Begin
Silence, Stillness, and Centering before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading The Parable of Two Sons
“What
do you think? A man had two sons. Now he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go
and work in the vineyard today.’
“‘No, I don’t want to,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went.
“The father said the same thing to the other son, who replied, ‘Yes, sir.’ But he didn’t go.
“Which one of these two did his father’s will?”
They said, “The first one.”
Jesus said to them, “I assure you that tax collectors and prostitutes are entering God’s
kingdom ahead of you. For John came to you on the righteous road, and you didn’t believe
him. But tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. Yet even after you saw this, you didn’t
change your hearts and lives and you didn’t believe him." Matthew 21:28-32
“‘No, I don’t want to,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went.
“The father said the same thing to the other son, who replied, ‘Yes, sir.’ But he didn’t go.
“Which one of these two did his father’s will?”
They said, “The first one.”
Jesus said to them, “I assure you that tax collectors and prostitutes are entering God’s
kingdom ahead of you. For John came to you on the righteous road, and you didn’t believe
him. But tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. Yet even after you saw this, you didn’t
change your hearts and lives and you didn’t believe him." Matthew 21:28-32
Questions
to Consider
What a shocking story! Belief always results in doing (however
imperfectly) what it believes. If you want to know what I actually
believe, then simply watch what I do. What does Jesus' story tell you
about what you believe? Are there places in your life where belief
and action don't match? Why? On the other hand do you find it
encouraging that those on the margins of society "get in" based simply
on taking Jesus at his word?
Prayer
"Lord, too often I'm like the second son. You offer me the grace and gift of work and purpose and serving You and others in Your good world, yet so often I just don't feel like it. Lord, help me not to be simply like the first son, rather help me be the kind of Jesus follower who says yes and then (however imperfectly) just does it not to earn Your favor, rather because I have simply decided to trust You more than I trust myself. Amen"
Conclude with
Silence
(2 minutes)
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