The Ungrateful Brother

We measure our love for the father listen to Adrian Rogers, my dear friends are going to measure your love of the father, while your love will you say you can see God the but you can see your brother is a very practical way that which we can see is that which we can measure and my dear friend, your love for your brothers that which can be same, which is the absolute measurement of what is on the inside. Welcome to Leavenworth side featuring the dynamic teaching the pastor and author Adrian Rogers in Luke chapter 15 Jesus tells the story of the prodigal son reconciling with this loving father. However, as the passage continues. We meet his brother through this epilogue.

Jesus reveals that the love of God melts one sinner's heart can harden another sinner's heart. If you have your Bible find Luke chapter 15 as Adrian Rogers reveals what we can learn from the story of the ungrateful brother how this story is a story that Jesus Christ gave to the Pharisees.

The Pharisees and whose hearts and lives the milk of human kindness had curve they had complained about the Lord Jesus Christ and they criticized Jesus for keeping company with sentence and Jesus told this story.

It's a story of two sons and two kinds of sentence. Once the story were very familiar with is the story of the prodigal. The prodigal son. He was a rebel. He was a renegade. He was a liar. He ended up penniless. He ended up shameless. He ended up friends is where the sins of the flesh, but there was another son son that stated home outwardly was a fine sunny work party was kept his father's commandments outwardly. I did nothing wrong that anyone could obviously see, and his were not the sins of the flash is for the sins of the spirit is either some sins that are outward and are some sins that are in there some sales that ascends out of the flash, but other sands that ascends of the spirit there some sense that a gross sin. There other sands that are subtle sands people pay more attention to the prodigal son than they do. The elder brother know why we don't pay much attention to the elder brother why you don't hear many sermons about the elder brother. The brother that stayed home and complained about the younger brother had been away complained when the father lavished his love upon that younger brother, I'll tell you why because we're so much like the elder brother.

It's a love story this 15th chapter of Luke, which you gonna find out that the love of God that melted the heart of one sinner harden the heart of another sin, the elder brother was. Outwardly, Morrow begged Jesus in the story made havoc of his little list of virtues and you're going to find out that Jesus had compassion for that outward center that man who was guilty of the sins of the flesh which are going to find out in the Scriptures that Jesus had white hot were for those who were self-righteous. Those who were guilty of sins of the spirit and would not let go of the sins of the spirit, ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you how our lives all to be live.

First of all, there ought to be a pure, sincere, overflowing love for God that love for God ought to lead to service for our Lord and that service of our Lord ought to lead to a great wonderful abounding joy, love, service and joy ought to mark our lives. Well, I want you to measure tonight your love for God. I want to deny to measure your service for God and I want you tonight to measure your joy in the Lord and may I tell you several things.

First of all, you may measure your love for the father by your relationship with your brother. Put this verse in your margin.

First John chapter 4 and verse 20 is what the wise apostle John said if a man say I love God and hate of his brother, he is a finish that word liar was one thing about Johnny even be around Bush did the man say I love God and hate of his brother is a liar but he that love is not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen, now there's some who would like to assume the place of a son without assuming the responsibility of a brother. My dear friend you go to measure your love of the father by your love for the brother you see you can't see God the father, which you can see your brother is on a very practical way that which we can see is that which we can measure downstairs in our church kitchen and many church kitchen. We have made coffee urns. They put the coffee or the whatever the beverage is on the inside and on the outside is a glass tube that runs up and down and up. You can tell what's on the inside by looking at that glass tube is transparent and as the liquid goes up and down and that glass tube you know what I'm talking about you know what's on the inside you can see what's on the inside but you can see what's on the outside and my dear friend, your love for your brothers that which can be seen, which is the absolute measurement of what is on the inside that you would have thought that this elder son was out in the field when he came home and saw that they had killed the fatted calf. They were having a party. They were dancing they were making Mary thought he would've said praising God hallelujah our prayers have been answered. My brother has come home while wonderful day. I blame my dear old dad if you did the festivities just a little bit but it wasn't that way, the matter of fact he was such a poor son because he was such a poor brother.

You know what I have in my mind. I really believe that this elder brother was a little bit jealous of the good time.

He thought the prodigal son had been having. He just was a little envious of those people who were doing things that he really didn't get a chance to do.

He's like that woman who prayed a prayer meeting when there were only a few in the prayer meeting Lord be with us as we meet here with you while so many of our members out there in the world having a good time. This is a way but I'm telling you, dear friend. You may measure your love for your father by your love for your brother.

If a man say I love God and hate of his brother, he is a liar he that love is not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he had not seen that as a second thing you may measure your service to the father by your fellowship with the father. Look, if you will, in verse 25. Not his elder son was in the fee. That is, he hadn't been wasting his substance with riotous living.

