A way to live a mission at home.
Parents, when children disobey your directions, give them time and a chance to change their minds and to obey your directions.
Based on Matthew 21:23-32
A way to live a mission at home based on Matthew 21:23-32, a reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the Seventeenth the Sunday after Pentecost, 10/1/17.
Jesus has made his popular entry to Jerusalem riding a donkey, a beast of burden; he has driven the merchants and money changers out of the temple; and he has healed blind and lame people brought to him. The chief priests and elders want to know by what authority he does these things. Jesus replies the he will answer their question if they will answer one of his questions. He asks was John the Baptist’s work from heaven (God) or of human origin. They argue among themselves: if John’s message came from God, why did they not believe him vs. if they say from man, they will anger the people who saw John as a prophet sent by God. They pretend ignorance saying they do not know. Jesus says that he will not answer their question since they did not answer his.
He goes on to tell a parable. A man tells one son to work in the vineyard. The son says he will not but later changes his mind and goes. The father tells a second son to go; the son agrees; later, changes his mind and will not go. Jesus asks which son did the father’s will. They answer the first. Jesus says tax collectors and prostitutes (two groups of social outcasts) will enter God’s kingdom before they will. The tax collectors and prostitutes had been disobeying God but changed their ways when they heard and believed John’s teaching of righteousness. On the other hand, the chief priests and elders said no to John’s teaching and did not change their minds and believe him.
A theme: If you say no to God at first, you can change your mind and follow God later.
