Often missed lessons of the Prodigal’s brother

For many of us, one of our favorite stories Jesus gave is the story of the Prodigal son. Prodigal means “wastefully extravagant.”   If you’re unfamiliar with it, study it in Luke 15:11-32. I love Luke 15. It’s one of my favorite chapters as it conveys a series of stories of God’s love and mercy for us and how He even searches for us when we’re lost, and how forgiving he is, and how joyful God feels when we wake up and come to our senses in deep repentance. The story of the Prodigal son returning caps off the series of stories in Luke 15 and is so deep in God’s love and forgiveness, even after we have been super bad but repent and return to him.

Did you realize that all the stories of Luke 15 – the lost sheep, the lost silver coin and the lost son (the Prodigal son), came about because Jesus was reacting to many who were criticizing him for being friendly with known “sinners”? That was the backdrop for the three stories of God’s love even for sinners when they repent and are found again, and the sheer JOY God feels when we’re found in Him again. So then Yeshua/Jesus gave these three most beautiful stories.

Luke 15:1-3   Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them”.

Then Jesus started with his story of the joy of finding the one lost sheep, then the lost but found silver coin, and finally the topic of this blog – the Prodigal Son and his faithful brother. I recommend you all re-read Luke 15.

Here’s a summary of the Prodigal son story, but I want to focus soon on a part of the story many miss or don’t seem to discuss. 

A man had two sons. At a certain age, the younger son said he wanted his inheritance now. His father gave him his share of the inheritance but that son left home and squandered all the money in shameful living. He got drunk often, and spent his money on booze and prostitutes and wasteful living. When his money ran out, his friends left him and he was reduced to watching someone’s pigs for him. He came to his senses and realized he could do better if he would ask his father for forgiveness and go back home. So he did. He not only turned his life around– a huge part of true repentance – but came back home and gave up the sinful acts he had been practicing. We also, if we are truly repentant, have to acknowledge all our sins of the past, repent of them, come back to God OUR Father in a new life of obedience – giving up our sinful way of life.

Father saw him from afar off, ran to meet him, and welcomed him back. One of my favorite songs is “When God ran” you can find on Google.

Luke 15:20-30   "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;  24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.

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.'

So the older son, who had faithfully continued to work and serve his father, was understandably a bit upset. It seemed unfair to him for the younger brother to be celebrated by the Father and everyone, after all the shame he had brought on the family name. And it was looking like the Prodigal son was being reinstated back to his full position he had before as the son of this wealthy man! That didn’t seem fair to the older faithful brother.

It’s true that the main focus of the story is God’s incredible forgiving love for us when we repent and return to him. But there’s more.  

The father did accept him back in spite of all the evil and shameful things the younger son had done. Indeed Father restored that shameful son to full sonship and did not insist he just come back as a servant. That is shown by putting sandals on his feet (slaves or servants were often barefoot), and did give his son a new robe and a ring, showing sonship was restored. That’s a wonderful part of the story. Even when we sin terribly, when we repent and come back to God, though there may be consequences, He forgives us our sins and the death penalty of sin – and restores us to being a full son or daughter of His, in spite of any past sin. ALL our past sins are washed away in the blood of the Lamb (1 John 1:9).

The older brother thought “How unfair. I never during all my years of faithfulness even received just a goat to celebrate with, but this no good brother of mine gets The fatted calf and a party. I never had a party, though I never brought shame on the family or squandered the money.”  

I think we’ve sometimes been too harsh against the faithful son for not wanting to party with the others to celebrate his shameful brother’s return.

Get this:  It was like the older faithful son was asking, “what advantage was there in me remaining faithful instead of getting to experience all the sinful pleasures my brother had? I might as well have left home for a while too, for all the good it’s done me to stay faithfully working at home. He’s a son again  - like me – and he’s even being given a party! How is that fair?”   

This blog is especially crucial for those who have been raised or are being raised “in the church”.  At a certain age, there IS a pull to go check out the world and see what it’s really like out there and have a little fun for a while.

