Gods Lost And Found Department #4

Luke 15:25-32
The Lost Sibling
Today, we are going to consider the illustration of The Lost Sibling. It may be that the Lord
will use this message to pinpoint a problem area in your life. If He does, please obey His voice
and deal with whatever issues He exposes. It may be that the Lord will show you that you are
lost today. If He does, then I challenge you to come to Him for salvation today. For the next few
minutes, lets turn our hearts heavenward and allow the Lord to speak to each of us as we
consider The Lost Sibling.

Things to Consider:
1. THE POSITION HE HELD IN THE FAMILY. 25a
I. V. 25a THE POSITION HE HELD IN THE FAMILY
A. In The Position Of Privilege - He is the elder brother. As such, he is entitled to two-thirds
of His fathers possessions, Deut. 21:17. Since his younger brother has already received
his part of the inheritance, v. 12, everything belongs to this man. When his father dies,
not only will he receive his fathers possessions, he will also become the head of the
family. Much has been given to this young man already and more is on the way. He has
been blessed indeed!
B. In The Position Of Productivity - When we first meet this man, he is in the fields.
Genesis 25:27 That is, he is busy doing his fathers business. While his younger brother
has been off in the far country living it up, this young man has stayed home and he has
kept up the family business. He has been working for the father.
C. Patience he was not in a hurry to inherit his father, he was patiently serving till his time
will come. The Bible, however, praises patience as a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) which
should be produced for all followers of Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Patience reveals our
faith in Gods timing, omnipotence, and love.
D. Loyalty ability to stay when every other leaves.

(Note: At this point, in the story we do not know that there is a problem in the life of this
young man. From every outward appearance, he is in good fellowship with his father and all
is well. But, remember that he is a picture of the Pharisees, scribe and religious elite to
whom Jesus is speaking. These were people who were also in a place of privilege. After all,
they had been given the Law and the revelation of the coming of Messiah. They had been
given the truth, and from all outward appearances, they were walking in that truth! The

Pharisees and the scribes looked good to men, but there was a problem within their hearts!
The problem was this: they were lost and undone in sin and the Lord knew it!)

(Note: The same thing might be true of some in this very service! You are a good moral
person. You come to church. You dont cuss, drink, steal or cheat. You have been through
the baptistry and are a church member. From all outward appearances, you are as good as
anybody around you. But, just as Jesus could look into the heart of the Pharisee and see his
lost condition, He can look within your heart and see that you are lost too. You see, you can
fool all of us, but you cannot fool Him, 1 Sam. 16:7. You might be good, moral and active in
your church and still be lost, Matt. 7:21-23. You cant even trust what you feel in your
heart about this matter, Jer. 17:9-10! Just for the record, I am not trying to make anyone
doubt their salvation. I am merely trying to point out the truth that religion does not equal
salvation. Being close to the things of God does not equal being saved by the grace of God.
Being in a church does not make you a Christian anymore than sleeping in a garage makes
you a car, neither does climbing a tree make you a squirrel. You must not depend on who
you are or what you have done for your salvation. You must be born again, John 3:3, 7.
Salvation is by grace through faith, Eph. 2:8-9. Are you saved?)

II. V. 25b-30 THE PROBLEM HE HAD WITH THE FESTIVITIES

(Ill. The context. Here is where things start to get a little too close for comfort for most of us.
But, as painful as it may be, these truths will help us grow in the Lord and to become more
like Him!)
A. He Had A Problem With His Motives - When this boy hears why there is a celebration,
he is angry and refuses to go in to the party. His father comes out and gently pleads with
him to come in with the others. His reply to his father is very telling of this boys heart. In
verse 29, he reminds the father of his faithful service and complains that he has never
been given a feast for what he has done.
The bottom line here is this:
1. This man did not care that his lost brother had come home. 1 John 4:20-21
2. This man did not care about that which pleased the father. Colossian 3:23
3. This man did not care about the glory of the father, he wanted the glory for what he
had been doing. - 1 Cor. 10:31
4. This man did not even care about the father, he did what he did for what he could get
out of it. Philippians 3:18-20
5. This man even saw his service to the father as slavery, v. 29. He didnt serve his
father out of love for the father, but out of a desire to help himself.

(Note: Sadly, this same mentality is in the hearts of many within the church today. They
cannot rejoice when sinners are saved, because they feel threatened, Ill. Jonah - Jonah
4. They cannot get excited when the church grows, because they see their hold on
power slipping away. They do not care about Gods will being done in the church, if it
runs counter to their personal agenda. They want the accolades, the pats on the backs
and the glory. Their service in the church is not about God, it is about them! When you
see this kind of attitude in a life, either you have a lost person masquerading as a saved
person, or you have someone who is out of Gods will! Friend, what drives your service
in the church today? What are your motives for what you do? Paul tells us there is but
one valid motive, 1 Cor. 10:31.)

