“And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”
Luke 15:30-31
Most Christians have heard the story of the Prodigal son many times. However, generally the focus is on the Prodigal son coming home, receiving forgiveness and being welcomed back into the Father’s house. Yet, that is not the end of the story. The Prodigal Son had a brother. This brother had worked very hard, he never left his Father and in his own eyes, he had never messed up. When his brother took the inheritance and ran off, he left his brother to do the work at home. When the Prodigal Son returned, instead of the brother rejoicing with his Father that his brother was back, he was angry. He told his Father, “Hey, I obeyed your rules, I stayed under your roof and you never threw a party for me and my friends.” He was feeling very unappreciated. He was also feeling very self-righteous. He thought he deserved more than his brother because he never “messed up”. He had worked hard all those years his brother was gone, yet now his brother is getting all the attention.
Have you ever felt like that? Like you have worked and served in the ministry for a long time. You may feel you aren’t appreciated for all that you do. Then someone new comes in and begins gaining prominence in the ministry. You may feel like they don’t deserve the recognition or that they need to put the man hours in to “earn” it or to “deserve” it. Yet, the Prodigal Son didn’t do anything to “Deserve” the banquet that his Father threw for him, except to return to his Father with a humble heart. The trap that the brother fell into was the trap of Pride, which also is cloaked in self-righteousness. If we are not careful we can develop an attitude for others that stifles what God is trying to do in their lives. None of us deserve what God has done for us. It is by His grace. When we put our hand to the plow in the ministry, we must remember the big picture – it’s all about winning souls and serving God. Doing His will. If God decides to bestow His grace on someone that doesn’t look like they deserve it, don’t be like the prodigal son’s brother and be offended. Instead, receive them with open arms knowing that you have had the benefit of serving in God’s house for years and have lived under that protective covenant for years.
In the case of the Prodigal son and his brother they both erred in the same area. Neither of them understood the love of their Father. They didn’t understand how much they were loved by their Father and the abundant blessings he had for them. In the one case, the Prodigal actually left, thinking he could have a better life on his own, not obeying his Father’s rules. He didn’t understand how his Father’s rules were actually benefitting him. The rules were created out of love for him. He didn’t understand the benefits he had living under his Father’s house or the wealth that he had access to. In the other case, the brother obeyed his Father with his lips, but his heart was far from him. Since he didn’t understand his Father’s love for him, he never took advantage of all the blessings he had a right to, even though he lived under his roof his entire life. He was like the man in Jeremiah 17:6 where the scripture says: “For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh.” Both brothers needed a revelation of the love of their Father. In the Prodigal son’s case he finally got it and returned to his Father with a humble heart.
In Matthew 21:28-31 Jesus tells of a similar account and says: “But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, Go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.” Whether of them twain did the will of the father? They say unto him, the first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” What is the purpose of this parable? It’s to expose what’s in the heart. Jesus isn’t saying this to condone sin. Far from it. What he is saying, is these “sinners” got a revelation of God’s love and now they have a heart for God. They have repented and turned to God with a humble heart, to live for God and obey Him because they love Him and understand that He loves them.
Jesus told another similar parable. In it, there were workers in the field. A man hired some in the morning and offered to pay them each a penny. Throughout the day he hired more workers, even into the last hour of the day he hired workers and they went into the field. Yet when the time to pay the workers had come, the ones who were hired first grumbled that the ones hired last got the same pay as they did. They didn’t think they deserved that pay. They hadn’t worked as long or hard as they had and yet they were paid exactly the same. The owner of the farm responded by saying, why should you be upset at the grace I bestow on others? I paid you what we agreed to, why should you be upset that I show grace to these? They had to worry all day about whether they would be hired or not, while you had the benefit of knowing all day that you had gainful employment.
Finally in a third parable he talks about a Pharisee (a teacher of the law) went into the temple and prayed. He saw a tax collecter praying as well. The Pharisee prayed and thanked God that he wasn’t like that tax collector, a sinner. Yet the tax collector beat his breast and asked God for forgiveness. Jesus says I tell you, the tax collector was justified before God (not the Pharisee).
We always have to do a check up on ourselves to make sure we haven’t fallen into the trap of pride, self-righteousness or even ungratefulness. Thanks to what Jesus did for us, we get to experience the grace of God. Let’s have the heart of the Father. Let’s choose to see others, as well as ourselves with the eyes of the Father. Whatever we do, whether working in the ministry or on our job, focus on how much God loves us, and then walk in love towards others. Choose not to be offended, or think of yourself as better than someone else, but instead walk in love and we can never fail, for Love never fails. As we do this, every area of our lives will grow and be healthy and flourish and all will be blessed as a result. Faith works by love, so continue to walk in Love and see results with your Faith!
Mathew 20:1-16
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Luke 18:9-14
“ And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
Galatians 5:1
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Galatians 2:21 & 3:2-3 & 3:5-7 & 9
“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain…Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness, Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham…So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”
Galatians 5:13-14
“For, brethren, ye have been called to liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another: For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
Galatians 5:16-18
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”
1 Corinthians 4:4-8
Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. 5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. 7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].
8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends].
