God's story two sons and a father so
part of God's story is about Jesus
wanting us to know how much God loves us
sometimes Jesus taught by using parables
a parable is a pretend story that
teaches us a lesson Jesus once told a
parable about two brothers and a dad and
it begins like this this dad had two
sons we call one the older son because
he's well older we call the other the
prodigal son because he liked to waste
money buying things didn't need one day
the prodigal son went to his dad and
said dad give me my share of your money
see he knew and his dad died he and his
brother would split them up but he
didn't want to wait for his dad to get
old and sick and died he wanted money
now you might think most ads would say
no way but his dad actually gave it to
him kids remember this is a parable I
wouldn't try that at home
anyway the son took the money and ran
away we don't even know if he said
goodbye and for a while he bought
everything he wanted he bought stuff for
his friends too he had so much fun
spending money that he never bothered to
earn it soon he had nothing left so now
he needed a job to buy food problem is
the only job he could find was working
for a farmer feeding pigs you know
animals that enjoy snorting and rolling
around in the mud and to make matters
worse his friends and stop liking him
since he stopped buying them things
although people who hang around just
because you're buying them things are
not real friends here was the prodigal
son stuck feeding pigs no friends no
home and no food he was so hungry he
wanted treacly smelling soggy pig food
he felt pretty sorry he'd run away have
you ever done something and felt sorry
about it later it's not fun to feel that
way is it well one day the prodigal son
remembered how the people who worked for
his dad had lots of food eat hmm
he didn't think his dad would win him
back as a son but maybe he could be a
servant in his dad's house but this idea
was risky he had been so mean to his dad
he had taken money and run away
he'd
every penny he had acted like he never
wanted to see his dad again the prodigal
son knew he didn't deserve to go home
but if he didn't ask his dad for a new
job he could die so he decided to go
back to his dad's house well while the
prodigal son was still pretty far away
his father saw him coming and guess what
his dad started running to him then he
hugged his son and even kissed him
really the Bible says that in fact he
threw the prodigal son a huge welcome
home party and even gave him special
gifts meanwhile the older brother was
out in the fields working kids remember
this brother had been home the whole
time obeying his dad while his younger
brother ran away so when the older
brother found out his dad was throwing a
party for his younger brother he was mad
not really mad he had never gotten a
party he thought his little brother
deserved punishment not a welcome home
celebration Jesus told this story
because sometimes we act like the
prodigal son we do things that make God
sad like how the son took his dad's
money and ran away
other times we act like the older son we
follow God's rules but forget how
special it is to obey Him maybe we even
want people who disobey to get punished
instead of being excited when they
decide to follow God but Jesus wants us
to know that no matter what we do he
loves us just like that father and
that's the story of the prodigal son
so in case you missed it here's the
quick version there were two brothers
one love buying stuff he asked his dad
for money he ran away
he spent the money she felt sorry he
went back home his dad threw him a party
the older brother got mad the dad loved
both sons and no matter what God loves
us too and that's a part of God's story