The Other Brother

THE OTHER BROTHER

Luke 15: 25-32

This morning we are going to talk about an issue that seems to be extremely difficult for people, perhaps even some of us, to do.

In fact, some people have decided they cannot attend worship services because they are unwilling to do this.
You have heard it, and I have to: “Well, God may forgive them, but not me!”

We are going to conclude our study of Luke 15 today by looking at the “Other Brother”…and as we study this morning hopefully we will learn some things that we need to know about forgiveness.

Not only what is expected of us as God’s people…but how God has forgiven us.

And, we might also learn that you do not necessarily have to go to the “distant country” to be separated from the Father.

Let’s review the story that Jesus tells again.

A father has two sons….and the youngest one tells his father that he wants his share of the estate.

The youngest son gets his inheritance and he goes to the “distant country” where he squanders all that he has on “loose living” or “riotous living.”
As a result the boy eventually finds himself feeding the pigs of a man who cares more about the pigs than he does the boy.
The boy is starving to death…and so the boy comes to his senses and he realizes that the “distant country” wasn’t all that he thought it would be…and he realizes that he would be better off at home…even if he had to be a “hired man.”
So he gets up and he goes home…and as he is approaching, his father sees him…and runs to him…and embraces him…and kisses him.
Now it is important that you notice what the boy does. The boy tells his father, “I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
And the father allows the confession but he does not allow the concession…and the father restores him back into full son-ship…the father treats him as though he had never left…and the father is so happy about the boys return that he kills the fattened calf…and they celebrate.

And that brings us to verse 25 and our study today.

Everyone celebrates the younger brother’s return except for the older brother.
The older brother is out in the field…and as he is approaching the house he hears all the music and dancing and celebration taking place.
And when he finds out why all this is going on…in verse 28 it says, “He became angry…and was not willing to go into the house.”

It was ok for the father to restore the younger brother to son-ship…but he sure wasn’t going too.

The father could forgive all he wanted…but not this son.

Why? Why wasn’t this boy willing to forgive? His brother acknowledged his sin and was willing to be a simple “hired hand.” Why wasn’t this boy willing to forgive like his father was?

For the same reasons perhaps that we sometimes don’t want to forgive.
Look at some of the reasons we don’t forgive.
Look what he says in verse 29.

His father comes out and pleads with the boy and the boy says: “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 kid that I might be merry with my friends…”

Do you see why he won’t forgive? The reason why he won’t forgive is because of his own self-righteousness!

“I have never disobeyed you like he did!”
“I have never done what he has done.”
“I have never gone to the distant country.”

Is that one of the reasons why we don’t want to forgive people?

A man commits adultery…God forgives him…but we won’t because “we have never committed adultery…well, at least not physically…we may have in our hearts.
But because we have never committed the act of adultery we aren’t going to forgive him.
At least not like God does…”Oh, he can come to church…but he can’t lead a prayer or wait on the table.”

A sister lies…but we aren’t going to forgive her because we have never lied!

Tell me, other than an infant, who in here has never told a lie?

Do we refuse to forgive someone because “I didn’t do that so they shouldn’t have either?”

But you know what…we often do what we refuse to forgive someone else for?

Someone spreads a little gossip on us…and we find out about it…and boy…we are never going to forgive them for it…because we don’t do that!
And then the very next day…we are gossiping about someone else.

Which of us has been so perfect in our righteousness that we did not need to be forgiven?

And if we have been forgiven…should we not forgive others?

God thinks so because in Matthew 6:15 Christ says, “If you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”

And sometimes the offense can be pretty bad. Remember Jesus on the cross and after being so unfairly treated, what was the first thing He said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

If Christ, as righteous as He was, is willing to forgive others…shouldn’t we?

Refusing to forgive; bearing a grudge only hurts the one who refuses to forgive.

Look at another reason this boy refuses to forgive…look at the end of verse 29. He says, “You have never given me a kid that I might make merry with my friends.”

This boy is jealous!

This boy is jealous of the attention his younger brother is receiving.
While his brother was away…he was the only son.
But now that his brother is back…well, he isn’t the only show in town now.

Do we ever refuse to forgive someone because we are jealous?

Jealous of the fact that God might forgive them too?
Jealous of the fact that they might get as much or more attention than we do?
Jealous of the fact that they now have the same standing with God as we do?

