Signs of an Older-Brother Spirit

The older brother reveals his heart when he speaks after the Father welcomes the Prodigal home. In Luke 15:29-30, Jesus tells us that the older brother said, “But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!” This passage reveals five things about an older-brother spirit.

But before we look at them, let me give you a warning. For those of us who try to follow Christ faithfully. It is easy to slip into the older-brother mindset. In fact, it is our default mode. When we begin to lose our passion for the Father, and begin to become more passionate about the Father's things, one or all of those five attitudes will surface.

1. A deep anger. Verse 28 says that "he became angry". Elder brothers believe their faithfulness should manipulate God's hand into giving His blessings to them. And if it doesn’t happen, they get angry.  
2. A joyless and mechanical obedience.  Verse 29 reveals the heart of the older brother when he said to the Father, “I’ve been slaving for you.” Older brothers find obedience a joyless, mechanical, slavery.
3. A coldness to younger brother-types. In verse 30, the older son does not even “own” his brother. He refers to him as "this son of yours". Christians who pride themselves on their doctrinal and moral purity, often feel superiority to those who have different views.
4. A lack of assurance of the father’s love. He doubted the Father's love when he said in verse 29, "You never killed a fatted calf for me!" Every time something goes wrong for older brothers, they wonder if it’s a punishment. They often wonder if they've repented deeply enough. prayers asking for things, but not sense his love.
5. An unforgiving, judgmental spirit. It is impossible to forgive someone if you feel as though you are beyond doing that vile of a sin. The older brother thought he would never be like the Prodigal, but the irony was, he was guilty of the same rebelliousness and motivated but the same sinful desires.