3 Day Bible Reading Plan - “The Prodigal Son”
Do you have someone you know who loves you, yet you have never known if they like you? It's a question that makes the holidays, anniversaries, families, and well-being challenging. We are used to being loved, but the idea of being liked is a foreign concept. It's such a strange idea...the word like seems flimsy...irrelevant. God loves you, and He likes you. - Pastor John C. Hughes, 12/28/25
Day 1
Featured Verse: Luke 15:1-7 - The Lost Sheep
What does the shepherd's willingness to leave the ninety-nine sheep to search for the one lost sheep reveal about the nature and priorities of God's love?
In what ways does this parable challenge common assumptions about who "deserves" God's attention or grace, especially in light of the Pharisees' grumbling about Jesus associating with sinners?
If Jesus is the Good Shepherd who seeks the lost, how does this parable reshape our understanding of repentance—not as something we achieve on our own, but as a response to being found?
Pause and Reflect: If you were the one lost sheep, how would it feel to be found and carried home on the shepherd’s shoulders—and what might that change about how you see yourself, your worth, and God’s pursuit of you?
“Though he finds it weary, and perhaps worried and worn away with its wanderings, and not able to bear being driven home, yet he does not leave it to perish, and say, It is not worth carrying home; but lays it on his shoulders, and, with a great deal of tenderness and labour, brings it to the fold.” - Matthew Henry
Day 2
Featured Verse: Luke 15:8-10 - The Lost Coin
How does the parable of the lost coin complement the parable of the lost sheep that precedes it, particularly in emphasizing that God's pursuit of the lost is not limited to the dramatic or the visible?
What does the woman's diligent search—lighting a lamp, sweeping the house, and searching carefully—reveal about God's attitude toward those who feel insignificant or overlooked in the world?
If you were the "lost coin" in this story—hidden in a dark corner, perhaps forgotten or undervalued—how might experiencing God's thorough search and joyful celebration change the way you view your own identity and worth before God?
Pause and Reflect: Imagine God is searching tirelessly for you even when you feel hidden, worthless, or forgotten. What would it mean for you today to let yourself be found by Him, and how might that change the way you live in light of His joy over you?
“In this parable that which was lost was altogether ignorant of its being lost. The silver coin was not a living thing, and therefore had no consciousness of its being lost or sought after. The piece of money lost was quite as content to be on the floor or in the dust, as it was to be in the purse of its owner amongst its like. So it is with many a soul today—lying in the dust of sin, utterly unaware of its dreadful condition, yet the great Searcher of hearts will not rest until He has swept every corner and brought it home to Himself. Blessed be God, that His love does not wait for our awakening or our worthiness, but seeks us out in our helplessness and rejoices exceedingly when we are found.” - Charles Spurgeon
Day 3
Featured Verse: Luke 15:11-31 - The Prodigal Son
What does the elder brother's resentment toward the prodigal's restoration reveal about the dangers of self-righteousness, and how does this connect to the 'ninety-nine righteous' or the un-lost coins, challenging us to embrace God's grace for all who are found?
If the lost sheep and coin represent passive objects sought by God, how does the prodigal son's voluntary return deepen our understanding of human response to divine grace, while still emphasizing that it is the father's love that initiates and enables reconciliation?
Considering the progression from lost sheep to lost coin to lost son, what overarching message about God's grace emerges, and how does this invite us to reflect on our own role in mirroring that grace toward others?
Pause and Reflect: If you were the prodigal son in this story, how would it feel to be met with the Father’s open arms, robe, ring, and feast before you could even finish your apology? And what would it change in your life today to truly believe that God’s grace is not earned by your performance but lavished on you in your brokenness, calling you home with unrestrained joy?
“Father I've sinned, heaven's ashamed.
I'm no longer worthy to wear your name.
I've learned that my home is right where you are—
Oh Father, take me in."
"Bring the best robe; put it on my son.
Shoes for his feet, hurry, put them on.
This is my son who I thought had died—
Prepare a feast for my son's alive…
“I've prayed and prayed, never heard a sound.
My son was lost, oh thank you God he's found.
My son was dead and he's now alive—
Prepare a feast for my son's alive!
“My son was dead!
My son was lost!
My son's returned in the hand of God!”
- Keith Green