It is good to be here, in this place with you all. In our Gospel reading today, Jesus continues to teach. Now he is teaching the temple authorities how to live a life that reflects what they teach.
Their “Teaching” and their “Doing” need to align.
Jesus’s discourse today with the temple authorities starts with questions about Jesus’s identity and authority. Jesus was not with the temple authorities. He was not formally trained. So why should they believe he is from God? He does not fit the criteria for the messiah. So, who is he? They question where Jesus got the authority to heal, pronounce forgiveness, and raise the dead? It would be like someone today coming into the church and claiming they had the authority to teach and oversee as a bishop. We would ask who ordained him or her. Where did they get their theological education?
Jesus answers their question with a question. Where did John the Baptist get his authority? Remember John was preaching repentance and turning back to God. The temple authorities do not answer Jesus. Jesus shows his authority by taking over the conversation. He never directly answers their question. He goes on to teach them with a parable.
In the parable, Jesus is applauding the son who changed his mind. The son turned back. He realized what he needed to do. The parable and its meaning are very clear. It is better to do what was asked of you even after you said no, than to say you will do it and then not do it. The surprise in the parable is in the application of the parable. All who live out their faith, those who turn back to God even if they are tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God before those who say they believe but do not act on it. Jesus is calling for a change of mind. A returning to God. A change in living. The apostle Matthew, the author of this story is believed to have been a tax collector himself before becoming an apostle. He was called by Jesus to “Change his life, to refocus, and to live out his faith.” So, this parable would have been very personal to Matthew.
Matthew knew that God desired us to change our mind-to turn our lives and hearts back to God. Matthew lived it. He knew that Jesus was God’s plan to bring us back into the arms and heart of God.
I have wondered about decisions during Covid19. Over the last six months if the changes we have experienced have turned people back to God or if people have turned away. When we did not have in-person church services, I hoped and prayed that we would not get out of the routine of worshiping and praising God on Sundays. There are a lot of coffee shops open on Sunday mornings and they are busy. It is easy to sleep in, play golf, and go shopping. After all, our church building was closed. I hoped and prayed that people would take advantage of all of the opportunities to worship online. I hoped and prayed that people would use the extra time to converse with God. Maybe to question and lament about the times we live in. Maybe to take a class online about prayer or spiritual disciplines. Maybe read a book that exemplified those living out God’s graciousness and love. I hoped and encouraged all of you to stay connected to each other. Phone each other. Join Zoom Bible studies. I hoped and prayed that people would see that in the midst of these uncertain times, God has not changed. God has not gone anywhere. God is gracious. God is patient. God is present.
But here today I am preaching to the choir. You all have done many of these things to stay connected. You have done the hard work of sticking with the church and here we are. We still have a way to go to get through COVID19.
I hope and pray for those who are still at home because they cannot go out. We continue to find ways to keep them connected. That is been one of the hardest things for me- to see faithful members of the church, faithful followers of God having to stay home because of the COVID19 risk. They are thriving and continuing to be faithful thanks to our efforts to keep them connected.
There are those who may be falling into a different routine. A routine where less of their time is about God and church. We need to continue to check on them. That is one of the reasons that we work very hard to let people know that the church is not closed. God’s doors are not shut.
We have a gracious God. Even those who may have gotten into a new routine and may have not been here, they can change their mind. They can turn back. The church is here. We will embrace them. God welcomes all back into God’s loving arms.