From Servants to Sons (Why Followers Fail #2)

Message Listening Guide

Guiding Question: Why does God allow His followers to misrepresent Him? Why doesn’t He preserve His own reputation?

A Parable About Two Lost Sons (Luke 15:11-32)
The younger son shames his father, squanders his inheritance, and ends up destitute in a foreign land. After hitting rock bottom, he decides to return home, but instead of punishment, his father runs to him, welcoming him back with a party.
What if we judged the Father based on the younger son’s actions? We might suspect that He’s immoral himself and too passive and permissive as a parent.
The older son, angry about the celebration of his brother’s return, refuses to join the feast, thinking his faithfulness has been ignored.
What if we judged the Father based on the older son’s actions? We might assume He’s demeaning and unfair, unable to celebrate obedience.

The Point: Though our behavior gives the Father a bad name, He still wants to give us a good one as His children.

Application: From Servant to Son
Diagnose: When you fail, do you tend to run away from God? When you succeed, do you feel frustrated by a lack of recognition or reward?
Call Him “Father” or “Dad” when you pray, embracing your identity as His beloved child.
Spend time with the Father—through prayer, reading Scripture, quiet moments in nature, or simply in silence—resting in His love and acceptance.

Connection Group Conversation Guide

Get-to-know-you Question: Share your name with the group and the answer to the question: Do you have any Easter traditions? What are they? OR: What’s something you always looked forward to at family celebrations growing up?

Review: Last Sunday’s message focused on the parable of the lost son, highlighting how both the rebellious and rule-following sons misunderstood their relationship to the father. The sermon explored the damaging impact of hypocrisy in the church, while underscoring that, even when our behavior tarnishes God's reputation, He still wants to give us the name of "child." The ultimate invitation is to come home—not as servants earning favor, but as sons and daughters welcomed with joy.

Discuss: The message began with a humorous comparison, likening Christianity to a transformative fitness program that gets discredited by an unhealthy-looking representative. Do you know anyone who has been turned off from Christianity because of the behavior of specific Christians?

Discuss: When the average person calls Christian “hypocrites,” what do you think they mean by that?

Discuss: When the younger son failed, he ran away from God. When the older brother was faithful, he became resentful not just at the Father’s grace towards the younger son, but lack of recognition for his faithfulness. Which of these two responses mirrors your own tendencies more?

Discuss:The sermon challenged us to stop relating to God like employees and start relating to Him as children. What would need to shift in your daily life or prayer life to reflect this?

Discuss: Do you call God “Dad” when you pray? Why or why not? How do you think the words we use to address God impact how we relate to Him?

Pray: Share prayer requests and close in prayer.