Older Son	Younger Son
Didn't understand Father's love for sinners (grace)	Didn't understand Father's love for sinners
Indifferent to plight of brother (didn't even know what was going on)	Didn't know how much his father wanted him to be there with him., thus he was indifferent to relationship w/ Father, just give me your stuff so I can take off to a far country.
Got angry at God's generosity (so angry he refused to go in)	Didn't know how generous Father had been to him , thus squandered gift
Didn't understand that Father didn't require work for reward (law)	Didn't understand that his performance wasn't the issue
Worked hard expecting reward,

claimed perfect obedience, self-deceived

afraid they won't be recognized

or that someone else will get away w/ something	make me like one of your hired servants thought he could serve into favor w/ Father
Got angry because he didn't realize the privileges of sonship	I am no longer worthy to be called your son
Didn't understand Father's love for sinners
Wants Father dead/came to senses
Goes to distant country/turns back
Didn't understand that his performance wasn't the issue
Trying to get what he wants thru human effort - money/I have sinned
Unclean/unworthy

What's implied in no longer worthy to be called son. Was once worthy to be called such. And something has happened that has changed that worthiness. What happened to the younger son? He went off and squandered his inheritance. So what is he suggesting is the basis of worthiness for sonship? His behavior. Is that true? No. We were never worthy. Even Adam was just a pile of dirt–dirt God had created before God made him a son freely as a gift–nothing that pile of dirt could do could make it any more worthy of being called the son of God–Sonship is a gift for the unworthy.

Older son

Didn't understand Father's character

Grace

didn't know how He longed for brother's return and thus was indifferent

didn't understand Father's generosity and thus got angry at it

Law

thought he had to obey in order to receive reward

thus deluded himself into claiming perfect obedience

afraid his work wouldn't be recognized and that

someone else might get away with something–implies he would like to be doing the same thing but only fear holds him back.

Didn't understand how much he'd been given, thus didn't live like a son who's received an inheritance already

Younger son

Grace

Asked his father for inheritance. What's remarkable about this? Father was still alive. So what's implied? I want your stuff mrore than you, and I want you dead.

Amazingly Father grants it, and Son does what? Goes off to a far coun try. Now I don't know about you, but if I had just insulted my father like that an d he was still gracious to me, I wouldn't have gone anywhere. I hope I would have sat down and said, "Why did you do that? I don't deserve this. But he leaves, indifferent to knowing his Father.

Didn't understand and appreciate Father's generosity–squandered inheritance

Law

Didn't understand that Father called him son, not because of anything he had done to become worthy--no longer worthy to be called son

Didn't understand that Father didnt' require work to get his favor.