The Shame Game

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
- Luke 15:1-2

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
- Luke 15:11-12

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
- Luke 15:13-17

I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
- Luke 15:18-19

So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
- Luke 15:20-21

Inflator: One bad act gets inflated into one bad person.

Comparer: Someone else’s success equals your failure.

Projector: Everyone must have the same negative thoughts about you that you have about yourself.

Translator: Any minor criticism gets translated into major attack of your character.

Exaggerator: A petty fault feels like a moral disaster.

Mixer

1. What is your favorite food? Or what food could you eat every single day and why?

2. Share about a time when you got into trouble as a kid and had to face your parents and they forgave you. Did you have a script you rehearsed beforehand?

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Sermon

The Shame Game - Pastor Jared Herd

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Scriptures: Luke 15:1-2, 11-21

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Context:

In the Bible, eating with someone is to give them dignity. This is why Jesus ate with the tax collectors and sinners because he was obsessed with giving others dignity. This is what the grace of God looks like. God extends this kind of grace to everyone.

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In Luke 15, Jesus uses parables not to confuse but to clarify what God is like and to convey the nature of God.

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Today, let’s learn about who Jesus is and how to receive more of this grace in our lives.

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Commentary: (Commentaries provide complementary resources to dig deeper into each verse)

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Luke 15:1 “Tax collectors”: Tax collectors were among those ostracized because their work was considered dishonest and immoral.1

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Luke 15:1 “all”: “All”signifies that a large portion of sinners was usually among the crowds who came to hear Jesus.2

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Luke 15:17 “When he came to his senses.” This seems to carry the idea of repentance. The motivation was hunger, but it was specifically to his father that he wanted to return.3

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Luke 15:20 “he ran to his son” A great Jewish scholar has admitted that this is the one absolutely new thing which Jesus taught men about God – that he actually searched for men.” (Barclay)4

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1 Kenneth Barker, Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Michigan: Zondervan, 1994), 263.
2 Kenneth Barker, Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Michigan: Zondervan, 1994), 263.
3 Kenneth Barker, Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Michigan: Zondervan, 1994), 264.
4 William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 and Volume 2 (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1975)

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Discussion Questions

1. Read Luke 15:1-2. What is amazing about how Jesus welcomes and eats with sinners? What does this teach you about who Jesus is?
2. Are you someone that is known to “welcomes sinners and eats with them?” Why or why not?
3. The definition of grace is: God’s undeserved favor. You cannot earn grace, it is freely given. If this is the definition, what surprises you about this? Why is it so difficult to extend grace to others?
4. Pastor Jared shared how we don’t understand grace but understand shame. Which of these shame ceremonies do you relate with the most?
   • Inflator: One bad act gets inflated into one bad person.
   • Comparer: Someone else’s success equals your failure.
   • Projector: Everyone must have the same negative thoughts about you that you have about yourself.
   • Translator: Any minor criticism gets translated into a major attack of your character.
   • Exaggerator: A petty fault feels like a moral disaster.

5. The Bible makes it clear that there are no more shame ceremonies in Christ Jesus. Jesus died for our shame on the cross. How will you specifically and tangibly receive his grace this week? What is one way you will extend grace to someone this week?

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Find Your Circle!

Who can you invite to your Circle this week?

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Life happens in circles. Your circle matters. If we are the average of our 5 closest friends then being intentional with your Circle could be the difference between elevating or evaporating your growth.

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We are not meant to face our challenges alone. God has designed us to be in a community of faith - a Circle around us.

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Invite one person to find their circle. Click this link for details.