THE OTHER BROTHER (EDIT)
"Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
And he said unto him, `Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.'
And he was angry and would not go in; therefore came his father out and entreated him.
And he answering said to his father, `Lo, these many years have I served thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.
But as soon as this thy son was come who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.'
And he said unto him, `Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
It was meet that we should make merry and be glad; for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.'" (Luke 15:25-32, NKJV)
Most of the time, when we read or speak about the 15th chapter of Luke our focus is on the lost. Indulge me, but just this once, I'd like to focus on the one who stayed.
It is easy to see the failure and the need for repentance of the brother who strayed from home, when he had everything he could have ever desired, but still succumbed to the pull of the world. It's different and often overlooked to see the the spirit of the remaining son, who stayed and "faithfully" served. In the celebration of the repentant son, nothing was taken away from the other son--for his father said, "all that I have is thine". It always had been--and clearly, always would be--there was no reason for his jealousy and outrage. It was totally unfounded, and unwarranted. It was selfish.
The difference in the two sons lies in the heart. They kind of remind me of Mary and Martha. Martha worked and worked herself to the bone, but for what? Mary, on the other hand, chased after her heart's desire--it didn't lead her to stray (as the prodigal did); she simply didn't get wrapped up in performance-oriented behavior's that simply filled time and kept her busy. She filled her heart and her life with He whom her soul desired. She breathed Jesus. The son--the "prodigal" as he is often called, left home, perhaps looking for something more than the status quo. Maybe, he couldn't find satisfaction in doing the same work day after day, when his heart wasn't engaged--he searched for more, in all of the wrong places. His answer was what he left behind, but his eyes were not yet opened to that fact; his heart had to connect to the knowledge. Going away, and suffering complete and total loss opened his eyes (and heart) to see Who His Father really was, and gave him the heart of a servant.
When the prodigal brother returns, the "faithful" brother is wroth with jealousy and indignation! He felt that he had earned those gifts, through his hard work and simply because he stayed. It didn't enter his mind, what his motivation for staying was--all that was important to him, was that he stayed, and worked.
There are some things that we want--good things, spiritual things, but our hearts aren't tuned to receive them. We think that we deserve them. We believe that God will do them, but we haven't met the requirements. We speak about the results--God's part, but we don't spend much time talking about what we must do for God to respond, with the gift. We are just like the brother who stayed home--demanding and commanding, but not seeing that more is required than the outward, going through the motions and just showing up. We can't live "loophole" lives and reap the greatest reward. If all you offer God is the minimum, all you will receive is the minimum. We will gladly give tangibly--to get the tangibles, but what He wants and craves is what no one can see, except Him. He wants it from us as individuals--and collectively. God will not be satisfied with only what we are willing to give Him. He wants what we withhold, too.
He doesn't want the worship that you think He wants; He wants the worship that He controls. He wants to control every aspect of our lives, our worship, our fellowship and He wants it to honor Him, and one another. Anything less than that won't be good enough.
God wants to meet us in the sanctuary, when we gather--He doesn't want us to have to muster Him up. He wants to be there. If our hearts are turned toward Him and open, clean and righteous--not self-righteous, prideful and deceitful, He will dwell with us, there. Aren't you tired of giving God the status quo? Don't you crave more of Him? Don't you want to experience His glory in His sanctuary? I'm not talking about, "Girl, didn't he preach, today?" or "Man, even Apostle Doctor Ftrpsyck went in, on Sunday!" All of that can happen without the presence of God, anywhere in the building. When God really dwells and rests in our midst, NO one will exit the sanctuary in the same condition that they entered.
What do we do about "the other brother", in us, though? How do we conquer that nature that wants to keep things the same--and just go through the motions, but reap the reward? How do we fight our way out of the box--that we put not only ourselves in, but God, too? How do we heal these gaping wounds, before we terminally bleed out?
" 13If I shut up heaven so no rain falls, or if I command locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people,
14If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
15Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer offered in this place."
(2 Chronicles 7:13-15, NKJV)
It's time.
