The Other Son

<Luke 15:11-31

-In this passage we usually focus on the character whom we commonly call “The prodigal son”

-And for good reason

-This morning, however, I want to focus on the other son

-The prodigal’s brother

-While he did not go and squander what the father had given him in riotous living, in many ways he was just as wrong in what he did as the prodigal was

-If not worse

-In this account about him, we see that he was wrong about three very important things in his life

I. His Wrong View Of Himself

A. He thought he was undervalued

-We all long for value

-We want to be valued by someone else

-That is what makes peer pressure such a strong force for not only teens, but for all of us

-We try to impress other people

-In order to gain their acceptance

-Yet, the father had already given him his share of the inheritance

1. He had equal value as his brother

-Even though he was the oldest

-God values all of us alike

2. Value cannot be changed

a. Regardless of what we do

-There is no earning of God’s grace

-Works salvation is a lie of the devil

b. Regardless of what we have

-God does not value Trump or Gates or Rockefeller any better than he values you

B. He thought he was overworked

-He was even in the fields when he heard the music of the party

-And you think today’s music is loud

-It was a self-imposed workaholism

-There’s nothing wrong with working hard

-Many do not work hard enough, and the scriptures have much to say about laziness

1. Meant to provide a source of living

-Ofttimes, better living

2. Meant to provide a sense of satisfaction

-Some only work when they can see the results

II. His Wrong View Of His Brother

A. He thought his brother was undeserving

-He felt he did not deserve such a celebration

-After all, he had deserted them to live a wild life

-Saul To Paul

-Or what about Saddam Hussein

-Or Kim Jung Ill

-Or Marilyn Manson

-Or Dan Brown

-Even the angels celebrate when a lost sinner is found

-Heaven throws a party for us

-Even after we have been so wicked and vile and full of our sin

-The truth is, none of us are deserving of a party

-We’ve all done many evil things

-All sin is evil

-There is no classification of it

-Converted sinners are highly deserving of honor

B. He thought his brother was overpraised

-I’ve seen people that were overpraised

1. When they take credit for something they did not do in their own ability

-We are nothing on our own

-Even as a preacher, I stand on the shoulders of many who have paved the way for me

-Role models

-Teachers

2. When they receive excessive applause for a menial task

-Sometimes out of politeness

-Sometimes out of correctness

-The other son was upset that no party was thrown for him

-What had the prodigal done that was so special?

-All he did was come home

-So the brother thought

-Yet, the brother not only came home, but he repented of what he had done

-It is repentance that yields such a celebration, not simply the attendance

-The other brother had attended for years without ever leaving, but had never given his heart in repentance to the father for the evil that was in it

III. His Wrong View Of The Father

A. He thought his father was unjust

1. Towards his brother

-Brother should have been reprimanded

-Did you ever hope for a sibling’s spanking?

-Telling on them

-Expecting them to be punished

-He thought dad was unfair because he did not reprimand the prodigal

-For wasting the money

-For what he wasted the money on

-For leaving work around the house undone

2. Towards him

-He thought he had deserved better from the father than he had gotten

-Where had been his fatted calf

-Where had been his robe and ring

-Where had been his celebration

B. He thought his father was overly sentimental

1. He watched for the prodigal

-Waiting patiently

-Looking down the road

-Brother would have seen him doing this every day while he was out in the field working

2. He ran to the prodigal

-In Jewish culture, elder Jewish men do not run

-They are treated with the highest honor and dignity

-They are run to

3. He celebrated the return of the prodigal

-It doesn’t get much more sentimental than that

CONCLUSION

-The truth of the matter is this

-The brother was wrong about many things

-Himself

-His brother

-His father

-And He paid the price for his error

-He was invited to the party

-Yet, he chose not to attend