Pastor Phoebes Mutasa The Big Brother Spirit Saints Together Christian Church 23 January 2011
The Big Brother Spirit
Luke 15:25-32
The Prodigal Son’s older brother had an attitude that was like of the Pharisees. I say that because the
Scriptures show that the Pharisees did not see anything good about Jesus. The Pharisees had the same
attitude towards sinners as the older brother had towards the younger brother.
There was music and dance in the home. That shows that there indeed was joy when the Prodigal son
came back home. We are told that there is music and dancing in heaven each time a sinner comes back
to the Lord. It should be like that in our churches, as well as our homes when people find God. When
good things happen we should rejoice and be glad. The Bible encourages us to rejoice in the Lord.
Upon hearing the music and dancing the older brother astonishingly got angry. This appears to be very
odd. The older brother’s attitude helps us to see the attitude of some Jews who did not like the idea that
gentiles were acceptable to God as his children if they repented.
Refused (28)
The older brother refused to go inside to be part of what was happening. Similarly the Pharisees
refused to have anything to do with Jesus and his preaching. The Pharisees would not enter the
kingdom of Jesus. We should learn to receive those that God has received. He would not go in except
his younger brother was sent out. He could not be with his brother in his father’s house. Don’t we see
this kind of attitude in our churches in this age.
A Father’s Heart (28)
As the father did with the younger son, to go out and meet him, he did with the older son. He went out
to meet him. He did not send a servant to speak to his older son. The father pleaded with his older son
to go to the feast. Those in influential positions should always try to treat people in a good way. The
father did not say ‘Just shut him out if he does not want to come in.’ Think about how God dealt with
people like Cain, Elijah, Jonah, etc. God is a compassionate God. This is what spiritual fathers and all
Christians need to be like.
Slave (29)
The older son answered his father and said ‘I have been your slave all these years.’ He did not see
himself as a son in the family. He thought that his father made him work as a slave when the other son
was enjoying himself. He thought he had a relationship with his father because of his work. Many in
God’s church today think that they deserve God’s blessings because they work harder than the others.
Christians should work for God out of their love for him. The older son served his father not out of love
but out of a desire for reward. Such people become bitter when others get blessed.
Jealousy can cause us to lose sight of who really we are in Christ.
Not Transgressed (29)
The older son boasted that he had not sinned at any time. This was a bit of an exaggeration. People
with a bad spirit normally boast about things and see themselves as better than others in every respect.
A Kid (29)
The older son mourns that for all his good behaviour and deeds he was never given anything, even a
kid. I call this disrespect of the highest order on the part of the older son. Verse 12 of the same chapter
tells us that the father had divided unto his sons his living. He had probably been given more than what
his brother received. An exaggeration is a lie. He says he had never transgressed any of his father’s
laws yet he continues to lie and challenge his father’s authority and love.
Merry With Friends (29)
His complaint was unreasonable in every respect. He desired to go and enjoy with his friends, not with
those in his father’s house. We should have great joy in the church, our Father’s house. We need not go
out of the Father’s house to find happiness. True happiness is in Christ’s Kingdom.
Thy Son (30)
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Pastor Phoebes Mutasa The Big Brother Spirit Saints Together Christian Church 23 January 2011
The older son treated his younger brother with contempt. He calls him ‘this your son’. We should
always treat others with respect, even those that hate us. Christians should always be well-mannered.
How do we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ? Do we use derogatory language when we speak
about those we do not like?
Thy Living (30)
The brother tries to irritate his father and set him against his younger brother by reminding him of the
sinfulness of his younger son. Proverbs 10:12 teaches that love does not expose but first hides before it
forgives and forgets all sins (FC Cook).
All That I Have Is Thine (31)
The older son was an heir to everything the father had. He had a right which he chose not to use.
Therefore he had no right to complain. We should not envy what God gives to another brother because
that does not make us worse off. What God has is all ours. If God gives sunshine to those you don’t
like, he is not taking it from you to give it to them. There is enough for everyone. We all can have what
we want.
Better
It is better to be happy with our Father in heaven than with any friend we have in this world. It gives
joy to the heart to know that we are God’s and that we are with him and that we shall forever be with
him.
Explanation (32)
The father gave a good reason why there was so much joy in the family. He did not rudely say ‘This is
my house, I do what I want, and you should not question my actions.’ It is always good to give a
convincing reason why we did what we did. Also, allow people to explain their actions. Abstain from
judging without allowing others to explain their conduct.
Keep Temper
The father refers to the Prodigal son as ‘thy brother’. Honourable people always chose their words
wisely. The father did not lose his fatherly love or his temper. He instructed his son in a loving way. He
reminded his older son that although his younger brother had behaved foolishly he surely had learnt his
lesson and that he would do well by God’s grace (Ps 37:24).
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