What can we learn from the elder son's attitude in Luke 15:25? Setting the Scene “Meanwhile the older son was in the field. As he approached the house, he heard music and dancing” (Luke 15:25). Jesus places the elder brother outside the celebration to spotlight what is happening inside his heart. Key Observations from Luke 15:25-28 • Distance: He is physically near home yet emotionally removed. • Suspicion: Rather than entering to see for himself, he summons a servant (v.26). • Anger: “He became angry and refused to go in” (v.28). • Comparison: “All these years I have served you… yet you never gave me a young goat” (v.29). • Misunderstanding the Father: The father says, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours” (v.31). Heart Issues Revealed • Self-righteousness – He measures worth by performance (cf. Romans 3:23). • Entitlement – Service becomes leverage for rewards (cf. Matthew 20:11-15). • Resentment – Grace toward another feels like loss to him (cf. Jonah 4:1-2). • Joylessness – Duty without delight keeps him outside the feast (cf. Philippians 4:4). • Disconnection – He works for the father yet misses the father’s heart (cf. Revelation 2:2-4). Lessons for Today • Obedience without love breeds bitterness. Genuine service flows from relationship, not transaction (John 14:15). • Comparison steals celebration. Another’s restoration magnifies God’s mercy, not our deficiency (1 Corinthians 12:26). • Refusing grace leaves us outside the party. Salvation is by grace alone, not seniority or labor (Ephesians 2:8-9). • The Father pursues both rebels and rule-keepers. He “went out and pleaded” with the elder son (v.28), just as He ran to the prodigal (v.20). Guarding Against Elder-Brother Syndrome • Cultivate gratitude: “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). • Celebrate God’s work in others: “Rejoice with those who rejoice” (Romans 12:15). • Remember your own need for mercy daily (Lamentations 3:22-23). • Serve from sonship, not for sonship: we already belong (Galatians 4:7). • Invite the Spirit to replace bitterness with fruit—“love, joy, peace…” (Galatians 5:22-23). Embracing the Father’s Heart The father’s final words, “It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again” (Luke 15:32), call us inside the banquet. When we lay down pride and join the rejoicing, we mirror the Father’s grace and experience His joy. |
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