Well THIS parable is a slam dunk, don’t you think?
Pretty simple and straightforward. Easy to understand.
A man has two children. Says to one, “I need you to go mow the lawn.” The kid says, “Mow the lawn? I HATE mowing the lawn!! I absolutely will not! Forget it, Dad!”
But some time later, the kid thinks to himself, “Aw, what the heck. The lawn DOES need mowing.” So he fires up the old Toro and goes out and cuts the grass.
Meanwhile, the father goes looking for his second son. Finds him upstairs in the bedroom watching TikTok videos and talking on the phone with his girlfriend Lola.
“Son, I need you to go out and take care of the yard.”
“Oh, sure! I’ll get right on it, Paw!”
But as soon as his father leaves the room, the kid turns up the volume on the videos and gets back to whatever it was he was doing with Lola.
Now, if these were your kids, which would you appreciate the most? Who did the right thing? Which of the two sons did the will of his father? Let’s take a vote.
All in favor of the kid who first said, “No!”, but later came around and did what his dad wanted…raise your right hand.
And all in favor of the second kid, who SAID he would, but then didn’t…raise your left hand.
Okay. Since we’re pretty much in agreement on this, I can make a simple sermon out of the parable, and then we’ll all go home. Friends in Christ, even if you say, “No” to God at first, but then recognize your sin and turn around and do the right thing, God will be pleased with you and will welcome you. But don’t be hypocritical. Don’t say, “Yes” to God knowing full well you’re not going to follow through on it. God appreciates honesty, but despises hypocrisy. So you and I should be like the first son, and not like the second…”
And all God’s people said…Amen.
And now our closing hymn….
But wait.
It’s not quite that simple.
Here’s an interesting Bible fact. Did you know that in various ancient manuscripts of Matthew, there are actually THREE versions of this parable? People back then seem to have been confused about the meaning of the story, resulting in three conflicting ways of telling it. There’s the version we just read that has been preserved in the Bibles we use here in the West. But then there’s a second version in another early edition of Matthew in which the only change is a reversal of the order of the sons. The first son says, “Yes”, but then doesn’t follow through, and the second son says. “No,” but does follow through. Not too much difference there.
But then there’s the third version. And it’s fascinating.
And I bet you’ll never guess how it differs from the version we read today!
In this version of Matthew, you see, the question Jesus asks – “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” – is answered in an astonishing way.
“Why, the SECOND son,” the people answer without any hesitation at all! The one who said “Yes!”, but meant “No!”
Now how can this be? How could anyone choose the second son over the first?
Well, in the ancient East there was something about honor. A man’s honor was his most important possession. And honor required that children never talk back to, or refuse to carry out a parental order. To do so would be to bring their parent embarrassment and shame. And this first son, who responded to a direct request from his father by shaking his finger in his father’s face and telling him to go take a hike, committed a VERY grave sin in the eyes of the ancient world!
And the other son, even though he failed to carry through on his promise, at least acknowledged the authority and the dignity of his dad by giving a public, “Yes.”
A number of years ago, we were traveling in the Middle East, and one of our group asked a waiter for a bottle of water. The waiter said, “Yes, right away!” Well, an hour later, the bottle of water had still not arrived, and when the person asked the waiter where it was, the waiter said, “Yes, it is coming.” And on and on that conversation went all night long!
But, you see, this is the mark of a good waiter in some cultures. He or she will honor the guest by saying “Yes” to every request – even if they mean, “No.” At the very least, the second son respected his father’s honor.
Okay, let’s vote again! All in favor of that first little rat who dishonored his father? Raise your right hand.
And all in favor of the second kid who, even though he didn’t have the wherewithal to do what he promised, at least upheld his father’s dignity in the process? Raise your left hand.
And one more choice. All of you who are thoroughly confused and just don’t know at this point, say, “Amen!”
“AMEN!!!”
Good! You’re right where Jesus wants you! Did you notice that, in the story Jesus never does acknowledge the answer given as being correct?
The parables of Jesus are full of surprises! And the puzzling nature of this parable is reflected in those three different versions of the story. You see, the first folks to hear the story were people just like you and me. They couldn’t vote for the first kid. And they couldn’t vote for the second kid. They didn’t know WHAT to do!
Because, you see, the correct answer to Jesus’ question, “Which one did the will of his father?” is…NEITHER!!!!!
I see a lot of myself in the first son. Over the course of my life, even though I’ve sometimes been reluctant to do so at first, I have tried to do what’s right and good. Though often tempted to do the opposite I have tried to uphold high values. I’ve tried to work for justice, and to meet human need. I’ve tried to be a good husband and father. I’ve tried to be faithful to my calling in ministry. I’ve endeavored to be a healing presence in the community. But listen to my confession today. Throughout my life, I’ve often found that its very easy getting so busy doing God’s good work that I end up neglecting my relationship with GOD! Like the first son, I’m eventually willing to do the work, but often don’t have the time or inclination to be in prayer and conversation with God, to listen to God’s guidance rather than follow my own instincts. To wait for the Lord and draw strength from God rather than rely only on myself. Sometimes I find it easier to do the work of God without the relationship with God.
