The Prodigal God: The Feast of the Father

We’ve come to the end of our journey through Tim Keller’s return to the Parable of the Prodigal Son in his bestseller, The Prodigal God. I hope those of you who have read along with our Tuesday morning group have been feasting on this retelling of the gospel in a contemporary setting.

The author closes with this summary:

Jesus tells us that both the sensual way of the younger brother and the ethical way of the elder brother are spiritual dead ends. He also shows us there is another way: through him. And to enter that way and to live a life based on his salvation will bring us finally to the ultimate party and feast at the end of history.  We can have a foretaste of that future salvation now in all the ways outlined in this chapter: in prayer, in service to others in the changes in our inner nature through the gospel, and through the healed relationship that Christ can give us now. But they are only a foretaste of what is to come.

Here are the questions we discussed over the past two weeks:

1. Tim Keller tells us that salvation is experiential – like a feast, it involves not only our minds and affections, but all our senses. What are some of the benefits the author finds in the approach that “Jesus’ salvation is a feast?” Can you think of any blessings he missed?
2. After reading page 109, do you identify more with the rational, controlled temperament or the mystical approach to the faith?
3. Did you find it surprising that the Bible speaks of the new heavens and new earth as physical realities? Given that the earth will be renewed and we are to be resurrected, how do you think we should live the life we have here and now?
4. What did Martin Luther say is the default mode of the human heart?
5. How does Paul, the apostle, motivate his readers toward obedience in his letters? How can you and I see our motivations, identity and worldview restructured?
6. What does the author tell us is the greatest motivation to obey Jesus? What are the two edges of the answer to this question?
7. If we believe we are saved by grace, yet we remained unchanged and disobedient, what aspect of grace does the author say we don’t understand? How can we change that situation?
8. Do you think it is possible to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, apart from a community of believers – particularly, a church with elder brothers? Why or why not?
9. I never read the quote by C.S. Lewis on pages 126 and 127 – it blew me away. Have you ever experienced a circle of friends like that? If not, would you like to?
10. Have you seen Babette’s Feast? I remember the film just as the author describes it. How does Jesus resolve the question raised by that film, as well as the parable we’ve been reading: The Prodigal? What is the third way?

Tags: gospel, Jesus, Men