Pastor Mark Nieting
Matthew 21: 28-32
We are now well into a new school year; we’re now into a new year of Christian education here at Hope; and we’re recognizing a number of our staff, especially our school staff, for many years of ministry this morning, so it’s easy to see that for Hope as a congregation TEACHING the faith is important.
As a church, as pastors and teachers, as parents and grandparents, we all have expectations for our children. We want them to do well. We want them to be the best they can be. We want them to be successful in life, to be able to provide well for themselves, to stay active in their faith, and maybe even make a few bucks so they can take care of US in our old age (tongue in cheek, please, on this one!) Seriously, there’s nobody in this room that, when watching the baptism of a precious little child, thinks to themselves, “Well, there’s not much hope for this one, probably end up on Skid-Row, that’s where he’ll be!” Nobody goes there!
And, as parents, don’t we want our children to be obedient? When we give our kids instructions, we want them to respond……not when the program is over or they reach the “next level” of their video game….but now! That’s part of the parental expectations we have for our kids that will lead to their being successful in life…..and we all want that for them!
Success and obedience come at a price, don’t they? Every parent and every teacher knows that there are times, and sometimes quite a few of them, when it becomes necessary to exercise a little “tough love” in order to move our kids to the next level. The test comes back B minus…..do we settle for that or push harder? The paper has mistakes in grammar: do we allow it to be turned in or do we demand a re-write? The memorized Bible verse is vaguely recognizable, but is it word for word, as the pastor expects? Do we make them turn off the TV until they’ve got it right, or are we afraid of the confrontation? Do we really want them to “walk the walk”, or are we settling for “talking the talk?”
ALL human beings…..children AND teens AND adults need the freedom to make our own choices…..and we’re not going to choose wisely all the time. It’s part of growing up. It’s part of learning. And to be honest, it’s a good thing to fail once in a while! It may teach more lessons than successes ever can!
All this is leading up to Jesus’ parable in our text this morning; a story about a father who is parenting two very different children. The father’s expectation of both sons is perfectly clear: Go into my vineyard and work! He says it with authority and he expects results.
Jesus lays out two scenarios in this parable: one works out well in the end; the other starts out well and ends up nowhere.
The first son refuses outright. “No,” he says, “I won’t go!” Yet, after he cools down a little and has some time to reflect on his decision, he thinks better and heads off to the vineyard to get some work done. He was wrong at first, but shifts gears…..the word “repents” fits well here…..and ultimately gets it right.
The second son is more devious. He puts on the “good child” face and agrees right away with his father’s request. “Yup, dad, great idea you had there, me working in the vineyard! I’m heading right out, dad! Watch me go!” But in the end, his actions didn’t match his words. He never comes close to a grapevine. He promises a lot, but in the end he produces nothing.
We all know what’s coming, because, after all, this is a parable, and Jesus told parables to make points! Jesus asks his listeners: Which of these two sons did the will of his father? It’s a no-brainer, isn’t it? Walking the walk earns a whole lot more respect from the father than simply talking the talk. All the talk in the world wasn’t going to get the second son into the vineyard OR into the Kingdom of God! He needed to “walk the walk,” even if it meant turning around, even if it meant admitting he was wrong, even if it meant starting over!
WHY do we say NO to God? Why do we say NO to growing in our faith? Why do we insist on living life on our terms? Why do so many parents fail their children by not following through on the promises they made to God (and to their children) at the time of baptism? What is it that fuels our refusal to “say yes to God?”
It might be because we’re stubborn; we’re afraid; we’re doubtful; we’re convinced that WE are right; or we simply want to do what WE want to do. Given the choice of “laboring in the vineyard,” of forgiving someone who wrong us, visiting a sick friend, reconciling with an estranged friend, attending Bible Classes or even making sure our kids are going to Sunday School or Confirmation; given the choice of Kingdom things…..or, say…..playing with our trains…… which would many of us choose?
Back when Pam and I were dating we used to take LONG Sunday afternoon drives in the mountains of western North Carolina. On one particular “motor,” way out in the boonies of WNC, I decided to try a new road because I was SURE I knew exactly where it came out…….just a mile or two from Hot Springs NC. So onto the road I went, even after Pam asked if I was SURE I knew where it went. Hey, I’m a guy….am I right about directions? Absolutely! My way is best!
You already know how this is going to come out. The pavement turned to gravel. The power lines ended. The road narrowed. But I was SURE I was right. I was headed to Hot Springs NC for a lovely dinner. Pam piped up from time to time asking me to turn around. Do you think I did? After all, I WAS RIGHT. Another half hour and in the distance there was a small sign, which I KNEW would welcome us to Hot Springs. It welcomed us, all right, to DEL RIO, TENNESSEE: a good HOUR’S drive off the mark! Why is it that we are so stubborn?
Could it be that we think we’ve already done “our share” in the Kingdom? Clearly the Father doesn’t offer his son an ‘early retirement program!’
Could it be that the Kingdom is not a true priority in our lives? Clearly the Father knows that His way is the only way!
Could it be that we think the Father expects….DEMANDS us to be perfect?
Every day you and I make decisions……little ones, big ones, ones with small consequences and occasionally decisions with eternal consequences. Jesus knows what it is like for us to struggle with the Father’s will…..He did that Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane, when His Father asked Him to go to the cross. That’s “vineyard work” God will never ask US to do.
Jesus didn’t take option 1: to say no and later say yes.
Jesus didn’t take option 2: to say yes and later say no.
Jesus certainly didn’t take option 3: to say no and keep on saying no!
Jesus TOOK the FOURTH OPTION. He lived out the FOURTH SCENARIO: He said YES to His Father; He talked the talk; and He DID it; He walked the Walk, all the way to the cross, the grave, and back through the empty tomb.
Making God-honoring decisions in a God-dishonoring world isn’t easy in our own lives…and it can be even more difficult as Christian parents when the choices of, as an example, playing soccer on Sunday compete with the vows we make at the baptisms of our kids. They won’t win us popularity contests in the world, but when we make God honoring choices and follow through with God honoring actions, even if we have to change our minds and reverse our actions to follow GOD’S DIRECTIONS, we will be blessed by God!
