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Truths For The Prodigal

Lesson #6

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU

Text: Luke 15:25-30

Intro

1. A British writer by the name of Eric Blair, pen-name George Orwell (1903-1950), hated totalitarianism, and he wrote several books and many essays on the loss of freedom for modernn man. Many have read Animal Farm, which is an anti-utopian novel critical of communism in Russia. Another widely read book was called 1984, and it cynically predicted that by 1984, man would be under constant surveillance and control of the government, nicknamed “Big Brother.”

That’s the kind of Big Brother that was actually the force and threat of one realizing

true freedom.

2. While the “big brother” in this parable is not that powerful, not powerful enough to

keep his younger brother from experiencing true liberty of the soul in Christ, he is

powerful force that cannot be denied.

3. The elder brother existed in Jesus’ day... and he exists today as well.

a) Don’t be too shocked when you learn for the first time that not every person

who claims to be a Christian is thrilled with new people coming to Christ.

b) While it is the right and natural response to be excited and welcome a lost sheep

back into the fold, not everyone is always so joyful.

c) Illustration: I recall a FWB church in another city struggling to grow and, in

fact, seeing some growth. It bothered, however, some of the

older, longer-term members and one lady even felt it her calling

to go up to the visitors and kindly let them know that they had

enough church members for their church.

The-elder-brother-syndrome.

It’s not a very pretty picture of Christ and such people actually do

damage to the cause of Christ by hurting His reputation. Many times

in small, rural churches it amounts to a power-struggle. And in

such pettiness and bitterness, the unsaved determine Hell must be

better than Heaven.

Others just look for another church to call home.

Forgive Us Our Sins As We Forgive

How can Your pardon reach and bless

the unforgiving heart

That broods on wrongs and will not let

old bitterness depart?

In blazing light Your cross reveals

the truth we dimly know;

How small the debts men owe to us;

how great our debt to You.

Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls,

and bid resentment cease;

Then reconciled to God and man,

our lives will spread your peace.

---Rosamond E. Herklots

4. Let’s read about the elder brother in Luke 15:25-30.

*******

I. IT’S A DECISION WE MAKE

A. Consider Every Choice

1. Illustration: Paul “Bear” Bryant established his record at the University of

Alabama as the winningest college football coach ever.

Coach Bryant often told sportswriters that every football

game turned on a few key plays. To him it all boiled down

to the players being prepared for those plays and making

the right decisions when they happened.

2. Making the right decision as a critical point can ensure health, success,

and well-being---physically, materially, and spiritually.

3. The wrong choice can lead to personal disaster, family conflict, and

ultimate ruin.

4. Choices we have already noted:

#1. The younger son CHOSE to ask for his portion of the

inheritance.

#2. The younger son CHOSE to leave home and squander away

his money with riotous living.

#3. The father CHOSE to watch for his son faithfully.

#4. The father CHOSE to be long-suffering, not angry, not bitter.

#5. The younger son CHOSE to return to his father humbly asking

for forgiveness and seeking employment as a servant.

B. The Image of A Big Brother Hero

1. What about the elder brother’s decisions??? Didn’t he make some as

well???

#1. He CHOSE not to leave home as his younger brother did.

#2. He CHOSE to remain home, do his job, and take care of his

father.

#3. He CHOSE to be faithful, loyal, and diligent.

2. What kind of reputation do you think the elder brother may have had

in the community?

#1. Conscientious - probably had done well educationally

#2. Stable - his father could count on him

#3. Helpful - always there to help

They might have said:

• “What solid character he has!”

• “Any father would be proud to call him his son.”

• “He’d make a fine catch for some lucky girl.”

3. APPEARANCES can be deceiving.

While it appeared that all the decisions were good one, the elder

brother made an internal decision that was the WRONG choice.

There would come a day when that decision in his heart would

surface for everyone to see.

4. Fact: The choice the elder brother made was potentially just as devastating as that of the prodigal son.

The elder son chose:

Bitterness & Resentment

at the two most important people in his life.

5. While he appeared outwardly to be the community hero, on the inside

he was just another angry, resentful person, trying to keep his true

feelings hidden from the people around him.

6. POINT: Both sons were prodigal sons.

a) Both were “dysfunctional.”

b) And this is a family where the father (parents) were good parents,

it would seem.

7. Many fathers have come to the point that they realize that their own

children lack vital character traits that they themselves have and

choose to live by.

The elder brother may have been very conscientious, extremely

responsible. But he lacks the people skills of his father, the better

part of his father’s compassionate character. We don’t see a

brother here who knows the value of acceptance and encouragement.

How easy it is to get wrapped up in the details of doing and totally

forget the most important things. It’s the struggle between focusing

on programs (works) over people (souls). It’s the old conflict between doing and being.

8. Illustrations: This is the story of the business man that gets so wrapped

up in stopping shoplifting by purchasing cameras,

electronic equipment, guards, etc. that he forgets

the purpose of his business is to bring customers

into a friendly environment and make them feel

welcome. Focus on the shoplifters and you’ll forget

the customers and lose the business.

