Luke 15:25-32

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ 28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’ 31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

So often when we look at the parable of the prodigal we focus in on the younger rebellious son and not the seemingly obedient older brother. Yet when the younger brother came home and the day of celebration came there was one empty chair. The one alongside the robe covered prodigal that belonged to the elder brother. This son was the one who stayed out of trouble and took the work of the Father seriously. He lived by rules, working hard on the ranch, and that day coming in from the fields he heard the commotion and the music that filled the air. He learned that his baby brother, the one they thought was lost was finally home. One would have expected him to respond with relief and rejoicing, yet he responded as if his life had been ruined. Instead of a heart felt reunion he refused to join in the rejoicing. Instead of thanksgiving there was a temper tantrum. Instead of rejoicing there was only resentment, because he had been the one who had to be responsible while his younger brother was reckless. He was the one who had to bear the brunt of the work and the burden back home while his brother irresponsibly squandered the inheritance. Why would they throw a party for the prodigal and not for him? After all partying was all his brother had done but something he had never gotten to do. It’s at this point that the Father leaves the party to plead with the son. This begging was more than he could bear, and like a bursting dam out flowed all of his feelings. Out flows the anger and the animosity, rivers of resentment flow toward his father for not giving him the same treatment. He was repulsed by the rejoicing and refused to go in. Here was a brother who had not forgotten and would not forgive. So here is the question, how can a brother who has been so blessed become so bitter and ungrateful? If anyone should have been content surely it would have been the older brother. This story is a slap in the face of our consumer culture that tells us happiness depends on having. The irony here is that doing all the right things, and possessing all the benefits of the estate are not guarantees for a grateful heart. Instead of praising he chose pouting and as you look closer at the exchange between father and son you see several things that point to a hardened heart plagued with ingratitude. Why was this brother thankless, first he was:

• Performance Driven

The older sons response to his father pleading was to point out all that he had done, “All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.” His statement reveals the real reason for his lack joy. Not only did the older brother mark time, but he tracked behavior. Performance driven people don’t just poison their lives, but they also ruin the relationships they have with others. We hold others hostage to our expectations, demanding them to perform and live according to our preferences. We don’t just set the bar for ourselves we also expect others to clear it. Why do I say that performance poisons, because its motive is always about me. He wasn’t living to please the Father he was performing to benefit self. His performance wasn’t based in a deep love for the Father but because he wanted recognition. He would have been happy if the party had been thrown for him, but when it wasn’t instead of being happy he was hurt. When you find yourself bitter because others are being blessed you might want to check your heart. His performance driven life led to a feeling of entitlement, he believed that performance should lead to pay offs. But here is the deal you can’t buy blessings; it’s not mercy if it involves your merit. No amount of good will ever get you grace. While the father was motivated by grace the son was motivated by a grudge. Not only was he performance driven but he was also:

• Possessions Blind

In verse 31 the father reminds the son, “Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.” The older brother may have had everything but he still felt the need for more. How like us in our consumer culture, constantly chase after the carrot but never catching it. Always consuming yet never content. Here was the older brother heir to all the possessions yet pouting over one party. How many are miss their share of happiness today, not because they haven’t found it, but because they haven’t stopped to enjoy it. If anyone should have been happy it was the older brother, he not only had the praise of the Father he also had all that the Father possessed. So why was he so upset over the party thrown for the prodigal? Because from his perspective his brother deserved punishment not praise. Here was a man that chose to look at life through the lens of fairness instead of the lens of the Father. His father provided a proper perspective in verse 32, “We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’” Because he refused to look at life from the Fathers perspective he remained mad and ended up missed the miracle of new life. Focusing on what is fair according to me will always move me towards madness and away from mercy. Not only did he miss the miracle but he missed the whole point of mercy. Mercy has nothing to do with man’s merit and everything to do with the Fathers forgiveness. How about you are you moved more by mercy or being mad? Grace is about God’s goodness not man’s good works. Here was a son who possessed all of the Fathers fortune yet none of His forgiveness; he may have gotten his father’s livelihood but he didn’t get his love. How like us, we get so busy with the business that we miss the blessing. What about you are you focusing on the Father or what you think is fair? Are you going to fuss over what is fair and miss the most important party of your life? Many of us today have chosen to live in the madness of resentment and anger instead of the freedom of forgiveness and mercy.   Are you going to be ruled by the Father or your feelings of fairness?