He was out in the field.

These he's working the ranch. She's working the farm is taking care of the flock.

Whatever is he's in the field and as he came and drew nigh to the house. He heard music and dancing, and he called one of the service and asked what these things meant and he said to them by brothers, and I father hath killed the fatted calf, because he had received him safe and sound.

The watch this and he was angry and would not go in. Therefore came his father out and entreated him the watch verse 29 and he answering said to his father. Low these many years do I serve the neither transgressed I at any time by commandment, and yet I'll never gavest me a kid that is a young goat that I might make merry with my friends that he's interested here in a service is very obvious that he was a hard worker he was in the field and he says to his father and he reminds his father in verse 29. I have served you for many years but my dear friend, you may measure your service for the father by your fellowship with the fall of this elder brother was what we would have considered a model work and yet he did not know the father's heart. He did not understand what motivated his father. I can I can just almost hear his mind work saying I don't understand what's wrong with my day. We've never had finer crops like in the cattle Housley and that they are looking at the bar's house freshly painted how large, how wonderful they are. Look at all of the workers we have coming and going. Everything looks just so fine when my father, my father just seems to sit there. He never seems to be completely satisfied no matter how wonderful the farm is, no matter how beautiful everything is. My father seems to have a faraway look in his eyes. I don't know what's wrong with my phone out today what was wrong with the father.

He had a broken heart over son, but was away from home. I will ask you a question. They think God is primarily concerned about several hundred in Maguire and beacon and sermons and fellowship and church suppers and ordinations and Sunday school attendance there. Some people think what you know, really be pleased with what we are doing for him looking away where running his farm, but I wonder have we really entered into the great far of God's Cedar friend here was a man who was serving God without ever really knowing the heart of God.

It was simply legalistic service deal what he was thinking he was saying God actually to his father but the father he takes the place of God.

He was saying. Father, I have served you, and you haven't rewarded me corresponding is very obviously that here was a man who was serving full reward service was legalistic service and he missed his father's heart. You see, the Bible says, for example, about giving second Corinthians chapter 9 verse seven, every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, not necessity for the Lord love a cheerful giver.

What is not cheerfully willingly given God neither needs nor wants where to get out of the heart motivated with love, you may measure your service to the father by your fellowship with the fall if my dear friend you serve for reward is not going to be long before you're going to be complaining that you're not being blessed sufficiently and if somebody else's blessing more than your blast, you're really going to be complaining, but if you serve the Lord out of a love for God not reward you're going to be blast in the lease. This young man did not know what made his father's part B he could've known he should've known what he did I would mention one other thing, dear friend. Not only are you going to measure your love for the father by your relationship to your brother. Not only are you going to measure your service for the father by dear friend, your fellowship with the father which are going to measure. Also that third thing that I mentioned your joy with the father by your sharing of the father's burden. Notice again in verse 29 he answering said to his father low. These many years do I serve the neither transgressed I at any time by commandment, and yet I'll never gavest me to give you see his finger in the face of his father never gavest me a kid that I might make very with my friends. That is, I'm not married I'm not happy but as soon as this guy's son was come, you hear that not this. My brother, but this by son. But as soon as this my son was, which I devoured thy living with harlots, God has killed him for the fatted calf.

He said in him, son, thou art ever with me and all that I have is not. It was mean that we should make Mary and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found with the elder brother did make Mary the elder brother was not glad he had no joy because different is wrapped up in himself. He doesn't have the father's burden look in verse 29.

He's not concerned about his father. In verse 29.

He says I me five times.

He is full of self-righteousness.

He is full of self-centeredness. He is full of self-pity and he is perfectly miserable and so will you be if you don't know the father's burden. If you do not share the father's burden. You'll never know the father's joy. If you do not love your brother, you don't love the father. If you don't have fellowship with the father. Your service amounts to nothing and if you don't have the father's burden. You'll never know the father's Joel that he had already had nothing. Look, if you will, as the father reasons with him. Look in verse 31.

The father said in him, son, thou art ever with me and all that I have is not now look at Diaz everything and yet the one thing he wants the most he doesn't have and that's Joel. He had position because he was a son look at it. He calls him a son. He has privilege because he is with the father. He has possession because the father says all that I have is your now in Bible times, the elder son got two thirds of the inheritance. The birthright, the younger son got only 1/3 everything that was left really belong to the elder son. The father says son, listen you have to position your my son privilege or with me. You have possession all that I have is all and he had no jewel to you want same reason that some in this building tonight say I just don't understand why it is that I'm not getting joy in my fate when I tell you why you don't share the father's burden.

