I want to focus on the question of our responsibility toward others, our duty to those whose lives are of greatest concern to the heart of our Father in Heaven.
The central theme of the teachings of Jesus Christ was about love. He spoke of loving God, loving our enemies, and loving one another. He taught about it and He demonstrated in His life. He even proclaimed this very truth as being the fulfillment of the entire law of God and the prophets (Matthew 22:37-40). In order to more fully understand the message of this God kind of love, I'd like look at the well-known parable as found in Luke 15:11-32, The Prodigal Son. But this time, let’s think for a few moments about the older brother of this rebellious young man.
"Then 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 falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 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.’
“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 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. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 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.’” (Luke 15:11-32)
As we see in verse 12, the father of these men divided his goods equally between the two, equal opportunity to succeed or fail. The younger chose to spend his inheritance on riotous living, the older chose to stay at home and continue to serve his father...a very admirable decision.
As we look at ourselves, most of us have made that same decision. We have chosen to serve the interest of God and to shun evil. We attend church regularly, read our Bible, fellowship with other Christians. But too often, we don’t dare venture very far from the comforts of home. We don't step out into the areas of life that would make us vulnerable.
So let's think about how this story might have been different. Let’s suppose for a moment that this older brother were to ask himself the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” What a different outcome there could have been to this story! What if he had realized that he had a responsibility to his brother? Think of how pleased his father would have been.
You see, he knew what was going on with his younger brother (vs.30), and he had also seen his father watching and waiting for the brother’s return every day. But he had no heart for the restoration of his family, for his brother's safe return, or for the joy of his father. Instead, he busied himself daily with tending the field. He was doing a good work, but he was not concerned about the most pressing issue of his father's heart. His father just wanted his son to come home.
Though most of us are sure in our hearts that we try to please God with our lives, how might we more fully please Him? How could this story and our own lives be different, and more pleasing to God?
Suppose the older son had sensed a true burden for his brother? He could imagine how his brother must be suffering, how difficult life must be for him. He would have wanted more than anything a good life for his brother. Suppose he was deeply concerned for his welfare so that he longed day and night to help him. Imagine this older brother goes to his father and asks permission to be excused from his normal duties for a few days. “But why?” his father would ask. “Father, I want to go and find my brother. I want to plead with him to come home, and to remind him of how much you love him, and how you have not ceased to watch for him since the day he left. I MUST bring him back before it’s too late.” What a difference that would have made to the Father.
As a smile crossed the father’s face, and love flowed from his heart to this older son, he replies, “Yes my son, go. Take whatever you need to fulfill this task. All that I have is yours for the asking.” And the older son sets out to bring his brother home.
Perhaps it’s a bit uncomfortable as he enters the pig sty where his brother is working, almost faint from hunger. But, what joy as the younger one looks up and sees the love and compassion in his brother’s face. As he places his arms around the young man, tears flow from each of their eyes, and the older says, "Brother, our father forgives you, and I have come to bring you home.” What a time of rejoicing!
As they approach their home, the sound of music fills the air, and they can see the feast the father has prepared, but this time, not for one, but for both sons. The whole family is reunited and joy reigns in the hearts of all.
Jesus tells us in Luke 15:7 “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” Hallelujah! What rejoicing there is in Heaven! And, what joy it also brings to our own hearts to go out and bring the lost home. There is no miracle in all of Heaven quite as marvelous as watching the power of God transform a life from misery and shame into a thing of beauty.
Won’t you ask yourselves this question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Oh let us ask God to give us a heart of compassion for the lost! Let us begin to get in tune with the true heart of our Father! Let us delight in the salvation of others! Look around, the needs are so great…the fields are so white for the harvest! There are people who are lost and dying just as surely as this prodigal brother, wherever you may be. How pleased our Father is when we seek Him for these souls, and then go out and bring them home. We MUST fulfill the commission that Jesus gave us! We MUST preach the Gospel! Lives depend on it, and the will of God must be fulfilled! We must all do our part, and we can be confident that our Father will also say to us, “Take whatever you need to fulfill this task. All that I have is yours.” And the satisfaction of knowing that we have pleased the heart of our Father is the greatest reward we could desire.
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