God judges us not based on what we were but what we are
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series V, Cycle A
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Exodus 17:1--7 (C)
The Israelites complain loudly to Moses that they had no water. They question whether the Lord was really with them. In desperation, Moses cries out to the Lord, fearing that they might stone him. God commands Moses to strike a rock on Mount Horeb and he would cause water to gush forth. The place is called Massah and Meribah (possibly two different springs at the same site), meaning ''Test'' and ''Quarrel'' respectively.
Lesson 1: Ezekiel 18:25--28 (RC); Ezekiel 18:1--4, 25--32 (E, L)
Ezekiel teaches individual responsibility. ''The soul that sins shall die.'' This is to refute the notion apparently voiced by the people that they were suffering unjustly because of the sins of previous generations. Guilt for sin is not automatically passed down from generation to generation, neither is righteousness.
Lesson 2: Philippians 2:1--13 (C, E); Philippians 2:1--11 (RC); Philippians 2:1--5 (6--11) (L)
Paul encourages the church to be united in spirit and love. Though he does not say so, there must have been a problem with divisions and party spirit. The members of the church are not just to look after their own interests but the needs of others. A hymn which lifts up Christ's self--emptying humility is cited as an example for the Philippians to emulate. Following the hymn, they are encouraged to humbly work out their own salvation, as God is working in their lives to accomplish his will (vv. 11--12).
Gospel: Matthew 21:23--32 (C); Matthew 21:28--32 (RC, E, L)
It is best to follow the lead of the Common Lectionary. The parable of the Two Sons is part of the confrontation the Lord had with the Jewish religious authorities in the temple (vv. 23--27). Jesus was asked by what authority he conducted his ministry. Jesus answered their question with his own query about the source of John the Baptist's ministry. They could not reveal their true feelings about John and so they had to reply that they did not know whether John's baptism was of God or not. Jesus also refuses to tell the source of his authority and then tells the parable of the Two Sons. The son who said he would do his father's bidding and did not represents the Jewish authorities. The son who, at first, refused to obey his father and then changed his mind stands for the tax collectors, prostitutes and other sinners who heeded God's call for repentance. Jesus' statement that these would go into the kingdom of God ahead of the religious leaders was grossly offensive to them. Thus, the parable is something of an allegory.
298
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 78:1--4, 12--16 (C) - ''Give ear, O my people, to my teaching ...'' (v. 1).
Psalm 24:4--9 (RC) - ''Lord, make me know your ways ...'' (v. 6).
Psalm 25:1--14 (E); Psalm 25:1--9 (L) - ''To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul ...'' (v. 1).
Prayer Of The Day
O Lord, you know our weaknesses and our shortcomings. We pray for your grace and strength to overcome them and turn away from sin. Guide us on the path of righteousness. In Jesus' name. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Exodus 17:1--7
Water from the Rock. The Israelites cried out for water. God told Moses to take the staff with which he parted the Red Sea and strike the rock. Water would gush forth. Paul identifies that rock with Christ. From that Rock, the water of life, beginning with baptism, flows into your arid souls through faith.
Lesson 1: Ezekiel 18:1--4, 25--32
Suffering for the sins of our forebears? Ezekiel is very emphatic that a person will not be punished by God for the sins of her forebears. Each person must personally answer to the Lord. At the same time, we must be clear to point out that one generation does indeed suffer for the sins of those who came before. A daughter or son does indeed suffer for the sins or the neglect of a father or mother. This suffering is not a judgment from God but a natural consequence of running afoul of the laws of the universe. What the prophet is trying to establish is that God will only hold someone accountable for his own sins.
Quit the blame game. It appears that the Jews of Ezekiel's day were blaming their forebears for their present problems. This notion was embedded in a proverb: ''The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'' (v. 2). Ezekiel pulls the rug out from under that kind of thinking. Each person needs to accept responsibility for his actions. Though it is certainly true that we bring pain and hardship to one another, it does us no good to engage in the blame game.