You don't see things from God's point of view you feel that somehow that somebody else's blessing is your to my mouth what this young man needed to understand was that in the father's house there is always a surplus, the prodigal son knew that.

He said even my servants have bread enough and despair. My dear friend is enough of God's grace for all 5 billion people on planet Earth. You have all you want and they can have all they want.

What brings the father joy.

What makes joy in heaven. Again, what burdens the father's heart, a son away from him. What glands the father's heart. Listen Jesus said there is joy in the presence of the angel over one sinner that repented more than over 90 and nine just persons that need no repentance.

I used to think that meant that the angels rejoice, and I suppose they do. But that's not what that verse me. It doesn't say there is joy among the angels.

This is based joy in the presence of the Angels it's the Lord who rejoices when a sinner comes home. There is joy in the presence of the Angels. Just as there was joy when this prodigal son came home. What gives the father joy for Santos to come home. One will give you Joel he that goeth forth and we both very precious.

Each will doubtless come again want with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with my friend you want joy if you want the father's joy. You got to share the father's concern.

You got to share the father's burden. This elder brother could've been concerned with a surplus in the house and an empty place in the table, and yet there was no twinge in his heart had ever thought about why he didn't share his father's concern. Why didn't he know how the father fell onto a wine he spent no time with his father Bill what he should've done he should send an I want to talk with you that even though the crops are doing well. Even though the servants are obedient even though the barns are well-built and even though the catalyst sleek and healthy and everything was good. Father, I can tell you're burden level with me that why they look so burden the dad was a son is your brother, you know, son.

He wanted his inheritance early and I gave it to them and your brothers left home. I hear this a depression in that land where he went on concerned about your brother. Let's pray for Brad, son, you could go and see where it perhaps son, you can go to your brother and my son and tell them that mother and I love him and that you love him and that you wanting to come home and that we wanted to come home. Well him him phone. He never spending time with his father. No, his father's car.

You know why people don't have a love for the lost. They don't have a quiet time with God. Digital is not primarily love the lost souls of we need is primarily love God that we need Jesus didn't say you love. She pretty love the PGP said to Peter, love us, thou me feed my sheep, but here was a song spent no real time low-quality time. What he did.

He shut out the concern of his father while pretending to serve his father. He was self-centered and he was miserable. He came home and he said what's all this noise about did you know in churches across America today. There are people who don't want to be a member of an evangelistic teacher. Do you know why it bothers them.

They wish the preacher would just preach and say amen and let him go home.

They were like a man to stand in the Pope and say come to Jesus saying another stanza saying another stanza saying another stanza they get antsy. Watch they say it's time to go. What's all this noise disturbs everything is fine, just like it is.

We don't need a new church is plenty of room for me.

I always get a seat what's all this noise about what's all this concern about what's all this pleading and praying about I want you to learn three things and learn them good Christian life is summed up in love for the father service to the father and joy with the phone your love for the father is going to be measured by your love for your brother, your service to the father's going to be measured by your fellowship with the father, and your joy with the father is measured by the degree that you share father's burden friend when we learn the week with him will learn to rejoice within what a profound message for us today.

And maybe as you've listened prayer request has risen to the surface of your life and love worth finding one of our great honors is to come alongside you, and pray with you if you can go to our website LWF.org/radio and scroll down to find our prayer wall you find the option to either submit a prayer request or pray for others. This resource is one of our favorite ways to keep the ministry in the community praying continually for one another's needs. Let us hear from you today again find our prayer wall@lwf.org/radio F you like to order a copy of today's message in its entirety.

The ungrateful brothers the title and are numbers 1877 love God, you can also order online@lwf.org/radio or write us at love worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183 you identify more with the prodigal son, the ungrateful brother. Remember, your love, service and joy toward your brother measured how much you love the fun. Glad you joined us for this important message and be sure to tune in next time. More from Adrian Rogers right on love worth a list a road on her Facebook wall recently with these powerful words. Adrian Rogers has a unique way of making you feel he is right with you makes excellent illustrations.

This power points to connect the dots so you can understand you agree with that but we are honored to share the truth of the gospel.

Such a time as this and that's why love with finding is proud to present the new documentary nothing but the truth in partnership with the films producers when you donate to the ministry right now. We'd love to send you a DVD copy.

This documentary exposes the cultural erosion of biblical truth in America and provides viewers with access to faith, strengthening truth from the word of God request the DVD nothing but the truth when you call with the gift.

1877 love God is our number 1-877-568-3463 forgive online it LWF.org/radio. Thank you for your generous support of love worth finding