This is a "first person" sermon I did on the Prodigal Son. I speak first as the Prodigal. Then I talk as the Father. I conclude by speaking as the older son.

The Younger Son Speaks:
I never did like this farm living. My dad and my older brother seemed to think it was the most wonderful life in the world. Man, they dug that stuff! They could talk about cattle, goats, crops, day after day. I thought to myself, “If I have to stay here all my life, I’m going to go stark raving mad.”
So finally one day I’d had it and I said, “Daddy, I’m really not cut out to be an old country boy. Why don’t you just give me the part of the farm that is mine? Give me my share and I’ll go to the city where I’ll be happy.” I guess I didn’t have the right to ask that. My dad had been good to me, but I’ve changed.
I was surprised that he didn’t argue with me. He had pretty much figured things out….figured my share even though my share wasn’t all that much. My older brother would get half and I’d get half of half. But still, I knew if I got that money I’d have a good time. Life would be better.
So I took what he gave me and I was off to the city. Man, did I have fun! I found out that with all that money I could get a lot of people to be my friend. I found that when I bought a round of drinks people kept coming around. They stayed with me as long as I kept buying those drinks. We went out to some big concerts and I paid for their tickets. I took them to the best restaurants. We didn’t go to the fast food places, we went to the best restaurants. I was having the time of my life!
But my money ran out. And I hadn’t learned any trades. I didn’t know anything to do. So suddenly I was going to have to depend on my friends. It was then that I found out that when you quit spending your money on your friends, they disappear. Now I didn’t have any friends either. So the only kind of job I could find, of all things, was helping a farmer. What I had left, I was back to. Not only that but I was working with hogs. A good Jew wouldn’t get close to a hog, and I thought myself to be a good Jew.
So here I was, feeding those pigs and starving to death. I just wanted to eat what they had but I couldn’t. So I finally came to my senses and asked myself, “What’s wrong with this picture? I could go back and get a job from my dad just working as a hired hand and do better than I’m doing here. So I think I’ll go home and get my dad to hire me. I don’t want to move back into the house. I don’t deserve that. I’ve given that up. But just let me be one of the hired hands.”

The Father Speaks:

It’s hard to be a father in this day. Things have changed since when I was growing up. I always wanted the best for my kids. I think I’ve don’t a good job of providing for them. I thought they were happy. Then my youngest son started talking about wanting to go to the city and I thought, “You don’t know what you’re asking young man.” But he wanted to go. He wouldn’t have been happy if I told him he couldn’t go and that I wasn’t going to give him anything. You see, one of the things I thought you had to do with your kids is let them make their own life. He didn’t ask for my advice, he told me what he wanted. I knew this would throw a wrench in our plans because if I take money out of our operations, that’s going to influence what livestock I could afford. I might have to cut back my operations a little bit. But if that’s what he wanted, I thought, as a good father I’d do it.
I don’t know what all happened while he was gone. All I know is that there wasn’t a day I didn’t think about him and pray for him. And, I have to admit, every once in a while I would walk out to that road where he had left and see if I could see him coming back. So it was a surprise and yet it wasn’t a surprise on that day that I saw a little dot on the horizon and it was coming my direction. I watched as it was coming closer and closer and closer. I recognized his walk. We all walk the same way. We have that special walk. So I recognized his walk before I could see his face.
Now, a dignified person in my position would never run. But I couldn’t help it. When I could see my son coming toward me, I ran down that path. And although he was running toward me, I don’t think he was running as fast as I was running toward him. It wasn’t dignified. If my neighbors had seen me they would wonder “What is wrong with him?” But I didn’t care what they said. I met him and threw my arms around him and he started all this stuff about wanting to work for me. I interrupted him and said, “Hey, no son of mine is going to be a hired hand!” And I turned around and said, “Let’s get that fatted calf ready. We’re going to have a party.”
The party wasn’t for him. He might have thought the party was for him but it was for me. I had something to celebrate, because my son was back. No, this was a party for me. I think his older brother misunderstood that when he came in. He thought I was throwing a party for his younger brother. But having my son back was a happy thing and we really partied!
My youngest son asked me if I’d forgive him. I’d already forgiven him. I’d forgiven him before I even saw him. It was a good thing he asked for forgiveness, but he was forgiven before he asked.

The Older Brother Speaks:

Well, you know, dad always liked him best! I’m the oldest. I worked the hardest,
the smartest, and the most humble. I don’t know what got into dad’s head that he would give that little brat some of our money. The money was his when dad died and dad was not dead! He’s too soft, I guess.
And dad was tough to live with because he kept talking about his little boy. I got so sick of hearing that stuff. (mockingly) “I wonder if he’s OK?” I couldn’t care less! He left. I was doing my work and his work too. I hoped I would never see him again.
And then, I worked late one afternoon. If I’d had my brother to help me I’d have been done in the middle of the afternoon. It was dark when I got in and there was music in the house. And I thought, “What in the world?” So I asked some of the servants what was going on and they said, ‘You’re brother’s back and they’re partying.” Oh they are, are they? Well, they can just party without me! I don’t want to see that (pause) (sarcastically) nice young man.
As I moped around there among the sheep, my father appeared at the door and said, “Come on. We’re waiting on you!” I said, “It doesn’t sound to me like you’re waiting! Sounds to me like that last song was `Turkey in the straw` that they played. So everyone is having fun. And that son --- that son of yours, that went off and spent his money on wine, women and song, --- and not too much on song --- and wine.” My dad told me that I really didn’t know what went on. I said, “You’re right!”
Then my dad turned around and said, “You can stay out here with the sheep if you want to, but that’s a good barbeque we have going! And you need to come up and forgive your brother.” And he closed the door and walked off. And I was madder than I was when he came in. “Forgive him? It will be a cold day ---- when I forgive him.”
I don’t remember how long it was that I pouted around. Even though my brother was home I didn’t want to get close to him. I was afraid I would say what I was really thinking. I kept hearing my father say, “Barbeque is good. You need to forgive your brother.” I’m not going to forgive him. One day my father said, “You know you need to forgive your brother for your own good because your life is pretty miserable carrying around all that unforgiveness. So do yourself a favor and forgive your brother.”
I thought about that for two or three days. It started to make sense. I’m not hurting my brother by hating him. But I’m sure tearing myself up. Dad is pretty smart, so I think I’ll take his advice. And when I went to my brother and saw his face and said the hardest words I’ve said in my life, “Brother, I forgive you.” My life,… a load,…. hundreds of pounds were lifted from me. I was carrying that around because I wouldn’t forgive. Forgive those who sin against you as you want God to forgive you. What a message! What a message! I needed to forgive, I forgave, I am forgiven. And my life is brand new!
Amen.