10/11/2026
““What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.” ~ Matthew 21:28-32 ESV
This seems like Jesus is berating his audience, which is not his usual modus operandi. However, when we realize that his audience is primarily Pharisees in this case, it makes more sense.
The Parable of the Two Sons is the first of three consecutive parables that Matthew recounts where Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees who had come in the hopes of having him arrested. The point he is making is that it’s better to be an outcast that has faith than to be a religious leader who talks a good game but doesn’t really understand who Jesus is.
So how does this apply to us today? Are we the tax collector or the Pharisee? How about our friends and acquaintances? I like to think that if you’re reading this one of two things is true. Either you know the Bible well enough to know that the words printed in red represent Jesus instructions to us on how to live our lives. Or I have at least piqued your curiosity to the point where you’d like to know more about Jesus and how he died to forgive your sins (and mine).
However, it’s possible that you know some “Pharisees”. They are easy to spot these days. They claim to be Christians, yet they behave in ways that are most definitely not. Some examples could include mistreating the poor, the homeless, the immigrant, the widow, children, or any of God’s precious creations for that matter. Maybe they are kind but have created idols of money, fame, power or so forth. You get my point.
If you’re one of that first group, the ones who know the red words, then it’s up to us to seek out those with questions and help them find answers. It’s also up to us to do whatever we can to get that last group back on the right path. You guessed it, we’re back to The Great Commission. Funny how that works.
Drive thru is open 8:00-1:00. Have a blessed Sunday everyone!
