Usually when most pastors tackle luke 15:11-32 their focus is always on the younger brother. Yet in the book "Prodigal God" Tim Keller shows how both the younger and the older brother are equally lost.
The younger brother represents the wild child. You know the person whos always drinking and partying and doing all the 'big sins'.This brother willingly embraces a life of sin. They want nothing to do with the father and will do everything in their power to stay far away from him.
The older brother represents the polished every sunday church goer. They know all the right words to say, every song memorized, always
Carrying their bible. Yet they also want nothing to do with the father. They believe their good works can grant them good favor with the father and will exempt them from actually getting to know him.
“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; " Mat 15:8
I relate with the older brother the most. Always looking down on those whos sins were in the open for all to see. I was blind to see that I too was in desperate need for a savior. I thought if I was obedient to my parents, I didnt curse, and I was actively invovled in church activities I was on good standing with God and on my way to heaven. How wrong I was. Im so grateful God opened my eyes to see my older brother atitude. We all deserve hell. There was nothing I could do to save myself. My righteous deeds were like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).
Praise the Lord "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:6-8 ESV - The Gospel
Which brother do you relate with?
Read the first chapter of Prodigal God for free here
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.’”
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