While they are out there in the “distant country” and suffering we pat ourselves on the back and say, “Look what kind of a mess they are in and look at how good I am.”

But then they come home…and we aren’t any better than they are anymore?
We can’t look down on them any more?

Are we are jealous because of all the attention they receive?

“People are greeting him and hugging him, and inviting him over for supper…but they never did that to me!”

Jealousy is a powerful thing…it was the chief cause behind these Jews and scribes crucifying Christ; Mark 15:10.

They were jealous of the attention He was getting from the people.
And their jealousy caused them to deny and reject Him as the Messiah.
As a result, their own jealousy destroyed them.

And jealousy can cause us to refuse to forgive another…and as a result, our own jealousy can and will destroy us.

Listen to these words found in Eph. 4: 31-32: Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

This older brother was jealous of the attention…and the compassion…and the restored relationship that his younger brother received…and if that is what is causing us to fail to forgive, we better put it away.

Look at another reason why this older brother refused to forgive his younger brother…look at verse 30: “When this son of yours…”

Notice, he doesn’t even acknowledge him as his brother!

“When this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with harlots…”

“Look what he has done!”
“He took your money…your wealth…what you gave him…and used it on harlots!”
“How can you forgive that?”

“If it had been just a little lie…I could see forgiving that.”

“Or if it had just been a little drinking party…that’s not so bad.”

“But this boy “devoured your wealth.”

“I mean, he showed no restraint…no control…he devoured what was yours…indulging in prostitutes. “
“And what have you done dad? You killed the fattened calf…you restored him to son-ship…you forgave him!”

Are there some sins that we just cannot and will not forgive?

“He was rude to me!”
“The elders never came to see me when I was sick.”
“The preacher didn’t invite me over.”
“She used to drink.”
“She used to work in a bar.”
“He took another man’s wife.”
“He has been married and divorced before.”
“He used to teach this or teach that.”
And let me tell you one of the worst: “When my son was on your little league team you didn’t let him pitch!”

We often deny it, but there are some sins that, God can forgive, “but not me.”

Look with me to 1 Corinthians 6:9. Notice these sins.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor {the} covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Pretty bad sins aren’t they?

In fact, they are about as bad as they come.

But look at the next verse: 1 Cor 6:11

And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.

If God will forgive those sins…shouldn’t we?

Back in Luke 15, notice what the father tells the older son in verse 31 and 32: “And he said to him, ‘My child, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.

If we are in fellowship with the father and all that He has is ours…what is there to be jealous of?
The only reason we would be jealous is if we selfishly want to keep it all for ourselves.

‘But we had to be merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and {has begun} to live, and {was} lost and has been found.”

Why did they have to be merry and rejoice?
Because if that boy or anyone else can’t find forgiveness at home where will they find it?

Look back up in verses 1 and 2 of this chapter.

Notice that the tax gathers and sinners were coming to listen to Jesus?
Why? Why were they coming to listen to Jesus but wouldn’t have anything to do with the scribes and Pharisees?
Because Christ gave them hope…he taught them about forgiveness and restoration to son-ship.
While the Pharisees and the scribes refused to forgive them at all.

Now, just a couple of quick points and we will close.

It may be that some one here this morning doesn’t think that God can or will forgive you.

Think about what this younger boy did.
He devoured his father’s wealth and used it on harlots.
That is pretty bad.

Just as this boy’s father forgave him…our Father will forgive you and restore you to son-ship…just as if you had never left….no matter what you have done…or how long you did it.

But the only way He can forgive you…is if you come home.

Now, understand this, we have a lot of good people here in this congregation…people who love God and who desire to obey His will.

But understand, some may not be as quick to forgive as the Father is.
Don’t let that stop you from coming home….what is important is that you get things right with God.

One more thing: I want you to notice in verse 28 that the “father” had to “come out and entreat” to this older son.

We understand that the younger son was separated from the father because of his sinful life style.
But understand, we can stay at home and serve the father, and like this older son, we can keep every commandment our father gives us, but if our heart is not right…we can be just as far away from the father as the younger son was.

We call this story the story of the “Prodigal Son”…

Perhaps we should rename it and call it the story of the “Prodigal Sons.”

And it makes no difference which one of the two boys you may be…the father wants you to come home.

Will you do that this morning?