What does Luke 15:29 teach about serving God with the right heart? Setting the Scene • Luke 15 records Jesus’ parable of the two sons. • The younger son squandered his inheritance and returned repentant; the father welcomed him with a feast. • The spotlight then shifts to the older son, whose reaction exposes the inner attitude Jesus wants us to examine. The Older Son’s Complaint Luke 15:29: “But he answered, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed your commandment. Yet you never gave me a young goat, so I could celebrate with my friends.’” Key observations: • “All these years I have served” – a lifetime of outward faithfulness. • “Never disobeyed” – scrupulous rule-keeping. • “Yet you never gave me” – focus on perceived lack of reward. • “So I could celebrate with my friends” – desire for self-centered pleasure rather than fellowship with the father. The verse exposes not actions but attitudes—revealing how easy it is to serve correctly yet harbor a wrong heart. Serving Out of Duty vs. Devotion Duty-driven service (older son) • Measures faithfulness by length of service and flawless performance. • Keeps score of what God “owes” in return. • Finds motivation in obligation, fear of missing out, or comparison with others. Devotion-driven service (the father desires) • Flows from intimacy and gratitude (Luke 15:31). • Counts it joy simply to be with the Father (Psalm 16:11). • Rests in sonship, not slavery (Galatians 4:7). Indicators of a Wrong Heart • Resentment when others are blessed (Matthew 20:11-15). • A transactional view: “I did X, so God must do Y” (Malachi 3:14). • Joyless obedience—going through motions without love (Revelation 2:3-4). • Pride in spiritual résumé (Philippians 3:6-9). Cultivating a Right Heart in Service 1. Remember identity: loved children, not hired hands (Romans 8:15-17). 2. Serve from gratitude for grace already received (Titus 2:11-14). 3. Seek the Father’s pleasure above personal reward (Colossians 3:23-24). 4. Celebrate God’s mercy toward others—proof the family is healthy (Luke 15:7). 5. Examine motives regularly; the Lord weighs the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Key Takeaways • Right actions without right affections can still miss the Father’s heart. • God values relationship over mere rule-keeping. • True service springs from love, gratitude, and delight in the Father’s presence. Supporting Scriptures • 1 John 5:3 — “For this is the love of God: that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” • 2 Corinthians 5:14 — “For Christ’s love compels us…” • Micah 6:8 — “He has shown you… what is good… to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” |
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