Title: THE NAYSAYER        

Focus: Doing God’s will calls for a servant heart yielded to the triune God.

Function: To encourage the people to pray for and do God’s bidding with a servant heart—not a rebellious heart.

Text: Matthew 21:28-32

 

INTRODUCTION

            It’s one of the toughest truths for people to accept: the human heart is prone to sin and rebel against God. Most people in our society have a different diagnosis when it comes to the human condition. The common notion is that people evolve, that people learn from experience, that people will improve their condition by education, by showing good will, and by doing unto others what they want others to do unto them. Such a notion, however, goes against such stark statements of Scriptures as: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Clearly, God’s diagnosis of a fallen human race is different, as we learn from Gen. 6:5. Listen: “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.”

 

            I don’t like it, but I must accept the Bible’s diagnosis of our human condition: Apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, “I have a natural tendency to hate God and my neighbor”  (cf. Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 5). It takes the Spirit of God to transform that natural tendency of rebellion within us into a complete willingness to do God’s bidding. Such transformation is a life-long process. It’s called “conversion.”

 

            Today, the Lord Jesus calls us to enter a story that functions like a mirror. The story is about us and about so many people we know inside as well as outside the church of God. It’s a simple story with some twists of insights. And through the story, the Lord Jesus calls us to do God’s bidding with a servant heart yielded fully to the will and work of God. And as we enter the story we shall pay particular attention to this Naysayer, who disappointed his father, yet later changed his mind. Come with me and crawl into the story.

 

OBSERVATIONS

            We notice that the chief priests and elders of Israel confront the Lord Jesus. They are asking him questions about authority. Jesus has been preaching messages that upset the apple cart of the religious leaders. Jesus is inviting people to come under the sphere of God’s influence by putting their faith or trust in him. In doing so, Jesus is breaking all kinds of long-established religious rules and norms. Not only that, Jesus boldly challenges the religious leaders of Israel by performing miracles and doing such things as chasing away the moneychangers from the temple courtyard. So, the Pharisees and Sadducees confront Jesus and ask him: “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority? (Matthew 21:23).

 

            As Jesus “locks horns” with them, he tells them a parable. It’s about a father and two sons. And at the end of the story, the Lord Jesus applies the story to the religious leaders. He gives them a “knock out” punch saying: “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.” Clearly, the immediate context of the story shows us that the Lord Jesus targets the religious leaders of Israel. But since the story continues to confront new generations of people throughout the world, we do well to listen and to respond to Jesus’ implicit call to us as well: doing God’s will calls for a servant heart yielded to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 

            Consider the following:

• The two sons in the story never lived. They did not have names, nor a home address. Yet, their representatives are all around us, and among us, yes, we may even recognize ourselves in them. When I am honest I must admit that there are moments I hear the Lord say to me: “Not this way, but that way!” Like Jonah, who went to Tarshish instead of Nineveh, I find myself ignore my heavenly Father’s will for me. I hear the Lord say: “Love my people!” I hear myself grumble and say, “But Lord, that person is so unlovable!” I hear the Lord say, “Worship me with all your heart!” In response, I find in myself a reluctance to give up my Sunday morning sleep-in time, my coffee and my newspaper. The two sons in the story never lived. But surely, you and I recognize the people they represent.

 

            As we enter this story, we encounter these two sons and their father. But we must not forget that

• This father has more children. Jesus does not mention them, but they are part of the father’s household. He has one Son, who is our brother and our Lord. It’s Jesus. And then this father has many children who, unlike the two mentioned in the story, do their father’s bidding with a willing, servant heart. I want to be one of those children, for they are the ones who please the Father the most; and they are the ones who find joy and delight in doing the Father’s bidding. Listen then to the story, and learn from the sons, especially the Naysayer.

 

            Jesus says: “There was man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.”

Be careful, congregation.

 

• We may be inclined to quickly praise this son, yes even justify his behavior. We might say: “You know. Isn’t that what kids do? Isn’t it true that most sons (and daughters for that matter) will challenge their parents, only to obey them with reluctance later on? Surely, this son is a typical teenager. Ah, they’ll grow up. Nothing to worry about!”  

 

            Yes, I’m glad to see this Naysayer end up in the vineyard of his father. Thank God! In the end, this child does his father’s bidding. But does it ever occur to you what harm the son has caused? He’s wasted time to do his father’s will; he’s stepped on his father’s toes by his rebellion; he caused pain and bewilderment in the father’s heart. And he showed defiance, whereby he denigrated the authority and respect of his father.

 

Oh, I am glad that he ends up in the vineyard. Let there be rejoicing when a prodigal child goes to her Father’s vineyard. But don’t think that rebellion against our heavenly Father’s will is an acceptable thing to do. Or that rebellion or disobedience is an appropriate thing for a child of God to do. We shall thank God for being patient with his lost child, and for moving the mind of his child to the point that the child goes back to the vineyard and do his Father’s bidding. But we shall not justify our “Naysaying” and then changing our mind as something praiseworthy.

 

Think about this and take another look at this Naysayer.

