In this 25th week, we are hoping against hope to be rid of the pandemic, but through it all, we still have the love of God to guide us in the way that we should go. God’s mercies are new EVERY morning. Thank God!
Enjoy this musical selection.
In the beginning of today’s passage, the age old
topic of who is in charge comes to the surface of a conversation with the Chief
Priests and Elders of the Synagogue. As we read, we ourselves wonder just who
is in charge. Without forcing the issue, Jesus makes it plain that he is in
charge.
Verses 23-27 tell us and - 23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and,
while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to
him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave
you this authority?”
24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question.
If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was
it from heaven, or of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we
say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if
we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that
John was a prophet.”
27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
So often, Jesus leaves all of us with nothing to say
and a whole lot to think about.
His next thoughts about two sons who responded differently to their father’s authority also make us think.
Jesus asked them, 28 “What do you think?
There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and
work today in the vineyard.’
29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed
his mind and went.
30 “Then the father went to the other son and said
the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Parents are quite aware that children do not always take parental authority seriously. Children do not always do what parents ask them to do. Some children are hard-headed and strong-willed. One of the most common tactics used by parents is to count to three and give children a chance to get their act together and do what it is they are told to do. However, some experts say that even three seconds is too much. We ought to teach our children to obey immediately.
Sometimes, we let children and grandchildren get
away with so much when they are young because we want our children to like us.
When they are older and out of control, we want to reign them in with the
tightest restraints, but then it is too late. If early on we consistently train
children to obey parental authority, they are likely to act responsibly as they
grow older. Then it is time to loosen the reigns, accordingly.
One preacher tells the story of when his daughter
was two years old and he was watching her at the house. His wife was shopping
and he was watching a basketball game, while he was supposed to be watching the
little one. As he was watching the game, all of a sudden he looked up and saw
his daughter on the kitchen counter and she was slinking across acting like she
was a lion. She was growling and she was way up there because the counter is
kind of high. He said to his daughter, “Does your mother let you do that?” She
said, “No, but you do.”
That little one shone a light on reality. Even the
youngest children know when they out of bounds, when they have more freedom
than they should have. Teenagers, especially, have made it clear to us adults
that what they appreciate most is quality time with parents and rules that hold
them accountable, because rules provide secure boundaries and assure us of our
deep love for one another, even if it means we cannot always be friends. Rules
can lay a foundation for friendship as the relationship matures.
Dr. James Dobson, child psychologist, says to
parents that there are two things every child must know. First, your child must
know that you love them unconditionally. Second, they must know that they have
to obey you. Dobson goes on to say that these two truths must be transferred to
God. They must know that God loves them and that God expects them to obey Him.
We are all models for those who follow in our
footsteps. Are we mindful of exactly what we are teaching others? Isn’t it good
for children to learn the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness (generosity), faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?
Isn’t it? We dare not abandon our children to the world’s values of greed, hatred,
violence, and selfishness. Of course, it seems that teaching children is like
swimming against the tide, because the values of this world are so dominant.
But, if we trust God, the Holy Spirit will help us swim against that tide until
we accomplish what is pleasing to God, and indeed many times we have seen the
fruit of our labor of love to our children, and we have seen it in many ways.
The two sons in Jesus’ parable responded differently
when their father said to them, “Go and work in the vineyard.” He did not ask
them if they wanted to. We do not ask kids to do their chores. We expect them
to do them. Who asks, “Do you want to take out the trash? Do you want to do
your homework? Do you want to walk the dog?” When they forget or refuse, we
expect them to get their act together. Sometimes they don’t – at least not
right away.
Jesus said to the chief priests and Pharisees “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
The father gave his sons a command. Go work in the
vineyard. What he was asking them to do had its plusses and minuses. It was a
chance to be around people, most of whom were probably nice to work with. Being
outdoors in the fresh air was great, depending on the weather. You could
probably eat all the delicious grapes you could eat, even if your hands got a
little sticky. You might be able to work at your own pace, but at the end of
the day, you had a good work out from the intense physical labor.
Each son responded differently. But, both of them
changed their minds. One, right away, said he would go, but he failed to keep
his commitment. The other rebelled right away, “NO! I am not going.” Yet, he eventually
did go and work in the vineyard like his father told him to. What do we learn
from this: People change, at times for the better, at times for the worse. What
caused them to change their mind?
Haven’t we made a commitment one way or another and
haven’t we changed our minds for better or for worse? Sure we have. At the same
time, others have made commitments to us and have not kept them for one reason
or another. There may be good reasons as well as not so good reasons. Others
have surprised us and perhaps confused us by showing up after all, for good
reasons as well as not so good reasons.
Psychology
Today tells us that sometime we change our mind and
change our ways when a light bulb goes off for us, and we learn something in
therapy, in the classroom, in a meeting of the minds with family and friends. Most
of the time, however, we usually change our minds when something challenging or
traumatic happens – when we lose a loved one, a major failure or
disappointment, crisis catastrophe, relationship or job ending, threatening
illness. We have heard each other’s testimonies of moments that God has allowed
in our lives that cause us to change our perspectives, to change our minds, to
say “yes” to going on that mission field, to say “no” to that relationship, to
say “yes” to taking on a certain position, to say “no” after learning not to be
a door mat or a doorknob.
We may be curious about why the sons changed their
mind and wound up doing what they did. But, Jesus knows that, as Psychology
Today affirms, stories, more than anything else inspire us to change.
“…change occurs from stories that we read, hear, or see, whether they include
family legends, myths, fairy tales, novels, films, television shows, plays,
song lyrics, …[mirror neurons in the
brain cause us] to experience vicarious life events as if they really
happened to us. As far as your brain is concerned, the people you “meet” in
stories really are your friends and loved ones.”
As we hear Jesus telling this story again and again,
we become more and more willing to be the child who pleases God. We become less
and less willing to be the child that lives in sin, refusing to repent,
refusing to obey. Are we teaching our children to obey and to obey quickly? Are
we modeling repentance? Are we telling our children the stories of how the love
of God is impacting our life? May it be so today! Let us pray.
Prayer: God of all comfort, you help us to change
our minds for the better. We pray for the one who is living far away from your
will and wisdom, that they would change their minds until they seek you
diligently, serve you faithfully and obey you quickly. We pray as you taught
the disciples:
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. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
We trust this message will sink into your hearts and
souls and bring you life. Next week we go to Philippians 3 looking at The Prize
- Paul and the Church in Philippi.
If you would like to make your contribution to the great ministry and mission of Bethel, the website is
Or you can send it to 952 Bethel Church Road, Spring
City, Pa. 19475. God bless you!
