LEARNING DAILY

 

Matthew 21:28-31, “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?”  Jesus

 

Let me summarize what Jesus said in this parable about the two sons. The first said he was not going to do what his father instructed him to do, but later regretted this decision and went to the field to do the work. The second said he would go but did not. If we are going to walk the narrow way into eternal life, which son must we be like? To answer the question Jesus asked at the end of the parable is important to our walk. The answer is the first son. Let’s examine why.

 

Read the next few verses and one is able to see that Jesus was referring to the tax collectors and prostitutes to the first son. These people were thought to be the outcasts of society because of their actions. Yet, they believed the words and the way of righteousness John the Baptist spoke of, repented, and began to walk on the narrow way. In other words, they were walking in disobedience when they heard the words of repentance and accepted the righteous way that He spoke of.

 

The words of Scripture leading to this parable have told of Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, His cleansing of the temple, and the fig tree being cursed by Jesus because there was no fruit on it. Now He is being challenged by the chief priests and the elders of the people; they are questioning Jesus’ authority. The religious leaders represent the second son because they claim to be doing the will of the Father but they are not really obedient.

 

How can we relate this to our own lives? Jesus is telling us that the words we profess are not counted as obedience; it is what we do, our obedience to His Word that really matters. The obedience He desires will bring us into the close personal relationship with Christ that consistently performs what we profess (paraphrase from the notes found in the DJSB). When we want to truly walk the narrow way, close to Jesus, the desire to be obedient to His Word becomes our focus or objective each day. This relationship becomes one where we do what our mouth speaks. This can happen when we begin to understand our walk with Him is not just a set of rules to follow but it is a true relationship with Him – as a child with their father.

 

What we do is more important than what we say we will do! I believe that Jesus wants us to say “yes” to him. I really believe He wants us to do what we say yes to. He wants us to say we forgive, or we love others. But He really wants us to forgive and to love others. When He tells us to “Follow Me!”, that is exactly what He wants us to do in word and in our actions.

 

Father, strengthen each of us to not just say yes to You but be faithful to do what you have told us to do!

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.