True, the older brother should have been more forgiving of his brother who had come back. That’s part of the lesson for all of us: to be willing to forgive and accept and celebrate brethren who come back. Sometimes it’s the elders – the older brethren spiritually – or even the pastors or deacons - - who are adamant not to accept a repentant, returning brother. I preach to myself too.

Fair enough, the prodigal had to acknowledge his sins, which he did. Those who want back into fellowship in God’s church have to do the same and return to God in obedience. They can’t remain living a life of sin and expect to be accepted back. The prodigal son had to return, which he did. He had to acknowledge he no longer deserved any grace and was willing to come back as a mere slave – and this part the Father didn’t even discuss, but just joyfully brought him back in.

So far, so good. All of that is usually well explained in sermons and discussions on this story. And it’s true, the biggest part of this story is the loving forgiveness of our God and how He joyfully and fully accepts us back, when our repentance is complete and we commit to quit doing what was so bad before.

But now comes the part that is usually missed.

 Let’s pick up at verse 30-32:

Luke 15:30-32  “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.'"

Did you catch what his father (and our Father) is saying?  “ALL that I have is yours”.  Did you get that? 

There ARE blessings when one does not leave the way of God and refuse to go live a life of sin, thinking they can always repent later and everything will all be the same again. 

It’s NOT all the same again. It’s not “hunky dory” again as we say. Even with forgiveness of our death penalty and acceptance back into the family, there are always consequences for sin. AND there are blessings and positive consequences for faithfulness! 

The Father had already given the younger son his share of the family inheritance. The Prodigal could come back and be a son again, but EVERYTHING that father had at that point, was now part of the inheritance of the faithful son. That’s why Father said, “ALL that I have is yours.”  Please let that sink in and fully comprehend it. 

Father was saying to the older son, “Yes we killed the fatted calf this one time to celebrate his return. But that’s it. You, faithful son, I hope you realize that ALL the other calves, cows, bulls, donkeys, camels, goats, and sheep you see on our farm – are now all YOURS. ALL of it. He took HIS inheritance already and wasted it. So ALL that I have here -- all the barns, the houses, the farm machinery, the furniture, all the animals and livestock we have – ALL of that is now yours. Your prodigal brother squandered his share. Sure, he can start to slowly rebuild a future again – but faithful son, let me say it again to you: EVERYTHING you see here, ALL that I have here, is now YOURS.” 

Whenever you or I are tempted to sin – and think “I can always repent of it and be forgiven and everything will be the same again” – don’t go there. THAT is very serious and shows God we’re not very serious about Him and living His way. God’s way is called “THE Way.”  Yes, we can always be forgiven after we sin. But we also risk losing a lot, and having terrible consequences. The Prodigal Son could have acquired STtD’s for example (Sexually transmitted Diseases). He may have become an alcoholic. He may have some enemies for his reckless life. So we can come back to God, but there will likely be some terrible consequences we may have to live with.

Faithful living will result in a higher reward from God, though we all can receive the gift of God – which is eternal life (Romans 6:23; Eph 2:8). But NOT all of us will have the same reward.

Eternal life is God’s GIFT and it’s the same for all repentant children of God. It’s not the reward. We must get that distinction. The gift God gives us is from his gracious mercy. The REWARDS we receive though, IS something we earn by our way of life, by our works. Remember some are given ten cities or five cities. Rewards vary.

So the GIFT is eternal life, and that’s the same for everyone of God’s children. It’s given by His grace and favor and not by our works at all.

But the rewards will vary and DO depend on our works.

So yes, there is forgiveness upon repentance. But when we sin, there ARE always some consequences. It IS far better to remain faithful. There are greater rewards in the future when we live a very obedient and faithful life.

Yes, “it does pay” to never leave God or his Way. It does pay to remain faithful, for as Father says to the faithful: “ALL that I have is yours.” 

All of you who have children and teens being raised in the church – teach them this blog carefully. They’ll have plenty to repent of – and don’t need to go out and discover Satan’s world. 

And we hope to hear Christ say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant, inherit the kingdom prepared for you and for all who remain faithful, from the foundation of the world.”