INTRODUCTION:  When we look at this story, we usually focus on the sins and restoration of the younger brother and the love of his father.  But what about the elder brother?  He has a prominent part in this story.  There are many who avoid the sins of the younger brother but are destroyed by the sins of the elder brother.

1. He was loyal (Luke 15:11-12 [11] And he said, A certain man had two sons: [12] And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
   See All...); he stayed with his father when the younger brother left home to party
2. He was industrious (Luke 15:25Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
   See All...); when the younger brother returns home, he is working in the field
3. He is faithful (Luke 15:29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve 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:
   See All...); he served without fail for many years; he could be counted on to be there
4. He was righteous (Luke 15:29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve 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:
   See All...); he did not transgress the commandment of the father

So, why do we have such a negative picture of the elder brother?  He seems to have all the qualities that make for a faithful, upright church member.  Yet, like the church of Ephesus in Revelation, chapter two, a church that was faithful in works and true in doctrine, the Lord has somewhat against him because he has left his first love (Revelation 2:4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
See All...).  And like this church, he needs to remember from whence he has fallen, repent, and do the first works (Revelation 2:5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
See All...).  Those of you who are here today and feel secure in your faithfulness to God, will you search your heart and see if there be any wickedness in you that needs to be surrendered to the Lord?

1. SPIRITUAL DULLNESS (Luke 15:25-26 [25] Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. [26] And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
   See All...) – “asked what these things meant”
1. He Was Not Spiritually Blind (2 Corinthians 4:3-4 [3] But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: [4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
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2. But He Was Spiritually Dull
1. He did not recognize the revival when it came
2. Like Eli, he missed the spiritual significance of what was happening (1 Samuel 1:9-15 [9] So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD. [10] And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. [11] And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. [12] And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. [13] Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. [14] And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. [15] And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.
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3. Like the Galatians, he was trying to achieve perfection by the flesh (Galatians 3:3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
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2. ANGER (Luke 15:28And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
   See All...) – “he was angry”
1. He Had Reserved His Anger For Many Years (Luke 15:29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve 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:
   See All...)
1. He had developed the root of bitterness (Hebrews 12:15Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
   See All...)
2. When a glass is tipped, nothing can come out that is not already in the glass
2. He Was Sure of the Righteousness of His Anger
1. He was not the one who had transgressed (Luke 15:29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve 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:
   See All...)
2. Like Jonah, he felt he did well to be angry (Jonah 4:5-11 [5] So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city. [6] And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd. [7] But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. [8] And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. [9] And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. [10] Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: [11] And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more then sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
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3. BROKEN FELLOWSHIP (Luke 15:28And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
   See All...) – “would not go in”
1. In Breaking Fellowship With His Brother, He Lost Fellowship With the Father (1 John 1:3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
   See All...; 4:20-21
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1. His breaking of fellowship was a willful act – “he would not”
2. The younger son broke away from the father’s house; the elder brother broke fellowship in the father’s house
3. He made the father come to him
2. Broken Fellowship Was the First Result of Man’s Original Sin (Genesis 3:8And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
   See All...); it is a sign that more is wrong in your life
4. SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS (Luke 15:29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve 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:
   See All...) – “these many years do I serve thee:
1. He Saw Himself Righteous in Comparison to His Brother
1. This is the only way we can see ourselves righteous
2. This is the sin of the Pharisee (Luke 18:10-14 [10] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. [11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. [12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. [13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. [14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
   See All...)
2. He Failed to See His Own Sinfulness; compare this with the Apostle Paul (Romans 7:18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
   See All...; 1 Timothy 1:15This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
   See All...)
5. JEALOUSY (Luke 15:29-30 [29] And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve 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: [30] But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
   See All...) – “thou never gavest me a kid”
1. He Compared Lives (John 21:20-22 [20] Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? [21] Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? [22] Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
   See All...; 2 Corinthians 10:12For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
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2. He Compared Rewards (Matthew 20:1-15 [1] For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. [2] And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. [3] And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, [4] And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. [5] Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. [6] And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? [7] They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. [8] So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. [9] And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. [10] But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. [11] And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, [12] Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. [13] But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? [14] Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. [15] Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
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3. He Found Reason to Complain
1. You never even gave me a kid
2. You gave my brother the fatted calf
6. UNTHANKFULNESS (Luke 15:31And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
   See All...) – “all that I have is thine”
1. He Lost the Joy of Being With the Father
2. He Discounted the Blessings That Were His (1 Corinthians 3:21-23 [21] Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's; [22] Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's; [23] And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
   See All...)
7. SELFISHNESS (Luke 15:32It 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.
   See All...) – “this thy brother was dead, and is alive again”
1. He Had No Joy in His Brother’s Return; consider the joy over the found sheep (Luke 15:3-7 [3] And he spake this parable unto them, saying, [4] What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? [5] And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. [6] And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. [7] I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
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2. His Thoughts Were Only of Himself (Psalm 10:4The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
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CONCLUSION:  Are you faithful in your service to God?  Are you guilty of the sins of the elder brother?  Since his first sin is spiritual dullness, apply Psalm 139:23-24 [23] Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: [24] And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
See All....  Seek also your first love (Revelation 2:4-5 [4] Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. [5] Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
See All...).