Well, there we have these three accounts that Jesus spoke to his disciples. And what a wonderful accounts they are. And I wanted just to make a few comments on this longer one, which we often refer to as the parable of the prodigal son. And that means the son who left his father's home, took his inheritance with him, and wasted it all in riotous living.

And then it's so interesting to read because God knows all about the situation and all that's occurring. And what happened in the life of this son who had wasted all his money And we're told, and when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land, and he began to be in want. We can assume, therefore, that if there had not been a famine, he would no doubt have had enough food and enough provision to obtain from others, and he would have been able to carry on.

But here he was, you see, in quite a desperate situation. He lived it up with his friends in this wrong way of living and then he comes now and says, and when he had spent all there arose this mighty famine in that land and he began to be in want and he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country and he sent him into his fields to feed swine." Well, that wasn't a very wonderful job, really, for him to do, to feed the swine in those days.

And remember, only because there was this famine, and we're told then he would fain have filled his belly. That means he would have been very happy to eat this pig's food. How many hired servants of my father's have bred enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger."

So as he considered this situation, he made a decision and he said, I will arise and go to my father and will say to 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 then we're told he arose and went to his father, and his father was looking out for him. No doubt had been praying for him that he would come back.

And we're told when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion on him and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. What a wonderful welcome. He didn't deserve it at all.

And we can think of this parable in relation to the day and age in which we live. Because there are those who receive, perhaps, the inheritance from their parents and decides to go away from home, leave a comfortable environment, and go by themselves and then get caught up in all the wrong things and spend all their money so they're destitute and desperate just like this man was

but we see how God worked wonderfully by bringing a famine if there'd been no famine he no doubt wouldn't have returned but because there was a famine and he had nothing to eat and he used up all his money his thoughts went back to his home and his father and his brethren there and decided to pack his bags and return to his father

and it's very interesting what he said he said I will arise and go to my father And I will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee. I am not worthy to be called thy son. Make me as one of thy hired servants.

Now, as we read on in this account, he was received so well by his father and he confessed the situation. He said, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. That's just what he said he would say. But then he didn't continue and say the next bit, which he said he was going to say. He said he was going to ask his father, to make him as one of his hired servants. That means he wouldn't have had the same blessings as a son. He would have been a hired servant. But he never actually said that. He never got that far because his father said to his servants, bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. bring her the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry

so what a wonderful reception that was and of course we have to realize that the Bible is a spiritual book and we have a picture like this to direct us so that if we have been a wild person and gone away from God, and followed ourselves, followed what we wanted to do. And then God has caused situations to develop like it was in this case, so we regret what we've done, and we think, well, much better at home. I'll return. I'll pack my bags and go home. And I'll be very happy to be there and just be a servant, and just serve God, serve my Father as a servant.

But he had a wonderful reception. And his father didn't make him a servant. No, he received him as his son and gave him all those things which were necessary. And so how good it is to realize in this day and age in which we live, God is still kind and gracious, just like this father was. His father received his son returned home. He'd been looking for him, he'd been expecting him, and he received him joyfully.

Well, it's a wonderful account and we should be very thankful to realise that we have statements and pictures like this in the Bible to encourage us still in the day and age in which we live. Well, may God bless these few words and help us to think upon them.