Obedience - Family

Obedience

Some people see God as the great grandfather in the sky.

Taking care of us and giving us whatever we want.

Others see God as a task master

Just waiting to punish us when we disobey.

What does Scripture say about obedience?

Over the next several sermons, we will look at parables about obedience.

Starting with family.

Two Sons

Turn to Matthew 21:28 and we’ll look at a parable that Jesus presents as a question.

Jesus was in the temple, debating with the chief priests and elders.

Wait, you mean Jesus actually debated with the leaders of the church?

Yep, since He was twelve years old!

In response to their unwillingness to answer his question about whether John’s baptism came from God or men, Jesus posed this question.

Matthew 21:28–30 NKJV

“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.

We’ll get to the question in a moment, but lets start with the premise.

A man has two sons.

And he asks both to go work in the vineyard.

One agrees, the other refuses.

One actually goes to the vineyard, the other does not.

This is the premise to which Jesus asks His question.

Matthew 21:31 NKJV

Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.

So the chief priests recognized that the son who originally said no, but actually went to work in his father’s vineyard was the obedient son.

He had done the will of his father.

But what does that have to do with tax collectors and harlots entering the kingdom of God before the elders of the temple?

The question is quite simple, do they say they will obey God, or do they actually do it?

The chief priests and elders made a living by saying they were following God,

But did they actually do it?

Matthew 23:25–26 NKJV

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

The chief priests and elders, who were part of the Pharisees, cleaned the outside of the cup.

Meaning they tried to look good on the outside,

They said they would do what God commands.

But the inside was full of extortion and self-indulgence.

Meaning what they did was evil,

extortion and self-indulgence.

In other words, they were like the second son, who said he would obey but did not.

So what does this have to do with tax collectors and harlots?

Matthew 21:32 NKJV

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.

Just as the first son disobeyed his father, tax collectors and harlots disobeyed God.

But when they heard what John had taught, they believed him.

Just as the first son, regretted his disobedience and repented.

These tax collectors and harlots regretted their disobedience and repented.

But the leaders of the temple did not believe and did not repent.

So it is not the person who says the right things, or looks the right way, or is a member of the right church who gets into heaven,

But the person who does the will of God the Father.

So ask yourself, are you like the second son, who talked a good game but did not walk the walk?

Or are you more like the first son, who may speak rashly, but will repent and do what your Father in heaven asks?

The Good Father

We’ve looked at the sons, now lets look at a father?

Luke 11:11–12 NKJV

If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

As parents, how do you react when your child asks you for something?

Do you give them what they want?

Do you give them what they NEED?

Or do you give them something evil?

We’ve all been there,

It’s just before dinner, and one of your children asks for something to eat.

Jesus is NOT talking about ruining your child’s appetite.

The idea that rather than bread you would give you child a stone begins a series of hyperbolic statements.

A stone rather than bread, certainly not something you can eat.

A serpent for a fish or scorpion for an egg?

Would you give you child something deadly?

Of course not...

Luke 11:13 NKJV

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

If we are evil, and we know how to give good gifts, how much more does God know how to give them?

There are actually two things I want to consider about this parable.

First, the giving of good gifts.

When you child asks you for a candy bar, and you give them an apple, is that a good gift?

You didn’t give them what they asked for, you gave them what was good for them.

When they asked for bread, you didn’t give them a stone, but you gave them something that was good for them.

So when you ask God for something, and He gives you something different, maybe He’s giving you a good gift after all.

Maybe that brand new, fancy car is not the best gift right now,

Maybe it’s the slightly beat-up car that gets the job done.

Maybe that cool job isn’t the best move,

Maybe another job, or the job you already have, is what is best.

The question is, do you trust God to choose what is best for your or not?

Which leads me to my next point.

Second, withholding bad gifts.

How often have we asked God for something, only for it not to happen.

A date with the girl of your dreams.

Or marrying that guy you KNOW is Mr. Right.

That business opportunity that just fell through?

The question is, how to you see the situtation?

Was God just out to get you,

Or was he protecting you from something bad?

What do you think?

Conclusion

What do we see from these two parables?

God is NOT the grandfather in the sky.

He isn’t sitting around in heaven waiting to give us all our wished.

And when He doesn’t give us what we want, it’s not because He doesn’t love us,

He will give what what is good for us, not necessarily what we want.

Neither is God just looking for a chance to punish us if we don’t obey.

He’s not in heaven watching you, just waiting for a chance to STOMP you.

Yes, God wants us to obey.

If we say no, but repent, He will forgive us.

But if we say yes, but don’t obey, that’s not good enough for God.