19th Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 21
Matthew 21:23-32
"Coming Into the Kingdom
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?"
24* Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you a 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, whence was it? From heaven or from men?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, ’From heaven,’ he will say to us, ’Why then did you not believe him?’
26* But if we say, ’From men,’ we are afraid of the multitude; for 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.
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.’
29* And he answered, ’I will not’; but afterward he repented and went.
30 And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ’I go, sir,’ but did not go.
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 harlots 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 harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him.RSV
Grace and Peace to you from our Lord, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
Our sermon this morning is going to focus on the short parable in our gospel lesson.
I would like to reread that part.
Jesus says, 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.’
29* And he answered, ’I will not’; but afterward he repented and went.
30 And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ’I go, sir,’ but did not go.
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 harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
Notice how Jesus begin the parable. "What do you think?" He was addressing it to the religious leaders and wanting them to think about something.
This is a very simple parable. A man wanted his sons to go work in the family vineyard, he asked the first son and the first son said, NO!! We do not know why he said no, but then later on he repented, or as some translations say, he changed his mind and went.
The man asked a second son and he right away said yes, but did not go. He lied. He did not follow through on his actions.
Then Jesus asks the question, "Which of the two did the will of his father?" And the religious leaders answered the first.
Then Jesus laid a bombshell on them, the said, "Truly I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you."
What Jesus was getting across was that those who repent or have a change of heart, those who know they are sinners and need Jesus’ forgiveness are allowed into the kingdom of heaven. Period!!
Jesus is talking to two different kinds of sinners. He is not talking about one good person and one bad person, He is talking about two kinds of sinners, those who know they are and need repentance, and those who think they are okay in and of themselves.
How many of us feel that we are better in our faith, in our live, in our judgment of others? Do we grade others about their faith? Do we condemn others because we feel they are not as good as we are?
This is what Jesus is getting at in this small parable.
And I would like to do something different with the rest of this sermon. I would like to read to you some different stories and just let you think about them as Jesus said in the beginning of the parable.
"What do you think?"
A pastor said:
I knew a man who was having an affair with a married woman for many years. This man was also active in his church, served on the council, went to Sunday school, helped with the youth group, we could go on and on.
But then something happened. He decided he needed to break off the affair, so he went to his pastor told him all about it, then told his wife.
The couple came to the pastor and wanted help. But the man first said, " Pastor, how can you look me in the eye knowing what I did."
And the pastor answered, "I can forgive you and so can Jesus."
And the man said, "But everyone in town knows now what kind of guy I am, how can I come to church."
And the pastor answered, "But this is place that you need to be. This is where you and your wife will work this whole thing out."
"What do you think?"
This story is personal.
When I was serving in the parish and became further disabled and had to be in a wheelchair, some people of my parish came to me and said, "Pastor, if you had faith enough, you would be healed."
Did they not know that I wanted to be healed, but I believed that was up to God not me.
Did my disability some how affect their faith? Did my continued struggle with the courage of God some how affect their faith or what they perceived a faith life should be?
Does being in Christ mean that everything is going to just wonderful and perfect?
"What do you think?"
And a closing story from the book, "In His Steps"
The Rev. Henry Maxwell of the First Church had just finishing his sermon when the entire congregation was startled by the sound of a man’s voice. It came from the rear of the church.
The man came forward,stood on the chancel steps and said,"I’ve been wondering since I came in here, if it would be just the thing to say a word at the close of the service. I’m not drunk, and I’m not crazy and I am perfectly harmless, but if I did, as there is every likelihood I shall in a few days, I want the satisfaction of thinking that I said my say in a place like this, and before this sort of crowd."
No one tried to stop him, not even Rev. Mazwell as he leaned over the pulpit looking at the man.
He continued: "I lost my job 10 months ago as a printer. The new machines made my job obsolete, I don’t know how to do anything else I’ve tramped all over the country trying to find something. there are good many others like me. I’m not complaining, am I?
As I listened to the sermon from the back pew, I heard your pastor say: ’ that it is necessary for the disciples of Jesus to follow His steps, and he said the steps are ’obedience, faith, love and imitation.’
But I did not hear him tell you just what he meant that to mean, especially the last step.
What do you Christians mean by following the steps of Jesus?
I’ve tramped through this city for 3 days trying to find a job; and in all that time I’ve not had a word of sympathy or comfort except from your minister here, who said he was sorry for me and hoped I would find a job somewhere. I suppose if is because you get imposed on by the professional tramp that you have lost your interest in any other sort. I’m not blaming anybody, am I? Just stating facts.
Of course, I understand you can’t all go out of your way to hunt up jobs for other people like me.
I’m not asking you to; but what I feel puzzled about is what is meant by following Jesus. What do you mean when you sing,"I’ll go with Him, with Him, all the way."
Do you mean that you are suffering and denying yourselves and trying to save lost, suffering humanity just as I understood Jesus did?"
He continued saying "But what would Jesus do? Is that what you mean by following His steps?" At that moment, the man passed out.
He was taken to the parsonage, the service ended, then. In a couple of days the man died."
"What do you think?"
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale September 23, 2002
