Did You Go?

I have this really annoying habit that my mom always rebukes me about.  She would ask me to do something, and honestly I tell myself I'm going to do it, but then I get distracted and forget it within five minutes.  Example A, "Josh take out the trash", five minutes later I'm hugging Chris and the trash stays put.  Luckily with a handful of rebukes, and my mother recapping the struggles of living in the village as a child, I'm breaking this habit little by little.  However, this is often our relationship with the Lord. 

Matthew 21 tells the story of two brothers in which the father asks them to work in a vineyard.  One brother says he won't but eventually he regrets his decision and works.  The other brother says he will but never gets to working in the vineyard.  What does that have do with Christianity?  

“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. 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.  Matthew 21:28-31

Did You Go?

If you're like me and have been in the church for a while, then you'll probably fall in the place of being that second brother that says he will go but never does.  So I have a question for you, did you end up going?  You've told Jesus that you will work in the vineyard but did you end up getting your hands dirty?  Auntie Ellen writes in her book Christ Object Lessons that we have pledged ourselves to the highest of calls yet we never labored to save souls, thus we are living a lie!  Man, that was a pretty hard rebuke, but honestly, we need to go.

It's interesting that the first brother refuses to work, but eventually he changes his mind and works in the vineyard.  This is often referring to the deepest of sinners.  You name it, it might be the prostitute, addict, murderer, thief.  They refuse to live a life in harmony with God, however when the gospel is proclaimed to them, they turn their ways and are the ones working in the vineyard.  Maybe that's why many of the testimonies you hear are from people that have been in the deepest pits, its because they are the ones answering the call.  Come on now, ask Jesus to come in to your heart and He'll give you a heart of service.