This is the story of the church who hired a youth director

who was so concerned about locking up the church

at night and the premises being kept clean that he

forgot his ministry was with teenagers who had real

needs.

It’s the old principle of:

Failing to see the forest for the trees.

9. The elder brother understood responsibilities, but he failed to see the

importance of relationships.

10. God’s law can be summed up in one word: Love

• A whole-hearted love for God...

• An unconditional love for people...

It was obvious that the religious crowd, the Pharisees,

were lacking in love for people.(see Luke 10:25-37)

11. The younger brother is called “the prodigal son,” but the same term

can be applied to the elder brother...and it began with a bitter

attitude that erupted when his younger brother came home.

The elder brother’s heart wasn’t really in the home or the family

of his father.

*******

II. “IT’S NOT MY PARTY!”

A. Don’t You Wonder How This Was Discovered?

1. Perhaps, the elder brother came in for lunch; perhaps, it was at the end

of the day, after all the chores were done.

2. When he heard the sounds of a celebration he may have scratched his

head and thought, “That’s funny. I don’t recall scheduling a social

in my Franklin/Daytimer calendar.”

3. Or maybe he actually suspected all along that his brother had returned and

he knew this was going to mean an unpleasant confrontation.

B. Big Brother’s Response

1. The father wasn’t surprised, it would seem, that his wandering boy had

returned; after all, he had been looking for him.

2. I imagine that the elder brother was stirred to anger whenever his father

prayed for his lost son...and for him to return home.

3. One thing is certain: This big brother bears no resemblance to either of

the main characters in the other two, preceding parables---the shepherd who sought his lost sheep or the housewife who sought her missing coin.

Notice the presence and absence of joy.

4. His lack of concern for his lost brother is shameful.

5. We all attend a Bible-believing, sin-hating, soul winning church. Our

church family understands that people need the Lord as their

personal Savior. When someone gets saved there is rejoicing in

Heaven, but there is also rejoicing right here in this church.

But in a church our size, it is possible that we have some very

religious people who aren’t all that joyful over prodigal brothers

and sisters coming “Home.”

6. The rage that surfaces in the dialog with his father, has been simmering

in the older brother’s heart for a long time.

C. The Bitter, Bigger Brother

1. Read again verses 29-30.

2. Paul warns the church about unhealthy communication in relationships in

Ephesians 4:26. He also warns against revenge in Romans 12:19

and I Thessalonians 5:15.

a) We are witnessing a selfish anger in these verses. And this anger

has now surfaced in the form of bitterness.

b) Be sure that you recognize that this older brother’s attitude

depicted in these two verses is bound up in the purpose of

Jesus telling this story.

1) A group listening to Jesus were snobbish, arrogant, and

self-righteous. They saw NO spiritual need on their

own part.

2) More than this, they exhibited a bitter hostility and intense

anger toward Jesus because of His warm acceptance

of those who were sinners.

3. What causes bitterness like this in a life?

Five Major Causes of Bitterness:

#1. Intense Jealousy

See Acts 8:32.

#2. Harsh Lack of Love

See Colossians 3:19.

#3. Prolonged Anger + Unforgiving Spirit

See Ephesians 4:31.

#4. Interpersonal Conflict or Strife

See James 3:14.

#5. Failure to Respond Properly to Difficulty

See Hebrews 12:15.

4. There is an anger and bitterness that is hurting the father of the sons.

It hurt him to know his son would not join in the party, join in

the family celebration.

Isn’t it interesting to note how the compassion extended to the

straying prodigal son is now offered to the hypocritical older

son?

God cares about both the publicans/sinners and the Pharisees.

The father left the celebration to come to his older son. He showed

no favoritism, no scolding, no sermon...just an invitation to come

in.

5. One of the traits we all need to sharpen here is the ability to just listen

to others in situations like this. Sometimes people need to get the

emotion out of their systems and they need a compassionate

friend to listen.

6. On an earthly plane there could have been some problems between

the elder son and his father. Perhaps, his dad had taken him for

granted or given out responsibility without any rewards or just

allowing an emotional distance to grow between them.

It is not uncommon for fathers to be known to be unable to verbalize

their feelings for their children like they should, often like they even

desire to.

7. It seems the older brother had written his younger brother off as someone

who had wasted their inheritance and was now restored.

One of the things that leads to this kind of attitude is establishing

a personal hierarch of sins. Sins like visiting protitutes would rank

pretty high on the list, but sins of anger, bitterness, stubbornness,

and an unforgiving spirit were lower on his list.

8. Read the last two verses (31-32).

a) We are left with an invitation by the father for his son to come

home, too. “Leave your bitterness and come inside where

there is joy and peace.”

b) And so we close the story with two men facing each other.

*******

Conclusion:

1. Did you find yourself in today’s lesson?

a) How are your relationships with your brother or sister? Your parents? Your

children? Your friend? Your neighbor? Your colleague at work?

b) Bitterness cannot be kept hidden indefinitely.

2. Can anything be done?

a) As long as you have breath in your body, there is opportunity to go to the

person and make it right.

b) Be reconciled.