Annual Growth: For Those Not Yet Here

When did you guys put your faith in Christ? Childhood, before high school, college, afterwards, etc.? Share a couple of stories.

Before we look at the text and discuss it, what are some of the ways that unbelievers are described in the Bible? Terms, descriptions?

Read Luke 15:1–2.

What were the Pharisees complaining about? Why would they be complaining about this?

If this story were retold today with you cast as a Pharisee, who might you be complaining about? Where is Jesus working that you are not willing to?

As Jesus often did, He skipped the direct attack and told a story. Why do that? What's the value of a parable?

Read vs. 3–7.

The key to understanding a parable is to realize it has one main point. Could somebody retell the story and emphasize the main point?

What does this story teach us about the character of God?

What does this story teach us about ourselves?

What does this story suggest about how Jesus would feel if you were to repent?

What are you doing to reach the lost sheep like the Good Shepherd does?

What would have happened to the lost sheep had the shepherd not looked for it? (It would die.) Do you ever see the lost as dying? How does that perspective urge you to seek the lost?

Jesus intentionally went out to seek and surround himself with lost people. How can you do the same this week and from now on?

What happens to a church (a body of believers) if they are happy with the 99 and don't care about the 1?

Discuss some ways that can make it as easy as possible for people to find and follow Jesus?

Pray: Confess and repent of how you've strayed from God's direction. Ask God to burden you for the lost and dying the same way the Good Shepherd is.