01/05/2026
An Open IINVITATION to Celebrate LIFE!
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SCRIPTURE - Luke 15: 25-34
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
DISCOVER:
This passage comes at the end of the story of the prodigal son and while the story of the prodigal son gets a lot of press coverage, I hadn’t spent a lot of time ruminating on this part about the older brother at the end. He clearly has had direct access to relationship with his Father and everything his father owned for his whole life, and yet he clearly is not living in a place where he is experiencing abundant LIFE.
There are so many attitudes and false beliefs which block us from experiencing abundant life so let’s take a minute to look at three that this older brother was believing. First of all, clearly the older brother was offended by his younger brother’s many sins. Secondly, he had no interest in forgiving his brother for anything. I imagine the other brother saw how much the prodigal had offended and wounded his father when he left and he didn’t want to forgive him for the offense he caused. Thirdly, the older brother was full of resentment. Let’s look at some of the false beliefs from which this resentment stems. It seems evident that he believed his place in the family had to be earned, which he had done and his younger brother had not. It also seems clear that he believed his father was being unfair because he, the good kid, had not gotten a celebration of his own, while his brother, the bad kid, was receiving this elaborate welcome home celebration.
These attitudes of offense, unforgiveness, and resentment are clearly blocking this brother from experiencing abundant life. And yet, while he was still out in the field nursing his resentments, his father goes out looking for him! It’s so easy in the beginning of this story to see the father looking for the return of his prodigal son, but its just as easy to miss that the father also goes out to find his older son. In fact, while the prodigal son is enjoying his gifts and his party, it’s easy to miss that the older son also receives gifts from his father.
Let’s look at three things the Father gives the older brother when he goes out to find him. FIRST, his Father reminds him how much he loves him and the intimacy of his continual presence in his life, and access to all he owned, lovingly correcting his misaligned perspective. SECONDLY, his Father reveals his own heart to him, that his brother was lost and has been found, dead and now lives. And THIRDLY, the Father invites his older son to celebrate. The unconditional love of the father INVITED his older son to let go of his false beliefs and resentments and enter into the joy of celebration alongside His father!
Unfortunately, we see that the brother was not willing to lay down his resentments, hurt, and unforgiveness to join the party, but he was invited! And the invitation remained open! Wouldn’t it be amazing if the older brother took a minute to reflect and decided to join his father in celebrating the LIFE that had been brought back from the dead? I imagine if he had, he would be EXPERIENCING MORE LIFE than ever before!
REFLECT: One sign that we’re holding on to unforgiveness is being unable to rejoice with others which results in experiencing death in our own lives where we could experience LIFE! Ask the Lord if there is any offense, unforgiveness, or resentment you are carrying that he wants to free you from today? Be honest with him knowing He has come out to find you to invite you to experience abundant life with him today!
PRAYER: Lord, would you remind us how much you love us, of your continual presence in our lives, and the unlimited access we have to all that is yours. Lord, would you reveal your heart to us about the situations and relationships in which we are struggling with offense, unforgiveness, and resentments. Lord, would you grant us the gift of forgiveness so we can accept your invitation to celebrate LIFE with you today and every day on into eternity! Amen.
Written by Elizabeth Schmus, co-director of Christian Educators, gifted curriculm architect, author, and mom
