A Father, Two Sons, the Church, and Israel | Part Four
The Older Brother
Key Thought | The greatest danger is not wandering far from the Father, but living near Him without sharing His heart.
Key Scripture | “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house… The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in… His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.’” —Luke 15:25–32 (NLT)
Today we come to the final part of our journey.
As I mentioned earlier this week, Jesus was speaking to the older brother all along. The Jewish people had long looked down on the rest of the world. For various reasons, they viewed themselves as superior, and pride had rooted religion so deeply in their hearts that they ultimately rejected the very One standing in front of them.
Jesus came to save the world, not just them, and they couldn’t receive that.
They wanted a political savior—someone who would free them from Roman rule, restore the glory days of Israel’s kingdom, and establish their dominance. But Jesus was dismantling everything they thought they knew about God and religion.
He was not what they expected, and because of that, they couldn’t receive what He was offering.
At the heart of the older brother’s struggle was the issue of inheritance.
In Jewish culture, the firstborn son received a double portion of the inheritance. The younger brother had already squandered his share. So when the younger son returned and the father responded with extravagant generosity, it revealed a tension between human limitation and heavenly reality.
From a human perspective, it appeared the father was spending the older son’s inheritance on the younger son’s celebration. But in the Kingdom of God, the Father never runs out. There is no shortage of love, grace, or inheritance.
There is always more in Him.
We don’t need to worry about favoritism when we understand that God’s resources are limitless. There is more than enough to go around.
Jesus was speaking to older brothers then, and He is speaking to older brothers now.
Jesus was clearly addressing Jewish leaders in His time, but I believe He is also speaking to pastors and church leaders today. If we are not careful, we will repeat the same patterns.
We are called to love the Jewish people, pray for them, and believe they will come to know Jesus as Messiah.
Replacement theology, the belief that the church has replaced Israel, is alive and well in America. And I need to be direct here: that belief is demonic. It is rooted in deception, contradicts Scripture, and allows seeds of hatred to take root—seeds that grow into a tree no one should eat from.
The gospel is a story of adoption, not replacement. We have been grafted into the blessing of Abraham, but the promise made to Jacob—Israel—still stands. It is alive and active today.
Our brother Israel may be in a distant land. They may be living in a pigpen, dealing with the consequences of their own decisions. But God has a plan for them.
The question is whether we will have the heart of the Father, or the heart of the older brother.
The story of the Bible is the story of two brothers. In the end, we all face a choice: we either receive the heart of the Father, or we become the older brother by default.
Don’t let older brother syndrome take root in your heart.
Prayer | Father, search my heart and reveal any pride, resentment, or judgment that keeps me from sharing Your heart. Help me celebrate restoration, trust Your abundance, and love the way You love. Teach me to stand with You—not outside the party, but fully aligned with Your heart. Amen.
Reflection
Key Thought | The greatest danger is not wandering far from the Father, but living near Him without sharing His heart.
Key Scripture | “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house… The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in… His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.’” —Luke 15:25–32 (NLT)
Today we come to the final part of our journey.
As I mentioned earlier this week, Jesus was speaking to the older brother all along. The Jewish people had long looked down on the rest of the world. For various reasons, they viewed themselves as superior, and pride had rooted religion so deeply in their hearts that they ultimately rejected the very One standing in front of them.
Jesus came to save the world, not just them, and they couldn’t receive that.
They wanted a political savior—someone who would free them from Roman rule, restore the glory days of Israel’s kingdom, and establish their dominance. But Jesus was dismantling everything they thought they knew about God and religion.
He was not what they expected, and because of that, they couldn’t receive what He was offering.
At the heart of the older brother’s struggle was the issue of inheritance.
In Jewish culture, the firstborn son received a double portion of the inheritance. The younger brother had already squandered his share. So when the younger son returned and the father responded with extravagant generosity, it revealed a tension between human limitation and heavenly reality.
From a human perspective, it appeared the father was spending the older son’s inheritance on the younger son’s celebration. But in the Kingdom of God, the Father never runs out. There is no shortage of love, grace, or inheritance.
There is always more in Him.
We don’t need to worry about favoritism when we understand that God’s resources are limitless. There is more than enough to go around.
Jesus was speaking to older brothers then, and He is speaking to older brothers now.
Jesus was clearly addressing Jewish leaders in His time, but I believe He is also speaking to pastors and church leaders today. If we are not careful, we will repeat the same patterns.
We are called to love the Jewish people, pray for them, and believe they will come to know Jesus as Messiah.
Replacement theology, the belief that the church has replaced Israel, is alive and well in America. And I need to be direct here: that belief is demonic. It is rooted in deception, contradicts Scripture, and allows seeds of hatred to take root—seeds that grow into a tree no one should eat from.
The gospel is a story of adoption, not replacement. We have been grafted into the blessing of Abraham, but the promise made to Jacob—Israel—still stands. It is alive and active today.
Our brother Israel may be in a distant land. They may be living in a pigpen, dealing with the consequences of their own decisions. But God has a plan for them.
The question is whether we will have the heart of the Father, or the heart of the older brother.
The story of the Bible is the story of two brothers. In the end, we all face a choice: we either receive the heart of the Father, or we become the older brother by default.
Don’t let older brother syndrome take root in your heart.
Prayer | Father, search my heart and reveal any pride, resentment, or judgment that keeps me from sharing Your heart. Help me celebrate restoration, trust Your abundance, and love the way You love. Teach me to stand with You—not outside the party, but fully aligned with Your heart. Amen.
Reflection
- Where might I struggle to celebrate God’s grace toward others?
- Am I trusting in God’s abundance—or operating out of fear of scarcity?
We'd love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments what God is speaking to you as you read these devotionals. If you haven't already subscribed to receive our devotional emails right to your inbox, hit the subscribe button below and invite your family and friends to subscribe as well! Thank you for being a part of our Opendoor Devotional Community. We appreciate you!
No Comments