The Lost Sheep
How many total sheep did the shepherd own in the parable?
100
Read Luke 15:12–13. What request did the younger son make to his father, and what did it mean in Jewish culture?
Asking for his inheritance early, which was culturally equivalent to telling his father, "I wish you were dead"
Read Luke 15:1. Who were the two groups of social outcasts gathering around to listen to Jesus teach?
The tax collectors and "sinners"
According to Luke 15:5, when the shepherd finds the lost sheep, what physical action does he take to bring it home?
(Bonus 100 points if you can say why that is significant)
On His Shoulders
It shows that the sheep couldn't save itself, and instead of punishing or scolding it, the shepherd carries it with care to bring it home safely. Symbolizing Jesus' love for us on the cross.
Read Luke 15:15–16. After hitting rock bottom, the younger son took a job feeding pigs and craved to eat their food. Why was this the ultimate picture of shame and humiliation for a Jewish young man?
Pigs were considered strictly unclean in Jewish law, which means he had hit rock bottom both spiritually and socially
Read Luke 15:2. Why were tax collectors especially hated by their fellow Jewish citizens in first-century Israel?
They worked for the oppressive Roman government, were viewed as traitors, and routinely overcharged people to line their own pockets
In Luke 15:4, Jesus asks, "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?" How does the shepherd's search style show us how God chases after us?
God doesn't wait passively for us to come back on our own; He actively pursues and rescues us
Read Luke 15:17–20. What was the younger son’s mindset when he decided to return home, and how does this show true repentance?
He realized he had sinned and felt unworthy. He let go of his pride and chose to humble himself completely before his father.
Read Luke 15:7. How does Jesus describe heaven's reaction when a single sinner turns back to God?
Heaven erupts in immense joy and celebration over even just one person who repents
In Luke 15:20, while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him, was filled with compassion, and ran to meet him. Why was a father running so culturally shocking?
Noble Jewish patriarchs never ran because hiking up their robes exposed their legs, which was seen as deeply humiliating, yet the father absorbed that shame out of love for his son
In Luke 15:6, after finding the lost sheep, the shepherd calls together his friends and neighbors to celebrate. How does this challenge the way the Pharisees viewed sinners?
The Pharisees viewed sinners as people to be avoided, but Jesus showed that helping a lost person brings community-wide joy and honors God
Read Luke 15:28–30. When the older brother heard the music and dancing, he refused to go inside and complained to his father. Who does the older brother represent in this story, and why?
Unhappy church members, the proud Pharisees, people who act righteous on the outside but have bitter, unloving hearts toward people, etc.