Sermon 2: Am I Worthy To Be Your Son, After Being Lost At Home?
Luke 15:11
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons!
Am I Worthy To Be Your Son After Being Lost At Home!
Luke 15:25
25a Now his elder son was in the field…. 29a And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment…
- THE ELDER BROTHER OF THE PRODIGAL SON
When we first encounter the elder brother of the prodigal son, he’s out in the field working for his father. In fact, in vs. 29 this older son points out that he has provided years of continuous, faithful service to the father. So we can conclude that he is a hard worker!
While his younger brother was out “sowing his wild oats,” the older brother was in the field, diligently sowing seed for his father …. and working to harvest the grain.
He was also an obedient son. He didn’t rebel and go out and squander his father’s wealth on loose living, like the younger son. In fact, in vs. 29 he tells the father, “I have never neglected a command of yours.” He was obedient …. he was conscientious …. he was a hard worker. In short, we might almost say that he was the “ideal” son. Certainly not like that “wild younger son” who was such a “disappointment” to the father!!
Perhaps we can even say that he was a morally upright individual. At least he certainly seemed incensed over the immoral lifestyle of his younger brother.
These are all good qualities. And if this was all we knew about this older brother, we would have a pretty positive picture painted of him here.
Luke 15:25,
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and he came a drew nigh to the house…..
- THE ELDER BROTHER IS IN THE HOUSE
What’s the difference between always living in the house and being outside the house then coming into the house!
It’s different when you are living in the blessing and when you come out of a storm into the blessing!
There’s a difference in how these individuals would act.
There’s also a difference in how the Father of the house would act in reference to both of them.
If you were blessed from birth to now!
If all you had ever known was a blessing!
Your attitude toward the blessings would be of normality
You eat what you want to eat!
Drink what you want to drink!
Wear what you want to wear!
But when you are in the storms of life!
Especially after you had a period of blessings in your past
And you realize all the mistakes you made to lose the blessings
And you say in your mind, “if I have just one more opportunity to be in the mist of the blessing, I won’t mess that up again!
And when you are a father of a child that has been with you through thick and thin!
You show him your love every day!
And even if he is in mourning for the other child who left, I put my trust in you because I know you will handle things
But when that child comes back that was lost, you are so happy that they’re back and safe and alive! You want to just kiss them, and hug them, and throw a party for them.
Luke 15:25b,
25b and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother has come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came to his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf
- THE ELDER BROTHER’S SIN
Jesus doesn’t fault the morality or the obedience or the work ethic of this elder brother. However, He does fault his attitude. In spite of his many commendable qualities and his tireless service to the father, the elder son was not right in his heart! When the prodigal son returned home, the father and his household rejoiced. The elder brother, hard at work in the field, heard the merry-making and came to investigate. When he saw the reason for the rejoicing, vs. 28 says, “He became angry.”
This is the Greek word
Not only was he angry, but he also sulked and pouted and withdrew himself from his brother. Vs. 28 reads: “The older brother became angry and refused to go in.” Notice here, however, that by refusing to fellowship with his brother, he also excluded himself from the fellowship of the father’s household!!! The father finally had to come outside of the house, where the older brother was, to plead with him to come inside the house. That’s an important point — when we won’t have anything to do with a brother who is accepted by our heavenly Father, that places us OUTSIDE the household of God.
This is something many “elder brethren” in the church today need to understand! By cutting themselves off from one who is not cut off by the Father, they are hurting themselves tremendously — just as the elder brother in the parable did.
The elder brother was also guilty of self-righteousness. When the father came out to talk with him, this son immediately called the father’s attention to all the wonderful things he had done. In vs. 29 he spoke of the fact that he had never neglected one of his commands, and that he had worked hard for him for years.
It sounds very reminiscent of the Pharisee in Luke 18. “And He told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt” (vs. 9). Speaking of contempt, the elder brother was guilty of this also. In vs. 30 notice how he referred to his younger brother. “…this son of yours!” He refused to even regard him as a brother! It’s as if he were saying, “He may be your son, but he’s NOT my brother!”
There was also the sin of envy …. or jealousy. “You kill the fattened calf for him …. yet you never gave me even a young goat, so I could celebrate with my friends!”
Suddenly the picture of the older brother isn’t so pretty anymore. This hardworking, obedient son has a corrupt heart. His heart is characterized by anger, envy, self-righteousness, contempt, and pettiness. On the outside he appeared to be the ideal son; on the inside, he was anything but! And everybody suffered as a result of his attitude.
The prodigal son was deprived of the warm, loving welcome he should have received from his older brother. The father was torn away from the festivities to plead with a son plagued with an evil disposition.
And the elder brother himself suffered. By his attitude, he had cut himself off from the fellowship and the joys of the father’s household. He stood outside …. miserable, angry and alone.
Notice the words of the father to this elder son: “My child, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to be merry and rejoice, for this BROTHER OF YOURS was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”
Not only does the father appeal to reason here — he explained the logic for such a celebration — but he also appeals to his sense of FAMILY: “My child ….. this your brother.” The elder son was long on duty and service, but short on family!!
The family should be a place of safe haven. A realm of loving acceptance. A place where failure does not have to be fatal. The elder brother failed to recognize this.
- THE ELDER BROTHER ENDS UP OUTSIDE THE HOUSE
In John 13:34-35 Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this, all men will know that you are My disciples if you have a love for one another.” The true mark of discipleship is not so much in the nature or amount of our service, but in whether or not we show love. I John 2:11 states that “the one who hates his brother is in the darkness…”
When the parable ends, the elder brother is outside the house ….. separate from the celebration ….. standing in the darkness. And it wasn’t his years of service and obedience and hard work that put him there …. it was his heart!!!
Sadly, there are many “elder brothers” in the family of God today! Individuals who are faithful in their service to God the Father …. who are obedient …. who are not given to loose, worldly living …. and who are hard workers. But who also just can’t bring themselves to love or forgive or accept or even fellowship with their brethren.
The Father pleads with you ….. you prodigals who have remained at home, but aloof from your brothers ….. to enter into the joys of FAMILY.