About the prodigal son's older brother

Believers, remember the Parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15 and what the father said upon his return from squandering his inheritance, all after embracing and kissing him:

22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began."

But unlike the Father, the older brother was angry, especially as the Father showed love to and celebrated the returnee son. See the account below:

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’"

This older brother is like a Christian that believes that you must give to get from God, not realising that in Christ, all the Father has is his. The older brother even went as far as saying that the Father never gave him as much as a kid to celebrate with his friends despite his hard work!

Just imagine what would have happened if the father was away when the rebellious son returned and he had to deal with his older brother instead. He would have been met with anger and rejection. Worse, he would believe that his father felt the same anger towards him because of his sinful ways. But see the Father's response to the older brother:

31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

Believers, believe right. See our Abba Father's love for us in His response of love to the returnee prodigal son. Beware of those who preach this "older brother" message today; those who say that God is angry with you when you mess things up and will reject you unless you first meet some terms and conditions which only they can prescribe; those who present our loving Abba Father in Christ as a hard Taskmaster whose desire is to punish you and let the devil have a go at you because of the sins that you are trying so hard to give up, as if even they could save themselves from their sins. See Matthew 1:21-

"And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Notice "...He will save His people from their sins." Christ came to save us from those very sins that we struggle with and try to stop doing so that we can be "good Christians." His people are those who require saving from their sins. Those who can save themselves from their sins do not qualify to be His people:)

Hard work and obeying the law can't make anyone right with God. Only Christ's obedience will suffice for this (Romans 5:19.) In fact, trying to keep the law in order to get right with God only serves to cut one off from Christ according to Galatians 5:4- "For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace."

Also see Romans 8:32- "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"

No wonder many are not freely receiving or receiving at all, just like the older brother. They do not believe that God gives us all things FREELY with Christ. By His grace, let's not be found here.

Like Mary in Luke 10, let us choose the good portion which will not be taken away from us. Remember Martha was the one running around in order to provide for Jesus:) but Jesus was refreshed when the Samaritan woman took from Him at the well. With Christ, we don't give to get; we get to give. He loves it when we take and take from Him. Only this way can we do God's good pleasure.

Let's not put the cart before the horse. When we come to Him empty of all of our filthy rags righteousnesses and law-keeping and receive the abundance of grace and His gift of righteousness, He fills us to overflowing so much that, like Abraham, we get to do faith works. His blessings overflowing in our lives spill over into the lives of others so much that we get to be a blessing to those around us, like Joseph in Potiphar's house. In Him, we can't help but live right and be a blessing to others.

The law says to the lame man: "Walk, or die!" But Grace (our Lord Jesus Christ) tells the lame man (aka sinner) who believes: "Receive the ability to walk and start running faster than Usain Bolt! I am running with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you! I will help you when you stumble! I will never do SMH at you. I am your righteousness and your strength! I will save you from your sins!"

Believers in Christ, thank God that we are not under Law but under Grace where sin does not have dominion over us. Move away from believing like the prodigal son's older brother who thought he had to earn the Father's blessings. Receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness and live in triumph over sin and death through our Saviour Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17.)

Our Abba Father loves us so!

Believe Right and you will Live Right.

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