Life Group Study - November 2, 2025

1) Drifting Begins with Deception

Read: Luke 15:11–14; Proverbs 14:12
 Context: The younger son believes life is better without his father’s boundaries.
 Say: The lie of sin is that freedom is found apart from the Father—but every false freedom eventually meets a famine.
 Ask: What lies most often tempt you to “take control” instead of trust God? How do we recognize drift before it becomes distance?
Supporting Scriptures: Isaiah 53:6; Genesis 3:1–7
Key Insight: Drift doesn’t start with a decision—it starts with deception.

2) Grace Dismantles Deception

Read: Luke 15:17–24; Romans 5:8
 Context: The son rehearses a speech to earn forgiveness, but the father runs first.
 Say: Grace doesn’t wait for us to clean up—it meets us on the road home. The Father’s compassion moves faster than judgment.
 Ask: Why do we still try to earn God’s grace instead of receive it? How do the five verbs—saw, felt, ran, embraced, kissed—paint a picture of God’s love for you?
 Supporting Scriptures: Ephesians 2:4–9; Isaiah 61:1–3
 Key Insight: The turning point wasn’t when the son hit bottom—it was when the Father embraced him.

3) You Can Be Close and Still Far

Read: Luke 15:25–32; Ephesians 2:17
 Context: The older brother stayed near the house but far from the Father’s heart.
 Say: It’s possible to do all the right things for the wrong reason—to serve God faithfully but love Him distantly.
 Ask: How can resentment grow in people who “never left” the Father’s house? What helps you keep joy alive in seasons of faithful service?
 Supporting Scriptures: Romans 2:11; Revelation 2:4
 Key Insight: The same grace that ran down the road for one son also ran out the door for the other.

Reflective Passages: Luke 15:11–32; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4–9