✝ Daily Encouragement (2/14/25) "The Older Son's Resentment"
Published: Fri, 02/14/25
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Friday,
February
14, 2025
Bikes
in the bike
museum at the
Martin's Bike
Shop east of
Ephrata, PA.
In
the foreground
are some of
the oldest
bikes in the
world, the
first is from
1818. Notice
no pedals, so
you'd need
some good
shoes for
traction if
you want to
build up
speed.
"The Older Son's Resentment" Note:
Today's
message is
posted later
than usual due
to busy days,
yesterday and
today. Message summary: The amazing truth is God's love is available to all!
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
Today
since our main
text
(Luke
15:25-32)
is
long we will
not post it at
the top but
rather deal
with it in the
message phrase
by phrase.
“Now
his older son
was in the
field, and as
he came and
drew near to
the house, he
heard music
and dancing.
And he called
one of the
servants and
asked what
these things
meant".
The older son
was out in the
field and not
present when
his younger
brother came
home and the
celebration
began. He
asked a
servant what
had happened
and the
servant
correctly
responded. "Your
brother has
come, and your
father has
killed the
fattened calf,
because he has
received him
back safe and
sound".
At
this news you
would expect
the older son
to be
jubilant!
That's how a
healthy family
dynamic would
work. "But
he was angry
and refused to
go in".
He represents
those who may
feel entitled
to God's favor
or those who
struggle to
forgive
others. His
reaction
highlights the
dangers of
self-righteousness
and the
importance of
compassion and
grace. " His father came out and entreated him". That must have been an interesting conversation but the content of the entreaty is not disclosed. But the older son's response sure is. "But he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!'" Notice the pent up stew of grievances which were likely overstated:
"Look,
these many
years I have
served you".
He didn't see
himself as a
son but a
servant.
"I
never
disobeyed your
command".
It's rather
unlikely that
he had never
disobeyed.
He probably
was
considering
his younger
brother's
disobedience
comparatively.
That's
something we
tend to do in
life!
"Yet
you never gave
me a young
goat
that I might
celebrate with
my
friends
".
Possible
but very
unlikely that
a father
demonstrating
such love for
the returning
son had never
done anything
kind for him.
Then
the resentment
really
surfaces,
"But
when this
son of yours came,
who has
devoured your
property with
prostitutes,
you killed the
fattened calf
for him!’
Note that he
says "this son
of yours"
rather
than "my
brother".
Also he had
not talked to
his brother at
this point yet
makes the
assumption
that the
younger son
had
"
devoured
your property
with
prostitutes".
This may have
been the case
but he was
thinking the
worst about
his brother. But the father's response is so instructive: And he said to him, "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found."
What
a blessing to
be with our
heavenly
Father but
that can be
taken for
granted. "
All
that is mine
is yours".
God's
resources are
never
depleted.
"He who did
not spare His
own Son but
gave Him up
for us all,
how will He
not also with
Him graciously
give us all
things?"
(Romans 8:32).
This
final point is
perhaps the
main point of
the parable
based on
context. The
chapter begins
“Now the
tax collectors
and sinners
were all
drawing near
to hear him.
And the
Pharisees and
the scribes
grumbled,
saying, 'This
man receives
sinners and
eats with
them'"
(Luke 15:1,2).
The younger
brother
represents the
tax collectors
and sinners.
The older
brother
represents the
Pharisees and
scribes. Which
group might
you identify
with? The
amazing truth
is God's love
is available
to both!
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Isaiah 64:6 (TLB)
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"The
Love Of God"
Watch
on YouTube
Brandon Lake,
Phil Wickham
Here's
the entire
parable from Luke
15:11-32
Yesterday
we took
Brooksyne's
bike over to Martin's
Bike Shop
for service.
Through the
years we have
bought several
bikes from
them, most
recently her
electric bike
two years ago.
They are the
largest bike
shop on the
east coast and
I actually
wondered if
they might be
the largest in
the country,
but the
salesman
thought there
was a larger
one in
California.
When I pick
the bike up I
will have to
take a photo
of the large
service
department.
The
founder
collected
bikes and
there is a
very good bike
museum in the
shop worthy of
a stop just
for that (it's
free).
This
bike for four
is from 1897.
Brooksyne
especially
liked this one
since it came
out in 1955
the year she
was born. It
has a built in
radio and was
manufactured
for only three
years!
A
close up view
of the radio.
Brooksyne
asked if
they'd tried
to play the
radio, but
they hadn't
been as
curious as
she. Also was
it battery
operated?
Anyone seeing
this that ever
owned one
might be able
to answer!
Almost
hard to
believe but I
looked this up
on the always
reliable
internet (sic)
and found this
story.
It brings a
recollection
of when in the
mid-nineties I
rode a bike
down from the
summit of
Cadillac
mountain in
Acadia
National Park
in Maine.
Brooksyne
followed me in
the car and
clocked me at
45 mph
.
(One of the
several more
foolish things
I've done
through life.)
Going to the
summit to see
the first
sunrise in the
continental
U.S. is a
common
activity;
however,
Cadillac only
experiences
the first
sunrise from
October 7
through March
6. Here's a photo
(not mine) of
sunrise from
the summit.
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