Aaron Porter Band

The church has always loved Jesus’ parable of the Lost Son. Often we focus our attention on the young son who is central to much of the narration. However, if we look at the context that Jesus is teaching in, we find He is talking to the Pharisees and He is addressing their lack of love for sinners. In other words, the story is for the sake of “Older Brothers” not “Younger” ones.

So now we shift our attention to the older brother and look to his unique characteristics and how they might relate to us. First, we never see him anywhere but in the fields. Even when he hears a celebration in the house, he sends a servant to find out what is going on. His entire identity in the narrative is wrapped up in the field, his place of work. He has no identity in the home by the hearth.

Second, we find that his words prove his actions. In his actions he shows that he is no son but only a field hand. In his words he declares the same to his Father. “Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends” (Luke 15:29). All these years he has slaved and he is just waiting for what he believes he deserves.

This story is so sad when you consider that this boy’s father was God. So ready to lavish his love on even his vilest of sons and yet this elder sibling will not come in from the fields and taste of his dad’s blessing and love.

Our churches are filled with elder brothers, not younger ones. We are the ones who preach sermon after sermon on how to be a better Christian. We are the ones who remain within sight of our Father’s house for decades without scarcely taking a step out of the pasture. We are the ones to whom Jesus is speaking when He tells us of a lost brother who found his way home. May we come to the same conclusion as our lost siblings and re-find our way home.

“But he became angry, and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and {began} entreating him. But he answered and said to his father, 'Look! For so many years I have been serving you, and I have never neglected a command of yours; and {yet} you have never given me a kid, that I might be merry with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with harlots, you killed the fattened calf for him.' "And he said to him, {'My} child, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. 'But we had to be merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and {has begun} to live, and {was} lost and has been found.’” Luke 15:28-32

Started out strong, but somewhere life became,
a series of maintenance routines
And I don’t know when I
forgot to remember to love you.
I don’t want to live here no more,
give you my keys and I shut that door
I know you’ll be fine without me

CHORUS
Father do you remember me,
I’m the one who stayed, who never ran away
I’m feeling lost in your fields tonight
I can see it in his face,
he was forgiven much and now he loves you more
Couldn’t I feel that love in these fields,
Where I slaved for You.

Anger turns to gall, it rains every sunny day
I come to you just to prove I showed up for work
It hurts to see you smile
‘cause I want to feel your smile
I want to live in your arms again,
abide in your smile safe within
Wish I could remember, how to love.

Father do you remember me,
I’m the one who ran but paid my own way
Been living in your fields, instead of your home
Don’t want to be your slave no more,
I want to be the son you see in me
So I can know your love,
So I can feel your love, So I can give you love
The love of a son