Scriptures from Sunday

Luke 15:8-10
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 14:16-24
“Jesus replied: ‘A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”*

John 2:1-11
“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine.’
‘Woman, why do you involve me?’ Jesus replied. ‘My hour has not yet come.’
His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’
They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, ‘Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.’
What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.”*

Philippians 2:1-4
“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Romans 12:13
“Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Glossary of Helpful Terms

Banquet – Often used metaphorically in scripture to represent God’s Kingdom and His invitation to all people to partake in eternal life.

Disciple – A follower of Jesus, someone who learns from and follows His teachings.

Gospel – Literally means “good news”; refers to the message of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection for the salvation of humanity.

Kingdom of God – A central theme in Jesus’ teaching; refers to God’s rule and reign, both in heaven and on earth.

Parable – A simple story used by Jesus to illustrate a deeper spiritual truth.

Repentance – The act of turning away from sin and toward God.

Hospitality – The act of welcoming and caring for others, often associated with showing God’s love to strangers and those in need.

Miracle – A supernatural act of God that defies natural laws, often used to reveal His power and authority.

Discussion Questions

(1) Thinking back on the sermon this week: Anything you heard for the 1st time, or was there something that caught your attention, moved you, challenged you, or confused you?

(2) When you read the parables in Luke 14, what do you see first? Discuss.

(3) Scott suggested the parables were for the purpose of

changing people’s minds about God. If you read the parables through that lens, who do you see first?

(4) What keeps you from seeing God as the one who both loves and throws parties? Do you struggle with picturing Jesus enjoying life versus the stoic, teaching Jesus?

(5) What comes to your mind when you hear the word “inclusion”? Why?

(6) Why is what we think about God so important to consider? How does it affect our faith and our daily life? What shift do you need to make in your understanding of God as revealed by Jesus? What other sources have you used to consider the nature and character of God other than Jesus? Discuss.

(7) Commit to doing the practice at right and discussing what you discover next week.