Unmasking Hidden Sins: Lessons from the Older Brother

Devotional

Day 1: The Hidden Dangers of Pride and Self-Righteousness

Hidden sins like pride and self-righteousness can be just as damaging as more visible transgressions. The older brother in the parable of the prodigal son exemplifies this truth. While his younger brother's sins were overt and led to a life of debauchery, the older brother's sins were hidden beneath a veneer of righteousness. His pride and self-righteousness corroded his relationship with his father and his brother, leading to resentment and anger. It's crucial to bring these hidden sins to light and seek God's forgiveness to restore our relationships with God and others. [03:01]

James 4:6 (ESV): "But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'"

Reflection: Are there areas in your life where pride and self-righteousness have taken root? How can you bring these hidden sins to light and seek God's forgiveness today?

Day 2: The Importance of a Humble and Grateful Heart

Diligence in serving God is commendable, but it must be accompanied by a humble and grateful heart. The older brother in the parable was diligent in his work, but his heart was filled with resentment and entitlement. He felt that his hard work entitled him to more recognition and reward, revealing a heart not aligned with God's grace. True diligence in serving God should be marked by humility and gratitude, recognizing that all we have is by God's grace. [07:35]

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV): "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle with feelings of entitlement? How can you cultivate a more humble and grateful heart in your service to God?

Day 3: The Destructive Power of Unchecked Anger

Unchecked anger can lead to destruction and separation from God. The older brother's anger at his father's celebration for the younger brother reveals the destructive power of unchecked anger. When anger is not dealt with, it can give the devil a foothold in our lives, leading to further sin and separation from God. It's essential to address our anger and seek God's help in managing it to prevent it from leading us down a destructive path. [10:42]

Ephesians 4:26-27 (ESV): "Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil."

Reflection: Is there any unresolved anger in your heart that you need to address? How can you seek God's help in managing your anger and preventing it from leading to further sin?

Day 4: The Signs of a Troubled Heart

Defensiveness and a critical spirit are signs of a heart not fully surrendered to God. The older brother's defensiveness and need to justify himself revealed his inner turmoil and lack of compassion. A heart that is right with God does not need to defend itself or criticize others. Instead, it seeks to love and forgive, just as God loves and forgives us. It's important to examine our hearts for signs of defensiveness and seek God's grace to transform our hearts. [24:24]

Proverbs 21:2 (ESV): "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart."

Reflection: Do you find yourself being defensive or critical of others? How can you surrender these attitudes to God and seek His grace to transform your heart?

Day 5: The Poison of Bitterness

Bitterness is a poison that harms us more than those we are bitter against. The older brother's bitterness towards his younger brother and father poisoned his heart and mind. Bitterness can corrode our relationships and separate us from God's love and grace. We must seek to root out bitterness and replace it with God's love and grace to restore our relationships and our hearts. [30:10]

Hebrews 12:15 (ESV): "See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no 'root of bitterness' springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled."

Reflection: Is there any bitterness in your heart that you need to address? How can you seek God's help in rooting out bitterness and replacing it with His love and grace?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we delved into the parable of the prodigal son, focusing on the often-overlooked character of the older brother. While the younger brother's sins were overt and led him to a life of debauchery, the older brother's sins were more insidious, hidden beneath a veneer of righteousness. The older brother represents the Pharisees, those who are self-righteous and judgmental. His story teaches us that hidden sins, such as pride and anger, are just as damaging as more visible transgressions.

The older brother's diligence in working for his father was commendable, but his attitude was tainted by self-righteousness and resentment. He felt entitled to more recognition and reward, revealing a heart that was not aligned with God's grace. This attitude led to anger when his younger brother was welcomed back with open arms and a grand celebration. The older brother's anger was not just a fleeting emotion but a deep-seated resentment that he allowed to fester, leading to a destructive path.

