There are three principle characters in this parable: the younger son who hits rock bottom, the older son who works hard at home, and the father who celebrates the return of his boy. We can find ourselves in each of these characters, and each of them have something to say about the way that we relate to God. I would argue that the most important character is not the younger son, it is the father. This father reflects the true heart of the Heavenly Father, a heart we may misunderstand because of our concepts of fatherhood and relationship. 

Consider the parable itself, the Rembrandt painting, and Nouwen’s personal experience. How have you “been” the younger son, the older son, or the father? What things might God want to address in your faith-life through this passage?

Consider the following questions:

• Apply the Discover, Share, Obey approach to Luke 15:11-32.
• Consider the parable itself, the Rembrandt painting, and Nouwen’s personal experience. How have you “been” the younger son, the older son, or the father? What things might God want to address in your faith life through this passage? What is God saying through this passage? How does it impact my faith that God reveals Himself as Father? How should it change the way I live and think, and is there something tangible I can do this week to act on it? Who can I share these truths with? 
• Share some of your reflections in a brief paragraph.