The late Agnes Sanford, who grew up the daughter of a missionary to China, writes that she remembers watching her well-meaning father expend his life – and eventually even his health – trying to do good for others, trying to do – in Agnes’ words – the work of God, without the power of God. And there are many such people in our world. There are, believe it or not, atheists who love their neighbors as themselves. And they do it without God. There are secular humanists who are good to their children. And they do it without God. There are people who live far apart from God, but who nonetheless try to do the work of God. And there are lots of Christians like us who get so caught up in our responsibilities that we lose all sight of our relationship with the Lord. One of our church members, recently retired, told me about how much he’s enjoying building a friendship with God – coming to church, and being in our Bible classes, and serving in the community as a Christian. He says, “When I was working, it seemed like I never had time for God!” He was describing what Albert Camus observed when he wrote that there are many people in our world who are trying to be “saints without God.”
The daughter of one of our church families was telling me a little while ago about the huge challenge she’s faced raising a child who has attention deficit disorder complicated further by hyperactivity. ADHD they call it. She told me about the wearying struggle of caring for this child, but then she said something wonderfully refreshing! “I’ve finally learned to give it over to God, and letting Him help me. Now – although I have my moments – I’m feeling stronger and better able to deal with the everyday challenges that come along.”
You see, God never intended for us to live life and face life’s challenges all alone. God wants to be there for us. God wants to befriend us. God wants to provide guidance that is higher than our own, and inner resources deeper than our own, and strength beyond ourselves. God doesn’t want us to just go and do God’s work. God wants to work with us.
I wonder if you’re a little bit like that first son. You try your best to do what’s right, but find yourself sometimes neglecting your relationship with God. I know I do.
And, I hate to say it, but I see a lot of myself in the second kid, too. Man, oh man, I’ve made some big promises to God in my day…and never followed through on them. And, with all deference to the ancient Christians who thought this second kid was better than the first, I completely disagree. When you love someone, you keep your promises. Faith is not a matter of just believing things in your heart. It is actually doing what God calls us to do.
I’m moved by the story of Hugh Thompson. Years ago, Mr. Thompson received an honorary degree from Emory University in Atlanta. As it often happens with college commencements, the student body – ready to break loose after four or more years of study – was not overly interested in either the award-winning playwright or the world-famous mathematician who also received honorary degrees that day. They talked on cell phones and flew Frisbees while they were speaking. But when Hugh Thompson got up to speak, a hush fell upon the crowd.
On March 16, 1968, Mr. Thompson and two other young Americans were flying a helicopter in support of a ground operation in Vietnam. When they hovered over a small village, Thompson saw a terrible sight. An injured Vietnamese woman was laying in a ditch. He set the helicopter down and asked a group of American soldiers on the ground if they could help her. “Yeah, we’ll help her,” they assured. Thompson lifted off, and then circled back around. He saw that the woman was still laying in the ditch, but realized that she was now dead, with a river of blood flowing from her head.
Still not grasping what they were seeing, the chopper crew darted back and forth over the village, and everywhere it was the same. Soldiers were shooting unarmed civilians. The name of the village was My Lai.
Spotting a group of civilians hiding in a bunker and a group of soldiers moving toward them, Thompson swooped down and put the helicopter between the civilians and the soldiers. Thompson then confronted the Lieutenant leading the soldiers – a young man by the name of William Calley – and told him that if they took another step forward, the chopper crew would open fire and kill them. Then Thompson radioed for support, and other helicopter gunships supporting the mission landed and evacuated the civilians to safety. That heroic action put an end to a day in which more than 500 civilians were massacred, including 123 children under the age of five.
As these things go, Mr. Thompson was nearly court-martialed for his actions that day. It was not until thirty years later that he was recognized for his heroism and awarded a medal. And as he spoke to this hushed audience of students, parents and faculty, Hugh Thompson said this:
“I’m so very awestruck to be standing on such a platform before such accomplished people as you. I never went to college myself, and I have no wise thought to share. All I can tell you is what my church taught me when I was a little kid: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
You see, it is not enough to just memorize verses and not do them. It is not enough just to believe. Belief must produce action. Faith is not to be felt, but LIVED.
And the picture Jesus has painted today is not really of two sons. No, it is a picture of you and me. And in each of us there is this intersection of “Yes” and “No”. The temptation to live life apart from God as a living Friend and Savior, and the temptation to have a relationship with God without a life and deeds to go along with it.
When Jesus asked the question, “Which one did the will of his father?” the Pharisees tried to answer that it was the first one. But when did the Pharisees ever answer one of Jesus’ questions correctly?
No, Jesus simply ignores their reply and goes on to the answer.
Who among us is doing the will of God?
Not the first kid. And not the second.
No, the people who are truly doing God’s will are people like Hugh Thompson, and people like that woman with the ADHD son, and people like those tax collectors and sinners out there who, when they hear God’s call, come to God, and become God’s best friends, and out of that friendship, go and do the things God wants them to do.
Today, you are standing at the intersection of “Yes” and “No”.
Which way will you choose to turn?
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