Jesus tells this story about two brothers who are asked to do something. Their dad asks them to go take care of his vineyard. One says no, feels bad and then decides to go. The other says yes and then decides not to. Jesus uses this story to get to a bigger issue. He is worried about the religious experts and their salvation. Because after this story, he refers to the fact that prostitutes and tax collectors who when they heard the word of God preached from John the Baptist, they made a radical change in their life. They had a conversion of heart.
The religious experts didn’t. They were collecting money for the government – they were helping the enemy Romans in suppressing their own people and basically stealing from their own people by charging a little bit extra that they could pocket themselves. Not very Christ-like behavior.
So Jesus is worried that a great tragedy is unfolding. That if the religious leaders continue to choose to be blind to His presence, if they continue to be deaf to His words, they’re making a terrible choice that can result in a tragedy – them missing being a part of the Kingdom of Heaven.
You and I need to constantly be reminded that the call to repentance, the call to conversion, the call to turn away from sin is something we need to hear over and over because the devil is not going to cease trying to tempt us. There’s never going to be a time where we have completely overcome them. Jesus knows that – it’s why this parable is somewhat comforting, because neither son really acts appropriately. The correct response to the father’s command should have been “Yes Father” in word and in action. But His example isn’t that ideal. He holds up the example of the son who said “No” to the Father’s request but then changed his mind and went. Which highlights the fact that Jesus doesn’t ever use examples of people who never stray, who never doubt or question when he’s teaching. In fact it’s quite the opposite – The gospels are filled with examples of people who struggle, who disappoint, who fall away. And consistently, Jesus rejoices in the moment of conversion, holds up as an example the time when the person realizes they’ve messed up and turn back to him.
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends, there are choices and decisions we are confronted with every day that will either bring us closer or further away from the Lord. Wherever we find ourselves right now, the importance of being both people of word and action is essential. Our Loving Father constantly is calling out to us… looking at us, His sons and daughters, seeing the great potential that is possible within each of us… Longing for us to hear that truth, and come back to Him, come back to His vineyard.
