The Return Of The Prodigal

For example, we know from this scripture:

• “A certain man had two sons.” (v. 11)

• The younger son seemed to be a problem child. Look at verse 12. We read, “And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me...”

• -The younger son was irresponsible. Look at verse 13. We read, “And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.”

• The younger son did not think about the future. Look at verse 14. We read, “And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.”

• The younger son hit the bottom, socially and spiritually. Look at verse 15. We read, “And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.”

• The younger son liked to have starved to death. Look at verse 16, “And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.”

• The younger son finally came to his senses. Look at verses 17-21, “And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”

We are taken behind the closed doors of that family and given a wealth of information about that family. In fact, after reading this passage, we probably know more about them than we know about most families in this church.

However, even though the scripture tells us a great deal about the family, it does not tell us WHY THE PRODIGAL SON WANTED TO LEAVE A HOME WHERE HE WAS LOVED AND WHERE HIS NEEDS WERE BEING MET.

We are left to speculate as to why he left. Since this is the case, I would like to share with you one of the reasons he may have left. I believe he could have packed up and left his home for the same reason many teens today pack up and leave. Often they leave because they do not like to be restricted in any way. They do not like...

I. THE RULES.

That is, they have their own idea of what they want to do with their lives and they do not like their parents making RULES to govern their lives. So, those who do not like this feel the only thing they can do is pack up their belongings and get out!

Perhaps the reason God’s Word does not tell us why the young man left is because it is so obvious. Almost every time we hear of a teen leaving home we find out it is because he did not like having RULES to govern his life.

Often teens will get the notion that parents, school teachers, Sunday school teachers, and preachers all want to make their lives as miserable as they can. All those teens think about is that these people:

-Keep telling them things they should do.

-Tell them things they should not do.

Many teens are bound and determined not to let anyone “ruin their lives” with all those rules. They will try to have things their own way if they have to SNEAK and CONNIVE. When they finally get tired of sneaking and conniving, they pack up and leave. For example...

Illus: This reminds me of the story of the parents who decided to use psychology in raising their children. At bedtime they would say to their child, “Would you like to take your doll to bed, or your Teddy bear to bed with you?” You see, the beauty of this is that in either case the child is choosing to go to bed.

But, the whole system collapsed when they asked the three-year-old, who was never allowed to go out after supper, “Would you like to take your doll, or your Teddy bear to bed with you?” And the child responded, “Do you want me to go out the back door, or should I go out the front?”