A Teaching Moment
Applying the Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Reading:
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight
Introduction:
We have all heard or even taught the account of Jonah.
It is the story about the guy who was called by God to go bring a message to Nineveh.
He didn’t want to and instead hitched a ride to Tarshish.
They were caught up in a great storm and cast lots, to see who’s fault it was.
The lot landed on Jonah and they threw him overboard.
The storm stopped, A great fish swallowed him.
The fist spit him out after 3 days onto the shore near Nineveh.
He delivered the message to Nineveh and they repented, God stayed His punishment.
Jonah was mad!
There is a part in the account of Jonah that a lot of people might overlook.
? Why did Jonah refuse to go to Nineveh?
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”
3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.
Their evil reached the Lord! He was ready to exact His judgement.
It isn’t until the end of Jonah’s account that we get why Jonah chartered a ship to Tarshish.
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.
Here is Jonah being upset that Nineveh didn’t get what they deserved.
He tells us the reason for not heading to Nineveh:
He didn’t think that those in Nineveh were worth God’s grace and mercy!
God sending Jonah was an act of mercy that Jonah believed they didn’t deserve.
Think about this: God sent Jonah to a terrible place because He was extending His mercy to them.
How many places do you despise going; but God is sending you there to be His agent of mercy through the message you will deliver!
Jonah didn’t want to warn them, He wanted them to get what they deserved. God’s judgment!
Through the book of Jonah we can recognize how awesome God is and what great mercy He offers to all at every time.
His grace can be received through our faith and shown by our repentance.
Our turning away is a action we choose based upon our belief and trust in Him!
Transition:
In Matthew chapter 21 we will find our text for today.
It is a parable about 2 sons.
Just like always we have to start with building the context, so we can understand what is taking place.
Matthew 21:23-27 Jesus is being questioned by the chief priests and elders.
23 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”
They are getting fed up with Jesus’ wisdom, and command over the people.
They want to challenge Him and the right He thinks He has.
Have you ever fell into the trap, while talking or disputing things with someone else, where they make a claim about you and you automatically begin defending yourself?
Here is the really cool thing: When they make a claim; It’s up to them to prove their stance, you don’t need to defend anything.
They have to back up what they say with factual information.
When they don’t, the statement is null and void.
Jesus makes them try and answer His question first.
It came back to who they believed He was; but they couldn’t say it for fear of the crowds or trap of allegiances.
24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.
25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Jesus turned down their invitation to prove Himself.
Which is where we get into our text today.
Also a side note: The parable today is 1 of 3 that form a sequence which depict God’s indictment, sentence, and execution of the Jewish leadership at Jesus’ time. Matthew 21:28-22:14 is where to read the 3 parables.
Jesus hadn’t walked away from them or the conversation, instead He answered their question through a parable.
- We have:
The First Son (28-29)
The First Son (28-29)
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.’
In this parable the only information that we have so far is that the dad with 2 sons must be a caretaker of a vineyard.
That is something entrusted to him that should be fruitful.
What was asked of the first son?
“Go and work the vineyard today”.
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.’
The dad gave a “direct order” to the son.
He expected and depended upon the son doing the job.
29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went.
This is a direct disobedient choice!
In the military he would be court marshalled, in most homes it would’ve been something you wouldn’t have done!
I believe the son thought about what he said without thinking first, then decided it was in his best interest to go.
The phrase translated here for “…changed his mind...” is the word “repented”.
He chose to do the father’s work instead of rejecting it.
Connection:
The first son represents the sinners whom repented.
These would’ve been the motivation to why the religious leaders despised Jesus.
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.
It is now us: the Gentiles whom have accepted Jesus’ grace by faith!
Who is the other son and how does he fit into this parable?
Transition:
The information for the first son is just about as short for:
The Second Son (30)
The Second Son (30)
30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go.
The son was given the same call to work in the vineyard for the day as the first one.
There is a big difference:
He didn’t disobey in word, actually he agreed; but he did disobey by not doing the deed!
He probably would’ve made a great politician.
