THE OTHER SON WHO WOULD NOT GO IN- LUKE 15:28


  1. The Context of Luke 15
    1. 15:1-2 the publicans and sinners gathered to hear Jesus and the Pharisees were indignant
    2. 15:3-10 the parables of the lost sheep and lost coin. These answered the Pharisees' charge of eating with publicans and sinners- all souls are precious in the eyes of God.
    3. 15:11-24 the younger brother (publicans and sinners)
      1. easily identified as lost
      2. earnestly desiring reconcilliation with his Father (they knew they were lost)
    4. Luke 15:25-32 the older brother (scribes and Pharisees)


  2. Why did the brother refuse to go in?
    1. He did not have the right attitude toward his brother.
      1. It appears as though their personalities were very different.
        1. older- practical, no-nonsense
        2. younger- laid back, happy-go-lucky
      2. Not only did he not love his brother, he could not understand how anyone else could love him.
      3. "Any friend of yours. . ." often accompanied by "Any enemy of mine. . ." Question: Ever had a person rub you the wrong way all the time? Do you expect others to feel as you feel?
      4. I John 2:9-11 ever allowed your attitude to blind you to any good quality of that individual?
      5. I John 3:14-24
        1. love not only in word, but in deed and truth
        2. believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and love one another
    2. He did not understand his father's ways.
      1. Was his father acting out of character?
        1. Unlikely, in light of the father's treatment of his hired servants
        2. the younger son remembered the hired servants
        3. the father did not act as the older son wanted him to act
      2. He loved and honored him, but did not understand his father's actions and refused to hear his father's invitation. ex. "I don't care what you say. . ." Acts 28:26 "hearing ye shall hear. . ."
      3. Matthew 15:10 "Hear, and understand"
    3. He got his information from the wrong source (vv. 26-27). He should have gone in to see for himself and make his own determination- one look at his brother may have changed his attitude.
    4. He was self-righteous (vv. 28-30). Although he was told the truth, his preconceived notions and suspicions of being discriminated against tainted his judgment.


  3. Some things the brother missed by not going in:
    1. Refreshment and a change of garments (vs. 32).
    2. Merriment and Rejoicing (vs. 33).
    3. The opportunity to please his father and be reconciled to his brother (vs. 24).
    4. The true state of the older brother (vv. 29-30).
      1. Being self-righteous and unforgiving, he was unrighteous and unforgiven: Luke 18:9-14
      2. He was lost- Matthew 5:20; 6:14-15


  4. Spiritual application
    1. The Father's house is the Church: I Timothy 3:14-15
    2. Through faith, we enter into the Father's house, receiving the promise of rest: Hebrews 3:10-12
    3. By entering our Father's house, we are made righteous by Him, and not of ourselves- 2 Cor 5:21; Eph 2:8-10
    4. By refusing to enter, we deny the Father and His servants the opportunity to rejoice- Luke 15:7, 10