The parable of the two sons

We are starting our lesson today preparing for Easter.  Easter will be here in just a couple of weeks and I thought it would be good to learn a little about Lent.   What is lent? Lent is to prepare men for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ.  Lent lasts for 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter.  Many people mark their foreheads with ash and they will abstain from certain foods or things they enjoy for 40 days.  This is done to supposedly imitate Jesus' forty days that he spent in the wilderness.  (Matthew 4: 1 - 2) 

As a whole Baptists don't celebrate Lent, but I am thinking of ways that I can prepare better for Easter or maybe just better for my spiritual life.  Should I give up something or should I add something to my spiritual walk?   Maybe we could try to memorize just one Bible verse a day until Easter.  Like I said before Lent usually starts 40 days before Easter and it is only 14 days until Easter but I think I will try to do something to strengthen my walk with Jesus by Easter and hopefully it will continue on past Easter to the rest of the year.

Today our lesson is on the parable of the two sons:
Luke 15:11-32

Jesus told this parable of the two sons when he was trying to help people understand more about God's love. He said there was much joy among the angels and God over one wicked person who repents of his past sins and comes back to the Lord. The story Jesus said was:

There was a man who had two sons. The older son was a good and hard worker. The younger son told his father "give me the part of the property that is mine because I want my inheritance now"! So the father gave him the money from his half of the inheritance and the younger son traveled to another country wasting his money recklessly. He spent all day partying and spending his money until he had nothing left. A great famine fell upon the country and the son had no food, no friends and was forced to take the lowly job of looking after pigs and feeding them. He was so hungry that he could have eaten the pigs food because no one helped him or gave him anything. He thought that even his fathers servants have a better life than he and also plenty of food. He then decided to go back home and plead to him to his Father that he had sinned against God and his father, and he wasn't worthy to be his son anymore, and wanted to just be a servant of his dad. As he headed home, his father saw the youngest of the sons a long way off in the distance and began to run to him and hugged and kissed him. The son began to say to him that he had sinned against him and God and was not fit to be his son anymore. But his father stopped him and asked his servants to bring the best robe for him quickly, as well as a ring for his finger and sandals for his bare feet. His father also ordered the servants to prepare the biggest calf for a great feast and party to welcome the son home. The father said to his servants "Look, my son was dead, but now he is alive, he was lost but now he is found". They all then began to celebrate. The oldest son was returning from the field and heard music and dancing and asked a servant what was going on. He was told it was a homecoming party for his younger brother. The older brother became very angry and did not join the party. Then his father came out and the older son turned away and said to his father "I can't believe I've served you obediently all these years and I have never received a party, but my good for nothing little brother returns and is treated like royalty!" The father responded "Son you have always been with me and everything I have is yours. I thought your brother was dead and lost but I have found him alive and well so I am happy he has returned". 

Who does the Father in the story remind you of?

How would you have felt if you were the oldest brother?

Do you think the older brother was jealous?

Do you ever feel jealous?