The parable of two sons. Matthew 21:23-32

Matthew 21:23-32  Gospel reading for Sunday 25th September 2011

This rather odd little parable needs to be understood in the light of the escalating tension between Jesus and the religious authorities. (We also note that this story is set in the final week before the crucifixion.)

Jesus is still trying to get the message across to the obstinate religious leaders that it's not about who they are, or the superficial and external labels that they wear, or lip-service that they utter, but whether they truly accept Jesus as Lord in reality and from the heart.

In helping us to understand the parables generally, I have found it helpful to keep in mind these key guidelines:

1. The parables in the main, are not about us. Rather they give us images of our God, how He thinks, acts and works with His people. (God progressively revealing Himself to us.)
2. Jesus in the main, was addressing the Jews and often specifically the religious leaders. 

He then has three major points to his teaching agenda:

1. The kingdom is available to all (not just the Jewish people and not just the rich.)
2. Just because you are a Jew, don’t think “you are in”
3. There is a new way of being made OK with God. In this new way, you don’t have to do anything at all … in fact you CAN’T do anything … it’s all been done for you… TRUST ME Jesus says!

In this little parable I believe that we have all five of the above points.

The over-riding factor for us though, is that as we reflect on a gospel story such as this today, we are hearing it from the other side of the cross. Because of the finished work of Christ, we have been set free and forgiven for all time. We are already part of the kingdom. This is cause for regular celebration.

Do we pick up on that celebratory nature of worship enough these days?

This parable is also a reminder and daily call to us in Lutheran Schools to make sure that we build a community in which grace abounds**. Does the un-conditional and undeserved love of God flow through and underpin everything that we do? As we take stock of how things are running for us, as we reflect on our leadership,on management of issues and tensions, as we look back on the day just gone by, let's regularly ask ourselves that big question inspired by Ignatian spirituality ... "What was the most loving response I could have possibly made in each of the situations I dealt with today"?

Nev

** number one of my FIVE core propositions of what it means to be a Lutheran school in the 21st century.