Devotion 9.26.26

Matthew 21

The Parable of the Two Sons

28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before 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 when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him."

The world of the church leaders turned upside down as Christ gets them to confess who truly goes to heaven: sinners who believe in Christ.

My son, whom I love tremendously, would drive us crazy if we asked him, "Did you.....?" (Fill in the blank with complete chores, take care of car, do homework) The answer was always yes, but the truth was usually no. Now, if we put a couple of tickets to see a baseball game or something like that after the chores are done, we stood a better chance, but to do them outright? Yes meant no.

Jesus has just set a trap when the same leaders he asked here challenged his authority in the previous verses before today's parable. He put them in a corner and forced their hand, so they had to answer, "We do not know." The parable he just taught seems to be an effort to make a further point with them.

They have to admit that the brother who went in reluctantly did the will of the father, rather than the one who said yes immediately and then sluffed off the request after appearing to be very willing to go and work.

They follow Christ around in almost every lesson he teaches to hear what he has to say, but they do not go to hear and become enlightened. They hear what he has to say because they fear him and the people who follow him. They challenge his authority with questions meant to trip him up and force his hand, and he turns it on them!

They will seek to destroy him out of fear, but in their plans, they fail to simply hear him and follow him and his teachings. Being a follower of Christ is ultimately being willing to surrender and to simply hear our confession when we pray, "Thy will be done."

What is God's Will? That we turn to him daily, in good and bad. That we seek his will by being in his Word. That we confess him daily and witness to others in our words and actions. It's not hard, but it's not easy.

Saying yes to God is to confess our need for him in a broken world. Saying yes to God is to follow him and seek his will in our lives.

Pray with me: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, Amen

Hope Men's Ministry is a ministry in service to Hope Lutheran Church and School. Our purpose is to grow, unite, and share God's Word to all men through meaningful activities. These activities center on fellowship, service, conversation, prayer, study and devotion as we seek to become men of God as He created us to be.