The prodigal son humbly walks home, the whole village throws a huge party... and his older brother sulks.
"Father, listen to me. I've been serving you faithfully, day in day out, for so many years - I can tell you the exact number too - but you've given me nothing. Aren't I more important? Haven't I proven myself much more? You should be celebrating me.
"But instead you're celebrating this worm that's crawled home. Do you know what he's done? He can't be trusted. I can't believe you're doing this -he's just going to do it again. He should be getting justice - what he deserves. I will not come to this 'party', because it's wrong. It's an insult to righteousness. He needs to know how bad he is."
Jesus keeps mentioning these people who've "grown up" in the faith and are bitter, or are invited to the banquet but say no, or started out following Jesus but hadn't figured out the cost. It's been a kind of secondary motif running through these stories about the lost being found.
I guess what this says to us is that there will probably always be people who've grown up in the faith but can't get with the program - whoare bitter, unforgiving and jealous of the more rebellious, "not as mature as us", lost-who've-been-found people. There are probably some in every church. We've got some in ours.
I think what Jesus basically says to these people is,
"Hey, what's the problem? You're still my son [or daughter]. Get over your issues and get with the program. We're celebrating here. Look at the amazing things that are happening! Lost people are being found! Blind people can now see! My kingdom is being built. We're having a wedding FEAST and you're invited. Are you coming?
Get over it and celebrate with us. Christianity is about celebrating, not sulking.
Are you coming?
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