Lesson 2: Philippians 2:1--13
The source of your ambition. Paul enjoins the Philippians to do nothing from selfish ambition (v. 3). Ambition can be good or evil depending on what fuels it. Ambition to gain power over others, to make oneself look good at the expense of others, or to gain riches, usually results in evil. The apostle doesn't rule out ambition, but it needs to be directed to a righteous end. The Lord calls us to be ambitious in pursuing the things of the kingdom.
A humble spirit. Paul holds up Christ as an example of a humble spirit. He was in the form of God but poured out himself unto death. He is called ''The Man For Others.'' Humility is the ability to get outside of ourselves and into the heart and soul of others (v. 4).
Lord of all. The Apostle claims that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. He envisions humans, as well as spiritual powers, uniting in worship of Christ (vv. 10--11). Does he mean to suggest that all those opposed to Christ will repent and turn to him? Or, is it more likely that he is suggesting that even those who continue to oppose him will be forced to acknowledge his Lordship?
A salvation that works. You've heard the saying, ''Pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything depends on you.'' That seems to be what Paul is saying in verses 11--12. Work out your own salvation, for it is God who is working in you. Faith never operates in a vacuum; it only grows as you exercise it.
299
Gospel: Matthew 21:23--32
Not the talk but the walk. In the parable that Jesus told, the first son initially refused to obey his father but later repented and did as he was asked. The second son agreed to go right away but he didn't follow through. The first son did his father's will. God judges us not by our talk but our walk.
Seeing yourself in the story. Jesus told this parable against the religious leaders of Jerusalem, as the opposition closed in around him. They came up with the right answer to Jesus' question but they didn't see themselves in the story. They couldn't imagine that they were the disobedient sons of God who said all the right things but failed to follow through. The prostitutes and the tax collectors saw themselves in the preaching of John the Baptist and Jesus and repented.
How to get ahead. Jesus shocked the scribes and Pharisees with the claim that the tax collectors and prostitutes would enter the kingdom of God ahead of them. As Jesus taught, those who are considered last will be first and those who are considered to be first will come out last. Humility and repentance are the qualities we need to come out ahead.
PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Exodus 17:1--7
Sermon Title: Between A Rock And A Hard Place
Sermon Angle: Moses was literally between a rock and a hard place. He was responsible to lead a pack of desperate people through a barren wilderness. There was no water and the people bitterly complained to their leader. At wits' end, Moses cried out to God for help. The Lord commanded him to strike a rock, from which water flowed. When we are at wits' end, we can always count on the Lord to refresh our lagging spirit.
Sermon Title: The Secret Of Leadership
Sermon Angle: When Moses sought God's help he instructed him to go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders with him. The Lord would be with him. The secret of leadership is to lead. Go ahead of the people but don't get ahead of the Lord.
Lesson 1: Ezekiel 18:1--4, 25--32
Sermon Title: Sour Grapes
Sermon Angle: You've probably heard of breast--feeding mothers who have to stay away from certain foods because it gives their infants gas. The Jews of Ezekiel's time apparently held that something like that was happening to them. They believed that they were being punished for the sins of their forebears. They would quote a proverb to this effect: ''The parents have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge'' (v. 2). To always be looking for scapegoats is sour grapes, which makes one a sour--puss.
Sermon Title: Bringing God To Trial
Sermon Angle: The Lord is accused of being unfair by God's suffering people (v. 25). Many times God's children are gripped by the feeling that the Lord hasn't dealt fairly with them. Like Job, they would like to bring God to trial, to make him defend some action that he has taken which doesn't seem fair. C.S. Lewis wrote a book that deals with these thorny issues titled God On The Dock. However, it's one thing to consider these issues from a detached philosophical perspective and quite another to have to struggle with them in our personal experience. When Lewis' wife of only months died, he had to struggle with the gut feeling that her death was unjust. As he struggled with these issues, his faith attained a new maturity. God is not bound to explain his ways to us, but getting our honest feelings out in the open can bring healing and cause us to see things in a new light.
300
Lesson 2: Philippians 2:1--13
Sermon Title: Being Of One Mind
Sermon Angle: In verse two, Paul urges unity upon the Philippian church by encouraging them to be of ''the same mind'' and ''of one mind.'' His wish for them was that each of them would have the mind of Christ and so find their being in the One Mind of Jesus Christ. When the mind of Christ controls us, we are united in love and service.
