The Parable of the Two Sons
Published November 22nd, 2005 in Hearing the WordHow do you feel when somebody breaks a promise they made to you?
How do you feel when it is you that breaks the promise?
They are the two questions we started of with on Sunday night when we looked at Jesus story of the two sons, as part of our series on the Kingdom of God.
In a nutshell, the story is of a father who asks his two sons to do something. One son says “Yes I’ll do it” but then goes anway and doesn’t. The other says “No I won’t” but then comes to his senses and does it. In perhaps the most blatant of all the parables directed at the leaders and teachers of his time, Jesus is quite simply saying that the scum of the world (prostitues, tax collectors, theives etc) are entering the Kingdom because they are hearing the truth Jesus is teaching and are responding accordingly.
While we might be able to squirm our way out of some of Jesus teaching by pulling out the ‘cultural’ card, in this case there is no avoiding it. This parable could be addressed to us as if it were written this morning. It’s far too easy to say that we will follow Jesus and live lives that display Kingdom values, but then cut corners on our taxes, be unfaithful in relationships, lack any sort of business integrity and a multitude of other things. All of these things are breaking the promise we made to follow Jesus with our whole being.
Integrity, honesty and truth. Three things we need to make sure we hold onto tightly if we are to have any sort of credibility in our mission. Let’s keep the promises we’ve made to God and as part of that, be people of our word in the community.
I agree Matt, I try and live a life that is as seamless as possible when it comes to integrity, honesty and truth. I suppose that everyone would claim they do…
Yet, I really believe that I can say this because I am only one member of a community who is keeping me accountable. When it was just me and my private self I was able to reconcile all sorts of rubbish with my faith. “No problem, no problem” used to be my mantra.
Now, I have to undergo periodic ego audits, they are painful, but help to bridge the gap between rhetoriuc and reality.
G’day Jon,
I too have found myself justifying all sorts of things on my own. I’d be lost without my ego-checkers!
It’s just that there are so many of them…;)