Letter to the Congregations: 30th November 2024

Our Dear Brethren,

As He stood in the temple, surrounded by those who were truly intrigued by His words, and by those who despised Him because of His words, Jesus continued teaching. Many time He spoke in parables, only revealing the true meaning of these stories to His disciples later on. There were some who sat and listened who dared not answer His questions for fear of losing their own credibility among the people. Some of these were chief priests and the elders of the people who were themselves considered to be great teachers (or rather considered themselves to be great among the people).

In the midst of his teaching on a particular day, Jesus told a parable of two sons who were asked by their father to go and work in the family vineyard. The first son, thinking he had better things to do with his own personal time, immediately refused, saying, “I will not.” The second son, perhaps after hearing his brother’s refusal, quickly agreed, desiring to please his father, saying, “I go sir.” Both sons did the opposite of what they had said they would do. The first son almost immediately regretted his words and went and did the work. The second son might have looked good when he made a promise to his father, but didn’t follow through. (See Matthew 21:28-30 for the parable)

After giving the parable, Jesus asked a seemingly simple question: “Which of the two did the will of his father?” The answer seemed obvious to the priests and elders, and probably to the disciples as well. The answer might seem simple enough to us also. And the explanation that Jesus gave to these self-important teachers we might quickly agree with. Jesus went on to essentially explain that those who these priests and elders might consider to be less important than themselves (“tax collectors and harlots”) might be more highly regarded in the eyes of God if they follow the example of the first son and repent and believe after hearing the truth preached to them.

This lesson is for us as well in several ways. Firstly, we cannot think of ourselves as more important to God than others just because we have already heard the truth and have previously repented of our sins. Now is not the time for all to be called to repentance. And secondly, if we don’t continue seeking to do the will of our Heavenly Father when we know better, then we are like the second son who said he would go but didn’t. If we promise to do our Father’s will in our lives but don’t follow through, then our previous repentance can’t help us. May our Father strengthen us so we might continue seeking to do His will regardless of what others around us think or say or do.

Our love is with you,

Lewis VanAusdle
Pastor, United Church of God
NYC, NJ, CT, Malawi, Zimbabwe