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YOUTH STS LESSON 146 FIRST FRUITS AND TITHES

YOUTH STS LESSON 116: THE PRODIGAL SON

TEXT: LUKE 15:1-32        

MEMORY VERSE: 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” (Luke 15:20)

In the text, our Lord Jesus Christ portrayed the miserable condition of sinful youths using the three parables. A sinning youth is a lost sheep that has wandered into the wilderness of sorrow, suffering and pain (Luke 15:4-7). Sinful boys and girls are compared to lost coins that are useless to God, parents, church and society until they are found, purified and made clean by Christ (Luke 15:8-10). Also, sinners are portrayed as lost sons. They are lost in sinful passions, pride, self, seductions, lying. Lusting, drug addiction, drunkenness, cultism, corruption, fornication, worldliness and wickedness. The term “prodigal means wasteful, extravagant, thoughtless or reckless. Any youth who wastes resources or spends money recklessly is a prodigal son. Hence, a sinful youth will not only commit sin but equally waste his talents, future, resources, opportunities, time and finally lose eternity with God. The cry of every sincere sinner should be, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24)

 

Question 1: Who is termed a “Prodigal Son”?

 

1.THE PERVERSE CHOICE OF THE PRODIGAL SON

Luke 15:1- 13,30; Deuteronomy 30:19; 32:15,18; Genesis 13:10,11, Hebrews 12:15-17; Proverb 5:1-13; Joshua 7:21

 

And he said, A certain man had two sons (Luke 15:11). From the parable of the prodigal son, two groups of youths can be identified; the saintly youths and the sinning youths, the holy and the hypocrites, the purposeful and the prodigal youths.

 

Question 2: (a) Mention the two categories of youths in the world according to the parable of the prodigal son.

                       (b) What are the characteristics of the prodigal son that Christian youths must avoid?

 

The prodigal son took several steps that led to his calamities “And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living” (Luke 15:12).

Firstly, he chose the path of rebellion. Like Absalom, he decided to confront his father and force him to share the inheritance before time (2 Samuel 15:1). Youths who confront their parents, leaders and school authorities belong to this group and will suffer similar fate except they repent.

Secondly, he ran away from parental control, guidance and authority. “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” (Luke 15:13). He was no longer ready to be under the authority and control of his parents. Many boys and girls are like this prodigal son. When they grow to a particular age, they run away from the care, custody, control, counselling and comfort of their parents and Christian leaders. They want to be free to live the way they like, not the way Christ likes. By so doing, they endanger their lives. “The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead” (Proverbs 21:16).

Thirdly, he “…wasted his substance with riotous living (Luke 15:13). This refers to wild, unrestrained behaviour such as pool betting, hooliganism, cultism, clubbing, drunkenness, smoking and use of hard drugs. The devil has used these traps to destroy the lives and destiny of millions of promising young people over the ages. Fourthly, some part of the prodigal son’s inheritance was wasted on harlotry (Luke 15:30). Christian youths should not engage in any form of immorality but rather, flee youthful lusts (2 Timothy 2:22). It pays to heed the word of God. “Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings” (Proverbs 31:3). Great men such as Samson, Solomon among others have had their future, lives and destinies destroyed because of immorality.

 

2.THE PITIABLE CONDITION OF THE PRODIGAL SON

Luke 15:14-16,24; 2 Samuel 18:9; Romans 3:12; Proverbs 29:1, 14:12,16:25: 30:17

 

The prodigal son soon discovered to his dismay that “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished…” (Proverbs 13:11) and Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel” (Proverbs 20:17). Like Absalom, his colleague in rebellion, who paid dearly for his folly (2 Samuel 18:9,14,15), the prodigal son also paid dearly for his actions (Luke 15:15). Sin makes a youth to waste his treasures and talents, which he would have profitably utilised for personal, family, societal and God’s service. Sin has ruined the lives and career of many youths, and left them unprepared for the future, and ultimately unprepared for eternity. The time many would have used to prepare their lives for a great future, they waste it on sin and evil, and their future eventually becomes bleak “And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat…” (Luke 15:16). He left his rich father’s resources and began to feed on the food meant for pigs. A sinning youth who refuses salvation could degenerate to an animal-like condition, like the prodigal son.

 

Question 3: What are the consequences of sin and rebellion against God?

 

Christian youths should continue in the faith and avoid sin and backsliding because they:

(i) lead to trouble,                                                                   (ii) reduce strength to serve God,

(iii) divide attention,                                                              (iv) increase difficulties, and

(v) eventually lead to perdition in hell.

 

3.THE PRAYER AND CONTRITION OF THE PRODIGAL SON

Luke 15:17-32; 18:10-13; Psalm 34:18; Isaiah 53:6

 

The parable of the prodigal son has a happy ending because of his final choice. Firstly, “…And when he came to himself (Luke 15:17). This is the moment of realisation of one’s wretchedness, sinfulness, total depravity and helplessness. This is acknowledging that one is helpless without Christ. The prodigal son realised his sinfulness and the need to return his father (Psalm 51:3). Secondly, “I will arise…” (Luke 15:18). This signifies a concrete choice to forsake sinful objects, relationships, pleasures, friends, places and practices. “…and go to my father” (Luke 15:18). This indicates a sincere decision of a broken spint and a contrite heart and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross for (Psalms 51:17). Sinful youths must confess and forsake their their redemption. “…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” (Luke 15:20). The prodigal son was accepted back to the family when he returned to his father. This was irrespective of how much of his father’s resources he had squandered in riotous living.

 

Question 4: Mention the steps the prodigal son took before being restored to fellowship with the father.

 

Today, a warm reception, forgiveness and restoration await every contrite sinner and backslider who would return to the heavenly Father. God will forgive all the past sins he may have committed, irrespective of the gravity of the offense, if he repents genuinely.

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