Post by Cindy on Oct 18, 2020 11:01:23 GMT -5
The story that Jesus told about the prodigal son is one that grabs me and convicts me every time I read it. Most of us focus on the prodigal and forget about the older son in the story, but he's important too. When I reflect on his part in the story I see someone that can be a lot like me at times... I see someone who can be self righteous. He was quick to announce all the sins of his younger brother, and say how horrible he was especially in comparison to himself. I'm ashamed to admit how many times in my life I've done something similar!
We're also shown that he's unconcerned about his younger brother. Even though he knows it would make his father happy, he doesn't want his brother to come home! We can be shocked at his selfishness but if I'm honest, I have to admit that I too have been just as selfish at various times in my life.
He's also very angry. He's angry at his brother for disgracing the family name, and angry at his father for welcoming his brother back into the family and forgiving him. Worst of all, he won't forgive either his younger brother or his father for those things. And because his father had accepted his younger brother back into the family and had shown him his love and forgiveness and his joy at having him back, he refused to have anything to do with the family - as though he felt that the family was no longer good enough for him. Then, when he tells his father that he never got a party, he's turning the whole thing around and saying it's all their fault he won't have anything to do with them, as though they won't let him be part of the family. After all, if only they would throw his brother out and pay more attention to him by giving him a party, then he could love them and be with them....
Of course we know that Jesus was using the older brother as a picture of the Pharisees, but like all scripture, it can also convict us and show us sins we need to repent of. The older son, like the Pharisees thought that as long as he obeyed his father, he was saved and all was well. Both thought that they were good enough all by themselves to get into heaven as long as they obeyed the rules. Sadly, if they didn't learn to love, forgive and be reconciled, they would never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. There's so much more we can learn from this brother, but this is long enough for now!
If you'd like to read it again you can find it in Luke 15:11-32.
We're also shown that he's unconcerned about his younger brother. Even though he knows it would make his father happy, he doesn't want his brother to come home! We can be shocked at his selfishness but if I'm honest, I have to admit that I too have been just as selfish at various times in my life.
He's also very angry. He's angry at his brother for disgracing the family name, and angry at his father for welcoming his brother back into the family and forgiving him. Worst of all, he won't forgive either his younger brother or his father for those things. And because his father had accepted his younger brother back into the family and had shown him his love and forgiveness and his joy at having him back, he refused to have anything to do with the family - as though he felt that the family was no longer good enough for him. Then, when he tells his father that he never got a party, he's turning the whole thing around and saying it's all their fault he won't have anything to do with them, as though they won't let him be part of the family. After all, if only they would throw his brother out and pay more attention to him by giving him a party, then he could love them and be with them....
Of course we know that Jesus was using the older brother as a picture of the Pharisees, but like all scripture, it can also convict us and show us sins we need to repent of. The older son, like the Pharisees thought that as long as he obeyed his father, he was saved and all was well. Both thought that they were good enough all by themselves to get into heaven as long as they obeyed the rules. Sadly, if they didn't learn to love, forgive and be reconciled, they would never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. There's so much more we can learn from this brother, but this is long enough for now!
If you'd like to read it again you can find it in Luke 15:11-32.
!!
