Message 2 of 4 in the “Stories that Confront” series

September 28, 2025

What Do You Think?

The parable in Matthew 21 seems simple enough. A father asks his two sons to work in the vineyard. One says “no” but later goes. The other says “yes” but never goes. Then Jesus asks His hearers, “What do you think?”

It’s a question worth sitting with.

Saying “No” and Saying “Yes”

If you’ve ever been around a two-year-old, you know their favorite word: “No.” No to food, no to jackets, no to naps. My two-year-old grandson says “no” to just about everything—until, five minutes later, he changes his mind. That’s the first son in the parable. A quick “no,” followed by a change of heart.

The second son is the opposite. He says all the right words—“yes, of course, I’ll go”—but never actually follows through. His “yes” sounds good, but it never turns into action.

We may smile at these sons, but we see ourselves in them too. Sometimes we resist what God calls us to do, only to realize later, “That was the right thing to do,” and do it. Other times we talk a good game—yes, Lord, I’ll follow You—but our lives don’t match our words.

Jesus presses His listeners: “What do you think? Which one did the will of the father?”

Knowing and Doing God’s Will

God’s will isn’t mysterious or hidden. He tells us clearly in His Word: love Him with heart, soul, and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves. But knowing God’s will and doing it are two different things.

That gap between knowing and doing is where most of us live. We know we should forgive, but we hold grudges. We know we should show compassion, but we walk past the person who needs it. We know we should spend time with God, but other things feel more urgent.

That’s why God gives us confession. He gives us a place to be honest—to say, “Lord, I know what You want, and I didn’t do it.” It’s not about shame; it’s about restoration. God already knows. He just wants us to bring it to Him.

The Lowest Point

When Jesus told this parable, He wasn’t just talking about good manners or follow-through. He was talking to the religious leaders of His day—people who said all the right things but refused to repent when John the Baptist came preaching. So He said something shocking: “The tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.”

Why? Because when you’re at the bottom, you know you need help. You stop pretending. You cry for mercy—and when Jesus comes, you respond.

Philip Yancey tells a story about a woman who once asked him, “What do you think Jesus thought about prostitutes?” He remembered this very passage from Matthew and told her that Jesus said they’re entering the kingdom ahead of the religious leaders. Her reply was quiet: “Everyone has someone to look down on. Not us. We’re the bottom. Sometimes when you are at the low, you cry for help. Maybe that’s what Jesus meant.”

That’s exactly it. God’s kingdom isn’t built on appearances. It’s built on grace.

Righteousness From Outside

Martin Luther wrote about two kinds of righteousness. One he called alien righteousness—not because it’s strange, but because it’s “foreign,” something that comes from outside us. It’s the righteousness of Christ, given to us as a gift. We are declared holy and righteous because of Him.

The second is what Luther called actual righteousness—the Spirit’s work in us, producing acts of love, forgiveness, and mercy. We don’t earn God’s love by doing them. We do them because we already have His love.

That’s why we can confess both that Christ is righteous and that, in Him, so are we. From His alien righteousness flows the actual righteousness of daily life. It’s what happens when grace gets hold of us.

Still in the Vineyard

Here’s a detail easy to miss in the parable: neither son is thrown out of the vineyard. Both still belong to the father.

That’s grace. Even when our words don’t match our actions, we are still His. Even when we resist, He doesn’t cast us out. He calls us back. He says, “Let’s try again.”

That’s what grace does—it restores, redeems, and renews. “Amazing grace” isn’t just about a generic wretch. It’s about this wretch. Me. You. Grace that is life-giving, life-correcting, life-changing, and life-renewing.

What Do You Think?

Jesus’ question still echoes: “What do you think?”

What do you think about the gap between your words and your actions? What do you think about your need for grace? What do you think about a Father who never throws you out of the vineyard, but keeps calling you His child?

The Apostle Paul put it this way: “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27). That’s not about earning God’s favor. It’s about living in the grace you’ve already received.

So this week, ask yourself: What do I think? And maybe even more importantly—what does Jesus think of me?

The answer is simple and sure: In Christ, you are righteous. You are loved. And you’re still in the vineyard.

(Special thanks to Rev. Dudley Nolting for preaching during Pastor John's vacation.)