The Broken Brother

Happy Sunday. We ended last week on a positive note. The prodigal son had come home, his father had welcomed him and thrown a lavish party. The backslidden prodigal was now back in fellowship with the father.

You likely know that the father in the story represents God. The son that ran away repres represents sinners who live wicked lives. The party is a party of grace and forgiveness and salvation. Sadly, the story does not end with the great feast. It ends with another sinner, the older brother. To me, his sin is worse than that of the younger brother.

Let me read the story from Luke 15:25-32. "Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the slaves and asked, 'What's going on?' The slave replied, 'Your brother has come home, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he's got him back safe and sound.' Then he became angry, and he refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him, but he answered his father." Now listen to the disrespect in this coming sentence, in few sentences. "He answered his father, 'Listen, for all these years I've been working like a slave for you. I've never disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back,'" not his brother, "'when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed a fatted calf for him.'" Very disrespectful. "The loving father said, 'Son, you're always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and re and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life. He was lost and has been found.'"

Hopefully you recall that Luke 15 is all about the value of people. Remember how the chapter began, the first couple of verses. It says, "Now all the collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus, and the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, 'This fellow welcomes sinners and eat with them.'" The Pharisees were upset with Jesus because he welcomed sinners.

In Luke 5 were given a glimpse of the Pharisees' hatred and of Jesus's love. I read verses 30 to 32 from Luke 5. "The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to Jesus's disciples, saying, 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?' And Jesus answered them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I've not come to call the righteous, but sin sinners to repentance.'" Now, if youve backslid, and we all have time in the past, if you have backslidden, you should be very thankful that Jesus has come for the sick.

Back to Luke 15. The older brother was a perfect picture of the Pharisees. He was focused on appearances. He obeyed all the commands, he looked reputable, he worked hard, yet he was farther away from the father than his little brother had ever been. These are the hardest to reach for Christ: the people who think that they are perfect and that grace is not needed. They are self-righteous, they can earn their way to heaven, and they are far, far from God.

This is very much like another story Jesus told in Matthew 21:28-32. In that story Jesus said, "What do you think? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go to work today in the vineyard.' He answered and said, 'I will, sir,' and he didn't go. He came to the second and said to the same thing, and he answered, 'I will not.' Yet afterward he regretted Ed it and went. Which of the two did the will of his father? They said, 'The latter.'" The one who said he wouldn't but did, not the one who said he would but didn't. And Jesus then said, "Truly I say to you that the tax gatherers and the harlots will get into the kingdom of God before you."

It's pretty clear what the two sons were pointing to, isn't it? Jesus at the time was talking to the leaders of isra Israel. They were like the son who said he would go and didn't. And the tax gatherers and the sinners were like the son who said he wouldn't go and did, and in the end they were the ones who entered the kingdom of God. It's very similar to our story in Luke 15.

What I want you to remember is the love of the father. He had the right to banish both sons, the first for daring to ask for his inheritance and the second for his lack of respect and concern. God loves us, all of us. If you are a blatant sinner or a religious hypocrite, the father wants you to come home. We should be thankful.

As a favor, I would ask that you pray for my friend Steve this week. He has a pretty major surgery coming up, and he would appreciate the extra prayers. He loves Jesus, and I'm proud of him. But pray for Steve.

Pray with with me. Father, thank you for your love, for your patience. Father, sinners look all sorts of different ways. Some, it's obvious, and others, on the inside it's it's bad, but they work hard and they do things, but there's not love. Help us to be people of love, of obedience, of grace, of thanksgiving. Help us to be people that follow you. In Jesus' name we pray, pray. Amen.

God bless. Thanks for joining me today.