The Younger Son

Today, as we continue to look at the story of Jesus telling of the father of those two sons, today we're going to deal with the younger rebellious son, and in the next message, I'll talk about the outwardly compliant son.

This younger boy, as we would say, he had the mind of his own.

This is the kind who doesn't want to do anything his parents tell him to do.

He wanted to be his own boss.

In fact, back in the 60s and the 70s, there used to be a big billboard in a small town in the South, and it read as follows, Attention teenagers, are you tired of being harassed by your stupid parents? Act now.

Move out.

Get a job.

Pay your bills while you still know everything.

Now, the word prodigal, which describes this younger son in the story, it means rebellious extravagance.

Rebellious extravagance.

I want to tell you, extravagance with children in any area creates prodigals.

Lack of boundaries and limitation with children create prodigals.

Absence of training and discipline create prodigals.

But if you really want to be extravagant with your children, young mom and dad, I want to tell you, there is one area you can be very extravagant with them.

That's your time.

Be very extravagant with your time with them.

I want you to turn with me, please, Luke 15.

I hope you have it open in front of you.

Just want you to imagine the smirk on that boy's face as he was packing his Jerusalem designer jeans and his Mount Zion designer shirts.

I can imagine his surly face accusing his parents of being out of touch with reality.

I can imagine the bitterness that he had toward dad for his rules about going to church and cleaning his room and doing his chores.

The Bible said it was only a few days after he gathered some of his assets that his father gave him and left.

Probably went on a fire sale and converted these assets into cash.

Filled his pocket with cash.

Went out into his convertible camel.

Today, as we continue to look at the story of Jesus telling of the father of those two sons, today we're going to deal with the younger rebellious son, and in the next message, I'll talk about the outwardly compliant son.

This younger boy, as we would say, he had the mind of his own.

This is the kind who doesn't want to do anything his parents tell him to do.

He wanted to be his own boss.

In fact, back in the 60s and the 70s, there used to be a big billboard in a small town in the South, and it read as follows, Attention teenagers, are you tired of being harassed by your stupid parents? Act now.

Move out.

Get a job.

Pay your bills while you still know everything.

Now, the word prodigal, which describes this younger son in the story, it means rebellious extravagance.

Rebellious extravagance.

I want to tell you, extravagance with children in any area creates prodigals.

Lack of boundaries and limitation with children create prodigals.

Absence of training and discipline create prodigals.

But if you really want to be extravagant with your children, young mom and dad, I want to tell you, there is one area you can be very extravagant with them.

That's your time.

Be very extravagant with your time with them.

I want you to turn with me, please, Luke 15.

I hope you have it open in front of you.

Just want you to imagine the smirk on that boy's face as he was packing his Jerusalem designer jeans and his Mount Zion designer shirts.

I can imagine his surly face accusing his parents of being out of touch with reality.

I can imagine the bitterness that he had toward dad for his rules about going to church and cleaning his room and doing his chores.

The Bible said it was only a few days after he gathered some of his assets that his father gave him and left.

Probably went on a fire sale and converted these assets into cash.

Filled his pocket with cash.

Went out into his convertible camel.