on the wayward younger son, Keller helps you glean insights from each of the characters in Jesus' parable: the irreligious younger son, the moralistic elder son, and the Father who lavishes his love on both. Inside this guide, you'll explore questions for group discussion and personal reflection, and exercises that will help you experience the truths of Jesus' parable in your own life. The gospel is neither religion nor irreligion, but something else entirely. Whether you're a devout believer or a skeptic, The Prodigal God will challenge you to see Christianity in a whole new way. Session titles include the following: The Parable The People Around Jesus The Two Lost Sons The Elder Brother The True Elder Brother The Feast of the Father Designed for use with The Prodigal God DVD and book.