The Good Son...sort Of. Series

iii. Disobedience

Matthew 7:21; "Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

Doing nothing is a sin in the same way that openly rebelling is. Conforming to what God expects outwardly while refusing to change inwardly is empty and hollow and does not please God.

My friend told the story of a conversation that he had with his 3 year old son. They were driving and the boy stood up in the backseat. After a few warnings to sit down, or else, the boy sat down and mumbled to himself, “I’m still standing on the inside.”

Was that obedience? No, it was conforming outwardly and rebelling inwardly. It was disobedience and it was sin. In the same way, the second son conformed and agreed on the surface, but in the heart he rebelled and remained inactive and disobedient. On the other hand, the first son openly rebelled, but repented and obeyed.

Two very different responses gave us two very different results

III. The Results

The results are clear and simple.

A. Repentance led to the work getting done.

Christ said that those who are like this son, who turn away from their sin when they are confronted with the truth, they are entering the kingdom of God ahead of those who produce the second result:

B. Lip Service led to the work remaining untouched.

When you consider that the work we are talking about directly influences the eternity of those around us, it’s a sobering thought. Yet even this reality is not enough for some to change their focus from what they look like on the outside or what ministry looks like on the outside to whether or not they’re heart is clean and they’re being obedient to God’s call and request and the work that He calls us to is getting done.

As we close, I want you to take three things with you by way of application into our own lives.

IV. The Realities

a. There is always Hope

God is not looking for the ones who look perfect on the outside. He’s not asking us for unattainable perfection, He just wants us to obey His call. No matter where we’ve gone or what we’ve done, no matter the depth of rebellion that has marked out lives, there is always hope through the forgiveness of sins. We have only to ask for it and then we can join the others in the field and build God’s Kingdom here on Earth.

b. Repentance is our Right Response to Sin

When we see our rebellion for what it is, repentance is the only right response before God. We need to have remorse over our sins and turn away from them and back towards God. And with repentance comes this third Truth.

c. Obedience is shown through our Actions

Some of us say yes in church every week, we say yes in Bible Study, yes in prayer meeting, yes in small groups, we have become like the Pharisees, looking spotless and holy on the outside, but, like that child in the car, we’re still standing on the inside and we say no by our lack of actions in response to God’s call.

Jesus says: JN 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.