Anger, when left unchecked, can give the devil a foothold in our lives, leading to further sin and separation from God. The older brother's defensiveness and critical spirit were signs of a heart not fully surrendered to God. He criticized his father and his brother, revealing his own inner turmoil and lack of compassion. This story serves as a cautionary tale for us to examine our own hearts for hidden sins and to seek God's grace and forgiveness.

###

Key Takeaways

1. righteousness, and resentment can corrode our relationship with God and others. It's crucial to bring these hidden sins to light and seek God's forgiveness. [03:01]
2. Diligence Must Be Accompanied by a Good Attitude: The older brother was diligent in his work, but his heart was filled with resentment and entitlement. True diligence in serving God should be accompanied by a humble and grateful heart, recognizing that all we have is by God's grace.

3. Unchecked Anger Leads to Destruction: The older brother's anger at his father's celebration for the younger brother reveals the destructive power of unchecked anger. Anger, when not dealt with, can give the devil a foothold in our lives, leading to further sin and separation from God.

4. Defensiveness Reveals a Troubled Heart: The older brother's defensiveness and need to justify himself revealed his inner turmoil. A heart that is right with God does not need to defend itself or criticize others. Instead, it seeks to love and forgive, just as God loves and forgives us.

5. Bitterness Is a Poison: The older brother's bitterness towards his younger brother and father poisoned his heart and mind. Bitterness is a poison that harms us more than those we are bitter against. We must seek to root out bitterness and replace it with God's love and grace.

### [03:01]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:29] - Introduction to the Older Brother
[03:01] - Hidden Sins and Self-Righteousness
[04:35] - The Celebration and the Older Brother's Reaction
[06:02] - The Father's Response
[07:35] - Diligence and Attitude
[09:10] - Righteousness and Recognition
[10:42] - The Destructive Power of Anger
[12:21] - Biblical Perspective on Anger
[13:36] - Rules for Anger
[15:06] - Jesus' Righteous Anger
[16:09] - Dealing with Anger in Relationships
[17:13] - The Devil's Foothold
[18:14] - The Story of Cain and Abel
[19:45] - The Consequences of Unchecked Anger
[20:17] - Personal Story of Mediation
[21:49] - The Importance of Forgiveness
[23:21] - The Unresolved Anger of the Older Brother
[24:24] - Defensiveness and the Heart
[25:58] - Signs of Defensiveness
[26:58] - Levels of Celebration
[28:05] - Criticizing Peers
[29:07] - The Spirit of Criticism
[30:10] - The Poison of Bitterness
[31:12] - Invitation to Prayer
[32:42] - Prayer for Salvation
[33:47] - Encouragement for New Believers
[34:44] - Closing Remarks and Celebration

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What was the older brother's reaction when he heard music and dancing upon his return from the field? ([04:35])
How did the father respond to the older brother's complaints about the celebration for the younger brother? ([06:02])
According to the sermon, what were the hidden sins of the older brother? ([03:01])
What does Ephesians 4:26-27 say about anger and its potential consequences?

Interpretation Questions

Why does the older brother's reaction to the celebration reveal about his heart and attitude towards his younger brother and father? ([06:02])
How does the older brother's sense of entitlement and self-righteousness compare to the younger brother's overt sins? ([03:01])
What does the sermon suggest about the dangers of unchecked anger and how it can lead to further sin? ([10:42])
How does Matthew 6:1 relate to the older brother's actions and attitude in the parable?

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you felt resentment or anger towards someone who received grace or forgiveness. How did you handle it, and what could you have done differently? ([06:02])
The sermon mentions that hidden sins like pride and self-righteousness can be just as damaging as visible ones. Are there any hidden sins in your life that you need to bring to light and seek forgiveness for? ([03:01])
How can you ensure that your diligence in serving God is accompanied by a humble and grateful heart, rather than a sense of entitlement? ([07:35])
Anger, when left unchecked, can give the devil a foothold in our lives. What steps can you take to address and resolve anger in your life before it leads to further sin? ([10:42])
The older brother's defensiveness revealed his inner turmoil. How can you cultivate a heart that is right with God, one that does not need to defend itself or criticize others? ([24:24])
Bitterness is described as a poison that harms us more than those we are bitter against. Is there someone you need to forgive to root out bitterness from your heart? ([30:10])
Think of a recent situation where you felt defensive or critical. How can you approach similar situations in the future with a heart of love and forgiveness, as God loves and forgives us? ([24:24])

