Throughout our Bible study together this week, we have been studying a parable Jesus told that has been known to many as "the prodigal son." This title might make us forget that there was not just one son in the story; there were two. There were two sons in this story who needed to learn something from their father, and today, we are going to learn from the second son, who was so caught up in his own good works that he was not able to celebrate when his brother came home.
We left off in our story of the prodigal son found in Luke 15 yesterday with a party taking place. The younger son in this story had asked for his inheritance early, squandered it, and hit rock bottom. He decided he was going to ask His father to allow him to come home and serve as one of his father’s hired servants. Instead of allowing his son to come home and live as a hired servant, the father embraced him and even threw a party. This represented the celebration in heaven when any sinner turns to God. Now, this would have been a nice ending to the story, ending with a party and celebration, but Jesus’ story continued. After all, there is another son in this story.
Jesus explained in His story in Luke 15 that when the older son had finished working and returned home for the day, he noticed that music and dancing were happening in the house (verse 25). He quickly found out that his brother had returned home and his dad was throwing a party to celebrate (verse 27). Jesus explained in this story that the older brother refused to go to the party his dad was throwing because he was so angry (verse 28). In Jesus' day, this refusal would have been highly offensive to the father and embarrassing as the party guests would recognize that his oldest son was missing.
When the father went to talk to his oldest son, here is what the son said: "All these years, I've slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time, you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!" (verses 29-30). These were certainly strong words from the oldest son. In his mind, he deserved a party, not his brother. He did not realize that his attitude of not attending the party for his younger brother was also highly offensive toward his father. Look at the father's reply: "Dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!" (verses 31-32). The son had clearly been focusing on the wrong things. Instead of focusing on what his father had done for him, he focused on what his father had done for his brother and let his anger cause him to disrespect his father. Both of these brothers had something to learn from their father and needed some correction.
Maybe as you look at this story in Luke 15, you do not relate much to the younger son. Maybe you relate to the older son's story, constantly thinking about all the things you have done for God and wondering if He is holding back on you compared to what He has done for the people around you. Maybe this has led you to feel angry and even cynical. This attitude is just as offensive toward God. My friend, He is good to you and He withholds nothing good from you. It's time to celebrate the good that is happening in the lives of the people around you and practice gratitude for the things He has done for you.
How have you, in your own way, been like the older son in the story? Have you been focusing only on what God is doing for other people that you forget what He has done for you? Have you focused so much on striving and doing good things for God that you have forgotten to simply be with Him and enjoy your relationship with Him? Acknowledge any ways you have behaved like the older brother, and commit to seeking a deep relationship with God, not based on anything you can do for Him, but because of His love and goodness.
11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’
20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’
28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’
31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