B. He Had A Problem With His Mentality - When you listen to this boy talk to the father,
you quickly realize that he is proud, disrespectful, arrogant, defensive and angry.
There is obviously something wrong with the way he is looking at what is happening
here. He should be overjoyed that his brother has returned safely from the far country.
He should be rejoicing that the father has received a lost son home again. But all he can
do is whine, pout and complain.
Do you want to know what his real problem is? He tells us in verse 30. Look at what he
says, who told him this boy had spent his money on harlots? He hasnt even talked to
the boy or to the father. Do you know whats wrong with him? Hes jealous! He may be
at home in his body, but he is in the far country in his heart! He is as far away from
the father as was the other son when he went away. All he wants to do is live it up
like the other boy did! But, He cant, so he gets mad that one who did the very
things he wants to do in his heart has been received by the father.
(Note: Friend, you dont have to be a drunk to be out of Gods will! You dont have to be
an adulterer to be in the far country spiritually. You can serve your church, sing in the
choir, preach the Word, or anything else you want to name and still be out of Gods will!
You can sit here this morning mad and resentful over things that may have taken place
here at church, friend, that hinders your walk with God! You can look pious and righteous
today, but have a heart full of malice because of what someone said or did to you.
Friend, that puts you in the far country. You may look as good as anyone this morning,
but you can have a heart that is filled with lust, evil thoughts, desires for sin, etc. Do you
see that I am saying? You can pretend to be anything you wish outwardly, but it is the
condition of the heart that matters, Matt. 15:18-19. When you get saved, the Lord gives
you a new heart, Eze. 36:26. That gives you the ability to live a new life. But, it is
possible for people with new hearts to full of sin and evil. What is the solution? 1 John
1:9!)

C. He Had A Problem With His Methods - (Ill. It was considered to utmost in disrespect for
a young man to argue with his father. But this boy did it in front of the servants and
the guests. He brought as much or maybe more disgrace upon the father as the other
son, because he did what he did in public.) Notice how this young man handled his

anger. He attacked, he criticized and he blamed! This lets you know that his heart is not
right! Why? Because your outward attitudes and actions are a mirror into your heart.
Listen to what Paul says about this is Gal. 5:19-23. What does your heart say about
you? You watch people who can only attack others, criticize them and place blame on
everyone but themselves. That kind of person has real spiritual issues!

(Note: I told you, this hits kind of close to home!)

III. V. 28, 31-32 THE PETITION HE HEARD FROM THE FATHER

A. It Was A Petition Of Pleading - The father went out and entreated this boy to come in
to the feast. The word entreat means to come alongside of another to offer aid
and comfort, to beg, to console, to comfort, to encourage. It is the same word that
is translated Comforter in John 16:13 and is one of the names of the Holy Spirit. This
father loved him. Notice that this son wont even call him father, but the father calls him
son. This father went to this boy in the right spirit, but he was rejected!
(Note: Whether you are saved or lost today, I believe the Heavenly Father is speaking
to your heart. I believe He is touching areas that nee to be fixed. Friend, it may not feel
good at the time, but it sure is a blessing for the Lord to speak to you heart and call you
to come in. If He is calling, why not just heed His voice?)

B. It Was A Petition Of Promise - The father praised him for his efforts, and reminded him
that everything was already his! In effect, this father was saying, I value you and our
relationship together more than I value your works. This boy could have enjoyed
fellowship with the father anytime he wanted, but apparently, he was too wrapped up
within his own legalism and narrow-mindedness to realize it. This boy wanted what the
father had, but he did not want the father, and he did not want anyone else to have the
father either. What a tragedy!
(Note: The same thing is true in many hearts today! People want the church. They want
to feel better about themselves. They want a fire insurance policy, but they do not want
an intimate relationship with the Father. Often, they resent those who do want that
closeness. I just want to remindyou are as close to the Lord as you want to be! You have
as much fellowship with Him as you want to have. You can have more, if you want it. Do
you?)

C. It Was A Petition Of Priorities - The father tells this boy that is was meet that they
should have this celebration. The word meet means necessary. To the father, the
return of the lost son was a cause for celebration. A lost one had been found. One
considered dead was now alive again. And, perhaps most importantly, a fathers love

and faith had been vindicated and the family name restored. There was much cause for
rejoicing. The father wants this boy to learn the truth that everything isnt about him and
about him getting his own way. There are bigger issues at stake and they should take
priority! SEEKING FOR D LOST!

(Note: So it is in the things of God. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is more important than
the glory of God. And, instead of getting upset when things dont go our way, we should
learn to thank the Lord for what He is doing! You see, instead of pouting, this boy could
have been partying! Look at this chapter, everyone is happy but this boy. The shepherd
is happy. The woman is happy. The father is happy. The lost son is happy. The servants
are happy. The only person in misery is this elder brother. And, he is miserable because
he refuses to be happy. The feast is there, all he has to do is go in and enjoy himself!
But, he is standing out there pouting, because he didnt get his way and because he is
not the center of attention! What a shame! Of course, there are some here to day in
those same shoes! You dont have to stay there friend! The Father is still calling you to
come home, if you will!)

Conc: Have you ever noticed that this is an open-ended story? Did the elder brother ever come
into the feast? We dont know! I think Jesus left it this way for a reason. And here is that reason:
Every individual must write his or her own ending to this story!
If you are lost today, will you stay out, or will you come in? If you are in, but things arent
right, will you stay outside and pout, or will you get in on what the Lord is doing? The choice is
yours today, what will you do? You say, I wont choose! You just did! Making no choice is
making a no choice! But, I pray you wont do that today. If the Lord has spoken to your heart
about salvation or about your personal walk with Him, please come today while He is calling you
to come in. After all, the whole point of this extended parable has been to show the importance
of the human soul to God and to point lost people to a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
He loves you friend, wont you come in to Him? MICHA 6:8