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Parables Series
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My Two Sons
Matthew 21:28-32
This parable begins with Christ’s “What think
ye?” and is designed to make us think. Some perish for lack of thought, and
many more for wrong thinking.
A.
What the Father Commanded:
“Son, go work today in my vineyard” (v. 28).
The Father’s vineyard needs workers ; who should be more interested than the
Son?
Observe the-
1.
BASIS OF THE FATHER’S CLAIM.
“Son,” (v. 28).
Plenty of hirelings may be got for wages, but
love ought to constrain a son. “The love of Christ constraineth us” (2 Cor
.5. 14). If we are the sons of God, surely our Father has the first claim
upon our time and strength and substance. Our Father may hire
strangers to serve Him (Isa. 7. 20) but sons are commanded.
2.
DESIRE OF THE FATHER’S HEART.
“Work” (v. 28).
What a grief it must be to our God to see so
much work to be done and so many of His sons idle. Work is pleasing to the
Father, good for the vineyard, and profitable for the son. “The idle soul
shall suffer hunger” (Prov. 19. 15). Our Father has a multitude of
talkative sons, but the labourers are few.
3.
URGENCY OF THE FATHER’S REQUEST.
“Today. ”
The time for serving the Lord is always NOW.
Some of us younger sons say, “Wait till I get a little more experience.”
Some of the older sons say, “It is not worth my while now ;” or they are
thinking about retiring from the vineyard. Go, work today, this present day
of salvation, for “the night cometh when no man can work” (John 9.4).
“Wherefore the Holy Ghost saith, TODAY…” (Heb. 3.7).
So, that’s what the Father commanded,
next…
B. What the Sons Said:
In the case of the first we have-
1.
A HARSH REFUSAL.
“I will not” (v. 29). His language reveals a
spirit of selfish indifference to the Father’s desire. In plain words it is
this: “I have something else of my own to look after, and have not time to
work in your vineyard.”
Does the selfish Christian care for the
perishing millions, or the grieving of the Father’s heart? His language
also reveals his open rebellion. “I will not.” His was a life opposed to
the Father’s will and out of sympathy with the Father’s purpose.
The other son answered with-
2.
A BOGUS COMMITMENT.
“I go” (v. 30). He speaks with marked
respect, “I go, sir.” Judging from his talk he has a great reverence for his
father and a great zeal for his work. His words are smoother than butter.
The descendants of this oily-lipped professor have not yet ceased from among
us. People today are quick to make commitments, or just give what they
believe is the ‘right answer’ to get rid of you, but with no intention of
following thru. Or, sometimes they have the right intention, but no
character to keep their word.
And yet at the same time this son’s instant
decision and prompt reply to the father’s urgent command should be copied by
every son. “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14. 15). Don’t
hesitate to make commitments just so you’ll never break one!
A great passage on this is…
Psalm 15:1-4
1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy
holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh
the truth in his heart.
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to
his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them
that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own
hurt, and changeth not.
So, we’ve seen what the sons said, now…
C. What the Sons Did.
There is often a vast difference between a
man’s profession and his actions. Talk is quite different than walk.
“Whither of them twain did the father’s will? ” It is not the one who
talked the best or made the loudest profession.
God’s Word is fulfilled in our doing of it,
not in our talking about it.
1.
THE ONE REPENTED AND OBEYED.
Repentance always precedes the doing of the
will of God. The bold, self-willed rebel is the first son to yield and obey.
So, don’t despair for the restoration of the
disobedient backslider, or give up hope for the conversion of the defiant
skeptic.
“Afterward, he repented and went…”
2. THE OTHER PROMISED AND FAILED.
“He said, I go, sir, and went not.”
All who ‘go not’ at God’s command into the
field of service for Him are disobedient and rebellious children, no matter
how nicely they may talk about “the Lord’s work.” Talking about church and
religion is not working for God any more than warming your hands at the fire
is gathering grapes.
Matthew 7 says, Not every one that saith,
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom, but he that doeth the will of My
Father.
“Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it” (John
2. 5).
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