A Broader Perspective of Lostness

In Luke 15:28, Jesus said: “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.” Surely the older brother knew that this was one of the best day's that his Father had experienced in years. The son who had been lost had come home. The older brother had to know this was a day of celebration.

Yet he refused to go into the biggest feast his father has ever put on. His refusal was a deliberate act of disrespect. In actuality, His attitude is no different that that of the prodigal when he left home. He is says, “I won’t be part of this family. I refuse to respect your headship of it.”

When we refuse to participate in the Father's celebration; when we refuse to participate in honoring the Father's headship, when we refuse to participate in worship of the Father, we demonstrate the same righteous lostness as the older brother.

The father, according to Jesus, had to “go out” to plead with him. Just as he went out to bring his alienated younger son into the family, he is now going out to try to bring the older brother into the house.

Jesus is expanding the religious concept of lostness. He is letting us know that the older son is lost as the younger son had been. In the end, the Prodigal, comes home and is saved. But the older son, refuses to go in. In fact, there is no record that he ever went in. He remained lost.

What is it that is keeping the elder brother out? Verse 29 tells us it’s because: “All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed....” There is a telling phrase in this verse...I've been slaving for you. The rule-keeping son didn't serve the Father faithfully during the absence of the Prodigal out of loving obedience to His Father. He considered it slavery!

The younger brother wanted the father’s things, but not the father. So he left home. He broke the moral rules. But the older brother also wanted the same control of his Father's possessions. While the Prodigal got control by taking his stuff and running away; the elder brother got control by staying home and being very good. He felt that now he has the right to tell the father what to do with his possessions because he had obeyed him perfectly.

There are two ways to be your own Savior and Lord. One is by breaking all the laws and being bad. One is by keeping all the laws and being good. If I can be so good that God has to answer my prayer and give me His things, I reduce Jesus to being my Rewarder. But I don't just need a Rewarder. I need a Savior.

The difference between religion and Christianity is that the religion obeys to get control over God, and things from God, but the Christianity obeys just to love and please and draw closer to God.