The Gift Of Grace | Dionna Carter | One Church Columbus

The Gift Of Grace | Dionna Carter | One Church Columbus

ICEBREAKER:

How did you see God move this last week?

Summary:

This study explores the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) to understand the nature of grace, repentance, and an intimate relationship with God. We’ll contrast the younger son’s impulsive pursuit of freedom with the older son’s rigid self-righteousness, and we’ll reflect on how grace invites us into a deeper, personal fellowship with our Father. The goal is not merely to learn a story, but to live in the daily reality of God’s grace, security, and relational fullness.

Key Points

  1. Grace initiates reconciliation: The father runs to meet the prodigal, signaling grace before the prodigal’s repentance is complete.

  2. The danger of legalism: The older son’s reaction reveals how entitlement and self-righteousness can hinder intimate relationship with God.

  3. Repentance is relational, not merely behavioral: The prodigal’s return is met with welcome, affirming identity in the relationship rather than mere correction.

  4. Freedom within boundaries: True freedom is found in the Father’s embrace and renewed sonship, not in living apart from the Father’s house.

  5. Celebration over restoration: The father’s joy at restoration highlights God’s heart when sinners turn back to Him.

    • Scripture References

    • Primary: Luke 15:11-32

    • Supporting: Luke 15:1-10 (the Lost Son and the Lost Coin) to see the broader theme of divine initiative and joy in repentance

    • Optional: Romans 5:8, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 John 1:9 for grace and forgiveness background

Conclusion:

Embracing grace means choosing relationship over rule. The Father’s quick welcome shows that grace initiates reconciliation and redefines our identity as beloved children. The older brother’s self-righteousness warns against legalism and dampened joy for others’ restoration.

Live daily in the Father’s love: welcome the lost, forgive freely, and celebrate restoration with humility. When we rest in sonship, we gain freedom to repent, extend mercy, and rejoice in God’s redemptive work. May our lives mirror the Father’s heart and find identity, belonging, and joy in grace.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In what ways do you see the younger and older brother’s attitudes reflected in your own life or in church life today? How can you move toward a posture of grace rather than judgment or legalism?

  2. How does the Father’s reaction to the prodigal challenge or reshape your understanding of forgiveness and belonging?

  3. In Luke 15:20, the father runs to embrace the son. Why is this detail significant for understanding grace, and how does it shape our view of God’s initiative in salvation?

  4. Luke 15:28-29 shows the older son’s anger and complaint. What does this reveal about the barriers to a relationship with God, and how can we address these barriers in our own hearts?

Guided Prayer:

Heavenly Father, you are gracious and merciful, and you call me beloved even in my brokenness. I thank you for your faithful pursuit and for the prodigal’s grace that welcomes me home. I admit where I’ve wandered, judged others, or withheld grace, and I ask for forgiveness and a renewed spirit. Help me live in your love, trusting your timing and resting in my identity as your child. Empower me to extend grace to others, to welcome the lost, and to celebrate restoration with humility. Spirit, soften my heart, reveal blind spots, and cultivate daily repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. I commit to choosing relationship over rule, presence over distance, and mercy over judgment, reflecting your grace in all I do. May your grace, love, and Spirit sustain me now and always. Amen.

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