Luke 15:25-32

Luke 15:25-32

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 “And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. 27 “And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 “But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. 29 “But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; 30 but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ 31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 ‘But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”

The final character in the parable is the older son.  It is important to remember the context of these three parables.  Remember verses one and two where the scribes and Pharisees are complaining about Jesus receiving and eating with publicans and sinners.  The attitude of the older brother is the main point Jesus wants to drive home in this parable because He is trying to show the religious leaders what their attitudes look like.  The love of a father for a son is something they would all understand.  Jesus wants them to realize that God sees all men as His wayward children and rejoices when they are reconciled.  As we look at the older son, we see at least three sins that demonstrate that He too is a wayward son.  The younger son was like the sheep who was lost outside of the house.  The older son is like the coin that was lost inside the house.  Unfortunately, these same sinful attitudes are all too common in the hearts of many who consider themselves to be believers today.  They think they are close to God because of their exemplary behavior.  The reality is that their hearts are very far from God.  We see that God does not care about our self-righteousness; He cares about a genuine relationship with all of us.

INDIFFERENCE: The first problems we can see “between the lines” in the life of the older son is his indifference to the plight of his younger brother.  While the father’s heart was broken at the departure of his son and he waited expectantly for his return, the older son went on with business as usual.  He was out in the fields working.  We can sort of imagine him saying “good riddance” as his younger brother left home.  He was indifferent to the plight of his brother and indifferent to the broken heart of his father.  Instead of going out to the fields to work as if nothing had happened; he could have gone out looking for his brother to see if he could bring him home.  The Pharisees were simply too important to be bothered with the likes of the publicans and sinners.  They saw them as stray dogs and cared little or nothing about them.  They had their own agendas to fulfill and reputations to protect.  These people were like blights on society.  We must protect our hearts from indifference.  There are billions of people who have been separated from the Father by their sin and have never heard the Gospel.  Many of our neighbors and co-workers are bound for an eternity of condemnation separated from God.  We must not allow our schedules or pride produce indifference in our hearts.

INDIGNATION: When the older son learns of his brother’s return and the ensuing party, he becomes angry and refuses to go join the festivities.  The father’s forgiveness and generosity made him angry because he felt that younger brother was receiving special treatment and favoritism from the father.  He was convinced that his brother was undeserving of being received into the home; much less a big party.  Had the father followed the younger brother’s plan of making him like one of the slaves, he might have been able to accept that; but to put him back on the same level as himself was ridiculous in his mind.  That is the way grace is.  Grace does not give us what we deserve.  By definition, grace is giving us what we don’t deserve.  Too often, we want to be treated with grace, but want others to be treated with justice.  He was angry at his brother and angry at his father.  The younger brother had brought about real hardship in his life.  Besides the financial loss, the father’s sadness had thrown a cloud over the home.  In his mind, his brother needed to suffer for his sins.  God’s grace for sinners should be a source of rejoicing, but if we are not careful it can stir us to anger.  If we are not careful, we will begin to doubt the salvation of sinners who turn to Christ.  Instead of rejoicing with them, our hearts can become full of jealousy.    

INGRATITUDE: Self-righteousness is a terrible plague in the heart of man.  The older brother looks like he is doing everything right on the outside; but his words demonstrate that his heart is very wrong.  He sees himself as having never transgressed a single command.  He is bitter because he feels he has never been given any kind of recognition for his exemplary behavior and now that the sinful son shows up he gets this huge party.  The scribes and Pharisees were rigorous adherents to the Law in their own minds; but their hearts were very far from God.  It is easy for us to fall into the self-righteousness trap.  We like lists of do’s and don’ts, but we demonstrate a true heart for God when we love what He loves.  The father’s heart was broken but that has no effect on the older son because he is too busy loving himself to care about loving his brother or his father.  Ingratitude has infested his heart and mind as he complains about never being given even a young goat.  As he compares himself to the younger brother he sees himself as being far superior and considers it completely unfair that there is a celebration going on for the other son’s return.  When the focus of our relationship with God becomes our merits instead of His grace, we demonstrate that our hearts are far from His.  God is in the business of seeking and saving the lost.  When we ignore the lost or become irritated by the immaturity of new believers, it is a sign that our hearts are far from God’s.   

APPLICATION: Protect our hearts from the self-centeredness that causes our hearts to become indifferent to the lost and impatient with new believers.  Guard our hearts from the self-righteousness that causes ingratitude to draw us away from the Father.  Be proactive in seeking out and sharing the Gospel with those who are lost.  Be loving and accepting as we celebrate the salvation of those who, by God’s grace, come to salvation in Christ.