The Other Brother

Introduction

I today’s society we search and search for quick way to fix self. We are constantly looking for 5 easy steps to make a better version of self.

If you have been to the book store lately there is a section dedicated specifically for self-help books. Research shows that the self - movement has exploded into an 11 billion dollar industry solely dedicated to telling us how to improve our lives. The report also pointed out that there are over 45,000 self-help books in print.

Now I know that most teenagers don’t hang out at the book store but y'all do hang out on social media, where there are thousands of ad’s, videos and articles showing and telling you how to improve self.

Despite these thousands of fix-it guides, most of us readily admit we need help in certain areas of our lives. The problem is we turn to the wrong resources in trying to fix those problems. Although some of these books, ad’s, videos, and articles may give us good pointers, they DON’T get to the root of the problem.

Think about when your really sick. You know something is wrong a couple of days before the actual sickness kicks in, you can actually feel sickness starting to take over your body. So you start taking stuff like Tylenol, Ibuprofen, or drugs like that.

Although those drugs make you feel some what normal for a period of time, you have not toughed the root of your sickness. It’s only when you go to the doctor and get checked out. The doctor listens to what you say is wrong, does a thorough check up on you in order to determine the root cause of your sickness. Then he prescribes medication specifically for your sickness in order to make you better.

You see at first you were trying to help your self only to find out that your self could not fix the problem. You had to go to a professional in order for him/her to find the root cause of your problem.

But because we are all too aware that ourselves need help, we are often quick to jump on this misery merry-go-round of trying six steps to better our lives and expecting better results.

Hers the thing though:

We know something is wrong.

We even know what we want to change.

Our diagnosis is spot-on, but the medication we prescribe ourselves really never dos the trick.

To sum all of this up in a phrase, here is what I would say:

If self could help, then we would all have been fixed a long time ago!

If we go back and look at the examples I gave such as the doctor example, our problems could be fixed permanently.

1st: You realized something was wrong. ( you were not feeling very good, so you tried to self prescribe)

2nd: You realized that was not working, so a light bulb went off in your head and gave you an awakening. (point #1)

3rd: Because of your awakening, you had to be honest (point #2) with yourself realizing that you can’t fix this problem.

4th: You took action (point #3) by going to someone who could prescribe exactly what you needed in order to fix your problem.

In order to fix your problems you must:

Have an Awakening

Be Honest with yourself.

And finally take Action.

In our story tonight we will see to brothers on a different scale realizing that they need an Awakening, need to be Honest with themselves, and take Action.

Turn with me in your bible to:

Luke 15:11–32 ESV

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 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.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”