Acts 16:22-30

22 “A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. 25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

In the midst of persecution we see two men praising God because they were prepared and now we get to see the results of their praise:

• Power

Paul didn’t stop proclaiming Jesus just because he was arrested; his sermon was the song that he sang. I have heard a lot of good preachers but the best preaching is praise in the midst of the pain. When our circumstances turn from good to bad, and the flow of God’s blessings appear to dry up how we respond is critical. What we tend to forget is that in these moments the world will surely be watching our lives. The truth is that suffering probably provides us with the greatest opportunity to demonstrate the validity of Christianity. Pain, probably more than any other medium gives us a platform to proclaim God’s plan of peace to the people around us. It’s easy to praise when things are perfect, but when the world sees us praising in the midst of the pain it causes them to stop and pay attention. Notice that the other prisoners were listening. Now let’s take this passage and get practical, when was the last time that you actually suffered for your faith? When have you been persecuted for proclaiming God’s plan? If there is one thing that we should be challenged by in this story it is that we should put away our pettiness, quit playing church and get our eyes on the goal. What if we were to stop focusing on the misery and start focusing on the mission? If we’re grateful and joyful, only when things are going good then how are we any different from the world? Anyone can whine when things go bad but to worship in the midst of suffering is supernatural. 1 Peter 2:12 says, “12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world” Matthew 5:14 reminds us, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” If we want to reach the world with the word of God and see people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ then we must praise even in the pain. Are you going to focus on your suffering or on those who need salvation? It’s easy to get sidetracked in the suffering, but persecution didn’t derail or redirect Paul, he stayed true to the mission to share the power of His Savior. From a worldly point of view Paul and Silas as the prisoners should have been the ones in despair but instead it was the jailer who was beyond despair. He was ready to take his life but what saved him was the attitude of Peter and Silas during their difficult imprisonment. They sang and praised God even though they were in chains, and because of their joy the jailer and his entire household were saved. Our song in the suffering can open the door to salvation. It was the jailer who needed to be set free, he was the real prisoner not Paul and Silas. Prayerful praise doesn’t just break our chains, it changes our perspective and provides a platform to proclaim God’s plan of peace. Not only does it shake free our shackles but if frees those stuck in sin. When you are going through trials you may not feel particularly grateful, but we can thank God for His abundant promises and unfailing goodness. Henry Frost served for many years as a missionary to China. In his journal he wrote of a very difficult time in his life. He says, “I had received sad news from home, and deep shadows had covered my soul. I prayed BUT the darkness did not vanish. I summoned myself to endure, BUT the darkness only deepened. Then I went to an inland station and saw on the wall of the mission home these words: ’TRY THANKSGIVING.’ I did, and in a moment every shadow was gone, not to return.” Maybe right now you too feel like a shadow has covered your soul, maybe you’re struggling with burdens that seem unbearable. Maybe you also have prayed but there is still no relief to the problems, or you have told yourself to keep on going hoping that it would disappear only it’s gotten deeper. What if you like Frost were to engage in the purest form of prayer, praise. What if instead of telling God about our problems we like Paul told the world about His power? We have a God who turns tragedy into triumph, verse 33 says, “Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized.” Look at the incredible change in this man’s life; the one responsible for chaining them is now washing their wounds. Verse 34 goes on to say that, “He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.” When God opened up his heart he opened up his home, he went from a hard heart to one of hospitality. Real conversion results in compassion, salvation should show. Praise may have started with Paul and Silas but it quickly spread to the jailer and his family. Both praise and protesting are contagious, one effects the other infects, one ruins the other is the remedy. What about you are you effecting or infecting others, are you inviting people to join in on a pity party or a party of praise? So let me ask you, was the pain and suffering that Paul and Silas went through worth it? Satan schemes were thwarted, God was glorified and a sinner was saved, now that is winning the war. That’s what I want; I want my life to be a contagious chorus of praise regardless of the pain and problems.  What about you are you going to live a life that proclaims your pain or God’s power?