This Little Prig Had None
Luke 15:25-32
C:\JAMMc2009\ElderBrother.SER.wpd January 31, 2010
25 "Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'
28 "But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.
29 So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'
31 "And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'" NKJV
Introduction
You might ask, what does the word, “ Prig,” Mean. So here is the definition.
1. A person who demonstrates an exaggerated conformity or propriety, especially in an irritatingly, arrogant, or smug manner.
1. Note The . . Place This Prig Held In The Family. 15:25-27
25 "Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the
house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'
A. Notice His Place In The . .Birthright. 15:25
25 "Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the
house, he heard music and dancing.
1. He Is The Elder Brother.
a. The Elder Brother Received A Double
Portion Of The Inheritance. Ge 48:22
Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took
from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow." NKJV
b. The Younger Brother Has Already Received His Inheritance.
1. So He Will Get No More.
B. Notice The . . Business Activity. 15:25a
25 "Now his older son was in the field.. . ”
1. He Is Busy About His Father’s Business.
MacArthur 15:25 older son. He symbolizes the Pharisee, the hypocritical religious person, who stays close to the place of the Father (the temple) but has no sense of sin, no real love for the Father (so as to share in His joy), and no interest in repenting sinners.
Illustration Sharks Remain Small
Charles Simpson said, “I met a young man not long ago who dives for exotic fish for aquariums. He said one of the most popular aquarium fish is the shark. He explained that if you catch a small shark and confine it, it would stay a size proportionate to the aquarium. Sharks can be 6-inches long and yet fully matured. But if you turn them back loose in the ocean, they can grow to their normal length of 8 ft. That can also happen to Christians. I’ve seen some of the cutest little 6-in. Christians who swim around in a little puddle.” It is only when we are put into a large arena that we can become truly great and reach our potential.
Application
In this parable that Jesus tells The Father Represents God. What Makes God Happy? What pleases God.
This son is more interested in rules and regulations. He is not looking to see what makes his father happy.
2. Note The . . Problem This Prig Had With The Celebration. 15:25b-28a
“. . . he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.' 28 "But he was angry and would not go in.
A. He Had A Problem With His . . Information. 15:25b - 26
“. . . he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants
and asked what these things meant.
B. He Had A Problem With His . .Indignation. 15:27-28
27 And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him
safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.' 28 "But he was angry and
would not go in.
1. This man did not care that his lost brother had come home.
2. This man did not care about that what pleased the father.
MacArthur 15:28 he was angry. This parallels the complaining done by the scribes and Pharisees (v. 2).
C. He Had A Problem With His . . Ingratitude
1. It was considered the utmost in disrespect for a Son to argue with his father.
Illustration
Did you see the Huckabe program last night? He had on the show the wife of that pastor in Colorado who’s husband had an affair with a Male Prostitute and she has written a book telling why she forgave her husband. She mentioned that the church dismissing him was difficult to take. She said, I needed my church at that time. Hearing her makes you see two sides to the story.
Did the Prodigal need his brother at this time?
3. The . . Plea This Prig Heard From His Father
28 "But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his
father came out and pleaded with him.
29 So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'
A. The Father Gave A Plea Of . . Entreaty. 15:28
1. The GREEK word to call along side.
A2. Not Appreciated By This Prig. 15:29
29 So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these
many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'
15:29 I never transgressed your commandment at any time. Unlikely, given the boy’s obvious contempt for his father, shown by his refusal to participate in the father’s great joy. This statement reveals the telltale problem with all religious hypocrites. They will not recognize their sin and repent.
you never gave me a young goat.
All those years of service to the father appear to have been motivated too much by concern what he could get for himself.
This son’s self-righteous behavior was more socially acceptable than the younger brother’s debauchery, but it was equally dishonoring to the father—and called for repentance.
A3 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'
1. The Only Mentioning of A devouring lifestyle with harlots...... is mentioned by this Prig.
B. The Father Gave A Plea Of . . Encouragement. 15:31
31 "And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with
me, and all that I have is yours.
C. The Father Gave A Plea Of . . Elation. 15:32
32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'" NKJV
1. In This Entire 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.
2. Teacher asked her S S Class who was not happy?
One boy waved his hand and said, The Fatted Calf.
Have you noticed This story has 3 Sons? Prodigal, Elder Son
and JESUS THE SON OF GOD TELLS THE STORY.
Conc: Have you ever noticed that this is an open-ended story? Did the elder brother ever come into the feast? We don’t 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 aren’t 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 won’t choose!” You just did! Making no choice is making a “no” choice!
A story is told of a man whose wife died at child birth. He loved his son very much and never remarried. The boy and the father loved art and the boy became a very good artist. The father became wealthy and collected great works of art.
The son went off to war in Viet Nam and was killed. The Father was grief stricken. One day a young man knocked at the door and said, I was a buddy of your son and held him as he was dying. He taught me a little bit about art and painting and I painted this picture of him and thought you might like to have it.
It was not a great painting but the father loved it. He hung it in a prominent place in his house. Years later he died and his art work was auction off. The boy who painted the son came thinking he would buy his picture. The auction started and the auctioneer stated my instructions are to begin with this portrait of his son. Many art collectors were present and cared nothing about the picture of the son.
The friend who painted it was the only bidder. He got the picture and was walking toward the door to leave and the lawyer said wait the owner has instructed me that the person whoever takes the son’s picture gets all the rest of the art work.
My friend If You Take The Son You Get Eternal Life and all the rest.
I gleaned some help from these sermon sites. And a book by Warren Wiersbe:
Meet Yourself In The Parables.
http://www.gabc.org/assets/1002/s123001.pdf
http://www.holwick.com/new-testament/17/820.html