The Good News of Jesus Christ Part 2
The First Son
A father had two sons.
A father with his sonsThe youngest son left home taking his portion of his fathers inheritance with him. Undisciplined and dissipated he wasted all he had. The country where he was living suffered a famine and he had no food to eat. He signed on to tender some pigs and longed for the food slops they ate.
Soon, he came to his senses and thought, ‘All my father’s servants receive three meals a day and here I am struggling to stay alive. I will return to my father and confess my sin, and ask to be a servant as I am no longer worthy to be his son. And so, he set off on his long journey home.
But, whilst he was a long way off, the father saw him and ran to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him.
The Son began his apologetic speech, so thoroughly rehearsed but the Father wasn’t listening. He cried to his servants “Quick, Get some clean clothes, the family ring and some shoes for his feet. Prepare a feast to celebrate, for this son of mine was lost but now he is found.” And they began to celebrate.
The second Son
The older Son had been working on the farm. When he returned that evening he heard the music and saw the dancing. He asked as to the occasion and discovered the return of his long lost brother.
The brother began to sulk and refused to join the party. His father came out to meet him. The son said, “How many years I have worked for you, day in and day out on the farm and yet you have never thrown a party for me or my friends! This son of yours returns having wasted your money on prostitutes, and you throw a party.”
The father replied, “Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all this time, and everything that is mine is yours but we had to celebrate, because your brother was lost but now is found. He was dead but is now alive.”