In this 15th chapter of Luke we find the Trinity in their offices….and a picture of four kinds of Christians
God the Son, as the Shepherd….
Luke 15:4 “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if He lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until He find it?”
Christ Jesus never permanently loses a sheep…..He always goes out to find those that have….”gotten side-tracked”….or chosen another path than the Shepherd chooses….or fallen in a pit.
This the Son of God did when He came to earth “to seek and to save” us……and He keeps doing for all His sheep.
God the Holy Spirit, in the Woman who sweeps diligently….
Luke 15:8 “Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?”
This coin is in the House (church)…..but it is lost, in the sense that it is out of place.
Some believe the Greek to suggest a coin set, ten silver coins, all in their due order,…..
….all but one, who is out of their place.
This Christian wants to sing in the choir, when they should be praying. Or they want to preach, when they should be witnessing. Or they want to just listen as a by-stander, when they should be teaching. They are not in their place in God’s House.
But the Holy Spirit “sweeps diligently”…..brushing away from our hearts and minds the reasons or fears we have…..and puts us back where God would have us.
God the Father is the certain man who had two sons….
Luke 15:11-12 “And He said, A certain man had two sons:
And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.”
This was a legal transaction….the younger got his one-third, and the elder got two-thirds of the estate (in every family the eldest got two portions, while the rest got one.)
From that time on, the elder brother was completely in charge of the estate….for the Father had given them both their “portion”….what would they do with it?
Well, the younger leaves….
….but the elder does nothing different….nothing changes for him….even though everything had changed. His Father was now to be, willingly, an honored guest in his house….with him owner of all.
This sets up the history of the younger (Prodigal) Son and the Elder Brother….
…..and their important relationship to their Father.
But first, let us ask:….What is the “portion of goods that falleth to me?”
The younger son wanted his, outright, so he could go out into the world and seek satisfaction….
The elder brother never used his aright.
So what is it? It is our wills.
Even as Christians, our wills are our own…..though the Holy Spirit is within us to incline our hearts toward God’s Will….yet…
We can “take” our wills and seek our own plans…..as the younger son.
Or we can never willingly will after God’s Will….but just go along, because it is our duty….as the elder brother.
Both are mistakes, by the way…..for neither will bring you closer to the Father in a love relationship.
Well, time passes….and the younger spends all.
He had his fill of the world, and the “friends” it gives…..
….then there is a famine….a real hunger for what is real….in his heart and life.
So he goes and hires himself out,…..he tries to stay in the working world, but he is barely getting by….realizing this world, without God, is a pig pen….
….his mind is troubled, his emotions spent….what to do?
Luke 15:17 “And when he came unto himself…”
This is probably the most important statement about this younger son! He remembers he is a Christian…..belonging to God.
He remembers God’s mercy, and the many servants of God who are living peaceful and joyful lives!
Luke 15:18-19 “I will arise and go to my Father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee,
And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.”
(Now here is a great use of his will…..”I will arise and to to my Father!”)
We know he was welcomed home! All his will was concentrated to honor his Father, and his Father showed him love, peace, joy…..again, in His house.
But the elder? What has he done with his will? Well, he has done his duty….but sadly, only to gain something!
Luke 15:28-29 “And he (the elder brother) was angry, and would not go in (to celebrate the younger’s repentance):
therefore came his Father out, and intreated him.
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:”
How much bitterness comes from just doing our duty, with no love for our Heavenly Father!
Obedience is essential…..but is it obedience when you are doing it to merit something from God? Or is it just self-righteousness?
But the Father came out to him, as well…..for he wanted him to come in and enjoy the blessing of love.
This rich/poor elder brother possessed everything from His Father……he had his will, and all the blessing of obedience…..if….
….he had really believed and known his Father’s love…what fellowship they could have had every day!
The elder brother could have had a party with his friends anytime! He could have had the fatted calf…..not just a goat!
But he kept plugging away in drudgery……unhappy with everything…..never willingly doing the Heavenly Father’s Will out of love.
If he had, he would have seen the blessing God had….for him…..ready to be used and enjoyed.
He would have gone into his Father the day the estate was divided, and said…..
“Father, I know you have given me all this…..and I willingly honor you in it.”
Then he could have gone out and had a party with his friends, with his Father as the honored guest!
Living the life the Father wanted him to have.
But rich/poor elder brother was owner of all,…..possessor of nothing.
Do we see ourselves in any of these examples?
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 