The parable of the two sons

Read Matthew 21:23-32 The parable of the two sons

This passage is part of the final teaching of Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem before his arrest and crucifixion. Jesus was confronted by the chief priests and the elders of the people. They asked Him questions, but interestingly, He responded with a question. They asked Jesus two questions about his authority:

1. By what authority are you doing these things?
2. Who gave you this authority?

They wanted to know who gave Jesus the right to preach, teach, and do these things in the temple. When we look at these questions, they were talking about John the Baptist, who was the preacher of righteousness and holiness. It was John the Baptist who affirmed the identity of Christ when he was alive. And John the Baptist was respected because he impacted so many people and his preaching transformed the nations. But I like the attitude of Jesus, because He did not remain silent. Rather, Jesus responded immediately by asking them a question: Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin? Then they decided to respond by saying, “We don’t know.” Then, Jesus said: I will not tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

Jesus then continues in verse 28 asking them: “What do you think?  Yes, these are very powerful questions, because Jesus used these questions to ask them about John the Baptist and his ministry, and used them as a transition to introduce to them three powerful parables as a direct response to their questions about authority. The three parables are the following:

1. Parable of the two sons (From verse 28 to 32)
2. Parable of the Wicked Tenants (From verse 33 to 46)
3. Parable of the Wedding Banquet (in chapter 22:1 to 14)

But today, we will focus on the first parable “The Parable of the two sons.” Then, we will talk about the other two parables during the following Sundays by the grace of God.

Jesus teaches them the first parable of a man with two sons. He told the first son, “Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.” The son said, “No, I will not go.” But later, he changes his mind and went out to do the work. Then the father told the second son, “You go,” and he said, “Yes, sir.” But he did not go. Then Jesus asked them: “Which of the two did the will of his father?” They answered, “The first.”

Now, let’s think about the response of the first son. He said, “No,” to his father. At first, this makes him seem rebellious, right? His father gave him a command, and he responded by saying, “No.” We would expect a son to obey his father immediately, without excuses or hesitation. However, the good thing is that this son changed his mind. He repented, and went to the field.

The second son said, “Yes, Sir,” but he did not go. His answer sounded respectful and obedient, yet, his actions told a different story. Sometimes, we are like the second son. We say “Yes, God.” “I will go.” “I will serve the church.” “I will help my neighbor and my community.” But too often, those promises remain only words, and we fail to follow through.

Are you like the first son? If so, let me encourage you: saying “no” is not the end of your story. At first, the son made the wrong choice. But later, he changed his mind, repented, and went to work in the vineyard. Maybe we have done the same. Maybe we have said “no” to God before. Maybe we have made mistakes. Maybe we have ignored His voice or refused His calling. But this morning, I want to tell you that your story does not have to end with “no.” You can repent. You can turn back to God, and say God, please forgive me and help me to obey You.

Think of the moment you said “No” to God’s voice. I don’t know what God told you to do. But the first son teaches us that, even when we are far away, we still have hope. Even for those of you who have children, grandchildren, or grant-grandchildren who are far away from God, what the first son did can give you hope to believe that your children, grandchildren, or grant-grandchildren can come back to God. This story reminds us that people can change. If we keep praying for them as parents, a day will come, where they will decide to follow Jesus and do the work of God that they first say “no.” Maybe it is your brother or sister, another family member, or a close friend who may be far away from God. Do not lose hope. Please keep praying for them. Their “no” to God’s word does not mean that God has finished working in their lives. And I believe that one day, they will do the work of God. And my prayer this morning is that, if you know someone who is still in the stage of saying “no” to God’s word, do not give up on them. Keep praying for them. Keep loving them. Keep encouraging them. Because a person who says “no” today, may say “yes” tomorrow. Remember, the first son said “no,” but later he changed his mind and went out to help his Father. Let us continue to trust that God is still working in their hearts.

Conclusion

Beloved in Christ, as we reflect on this parable, please, let us also examine ourselves with these questions: what is God asking you to do today? Maybe God is asking you to spend more time with Him in prayer. Maybe God is asking you to repent. Maybe God is asking you to serve in the church. Maybe God is asking you to reach out and help someone in your family, your neighborhood, or your community. Maybe God is asking you to reconnect with Him and surrender yourself to Him.

Whatever God is asking of you to do, do not be like the second son, who said “yes,” but never obeyed. Instead, be like the first son, who, although he began by saying “no,” he later repented and did the will of his father. Amen.

Prayer:

Dear God, we thank you for your Words this morning. I thank you for your people. Lord, we know that sometimes we have said “no” to You. Sometimes we have ignored Your voice.

Lord, help us to turn back to You. Help us to repent. Help us to follow Jesus. Help us not only to say “yes” with our words, but to say “yes” with our lives. Give us courage to serve You. And Give us hearts that are ready to obey You.

 And Lord, we pray for the people we love who are far away from You. We pray for people, children, our brothers, our sisters, our friends, and our neighbors. Help us not to give up on them. And help us to trust that You are still working in their lives. In Jesus’s name, Amen.