The Father Who Runs · two lost sons and a father who goes out to find them
A Bible story to tell as a family · Luke 15:11–32 · ages 5–14 · 12 min
The story
The Pharisees and the scribes were complaining because Jesus welcomed sinners and ate with them. So Jesus told three stories about lost things: a sheep, a coin, and, the most famous of all, this one, which begins like this: “There was a man who had two sons.”
One day, the younger son came to his father and asked for his share of the estate, the part of the property he would only receive after his father died. Back then, that was a very harsh request. Even so, the father divided his property between the two sons. A few days later, the younger son gathered everything that was his and traveled to a distant country.
There he spent it all, living wildly, without a thought for tomorrow. When the money ran out, a severe famine came over that country. He found work taking care of pigs, animals the Jews considered unclean; he had hit rock bottom. He was so hungry that he longed to eat the pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
Then he came to his senses. He remembered home and thought, “How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death!” And he decided to go back. On the way, he rehearsed what he would say: that he had sinned against heaven and against his father, that he no longer deserved to be called a son, and that his father should treat him like one of the hired servants.
He got up and went. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him. The father's heart was filled with compassion, and he ran! Imagine an older man, in a long robe, running down the road in front of everyone. He threw his arms around his son and kissed him.
The son began his speech: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father didn't even let him get to the part about the hired servants. He called the servants and asked for the best robe, a ring for his finger, sandals for his feet, and the fattened calf for a feast. Because, he said, this son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to celebrate.
But there was the older son. He was coming back from the field, heard music and dancing, and when he found out why, he became angry and refused to go in. And the father? He went out again. Just as he had run to the younger son, now he went out to plead with the older one. He listened to his complaints and answered, “Son, you are always with me,” and “all that is mine is yours.” The story ends without telling us whether the older brother went into the party. The door was left open.
11Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing. 17Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death! 18I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ 20So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate. 25Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on. 27‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours. 32But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
What the Bible says
- v. 20: while the son was still far off, the father saw him, was filled with compassion, ran, and embraced him.
- v. 24: the father explains the feast: “this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!”
- v. 28: the father also went out to find the older son, who refused to go in.
What we learn
Jesus told this story to people who were complaining because he welcomed sinners. The father in the parable shows what God is like: he doesn't wait for his son to finish the speech; he runs, embraces him, and gives him back his place as a son. But the father also goes out to find the older son, the obedient and resentful one. Both were far away, each in his own way. God's grace reaches the one who ran away from home and also the one who stayed home with a closed heart.
Questions to talk about
For little ones
- What did the father do when he saw his son coming from far away?
- What did the father give his son when he came back?
For kids
- The younger son had rehearsed what he would say. Why do you think the father didn't wait for him to finish?
- Why did the older brother get angry? Have you ever felt that way?
For teens
- The story ends without saying whether the older brother went into the party. Why would Jesus leave the ending open? Which of the two sons are you more like today?
For adults
- The father ran to one son and went out to find the other. In your home, who needs you to run to meet them, and who needs you to go out and find them?
Activity
Play a reunion game: one person leaves the room and comes back slowly, while another runs to hug them. Then cut out a robe, a ring, and a sandal from paper and write on each one what the father meant: you are a son, you are welcome, you have a place here. Stick them on the fridge.
To memorize: Luke 15:20
Prayer
Father, thank you for running to meet us when we come back. Forgive us when we run away from you and when we stay with closed hearts. Teach our family to forgive, to welcome back, and to celebrate together. In Jesus' name, amen.