This was stated to correlate dereliction of the religious leaders calling.
They rejected Jesus, they didn’t accept Him.
They didn’t fear the Lord they feared the people and ultimately a loss of their power and authority amongst the community.
They missed the teaching from Proverbs.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The fear of the Lord isn’t always a trembling fear, it often is a reverence and honor given to Him because He is the only one that deserves it from us!
The religious leaders forgot they weren’t gods, and should fear the One who is.
The religious leaders were in the category of the second son:
30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go.
On face value they accepted the call; but in reality they weren’t doing the job.
They were frauds!
Connection:
There are many things about our faith when we say : “Jesus is Lord of; but in our actions that doesn’t come through.
How many times have we said we believe every word in the Bible, yet we will say things to others that don’t lift them or build them up?
29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
How many times do we remove Him as God and follow our selfish desires?
27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
We can understand the religious leaders position.
People can say that Jesus is Lord; yet their lives reveal otherwise.
Transition:
Jesus was rebuking them through this parable; but with the revealing of their hearts through a rebuke: What is Jesus allowing?
He is allowing them:
The Opportunity (31-32)
The Opportunity (31-32)
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 chief priests and elders of the people were now forced to answer Jesus’ question.
The first son was righteous!
The second son was not!
The principal put forward was this:
Pretend obedience -VS- Delayed obedience.
The tax collectors and prostitutes go into the Kingdom; but the religious leaders cannot!
Why?
What is the deliniation?
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.
John was presenting the message where all who heard it could’ve believed his message.
What was John’s message?
2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
John’s message was: Time is short, turn away from sin and run to God!
Clean up your heart and mind by believing in the Lamb who will take away the sins of the world.
Turn from your wickedness towards the Lord’s righteousness.
Jesus is using this as a rebuke; coupled with the factual information for how to repent.
29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went.
We may tell God no; but as we search our heart and seek the Lord if there is any wicked way in us.
He will reveal those areas where we have hardened ourselves from what God want’s to do, it is those areas we are telling Him No!
Acknowledge that area and believe:
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Ask forgiveness, then do the righteous thing that you wouldn’t before!
Understand that only you can repent from the areas you're telling God no, you have not way to make others repent.
? Pastor what do I do about those who I see telling God no?
Pray for them, Pray with them, and ask the Lord for an opportunity to reach into their lives and be the voice of truth and reason.
The brother who helps and saves the one who has gone astray.
1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
When God opens our eyes to see the things that are happening in others lives we aren’t to condemn them or avoid them.
Care about them and care for them!
Transition:
A lot of times people know the that they are doing wrong in certain areas; but they aren’t sure how to change.
Illustration:
(A person with an addiction that can’t stop or doesn’t know how.)
Conclusion:
This parable comes into the conversation after the leaders request Jesus tell them where He get’s His authority!
The Chief priests and Elders now were told what they were doing wrong in their calling.
They were now held accountable to that knowledge they were given.
Maybe they wanted to be different and actually be the spiritual leader the people needed.
What could they do?
Jesus told them you need to have a little less talk and a lot more action.
Do the things you say you’re doing.
The coolest part of this whole parable is what Jesus reveals about Himself!
He loves His creation so much that He is willing to give a lot more chances than we deserve to repent and live as He created us to.
This is no different than Jonah’s story.
The people of Nineveh didn’t deserve mercy to be extended to them.
The shouldn’t get an opportunity to change and do what is right.
It was extended anyway.
The spiritual messenger of the Lord was sent to deliver that message; but he didn’t agree with God and His choice to warn them giving them an opportunity to repent and change.
Jonah’s bitterness made him blind to how awesome God is, and also to the mercy He showed Jonah by not giving him what he deserved in the fish.
Each and every one of us are now accountable to thank the Lord for His constant mercies on our lives because none of us deserve it.
We would do well to speak with the Lord and ask Him to show us how to repent and forsake the things that are keeping us from what He has called and equipped us to do.
Ask that the Lord to show you how to repent.
He will change your life as you walk towards Him!
- Pray.