Prodigal Series Day 13: Older Son, As Jesus?

Now is the time we are going to take a closer look at the other two parables in Luke 15 that have to do with something of value being lost.  In doing so, we will be equipped with some keen insight into this story of the two lost brothers. 

In the first parable, we have a shepherd who goes out to find his lost sheep.  That seems reasonable enough.  Then, we have a woman who searches for a lost coin.  In both instances, something is lost and someone sets out to find it.  By the time the listeners heard the third story, they would have expected to hear the same pattern, but it never comes.  No one searches for him. Why? 

Jesus is highlighting what didn’t happen so the audience could process what should have happened.  As rabbi, Jesus was certainly familiar with old testament scriptures.  He would have known about another story way back in Genesis about another set of brothers.  In that case, the older brother was also proud and resentful, and yet he was told that he was his brother’s keeper.  It’s the story of Cain and Abel. 

The elder brother in the story should have gone after the younger brother and restored him back into the family.  Likewise, the Pharisees should go after the sinners and bring them into their spiritual family as heirs to the kingdom.  Yet, they do not, and this older brother doesn’t either. The younger brother gets a Pharisee for a brother instead.

Can you see where this is going? 

We have a perfect older brother in Jesus.  He is sent by the Father to reveal God’s love for all His children and to offer Himself as the way home.

Just as we saw last week that Jesus was the younger brother without being rebellious, now we see that He is also the older brother without being resentful.  He does His Father’s bidding and seeks to find those who are lost to bring them back home.  Amen?!  Amen!

Today, spend some time praying about how you can be more like Jesus as the perfect younger brother and perfect older brother.

There’s one more aspect to the older brother I want to introduce you to. It’s how the parable ends…or doesn’t end, rather.  What do I mean by this?  Let’s review it tomorrow!

-Helen

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