Posted: 05 July 2024

From a sermon given on 30 June 2024:

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
(Matthew 21:28-30)

But what do you think? A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go work to day in the vineyard.' He answered and said, 'I will not', but afterwards he repented and went. And he came to the second son and said the same thing. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir', but he did not go.

The parable was primarily used to portray the response of the tax collectors and Jewish religious leaders to Christ's Gospel.... It can be used in our present day to vibe those who live in mere talk but full of inaction. The religious leaders made great claims of obedience to God, but actually acted in disobedience and hypocrisy.

Though easy to condemn the initial disobedience illustrated by the first son, compliment can't be withheld. The "No" was followed by a life of actions and results.

As seen from the second son, "all bark with no bite" is a trait of the lazy and sluggish who live in hypocrisy and self cheat.

Its unfruitful to spend all day uttering statements of intents on how to handle situations, how to help, solve a crisis and perform a task if it's not followed by action. God is not interested by lip service, he seeks our obedience.

Further readings:

And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord? And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?
(Exodus 17:1-7)

But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
(Matthew 5:37)

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
(James 4:17)