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Bethel Mennonite Church - Gladys VA

A Conservative Christian Church (and podcast)

The Elder Son

March 18, 2020

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We can have such a wonderful opportunity to come to the Father. Jesus taught us about the good shepherd who knows his sheep, and the sheep know his voice. God wants that for each of us.

What does God want to do with His people during this time? Is there something that we need to be listening for?

Tonight we’re going to look at “the rest of the story.” Often times this part of the story may get over looked.

Luke 15:22-32 – Through everything we see the fathers response. He is the same father who was waiting and watching for his “other son.” It is with the same heart that he entreats his older son.

In verse 27 we have the servants perspective of what had happened. Thy brother has come home! Your father has killed the fatted calf because he has received him safe and sound!

The father was not partial with his sons. His heart was for his older son as well as it was for his younger son. When he saw that his older son didn’t come in, he went out to him. He made the effort to meet him where he was.

The father had found his son. He had “come back from the dead.” The elder son though saw things differently. He saw the celebration as “not right” it was unfair, it was a waste of his fathers goods.

The elder brother couldn’t join in to the feeling of joy at the victory of his brother. He was jealous because his brother had been reconciled to their father.

The elder son was probably the only one that was wretched and miserable. He couldn’t forgive. His father had forgiven, but he couldn’t accept that this young man could be restored. After all that he had done he should be punished, not celebrated.

There are actually 3 sons in this story. Which one of the three are you? Most of us can find ourselves in this story.

  1. A rebellious younger son squandering his life away. Maybe you’re just struggling with the authority that God has placed in your life.
  2. A son who has recognized his need and returns to his father. You want to learn to walk with your father again.
  3. A son who is self justified and has stayed outside. You’ve been obedient, but never recognized. You struggle with anger, life has not dealt with you fairly.

Regardless of where you are, let us again take a look at the father. God is our Father, He is the one that we want to focus on. God is still there offering to us whatever we need, He is waiting, longing, looking, and offering us His hand.

The father in this story offered grace and love to both of his sons. One accepted it, the other rejected it. The father went out to receive both of his sons, one accepted, the other rejected.

Pride would not allow the older son to go inside. He could have experienced the same joy, from a different perspective, but he was offered he same thing that his younger brother was.

Seek to hallow the name of God. Watch for opportunities to do that!

Jesus came to set us free, to release us from any chain that is holding us. Jesus would like to address anything that is holding us from being free, he wants to break those chains! He came to mend the broken reed, not to break it off.

God wants to take your broken pieces and put them back together into a vessel that is beautiful, a vessel that is useful. God is asking you to trust Him, to surrender, to give our all to Him.

Perhaps God is asking you to be an instrument in the healing of another hurting person. God uses us as instruments to work in the healing process of others. Be open to that, if God is calling you to minister to your brother or sister…

Seek after Christ. Seek after truth. Jesus told us that if we seek Him first, that is the most important thing that we can do. In everything that we do we need to be seeking God.

Related Sermons:


  1. You Finish the Story
  2. Sin And How It Separates Us From God
  3. Wisdom Age and Grace
  4. The Long Road Home
  5. The Sacrifice of the Good Shepherd

Filed Under: Duane Nisly, Special Meetings Tagged With: Luke

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