Accepting God’s Challenge: Matthew 21:28-32

Moving into the week leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, it seems as though Jesus turns up the pressure with the illustrations He shares. In Jesus’ parable for this episode, Jesus is talking with the religious leaders on one of the early days of the week He would be crucified. As we read this parable and the ones that follow, I don’t think it will be much of a shock that the priests and Pharisees present would have wanted to get Jesus out of the picture. The religious leaders definitely understood Jesus’ parables were shared as a challenge to them.

The short parable we are focusing in on for this episode comes from Matthew’s gospel, chapter 21, and we will read it from the New Century Version. Starting in verse 28, Matthew quotes Jesus saying to the religious leaders:

²⁸ “Tell me what you think about this: A man had two sons. He went to the first son and said, ‘Son, go and work today in my vineyard.’ ²⁹ The son answered, ‘I will not go.’ But later the son changed his mind and went. ³⁰ Then the father went to the other son and said, ‘Son, go and work today in my vineyard.’ The son answered, ‘Yes, sir, I will go and work,’ but he did not go. ³¹ Which of the two sons obeyed his father?”

The priests and leaders answered, “The first son.”

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God before you do. ³² John came to show you the right way to live. You did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. Even after seeing this, you still refused to change your ways and believe him.

In this short parable and passage, Jesus emphasizes two very important and profound ideas.

The first of these ideas is that talk is cheap, while action has value. I know if I were given the choice to have someone tell me they would help me versus someone actually helping me with a task, I would choose the help over the promise almost every single time.

It is the same way with God. Through Jesus’ parable and the religious leaders’ response, we know God values someone who obeys Him much more than someone who says they will obey, but then who breaks their word.

Interestingly enough, both sons broke their word, but one broke their verbal agreement by not coming, while the other decided to come after saying that he would not. While the ideal would be for one son to say they would come help in the vineyard, then follow through by actually coming and working in the vineyard, when given the choice, action always beats talk.

It is interesting in my mind that Jesus transitions out of the parable with the question that He does, because by answering this question, the priests and leaders end up incriminating themselves. By answering that the first son obeyed because he followed through and helped in the vineyard, Jesus is then able to point out the truth that this parable has a parallel in John the Baptist’s ministry.

Because of the ministry of John the Baptist, some of the worst sinners in the region changed their lives and returned to God. In contrast, when hearing John’s challenge to the religious leaders, most religious leaders disregarded John’s message and warning. Whether they disregarded John’s message because they didn’t think John was speaking truth, or whether they disregarded John’s message because they simply didn’t like the words, or even if they disregarded John’s message because they didn’t like John, their refusal to accept God’s challenge through John sets up their rejection of Jesus.

In Jesus’ concluding remarks, we discover that any message that gets us to turn towards God and away from sin is a message that is worth paying attention to. Any message that prompts us to turn back to God and away from sin is a message from the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t really matter who or where the message came from, because a message to turn back to God can only come with the Holy Spirit’s prompting.

While Jesus challenges the religious leaders in a direct way with the last verses, Jesus’ message gives us hope because while the religious leaders are being challenged, Jesus is giving assurance to everyone who has turned away from sin and back to God who might doubt that they have been saved. Someone who feels they may have gone too far or done too many bad things might doubt God’s love and saving ability. In Jesus’ message, any person who returns to God, regardless of how bad they feel their past or present is will enter God’s kingdom before someone who lived a life they felt did not need a savior.

God’s kingdom will be populated with more people who realized they needed a Savior after they screwed up their lives here on earth, than it will be filled with people who believed they didn’t need a Savior. Actually, there might not be anyone in heaven who believes they lived so good that they didn’t need Jesus.

We all have screwed up our lives here on this earth to some degree or another. That is the nature of sin and its effect on our lives. However, Jesus came to be the remedy for sin and to take our punishment for sin onto Himself, opening up the way for us to be saved forever. God offers the gift to anyone and everyone who is willing to accept Jesus into their lives and accept the gift God offers.

God is happy to reward all who turn away from sin and back to Him.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, continue seeking God first in your life. Choose to let God lead and guide you each and every day and let Him lead you away from the sin in your past. Pay attention to every message challenging you to turn away from sin and back to God because messages like those have the Holy Spirit’s fingerprints present.

Also, continue to pray and study the Bible for yourself to grow personally closer to God each and every day. As you pray and study, be sure to open your heart to God and let Him come into your life and into your circumstances.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or abandon where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!