June 18, 2008 + Action speaks louder than words + Hayward Fong

Matthew 21: 28-32

The parable we read this morning is a good example of human nature. Jesus loved to tell his messages at a basic human level.

This father owned a vineyard and needed people to work in the field. He had two sons and asked the first one to go out and do a day’s work. The son flat out and rudely refused, but later changed his mind and went. The father then went to the second son with the same request. He said politely that he would go and then went away without doing anything. Jesus asked, “Which of these two sons really did the will of his father?” His listeners answered that the fist son did in spite of his initial refusal.

What was the message that Jesus was sending?

The first son could represent the tax-collectors and other sinners of the day who lived without anything to do with God. But when Jesus came onto the scene, they listened to Him and changed their lives to fit His message and His demands.

The second son could well stand for the Scribes and Pharisees. All their lives was one long profession that they would serve God and obey His commandments and yet when the Son of God came, they refused to have anything to do with Him and in the end crucified Him.

This parable occurs in the midst of an argument that Jesus was having with the chief priests and elders of the people (Matthew 21:23) and in effect, Jesus is saying to them, “All your lives you have been making a great profession of your devotion to God and now your attitude to me belies your whole profession. The people you brand as sinners have seemingly turned their backs on God all their lives; but now they have changed their minds and have found a place in the Kingdom which you have thrown away.”

There is, however, far more than a local significance in this parable. It lays down the basic truth that words can never take the place of deeds. There is a difference in the way the two sons answered their father’s request. The first answers with almost contemptuous bluntness. The second son says all the things which politeness demands, even adding “sir” to his reply. But neither verbal courtesy nor superficial politeness could take the place of deeds.

In the final analysis, it is only by deeds that we can prove what our words truly mean. In ancient days the knights came up to their ladies demanding the hardest tasks in order to prove their devotion.

The earliest title for Christianity was “the Way” (Acts 9:2). It was never simply learning facts or reciting creeds. It was a way of life which proved itself by its deeds.

What Jesus taught was a cultural shock to the Jews. J. Alexander Findlay tells of a missionary in Palestine who told this parable and then asked “Who did the will of his father?” To the missionary’s dismay, the crowd unanimously answered, “The son who said he would go and did not.” When asked why, they explained, “A day’s work in the vineyard is a little thing, but to say ‘No’ to your father’s beard is a grievous sin.” Their culture taught fair words are more important than fair deeds whereas the teaching of Jesus was diametrically the opposite. Jesus teaches that profession can never be a substitute for performance.

Christians, whose professions say one thing and whose lives say another do the greatest harm to the cause of Jesus Christ. Our every day living either attracts or repels people to Christianity, according to how our performance matches up with our profession.

Professor Henry Drummond, scientist-evangelist of the late 19th century, in visiting the back streets and slums of Edinburgh received his first taste of urban poverty and spiritual need. It became his lifetime mission to carry the message that Christ’s program deals with a real world. He often told this story of his speaking at a street corner to a group of young men who had no use for the church. A man came by and one of the young men said, “That man is the founder of the Atheists’ Church.” Drummond asked in astonishment, “How can that be? He is one of the leading elders in the Church.” Back came the reply, “Precisely! If a man who lives a life like that is one of its leading people, we want nothing to do with the Church.” It is an awesome thought that our lives every day either attract or repel people from Christianity according to our fidelity or lack of fidelity to our profession.

Someone once said to a person who professed the finest things but did not live up to them, “I cannot hear what you say for listening to what you are.” Mark Twain, in his typical American wisdom, said, “I’d rather see a sermon lived than hear one any day.”

The strange thing is that it is quite possible for the reverse to be true; people who live the finest of lives and make no profession of Christianity can be a deterrent to the cause of Jesus Christ. There are people like the first son whose practice is much better than their profession.

Over and over again it is stated that there are as good Christians outside the church as there are inside. That can’t be denied, nor would any Christian want to deny it for “The true light that enlightens every man … (came) into the world” (John 1:9).

We need to affirm the fact that in unity there is strength. Though we can carry on a common effort alone, we learn that in life the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts. Single sticks can be snapped in two but if you tie them together into a bundle they cannot be so easily broken. If a man is on the side of Christ then his place is in the ranks of Christ. It is by joining in a common cause with fellow Christians that he will be most effective in the world.

There are many people like the first son in the parable, whose practice is better than their profession; but they would be better still if they openly admitted where the loyalty of their hearts really lie.

This is the real root of the parable. It is a story of two sons, neither of whom was fully satisfactory. It may be said that the first was a better man than the second, but neither was perfect. It is better to say, “No,” and then go and obey, than it is to say, “Yes,” and then go and disobey. But it is best of all to say “Yes,” with courage and then obey with fidelity. Both sons in this parable hurt their father’s heart. The son who would really bring joy to his father is one who willingly hears and gladly obeys.