Outline:
1. In America, we emphasize independent thought and doing your own thing
2. Christianity emphasizes having Christ's mind and unity of spirit
3. Being of one mind is expressed in Christ--like self--giving love (vv. 6--11).
I am always suspicious of those couples who claim that they have never had an argument or a cross word. Yet I must admit that my Uncle Herman and Aunt Lotti Anderson, as far as I could tell, fell into that exalted category. Some women's liberationists might scoff at this relationship, in that he coordinated their efforts. She looked to him for leadership and he gave it. He looked to her for support and he got it. Their joy was to make one another happy. Every action was directed by love and consideration. They were truly of one heart and mind, the mind of Christ.
Sermon Title: Don't Mind Your Own Business
Sermon Angle: Paul expands on the meaning of Christ--mindedness by saying that Christians should not only look after their own interests but also the interests of others. Contrary to the notion of personal individualism, which has it that each person should mind her own business. Paul contends that we must take an interest in others (v. 4). We are not like isolated atoms but, complex molecules; we are bonded together by the Spirit of Christ.
Outline:
1. Everyday people suffer and die in isolation (mind your own business)
2. Contemporary society is an association of individuals, not a true community
3. Christianity is meant to be a community that flows from the mind of Christ
4. A sign of this community is empathy for others and mutual support
5. How well are we taking a Christ--like interest in others?
Sermon Title: Therefore
Sermon Angle: Paul links Christ's humble obedience with his exaltation by God with the preposition ''therefore.'' Then, after his poem dedicated to the humble, yet exalted Christ, he applies its significance for the believer also with the word ''therefore.'' We are, therefore, to work out our salvation with fear and trembling for God is at work to will and to do what is pleasing to him. Therefore is indicative of prior action which has consequences for the present and future. God has acted mightily in Christ, therefore ... Christ is risen, therefore ... God has shown his love for us, therefore ... We are inheritors of eternal life, therefore ....
Gospel: Matthew 21:23--32
Sermon Title: What Do You Think?
Sermon Angle: Christianity is the thinking person's religion. Christ usually employed inductive reasoning to get people to see the truths for themselves. The parable in this week's Gospel is prefaced with the question Jesus posed to the religious leaders: ''What do you think?'' Christ doesn't want us to sit on our minds or accept things without reflection. He wants to see the truth of God as it is revealed in life's story. Our minds are limited but God wants us to go as far as we possibly can in the pursuit of divine truth.
Outline:
1. Jesus asked the religious leaders about what they thought
301
2. Christ does not teach dogmatically but inductively
- he helps us to see God's truth in life's story
- he helps us see God's truth in our own story
3. What do you think about Christ?
- Who is he to you? Is he Lord?
- Are you seeing Christ's truth in the world around you?
Sermon Title: Rebellion In The Vineyard
Sermon Angle: The first son in this parable was guilty of the sin of overt rebellion. He, at first, refused to obey his father's request that he work in the vineyard, but later repented. The second son showed outward respect for his father and said he would go, but didn't. He was guilty of the sin of covert rebellion and didn't repent. The first son was rebellious but, at least, he was open and honest about it. The second son perhaps didn't have the guts to say ''no.'' His was a cowardly and dishonest kind of rebellion. The first type of rebellion was practiced by the tax collectors and prostitutes. The second type was practiced by the religious breed. The overt sinners could more readily see their sins and repent of them, while the religious sinners disguised their rebellion under a religious cloak.
