Act Two: The Older Son Series

The Prodigal God

Act Two: The Older Son

Inspired by and parts based on Tim Kellers book “The Prodigal God”

Luke 15: 25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ’Your brother has come,’ he replied, ’and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ’Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 "’My son,’ the father said, ’you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’"

The person speaking: Jesus

The audience: Sinners, Tax-collectors, Pharisees, Teachers

The focus: Searching for what is lost… that it may be found

The theme: something lost, searched for, found

The Challenge: Jesus redefines sin/lostness and the challenge to us to take our place in the kingdom…

Now the lost/found theme works except in the last parable …

The story: Man has two sons…

o Last week we addressed the younger son…

 His sin: I don’t need the Father – and through self-gratification and self-discovery he squanders his life and resource for living…

 His repentance: he comes and surrenders back to the father…

 20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 "The son said to him, ’Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

 The Father’s Prodigal reaction…

• 22 "But the father said to his servants, ’Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

• The Father is representative of God…

Today – the Older son… which I will warn you… is the harder challenge to the church of today.

For here is the fear… if we don’t realize the older son sins just as much as the younger… we are missing half of Jesus’ lesson here.

The Older Son’s Sin:

Is the same as the younger – with a different vehicle or slant.

• Tells the Father I don’t need you… I have earned what you owe me.

• 28 "The older brother became angry and refused to go in.

Why is he angry?

• Couple things…

• The younger brother is back… and father is embracing him…

• In fact in the next verse he says… 29 But he answered his father, ’Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

• Read between the lines… his motivation is … Selfish…

• FATHER – YOU NEVER GAVE ME…

1. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

2. The older son is looking at what he considers is owed to him by the father…

3. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

4. The older son realizes that if the younger son is made a part of the family again, he is given part of the inheritance again…

Then the older son focuses his anger again…

• FATHER – LOOK AT WHAT I HAVE DONE…

• ’Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.

• Telling the Father – YOU OWE ME…

• The older son is also not in relationship with the Father and doesn’t want the father… he wants what is owed to him… not concerned with the emotions or feelings of the Father…

• HE IS NOT CONCERNED WITH THE PAIN OF THE FATHER’S HEART… FOR HE HURTS FOR HIS LOST SON... scripture tells us the Father was looking out at the horizon for his son to come home… the older son had to have noticed this… or heard the fathers heart for wanting the younger son to come home…