Matthew 21:28-32Page 834 in Pew Bibles

28. “But what do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go, work in the vineyard today.’

29. “He answered, ‘I don’t want to!’ Yet later he changed his mind and went.

30. Then the man went to the other and said the same thing. “‘I will, sir,’ he answered.

But he didn’t go.31. “Which of the two did his father’s

will?” “The first,” they said.

Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you!

32. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him, but you, when you saw it, didn’t even change your minds then and believe him.

Talk is No Substitutefor Obedience

• Vs. 30 “Then the man went to the other and said the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he answered. But he didn’t go.”

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Talk is No Substitutefor Obedience

• We don’t often say, “I won’t” – we say, “I can’t”

• We often say “I will… but later”– Choosing when we obey is to

disobey• Style is just another form of

talk – and it’s no substitute for obedience, either

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Everyone Knows It!

• Vs. 31 “‘Which of the two did his father’s will?’ ‘The first,’ they said.”

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Knowledge is No Substitute for Obedience

• Vs. 23 “When He entered the temple complex, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to Him…”

• Vs. 31 “Jesus said to them, ‘I assure you: Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you!”

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Knowing the Will of God is Tied to Doing

the Will of God

• Vs. 28 “A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go, work in the vineyard today’”

• Lloyd John Ogilvie: “We cannot know the will of God unless we are willing to do the obvious, primary thing He has told us to do.”

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Son-ship ShouldMotivate Obedience

• Vs. 28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons…”

• Heirs to the vineyard• They have a personal interest in

the success of the vineyard• Why does the father have to

ask them to work at all?• What about their relationship

with the father? …Q >

Andrew Murray

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The secret of true obedience is the clear and close personal relationship to God. All our attempts after full obedience will be failures until we get access to his abiding fellowship. It is God's holy presence consciously abiding with us that keeps us from disobeying Him.

Obedience is Tied to Your Most Deeply Held Beliefs

• Vs. 32 “For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him…’”

• Luther: “I believe in order to obey; I obey in order to believe”

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It’s Never Too Lateto Repent

• Vs. 28-29 “A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go, work in the vineyard today.’“He answered, ‘I don’t want to!’ Yet later he changed his mind and went.

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