 

• What does he do? Jesus tells us that he said “No” to his father. But later he came to his senses, that is, says Jesus, ‘he changed his mind.” Did this son, upon further reflection, decide that he was out of line? Did he feel a bit guilty and decide that he had better return to his father’s vineyard? Did he fear the ultimate consequence of his rebellion, paying the price of his father’s displeasure? We don’t know for sure. All we know is that he changed his thinking. And what does he do? He goes back to…where?…the vineyard.

 

            Wonderful! But there is something missing. This son is prone to rebel against his father again and again and again, because he does not seek reconciliation, peace, with his father. The son does NOT say: “Abba, I am sorry! Please, forgive my rebellion.” Rather, the son goes back and serves his father with a reluctant heart—a heart that harbors a bit of resentment. The sting of rebellion is still there in his heart. That sting, however, needs to die, to be taken away by making peace with his father.

 

            Earlier, I mentioned that this father has other children in his household. Apart from the Son Jesus, the other children are not perfect. But they serve their Father with a servant heart that is reconciled with their Father. And because they are reconciled with their Father, these children do God’s bidding with joy and delight. Oh, I want to be like one of those children!

 

            Would you like to see Some pictures of these children? You can find them in the Bible and also here in this community of faith. Look at Zacchaeus, the taxcollector. Once he came to Jesus and entered Jesus’ kingdom, he repented of his rip-offs; and he restored his relationships with those he had robbed by giving them back more than he had stolen from them. Do you remember murderous Saul? He did the bidding of the devil, though he thought that he was doing the right thing. It was only when Jesus stopped Saul in his tracks that Saul came to his senses. In fact, Saul became broken in spirit, in heart. He was contrite! He repented. And God called Saul to do his bidding, and Saul became Paul, the bringer of the gospel to the nations of the world.

 

            Do you remember that prostitute called ‘Mary’? She ended up on her knees before Jesus, pouring out a costly jar of alabaster ointment over Jesus, weeping, and drying Jesus’ feet with her hair. She repented from her ways and learned to love the perfect Son of God the Father with a contrite heart.

 

            Do you recognize the name of John Bunyan? He wrote a Christian classic: Pilgrim’s Progress. In that book, John Bunyan expressed his own deep devotion for God and he expressed the importance of doing the bidding of God the Father. But earlier in life, this same John Bunyan was a rebel child, who said that he would never enter the sphere of God’s influence. Yet, God changed his mind—and his heart. And the rest is history. Do you remember Chuck Colson? He, too, was once a rebel. But today, he is a man of God, working in the vineyard of our heavenly Father with a servant heart, contrite, devoted, and at peace with God.

 

            Congregation, the story of the Naysayer may seem innocuous, simple, a story to quickly dismiss. But when you crawl into it, and you begin to ponder the story, ah, it gets to you. And the Spirit of God begins to shape or influence you with the story and its unspoken twists and surprises.

 

            Here’s what I wish to leave us with as we get ready the next time to consider the twin brother of the Naysayer:

 

1. The father’s will expressed to his sons is similar for us today: He told his sons “Go, work in the vineyard.” The vineyard for some may be a mission field, a Christian organization, a church perhaps. For others, however, it’s their sphere of influence, their home and their work environment. Each one of us is called to do our heavenly Father’s bidding. How are we doing? What is our relationship with the Father? Are we reconciled with him through his Son, the Lord Jesus? Are our hearts settled and resting in him today, so that we find joy and delight in serving our Father in every aspect of life? Do not live as a Naysayer! Live with a servant heart--as a doer of God’s will.

 

2. Pray for and look for contrite hearts today: When you pray for your children, especially when they rebel against Christ and his Word, pray that God’s Spirit may break their hearts, so that they humble themselves before the Father. And pray for yourself, and for us—the leaders of the church—to live with humble hearts, to serve with contrite spirits. For we are always inclined to rebel, to go our own way. How much we need a contrite spirit, every day!

 

            As a pastor, I don’t meet many people with a broken heart, confessing their sins, weeping and crying out to God for forgiveness and mercy. I do meet people who are sorry for having hurt their spouse with their adultery, for being found out in their sins, or for not providing discipline for their children. Often their repentance runs head deep—not heart deep. Sometimes, they are embarrassed; sometimes ashamed; sometimes defiant saying that “these things happen to the best of us.” But deep-felt humility and contriteness of heart are lacking. When I am honest, I see this also in myself at time.

 

We must go heart-deep. We must learn to pray with a contrite, broken spirit. Only then will we experience the depth of our heavenly Father’s love and mercy. And only then will we learn to do his bidding with a servant heart.

 

3. Be encouraged:  Jesus tells the story of the Naysayer NOT to discourage his listeners, but to SPURR us on, to STIRR within us a spirit of obedience, willing to do God’s bidding. And even though we might see ourselves in this Naysayer son, we may cling to the larger picture. There is the mercy of God the Father—a mercy expressed in Jesus, the perfect Son of God.

 

            We can say what we want about the Naysayer son, but this much is clear: in the end he does the will of his father. And that gives me hope: For as I struggle with a rebellious spirit, sometimes pleasing, sometimes disappointing our heavenly Father, I may still cling to these amazing, comforting, and encouraging words of Jesus when he said: “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:34,35).       

 

            Thank God for his love in Jesus Christ, adopting us as his sons and daughters! Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and always shall be, world without end. Amen.