Lost! The Parables of Luke 15Sample

We often focus on the feel-good story of the prodigal son. But the punchline of this story is really about the older brother. This is why Jesus told the story, as an indictment against the religious people who judgmentally condemned His acceptance of outrageous sinners. 

We sometimes call this the story of the lost son. But today's verses reveal the lostness of the older brother as well as that of his prodigal but repentant younger sibling. Jesus leaves the story on a cliff hanger. Will the older brother insist on remaining a miserable killjoy? Or will he eventually come around to rejoice that his lost brother got found? 

The older brother betrayed an attitude to his brother which was similar to his younger brother's attitude to their dad at the start of the story. The prodigal son initially wished his dad was dead. The older brother, at the end of the story, would rather have seen that his brother remained lost and as good as dead. 

The father graciously glossed over his younger son's infidelity. The older brother on the other hand drew attention to it. In that sense he's like satan, the accuser of the brethren, who always tries to hold our sins against us. The father is like God, who unreservedly forgives our iniquities. “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.  But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel." Colossians 1:21-23

'Dear God, thank You that when we trust in Christ, satan accuses us in vain. May we plead the blood of Jesus for our salvation, in His name we pray, amen.'

Do you rejoice when people come to faith in God, whatever their background? Or do you find yourself resenting or judging them?