Two children right within the same family are often very different from each other. So are two people in the church pew.
Jesus’ short story in Matthew 21:28-32 teaches this. The dad goes to each of his two sons with the same command, “Son, go work today in my vineyard.” One son refuses to go but afterwards turns to the work. The other boy agrees but never lifts a finger.
Then comes the searching question, which of the two did the will of his father? As simply as that, the keen edged knife of conviction was pressed into the hearts of Jesus’ listeners.
There is no substitute for OBEYING the will of God. Let us now study this little parable in three stages and we shall see that obedience is all-important.
I. THE CALL
The father called his sons to work for him. Whenever our God makes known to us His will in a situation we are placed under solemn obligation. Our Father has a mind in each matter and we must find and follow it.
In the parable the father approaches each son individually. There can be no skirting their call. “Son, go work today in my vineyard.”
Now, the vineyard might represent our own heart and character. Surprised? Read Colossians 3. The Scriptures everywhere show God’s intense interest in the cultivation of inner spiritual fruit. Wild grapes of wrath, lust, selfishness and what-not do not please the Father who “looks on the heart” and “sees in secret.”
Again, the vineyard might represent your place and situation in life — where you now live and shine as a light for God. “Son, trim your light. Be a testimony. Be on the job for me,” He says.
Finally — and we cannot escape it — the world is our vineyard. Each Christian is obligated to share in evangelizing the world. Do you? How much?
II. THE RESPONSE
Poor dad! Both his sons were guilty of a form of rebellion. At one time or another both hurt his heart. All of us are like one or the other of those sons, “for all have sinned.”
The repentant son has a turn-about in his whole outlook. At first he had said, “I will not,” but afterward he repented, and went; verse 29. He now sees things as His Father sees. To the fields he goes and you can see him there toiling through the heat of the day. That is real repentance. Without that change of mind and action there is not real repentance. There may be sorrow over sin, dread of consequences and the like but that is not repentance.
Friend, if you are not living a Christian life of full obedience, have you not reason enough to repent? Think of your Father in heaven and of His Son Jesus in bloody death for you.
The hypocritical son says, “I’ll go, sir,” but he does not. Many there are who say yes while in the eye of others. Later, see them roaming the range of their own freedom and you will find they are doing anything but the will of their Father. Young person away at school, are you doing the will of your parents? Readers, many of you have said your “I go, sir” to God. Are you doing what the Father says?
This second son seems so polite. In reality, he is both disobedient and dishonest.
III. THE JUDGMENT
Jesus now turns. the crowd into the jury. They must decide the case. Which of the two did the father’s will?
They say unto him, “The first.”
Immediately, He turns it upon them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you,” verse 31. They reel under the shock. The worst of sinners — if they truly repent — will enter the kingdom in place of the seemingly religious!
Friends, it is not what we profess but what we perform. See Matthew 7:21 and James 4:17.
The “I won’t” to God is better than a fake “I will.”
No amount of good intentions, sweet spiritual talk or polite and proper promises can take the place of the daily DOING of God’s will.
Though one memorize by heart the first eleven chapters of Romans and miss the import of surrendering in the practical service and obedience of the last chapters, he will lose all. Read Romans 12 and give yourself to it.