The One week 4

Family Found part 2

This morning as we look at the second part of Family Found, the second half of the parable of the prodigal son, we will see the older son’s perspective.

The older son comes and in a sense questions his father’s motives, he does not agree with the celebration of the younger son, his brother.

The key thought this morning is:

You can live in the Father’s house and still miss the Father’s heart.

The message this morning is looking at Family found part 2 from the older brother’s perspective, the Lost Son Who Never Left

When we talk about Luke 15, most people think about the younger brother or the father.

But Jesus ends the story without resolving the older brother’s response.

Why? Because the Pharisees—the original audience—are the older brother.

There was a group who was coming to listen to Jesus, if we remember back to the beginning of the chapter, and week one.

Luke 15:1–2 NASB95

1 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

The group was the sinners, but Jesus heard what the Pharisees were saying about Him receiving sinners, and so in these parables He addresses the Pharisees.

The parables were meant for everyone, but in this last section Jesus brings in the older brother, the Pharisees, what we would refer to as the religious people, or the holier than thou, and some see church people as the older brother.

This sermon is about those who:

Stayed faithful

Did the right things

But quietly grew resentful, distant, and joyless

Sometimes the most lost people are the ones closest to home.

Last week we looked at the first half of this parable, as the younger son asked for his portion of the inheritance, he then gathered his belongings and went out into the world.

The younger son blew all his money and a famine hit the area, and the younger son was forced to work for a hog farmer, and eat the slop he was feeding to the hogs.

He eventually came to his senses when he realized his father’s own employees have it better than he does, and he decides to return home to ask for a job with his father.

As he is approaching his father’s farm, his father sees him and runs to him, gives him a rob, a ring, and shoes, then calls for the fatted calf to be prepared for a celebration.

Now we come to the Older brother and see this situation from his perspective.

Luke 15:25–32 NASB95

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 “And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. 27 “And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 “But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. 29 “But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; 30 but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ 31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 ‘But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’ ”

Pray

I. THE OLDER BROTHER’S DISTANCE

Luke 15:25–27 NASB95

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 “And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. 27 “And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’

Here we see that the older son is physically near but emotionally far

The older son hears celebration but doesn’t join it

He asks a servant instead of the father which reveals relational distance

Key Insight:

Faithfulness without intimacy leads to isolation.

Application:

You can serve God without enjoying God

You can work for the Father and not walk with the Father

My dad has said there is a difference in church work and God’s work, sometimes we get so caught up doing things that it is not God focused or God called and it is just church work.

Reflection Question:

Ask yourself, Do I know what God is doing in my life—or only what I’m doing for Him?

II. THE OLDER BROTHER’S ANGER

Luke 15:28 NASB95

28a “But he became angry and was not willing to go in;

The older son’s anger reveals what celebration exposed:

It exposed Resentment

It exposed Comparison

and it exposed Entitlement

Entitlement is something we see a lot these days.

What Anger Reveals:

When someone gets angry, especially in a situation like this parable, they say or think “I deserve more.”

or “This isn’t fair.” How many times have we heard a child say this is not fair, or maybe we have said it or thought it.

or in anger someone may say “I’ve earned something.”

Grace always offends those who believe they’ve earned their place.

Application:

Who are you angry that God is being gracious toward?

What mercy is being shown toward others, that feels like injustice to you?

III. THE OLDER BROTHER’S HEART CONDITION

Luke 15:29–30 NASB95

29 “But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; 30 but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

Notice the older son’s language:

“I have been serving you” this shows duty without delight

“Yet you have never given me…” this reveals transactional faith

“This son of yours…” brings up a broken relationship

The Tragedy:

The older son obeyed the Father; But he never trusted the Father’s goodness

Obedience without love turns sons into servants.

We are called the sons and daughters of God, but when we serve God out of duty and not out of love we make ourselves servants and not sons and daughters.

Application:

Do you see God as a Father—or an employer?

Are you serving from love or from leverage?

IV. THE FATHER’S PURSUING LOVE

Luke 15:28 NASB95

28b and his father came out and began pleading with him.

Luke 15:31–32 NASB95

31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 ‘But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’ ”

The father humbles himself again—this time for the older son

Same love. Same pursuit. Same grace.

The father says “Everything I have is yours” another words he is saying to the older son, access has always been available to you

Key Truth:

The older brother was never excluded—just unwilling to accept the circumstances.

The Father doesn’t just run toward rebels—He also steps toward the resentful.

Application:

God isn’t asking you to earn your place

He’s inviting you to enjoy your inheritance

V. THE UNFINISHED ENDING

WILL YOU GO IN?

(Jesus leaves the story open)

We never hear the older brother’s response

Because the real question is for us

Final Question:

Will you stand outside rehearsing your résumé —or step inside and celebrate grace?

CONCLUSION:

Family Found Isn’t Just About Coming Home—It’s About Staying Soft

The younger brother shows us reckless rebellion

The older brother shows us respectable lostness

The Father shows us relentless love

Family is found not by performance, but by presence.

Family is not about blood, it is about those who are there for you.

Family is not about blood, it is about love.

CLOSING CHALLENGE:

Lay down comparison

Release resentment

Rejoin the celebration

Rediscover the Father’s heart

For the month of February we will be looking at the Father’s heart.