Then Jesus said, "There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, 'Father, I want right now what's coming to me.'

"So the father divided the property between them. It wasn't long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.

"That brought him to his senses. He said, 'All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I'm going back to my father. I'll say to him, Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.' He got right up and went home to his father.

"When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: 'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.'

"But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, 'Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!' And they began to have a wonderful time.

"All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day's work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, 'Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.'

"The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. The son said, 'Look how many years I've stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!'

"His father said, 'Son, you don't understand. You're with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he's alive! He was lost, and he's found!'"

Ease 89%, Level 4.0

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Grace and Peace be with you Christ's Soldier!

Today's bible story is about a young man. He was going to get a lot of money when his father died, but he wanted it right then. His father gave him the money. They young man went off to a different country. He spent all his money on silly stuff. You may hear someone call him the "Prodigal" son. That word Prodigal means someone who spends a whole lot of money showing off.

Now the young man soon ran out of his money. He did not have any friends when his money was gone. He had to go to work feeding the pigs. He even ate the pig food. He was hungry. He was tired. He was dirty. His clothes were rotten. He smelled like a pig. He was very sorry he had been foolish. He thought to himself, "I should go home and be a servant for my father, then I would not eat pig food!" So he started for home.

Now his father was very worried for his son. He was always looking for him to come home. When the young man got real close to his home, he thought of what he would say. He wanted to tell his father he was sorry. He wanted to say he had been foolish. He wanted to confess that he had not been good like God asks everyone to be. He found out what our prayer says today: without God helping us, we cannot be what God wants us to be.

His father saw him coming. He ran out and gave his son a big hug. The son told him all the things he had thought about. The father told him he could come back to live. The father was so happy to see his son, that he gave him presents and a welcome-home party. His father loved him very much.

Now his brother was jealous. He had not run away. He had not spent his money foolishly. Yet, his father never gave him a party. So he got mad and would not go to the party. The father came outside and told him he was his first son. He told him that he would get everything. He said that it was so good that his brother had come home, and it was right to have a party.

This is an important lesson for you Nathan. You should always try to do what your mother and father wish. You should do things that will make them proud of you. Don't ever act so foolish that you have to eat pig food, ugh! If you ever make a mistake, then you should go to your father and mother and say that you are sorry. And something else: you should come to Jesus and ask him to help you to do what is right.

I hope you are OK this week. I will see you in a few days. Till then take care and may God richly bless you!

Granddaddy

Ease 94%, Level 2.6

LESSON EXERCISES

* Can you name the people in this story, and tell about them?

* In you own words, what do you think this story is about?

* Draw a picture that tells the Gospel story. (You may copy or trace the one on the lesson if you wish.)

* Make up a story (parable) or share a true story that is like our lesson today.

* Sing a song about today's story If I Come to Jesus

Songs for Children

---

Notice: This is an open letter to my Grandson Nathan. It is under copyright protection: The Rev. Mark Carroll, MMVI

Tidy