And he said, a certain man had two sons: 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.
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.
And when he had spent all, there arose a 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.
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks
that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired
servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare,
and I perish with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto 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 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.
And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against
heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be
called thy son.
But the 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:
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat,
and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again;
he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Luke 15:11-24

1. This world contains “two types” of children: obedient
children and rebellious children. “A certain man had
‘two sons’…” (Luke 15:11).
There is both good and bad in everyone. There are ‘two types’
of children. Not everybody is all good, and not everybody is all
bad. Not everybody is going to heaven and neither is everybody
is going to hell. You may be going to hell but do not think that
everyone will go to hell with you. Do not think that everyone is
going to heaven either, some will go to hell. Everyone will have
to choose their final destination for themselves.

2. Rebellious youth turn away from God. “… the younger
son gathered all together, and took his journey…”
(Luke 15:13)
Many people turn away from God in their youth. It was the
younger son and not the older son who took off on a tangent. It
was the younger son who proudly asked his father to give him
his inheritance whilst he was still alive. Many young people are
prone to foolishness and destruction. Some people repent and
become wiser as they grow older. Unfortunately, some people
persist in the foolishness of their childhood. Others die before
they get the chance to mature and repent. That is why it is
important for you to remember your Creator when you are young.
REMEMBER NOW THY CREATOR IN THE DAYS OF
THY YOUTH, while the evil days come not, nor the years
draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
Ecclesiastes 12:1
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions:
according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy
goodness’ sake, O Lord.
Psalm 25:7
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of
correction shall drive it far from him.
Proverbs 22:15

3. Rebellious men forsake God and embark on selfdestructive journeys. “And not many days after
the younger son gathered all together, and took his
journey …” (Luke 15:13).
It does not take a long time for foolish people to embark
on self-destructive journeys. It didn’t take a long time for the
younger son to begin his downward journey to the regions of
darkness. There is a way that seems right unto a man but the end
of that way is death. What journey of life are you on? Where are
you headed? What will be the outcome of your life’s journey?
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every
one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the
iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:6
Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of
evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsak
the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto
anger, they are gone away backward.
Isaiah 1:4
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding
shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
Proverbs 21:16

4. People go as far from God as possible when they are
filled with the spirit of rebellion. “…and he took his
journey into a far country…” (Luke 15:13)
Rebellious people want to go as far from God as they possibly
can. They want to be as far from church as possible. They want
to be as far from prayer and the Bible as possible.
Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found
in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked
after vanity, and are become vain?
Jeremiah 2:5
For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast
destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
Psalm 73:27

5. Many People Are Wasting Their Lives. “… and there
wasted his substance…” (Luke 15:13).
Some women ‘waste’ their bodies on men until they are so
old-looking that no one is interested in them any longer. Many
men also waste their money acquiring unnecessary things.
He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him
that is a great waster.
Proverbs 18:9

There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of
the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
Proverbs 21:20

The Boy Who “Drank” the Air Conditioners Away

I heard of a wealthy man who died and left his property to his
children. One of his children reminded me of the prodigal son
because of the way he wasted his inheritance. His father had left
him a large house with many rooms. This young man, who was
a great waster, would spend his time ‘boozing’ at a local drinking
bar.One day, he ran out of money and was unable to pay his bill
at the bar. So he came up with an idea to pay his bill by giving
the bar man one of the air conditioning units from his father’s
house. The bar man agreed to defray his bills with the cost of
the air conditioner. Naturally, the air conditioner cost more than
one drink. So the young man had a huge surplus of money with
the bar man.
From then on, he bought drinks and paid for them with the
balance due him from the air conditioner. Eventually, when the
credit from that air conditioner ran out, he decided to bring yet
another air conditioning unit to pay for his drinking bills. The
bar man agreed again and this young man completely “drank
away” another air conditioner.
Amazingly, this young man brought more air conditioners to
the drinking bar until he had “drunk away” all the air conditioners
in the house. Indeed, he wasted away his inheritance until there
was nothing left. This is the kind of person the prodigal son was.

6. Rebellious people, just like everyone, else will
encounter crisis and trouble. “…there arose a mighty
famine and he began to be in want.” (Luke 15:14)
Rebellious men will encounter the storms of life that everyone
on this earth experiences. There are uncontrollable circumstances
that no one can control or manage.
Beauty and strength are short-lived. Money makes wings
and flies away. Money that is spent on pleasure and loose living
eventually runs out. Pretty girls lose their beauty and become
sickly after years of fooling around with multiple partners.
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches
certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an
eagle toward heaven.
Proverbs 23:5
The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: BUT
THE LORD TRIETH THE HEARTS.
Proverbs 17:3

7. Rebellious people do not look to God for solutions to
their problems. They look elsewhere. “And he went
and joined himself to a citizen of that country…”
(Luke 15:15).
Rebellious people try to find their own solutions to their
problems. Many people seek solutions through witchcraft and
sorcery. Others seek to find love through boyfriends or girlfriends.
Others seek refuge in alcohol or drugs. Some rebellious men
seek help through work and education. But none of these things
can really help. Going back to his father’s house was the only
proper solution to the young man’s problems.
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in
whom there is no help.
Psalm 146:3

8. No one can help you in this world. “… and no man
gave unto him.” (Luke 15:16). Men cannot help you.
Do not put your trust in man.

Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall
tread down our enemies.”
Psalms 108:12-13
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in
princes.
Psalms 118:9
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on
horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in
horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not
unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!
Isaiah 31:1

9. When things go from bad to worse it is supposed
to turn you towards God. “And when he came to
himself, he said…” (Luke 15:17)
Your problems are supposed to bring you towards God.
Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the
fish’s belly,
And said, I CRIED BY REASON OF MINE AFFLICTION
unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell
cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the
seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows
and thy waves passed over me.
Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; YET I WILL LOOK
AGAIN TOWARD THY HOLY TEMPLE.
Jonah 2:1-4

10. It is time to repent and turn to God. “I will arise and
go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have
sinned…” (Luke 15:18)

You must repent now! Think correctly now! Repentance
means turning around and going in the opposite direction.
Repentance means to change your mind; repentance means to
humble yourself.
Come, and let us RETURN UNTO THE LORD: for he
hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will
bind us up.
After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will
raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
Hosea 6:1-2