Outline:
1. Both sons in the parable were rebels but with a difference
2. The first son rebelled overtly and openly (criminal behavior is of this stripe)
3. The second son rebelled covertly (the most common variety)
4. Overt rebellion is easier to confront than covert rebellion
5. The primary distinction is that the first son repented
''Almost all your faults are more pardonable than the methods you think up to hide them.'' (La Rouchefoucauld, a French moralist)
In John Steinbeck's epic novel, East Of Eden, Adam Trask is left to raise his two sons by himself. The one son, Aaron, was always obedient and pure. The other brother, Cal, was something of a wild hair. Yet, more than anything, he craved his father's love. To gain this love, he earned a great deal of money in the commodities market and presented it to his father on his birthday. Adam had lost a lot of money on a failed business and Cal's gift would make up the difference. In so doing, he hoped to earn his father's love. When his father rejected his gift, Cal lashed out at Aaron. Cal knew a horrible truth that would shatter his brother. He discovered that their mother was not dead, as they were told, but that she ran a brothel in a nearby town. Cal brought his brother to the brothel and confronted him with the mother. Aaron's image of who he was shattered like falling ice. Aaron cracked, went off to war and got killed. Cal was racked with guilt, and the father got a stroke from the shock of it all and became mute. In the end, the rebel son and the stricken father are reconciled by Lee, their Chinese housekeeper, who pleaded with Adam.
''Your son is marked with guilt out of himself .... Don't crush him with rejection. Don't crush him ... Adam, give him your blessing.''
With extraordinary effort, Adam was able to utter a word which was a blessing; a word which conferred the father's forgiveness on his rebellious son.
Whatever the cause or nature of our rebellion, the Lord stands ready to take us back as soon as we repent. Jesus Christ, who pleads with the Father of Lights, is our bridge builder.
302
Lesson 1: Exodus 17:1--7 (C)
The Israelites complain loudly to Moses that they had no water. They question whether the Lord was really with them. In desperation, Moses cries out to the Lord, fearing that they might stone him. God commands Moses to strike a rock on Mount Horeb and he would cause water to gush forth. The place is called Massah and Meribah (possibly two different springs at the same site), meaning ''Test'' and ''Quarrel'' respectively.
Lesson 1: Ezekiel 18:25--28 (RC); Ezekiel 18:1--4, 25--32 (E, L)
Ezekiel teaches individual responsibility. ''The soul that sins shall die.'' This is to refute the notion apparently voiced by the people that they were suffering unjustly because of the sins of previous generations. Guilt for sin is not automatically passed down from generation to generation, neither is righteousness.
Lesson 2: Philippians 2:1--13 (C, E); Philippians 2:1--11 (RC); Philippians 2:1--5 (6--11) (L)
Paul encourages the church to be united in spirit and love. Though he does not say so, there must have been a problem with divisions and party spirit. The members of the church are not just to look after their own interests but the needs of others. A hymn which lifts up Christ's self--emptying humility is cited as an example for the Philippians to emulate. Following the hymn, they are encouraged to humbly work out their own salvation, as God is working in their lives to accomplish his will (vv. 11--12).
Gospel: Matthew 21:23--32 (C); Matthew 21:28--32 (RC, E, L)
It is best to follow the lead of the Common Lectionary. The parable of the Two Sons is part of the confrontation the Lord had with the Jewish religious authorities in the temple (vv. 23--27). Jesus was asked by what authority he conducted his ministry. Jesus answered their question with his own query about the source of John the Baptist's ministry. They could not reveal their true feelings about John and so they had to reply that they did not know whether John's baptism was of God or not. Jesus also refuses to tell the source of his authority and then tells the parable of the Two Sons. The son who said he would do his father's bidding and did not represents the Jewish authorities. The son who, at first, refused to obey his father and then changed his mind stands for the tax collectors, prostitutes and other sinners who heeded God's call for repentance. Jesus' statement that these would go into the kingdom of God ahead of the religious leaders was grossly offensive to them. Thus, the parable is something of an allegory.
298
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 78:1--4, 12--16 (C) - ''Give ear, O my people, to my teaching ...'' (v. 1).
Psalm 24:4--9 (RC) - ''Lord, make me know your ways ...'' (v. 6).
Psalm 25:1--14 (E); Psalm 25:1--9 (L) - ''To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul ...'' (v. 1).
