Two Lost Sons

Title ideas:A Father and his two sons.God accepts every person who quits their foolish [wrong] attitudes and behaviors.A Father’s Love

Some jealous religious leaders criticized Jesus because he loved people who repented from doing bad things and even he ate with them. So [for this reason] Jesus told the people a teaching story to help them learn God’s perspective [or how God thinks]:

“There was a man who had two grown sons. One day the younger man wanted to go travel. (He was foolish and disrespectful.) Even though he should have stayed with his family, he said to his father, “Papa! Give me now the part of your wealth, land and animals that I might get when you die. (I want to travel around.)”

So the father (sadly) separated an appropriate share of his animals and things and gave them to the young son. He told the older son that all the remainder of his things belonged to him. (It was just like as if the father had died already.)

A few days after that, the young man sold the animals and things from his father to get money and he traveled/went to a far town.

In that place, he spent his money, little by little, without thought. He drank beer and paid to have women. Then his money finished! Completely!

At the time when the young man had no money, a time of hunger occurred in the land (the crops around the town dried up because no rain fell). He was hungry and he asked several men (one after another) to work for them.

One man [gave him a very demeaning work/job and] told him to herd some pigs to feed on the pods that fell from some trees. The young man was very hungry because nobody gave him anything. As he was watching the pigs (animals), he was willing to eat the seeds from those pods also. He was frightened/worried.

After many days, the hungry young man changed his thinking/ attitude. He said to himself, ‘(Oh, my stomach is paining me!) I remember that all the people who belong to my father eat much food and even throw food away. Ohhh! I have done many bad actions! I am foolish to stay/be here! I must go back home to my father. My father’s workers have plenty of food. I must ask him that he forgive me. I must ask my father that he allow me to work for him as a hired worker.’”

So the young man started to return to his home. His father longed to see him. He was waiting. He saw his son far away and he knew him. He was joyful as he ran to meet him. He greeted him happily [with kisses] and he held him closely.

The young man told his father, “I have done many bad actions against you and against God. I am not worthy to be your son. Please, I beg you to forgive me and accept me as a hired worker.”

But the father was very happy! He shouted calling all his people. “Someone help my son to wash! Bring new clothes for him! New sandals! Someone bring my special [identity/authority] ring! Put it on my son’s hand! Kill a fat calf and roast it! We will celebrate! Play the drum and flute [to make music]! We will eat!

See, my son is alive! I have sorrowed these many days. [It is as if] He was dead {estranged/separated/disconnected}, but now he is alive {reunited/reconciled/connected in fellowship} again! [It is as if] He was lost, but now he is found!” And they celebrated.

Meanwhile, the older son was working in the fields/garden belonging to his father.

On his way home, when he came near the house, he heard all the music and dancing, and asked a servant, “What is happening? What is the celebration for?” The servant told him, “Your brother has returned and your father is celebrating.” The older son was very angry and would not go into the house to join the celebration.

The father went out and pleaded with his son, “Come be happy!”

But the older son said, “Look, I have worked all these years for you and never disobeyed you [always obeyed you / always done what was the right thing]; but you never gave a feast for me even with a small goat!

But that son of yours has come home after wasting your money with prostitutes, and you have killed the fat calf/animal [for eating/feasting] for him and are holding a celebration for him!”

The father responded, “Oh My son, you are always here with me and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate this happy day. Your brother was lost and is now back home [found]. [It was as if] he was dead and is now alive again!”

Jesus finished his story like that and said, “God loves every person like the father in this story loved his foolish sons. God and those with him are very happy to accept well every person who humbles himself and stops being foolish to start obeying God.”