Daniel Hope

There are not many things that are more ungodly than for one of God’s children to refuse to forgive another child of God. Unfortunately, this is exactly what we find happening toward the end of the fifteenth chapter of Luke. The prodigal has returned, the father has forgiven, and everyone is celebrating. Almost everyone, that is. Everyone except the prodigal’s older brother.

The father’s older son, who represents the scribes and the Pharisees, has a problem. That problem—in a word—is that he is unforgiving. This is the son who is lost at home…the boy who is as far from the father’s house in motives as the prodigal was in miles. You would think that anyone else in his place would run to meet his brother just as the father had done. But not this boy. Let’s see how the text sheds light on the subject of the older brother’s unforgiving spirit.

The older brother possessed an unforgiving spirit because he was angry (Luke 15:28). Have you ever noticed how anger and forgiveness seem to be like oil and water? They don’t mix. Have you ever seen a person like the older brother who could not get to the point of forgiveness because he/she could not get past his/her anger? Jonah, the Old Testament version of the older brother, angrily expressed, "Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm" (Jonah 4:2).

A second reason the older brother was unable to forgive was because he saw himself as a slave and saw his father as a master (Luke 15:29). The first words out of older son’s mouth to his father were, "Lo, these many years I have been serving you." Rather than basking in the blessings of sonship, the older son bore the burdens of slavery. Both sons and slaves are expected to obey, but the motivation behind the obedience is often different. Slaves obey because they feel they must—or else. Sons obey because they love the father and desire to please him. Likewise, masters want a slave’s back and hands, but a father wants his son’s heart (Proverbs 23:26). The older son didn’t realize that sonship is not something that can be earned.

Self-righteousness was the third thing that led to the older brother’s unforgiving spirit (Luke 15:29). Without taking a breath after his first statement, the older son continued, "I never transgressed your commandment at any time." Even IF (and that is a big "if") this son was accurate in his estimation of his righteousness up to that point in time, things were soon to change. Even if he was never previously in need of the father’s forgiveness, he was soon to be. The reason? His unforgiving spirit put him in need of the father’s forgiveness. And the reason he could not see that he needed to forgive his brother is that he couldn’t see that his father needed to forgive him. He still felt that he was different in that he—unlike his younger brother—could approach his father on the basis of his own righteousness.

The text also seems to indicate that jealousy inhibited the older brother’s forgiveness (Luke 15:29-30). "You never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him." In other words, the older brother is whining, "That’s MY fatted calf. I earned that calf…not him. It’s not fair." And he was exactly right. The father wasn’t fair…he was gracious. You see, that’s just it…grace isn’t fair! If grace were fair it would cease to be grace…it would be justice. And if the Father dealt with his children on the basis of justice, then who would deserve to be His child?

The Bible makes it quite clear: The unforgiving will go unforgiven. Let’s forgive our brothers and sisters in Christ! Only then can we be God’s child.

Working with this congregation these past 5 ½ months has been a great blessing to me. As we were discussing conditions with regard to my employment several months ago, the elders very graciously allowed me to keep my prior commitments for this summer. Lord willing, I will be able to plan my time away next year more strategically. Thank you all for bearing with my less-than-ideal schedule this summer.

I continue to learn things daily from Brother Robert. How fortunate I am to have this opportunity to work with such a prince of a man! I appreciate his willingness and ability to preach while I am away these next two Sundays.

Let’s all tell Brenda how much we appreciate the wonderful job she is doing as our interim secretary. I don’t know what we would do without her!

I hope you all have a wonderful day this Sunday. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Wednesday, June 18—Centerville Road church of Christ (Garland, TX)

Sunday, June 22-Wednesday, June 25—Robinson Road church of Christ (Grand Prairie, TX)

Sunday, June 29—Henderson church of Christ (Henderson, TN)

Wednesday, July 16—Bethel Springs church of Christ (Selmer, TN)

Sunday, July 27—Wedding Anniversary/ Vacation

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