The Parable of the Two Sons
Matthew 21:28-32
28 ‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” 29 He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. 30 The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.
It is not where we start that matters, rather where we end up is far more important. What we say is far less important than what we do.
The first son, says he will not work in the vineyard, but then has a change of heart and mind and goes to work. This son would be looked down on because he said “no” to his parent, which in the world of Jesus’ day was to show profound disrespect to the parent.
The second son promises to work in the vineyard, but then gets busy and never gets out to the vineyard. This son said the right things, but then did not carry through. On the surface this looks like obedience, but in fact it is disobedience.
Jesus put the challenge to his hearers – it looked like the tax collectors and the prostitutes had turned their backs on God, but it was people from these two groups who chose to follow Jesus. It is these people who allow their lives to be changed because they chose to follow Jesus.
The good, the righteous, the go to synagogue (church) every week people, may say the right words, but have they allowed their lives to be changed by their following of Jesus. They have not let their lives be reformed and remade by their choice to work in and for God’s reign, working for Jesus as Lord.
To make the choice to work in God’s vineyard, to serve God, is in fact choosing to declare God – the Triune God of grace – as the leader of our lives. It is to declare that Jesus is Lord. Believing in Jesus is what led the tax collectors and prostitutes to follow him, to be changed and to serve God.
May we choose to work in God’s vineyard, God’s dominion, thereby declaring our belief in Jesus as Lord.
PRAYER:
O Lord, shape our lives that we might say “yes” to your invitation to work in your vineyard, and that having said “yes” that we would actually follow through to serve your and you dominion and reign. In Jesus Name. Amen.