Compare the elder brother's reaction to Jonah's in Jonah 4:1-3. Setting the Scene • Both accounts show God’s mercy shining on undeserving sinners. • Both Jonah and the elder brother respond with anger instead of joy. Jonah 4:1-3 “ But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. So he prayed to the LORD: ‘O LORD, is this not what I said while I was still in my own land? This is why I was so quick to flee toward Tarshish. For I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion, One who relents from sending disaster. And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.’ ” Luke 15:28-30 “ The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed your commandment. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ ” A Side-by-Side Snapshot • Anger: – Jonah “became angry.” – The elder brother “became angry.” • Cause of anger: mercy shown to others. • View of self: – Jonah saw himself as a patriotic prophet who deserved God’s favor more than Nineveh. – The elder brother saw himself as the dutiful son who deserved favor more than the prodigal. • View of God/Father: – Jonah accused God of being “too” compassionate. – The elder brother accused his father of being “too” generous. • Words of complaint: – Jonah argued that his prior obedience should have been rewarded by judgment on Nineveh. – The elder brother argued that his years of obedience should have been rewarded by a feast for himself. • Desired outcome: – Jonah preferred death to seeing Nineveh forgiven. – The elder brother preferred isolation to joining the celebration of his brother’s return. Shared Heart Issues • Self-righteousness: trust in personal performance rather than grace (Romans 9:30-32). • Entitlement: expectation that obedience obligates God to reward (Luke 18:9-14). • Misunderstanding of mercy: anger reveals they see grace as a limited commodity. • Fleshly anger: “Man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires” (James 1:20). Contrasting Endings • Jonah: the book closes with God questioning Jonah, leaving his response unknown, underscoring the call to repent of hard-heartedness. • Elder brother: the parable ends with the father’s appeal hanging in the air, pressing listeners to examine their own hearts. Lessons for Today • God delights to show mercy (Ephesians 2:4-5). • Obedience is a grateful response to grace, not a bargaining chip (Titus 3:4-7). • Celebrating others’ redemption reflects the Father’s heart (Psalm 103:8-13). • Guard against resentment when grace upends expectations (Philippians 2:3-4). Looking to the Greater Brother • Jesus, the true Elder Brother, left His throne to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). • Rather than sulk, He “endured the cross” so prodigals and prophets alike could be welcomed home (Hebrews 12:2). |
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