And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
And he said unto him, `Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.'
And he was angry and would not go in; therefore came his father out and entreated him.
And he answering said to his father, `Lo, these many years have I served thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.
But as soon as this thy son was come who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.'
And he said unto him, `Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
It was meet that we should make merry and be glad; for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.'" (Luke 15:25-32, NKJV)
Most of the time, when we read or speak about the 15th chapter of Luke our focus is on the lost. Indulge me, but just this once, I'd like to focus on the one who stayed.
It is easy to see the failure and the need for repentance of the brother who strayed from home, when he had everything he could have ever desired, but still succumbed to the pull of the world. It's different and often overlooked to see the the spirit of the remaining son, who stayed and "faithfully" served. In the celebration of the repentant son, nothing was taken away from the other son--for his father said, "all that I have is thine". It always had been--and clearly, always would be--there was no reason for his jealousy and outrage. It was totally unfounded, and unwarranted. It was selfish.
The difference in the two sons lies in the heart. They kind of remind me of Mary and Martha. Martha worked and worked herself to the bone, but for what? Mary, on the other hand, chased after her heart's desire--it didn't lead her to stray (as the prodigal did); she simply didn't get wrapped up in performance-oriented behavior's that simply filled time and kept her busy. She filled her heart and her life with He whom her soul desired. She breathed Jesus. The son--the "prodigal" as he is often called, left home, perhaps looking for something more than the status quo. Maybe, he couldn't find satisfaction in doing the same work day after day, when his heart wasn't engaged--he searched for more, in all of the wrong places. His answer was what he left behind, but his eyes were not yet opened to that fact; his heart had to connect to the knowledge. Going away, and suffering complete and total loss opened his eyes (and heart) to see Who His Father really was, and gave him the heart of a servant.
When the prodigal brother returns, the "faithful" brother is wroth with jealousy and indignation! He felt that he had earned those gifts, through his hard work and simply because he stayed. It didn't enter his mind, what his motivation for staying was--all that was important to him, was that he stayed, and worked.
There are some things that we want--good things, spiritual things, but our hearts aren't tuned to receive them. We think that we deserve them. We believe that God will do them, but we haven't met the requirements. We speak about the results--God's part, but we don't spend much time talking about what we must do for God to respond, with the gift. We are just like the brother who stayed home--demanding and commanding, but not seeing that more is required than the outward, going through the motions and just showing up. We can't live "loophole" lives and reap the greatest reward. If all you offer God is the minimum, all you will receive is the minimum. We will gladly give tangibly--to get the tangibles, but what He wants and craves is what no one can see, except Him. He wants it from us as individuals--and collectively. God will not be satisfied with only what we are willing to give Him. He wants what we withhold, too.
He doesn't want the worship that you think He wants; He wants the worship that He controls. He wants to control every aspect of our lives, our worship, our fellowship and He wants it to honor Him, and one another. Anything less than that won't be good enough.
God wants to meet us in the sanctuary, when we gather--He doesn't want us to have to muster Him up. He wants to be there. If our hearts are turned toward Him and open, clean and righteous--not self-righteous, prideful and deceitful, He will dwell with us, there. Aren't you tired of giving God the status quo? Don't you crave more of Him? Don't you want to experience His glory in His sanctuary? I'm not talking about, "Girl, didn't he preach, today?" or "Man, even Apostle Doctor Ftrpsyck went in, on Sunday!" All of that can happen without the presence of God, anywhere in the building. When God really dwells and rests in our midst, NO one will exit the sanctuary in the same condition that they entered.
What do we do about "the other brother", in us, though? How do we conquer that nature that wants to keep things the same--and just go through the motions, but reap the reward? How do we fight our way out of the box--that we put not only ourselves in, but God, too? How do we heal these gaping wounds, before we terminally bleed out?
" 13If I shut up heaven so no rain falls, or if I command locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people,
14If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
15Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer offered in this place."
(2 Chronicles 7:13-15, NKJV)
It's time.
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