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "One of the great things I love about it is when it says, and when he came to his senses, he said to himself, I'll go back to my father. And I love that because that means that if you're ever caught in a sin, all you need to do is to confess and repent or come to your senses. Confess it as sin, turn away from it, and go back to your heavenly father." (23 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "A self-righteous sinner is no better than a selfish sinner. And so while the prodigal son was selfish, he wanted to take the money from his dad, and go have a party, and wanted to blow it all on who knows what. Well, the older brother also had sin in his life, and he ended up doing wrong as well, which we're going to see today." (22 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Diligence is great when accompanied by a good attitude. Diligence. It says in verse 25, he was in the field. Older brother continued to work. Older brother continued to work with his father's property. Now, let me just clarify for you. You can go back and look. I think it's verse 12, that older brother received his inheritance just as younger brother did. And you can see this, he divided his wealth between them." (27 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Anger, when permitted by the Lord, cannot last long. Some of the best counsel we got when we were newly married is don't let the sun go down on your anger. In other words, don't, as the old country and western song goes, don't keep sleeping single in a double bed. Anybody know what I'm talking about? You go to bed angry, there might as well just be a glass plane right down the middle of the bed from the floor to the ceiling, and neither shall cross over and give any kind of affirmation to the other." (32 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Bitterness is a poison that some people swallow hoping it will harm their opponent when it really harms them. Bitterness is poison. To be like the older brother you really don't need a relationship with your heavenly father but to be like Christ you do. And what that means is you humble yourself before your father. Don't judge others. Judge your own heart. Are you willing to give up self-righteousness? And I hope and pray your answer is yes." (29 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "So on one hand, God blesses righteousness or diligence. Could you use those as synonyms? On the other hand, sometimes there's some stinking thinking going on where we think we deserve more, where we think that everybody else's sin is worse than ours. And then the battle rages in the soul, in the mind. Who's going to win? Even though he was doing right, he was still thinking wrong. He stayed and kept working, albeit he had a bad heart." (31 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "So what is anger and how does a Christ follower deal with it? Let me define it for you. Anger is the biblical word, a display of emotion, often from an abiding or agitated condition with a view for revenge. That's what anger is. What's the Bible say about it? Somebody asked me. Ephesians 4, 26 and 27 says this, Now, let me just explain this. There are lots of different ways in which verbs can be used in the Greek language. Most of the time we think something like be angry, we think of that as a statement, as a charge. Well, that would be called an imperative. That's not what it is here. It's a permissive usage of the verb." (51 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Defensiveness reveals the heart. Younger brother was not defensive at all. Younger brother came back and said, I have sinned. My sin means that I need to be a servant in your house, dad, and not be a son any longer. Older brother was the opposite. He came back with attitudes. He came back with mindsets that weren't blessed by God. And he then got defensive. Verse 29. But dad, I've served you all this time. But dad, I've never disobeyed a thing you've said." (35 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Quite often we live our lives by the doctrine of achievement. Look what I've done. Look how good I am. Rather than the doctrine of grace. It's not me. It's God. If it wasn't for God I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be blessed. But quite often we think if we can just achieve more and do better it ends up leading to works and you end up with an empty faith." (20 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "See the spirit at work here in older brother is a critical spirit. Also called a fault finding spirit. Also called a pharisaical spirit. Also called a judgmental spirit. One of these days when I teach you on spirits in the Bible I'm going to teach you all of these. But he had a whole load of unclean spirits working against his life. Excuse me. And all he could think about was what he speculated his brother had been doing. Unrighteous. Can you all agree? Unrighteous. And I pray today that you're not like the older brother." (35 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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