The Sins of the Prodigal’s Brother

A. This morning we’re going to look at an often overlooked Bible character. The bad brother seems to get all the attention and vilification. He’s always used as the bad example we teach our kids. But what about the older brother? I’m here to tell you that his sin was no less egregious to the father than the younger son’s riotous living out in the world and squandering his inheritance. The reason, I believe we don’t spend time on the elder son who dutifully stayed at home, is because he is guilty of the respectable sins most of us are guilty of in our own lives. Let’s take a look.

Luke 15:25–32 NKJV

25 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ 28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ 31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”

A. The prodigal’s return was a glad scene.

1. We see the father running to meet the prodigal.

2. There is great joy over the returning one.

B. But there is one man who missed out on the blessing.

1. The elder brother returns from the field.

2. He refuses to enter into the joy and therefore misses out.

3. What caused the elder brother to miss the joy of this occasion?

The Sin of a Negative, Critical, Grumbling Spirit (v. 28)

Luke 15:28 NKJV

28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.

A. The parable’s final section describes the attitude of the older brother, who symbolized the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. They had the same attitude toward the sinners as the older son had toward the younger son. They thought “sinners” weren’t worthy of sharing in the kingdom.

B. Interestingly the father went out and pleaded with the older brother to go to the feast. Jesus ate with Pharisees as well as sinners. He didn’t desire to exclude the Pharisees and teachers of the Law from the kingdom. The message was an invitation to everyone.

C. The older brother was angry because he had never been honored with a feast even though, as he said, All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders (v. 29). Those words betrayed the fact that the older brother thought he had a relationship with his father because of his work. He served his father not out of love but out of a desire for reward. He even thought of himself as being in bondage to his father.

D. The father pointed out that the older son had had the joy of being in the house all the time, and now he should rejoice with the father in his brother’s return. The words, You are always with me and everything I have is yours, suggest the religious leaders’ privileged position as members of God’s Chosen People. They were the recipients and guardians of the covenants and the Law (Rom. 3:1–2; 9:4). Rather than feeling angry, they should rejoice that others were joining them and would be a part of the kingdom.

E. Today, one of the principal evidences of our need is our negativism, our complaining, our griping.

F. How different we are from the early believers.

a. Paul could praise in prison and we pout in prosperity.

b. Paul gloried in his infirmities and we growl in affluence.

c. If you grumble and growl all day, don’t be surprised if you’re dog-tired at night.

F. Never have Christians had so much and appreciated it so little as in our day.

G. What do some Christians grumble about?

a. Some grumble about their family members.

b. Some grumble about their jobs, the government.

c. Some even grumble about their Heavenly Father’s weather.

d. Some are specialists at finding faults.

e. Some grumble about their churches, pastors, deacons.

H. Revived hearts find enough in Jesus to keep them praising!

I. The older brother missed out on the joy because of the sin of a negative, critical, grumbling spirit. And second, he suffered from...

The Sin of an Offended Spirit (vv. 29, 30)

Luke 15:29–30 NKJV

29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

A. The problem: vs. 30, “But as soon as this son of yours came home, who went out and sowed his wild oats, you killed the fatted calf for him.” We could put that in our vernacular and say, “You went out and bought 100lbs of crawfish for the spoiled brat. When was the last time you did that for me?”

B. The older brother had a bad attitude. And furthermore, by staying outside the house, the older brother humiliated his father and his brother.

C. How much of the work of God is hindered by this sin?

D. Here’s what an offended spirit did to him:

1. It made him grumble when it was time to glory (28, 29)

2. It made him exaggerate his own righteousness (v. 29)

3. It made him feel sorry for himself. (v. 29)

4. It made him forget all he had as a son of the father (v. 31)

E. No wonder things are not as they ought to be: if you or I have something against someone, make it right!

F. The older brother missed out on the joy because of the sin of a negative, critical, grumbling spirit. And second, he suffered from the sin of an offended spirit. And third...

The Sin of a Compassionless Heart (v. 30)

Luke 15:30 NKJV

30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

A. Why was the prodigal’s brother unmoved by his return?

B. Because he had been unmoved at his being away.

C. He had worked hard on the family farm but was unlike his father. He didn’t seem to care about his missing brother.

D. The Father cares about all those lost sheep who are out in the field. Do you?

Conclusion:

A. The Elder brother is typically neglected in Sunday School or sermons because our sins are revealed through studying him.

B. Do you see yourself in this wayward older brother?

C. Confess those “respectable sins” and know the joy of the Lord again.