Prayer Of The Day
O Lord, you know our weaknesses and our shortcomings. We pray for your grace and strength to overcome them and turn away from sin. Guide us on the path of righteousness. In Jesus' name. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Exodus 17:1--7
Water from the Rock. The Israelites cried out for water. God told Moses to take the staff with which he parted the Red Sea and strike the rock. Water would gush forth. Paul identifies that rock with Christ. From that Rock, the water of life, beginning with baptism, flows into your arid souls through faith.
Lesson 1: Ezekiel 18:1--4, 25--32
Suffering for the sins of our forebears? Ezekiel is very emphatic that a person will not be punished by God for the sins of her forebears. Each person must personally answer to the Lord. At the same time, we must be clear to point out that one generation does indeed suffer for the sins of those who came before. A daughter or son does indeed suffer for the sins or the neglect of a father or mother. This suffering is not a judgment from God but a natural consequence of running afoul of the laws of the universe. What the prophet is trying to establish is that God will only hold someone accountable for his own sins.
Quit the blame game. It appears that the Jews of Ezekiel's day were blaming their forebears for their present problems. This notion was embedded in a proverb: ''The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'' (v. 2). Ezekiel pulls the rug out from under that kind of thinking. Each person needs to accept responsibility for his actions. Though it is certainly true that we bring pain and hardship to one another, it does us no good to engage in the blame game.
Lesson 2: Philippians 2:1--13
The source of your ambition. Paul enjoins the Philippians to do nothing from selfish ambition (v. 3). Ambition can be good or evil depending on what fuels it. Ambition to gain power over others, to make oneself look good at the expense of others, or to gain riches, usually results in evil. The apostle doesn't rule out ambition, but it needs to be directed to a righteous end. The Lord calls us to be ambitious in pursuing the things of the kingdom.
A humble spirit. Paul holds up Christ as an example of a humble spirit. He was in the form of God but poured out himself unto death. He is called ''The Man For Others.'' Humility is the ability to get outside of ourselves and into the heart and soul of others (v. 4).
Lord of all. The Apostle claims that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. He envisions humans, as well as spiritual powers, uniting in worship of Christ (vv. 10--11). Does he mean to suggest that all those opposed to Christ will repent and turn to him? Or, is it more likely that he is suggesting that even those who continue to oppose him will be forced to acknowledge his Lordship?
A salvation that works. You've heard the saying, ''Pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything depends on you.'' That seems to be what Paul is saying in verses 11--12. Work out your own salvation, for it is God who is working in you. Faith never operates in a vacuum; it only grows as you exercise it.
299
Gospel: Matthew 21:23--32
Not the talk but the walk. In the parable that Jesus told, the first son initially refused to obey his father but later repented and did as he was asked. The second son agreed to go right away but he didn't follow through. The first son did his father's will. God judges us not by our talk but our walk.
Seeing yourself in the story. Jesus told this parable against the religious leaders of Jerusalem, as the opposition closed in around him. They came up with the right answer to Jesus' question but they didn't see themselves in the story. They couldn't imagine that they were the disobedient sons of God who said all the right things but failed to follow through. The prostitutes and the tax collectors saw themselves in the preaching of John the Baptist and Jesus and repented.
How to get ahead. Jesus shocked the scribes and Pharisees with the claim that the tax collectors and prostitutes would enter the kingdom of God ahead of them. As Jesus taught, those who are considered last will be first and those who are considered to be first will come out last. Humility and repentance are the qualities we need to come out ahead.
PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Exodus 17:1--7
Sermon Title: Between A Rock And A Hard Place
Sermon Angle: Moses was literally between a rock and a hard place. He was responsible to lead a pack of desperate people through a barren wilderness. There was no water and the people bitterly complained to their leader. At wits' end, Moses cried out to God for help. The Lord commanded him to strike a rock, from which water flowed. When we are at wits' end, we can always count on the Lord to refresh our lagging spirit.
Sermon Title: The Secret Of Leadership
Sermon Angle: When Moses sought God's help he instructed him to go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders with him. The Lord would be with him. The secret of leadership is to lead. Go ahead of the people but don't get ahead of the Lord.
Lesson 1: Ezekiel 18:1--4, 25--32
Sermon Title: Sour Grapes
Sermon Angle: You've probably heard of breast--feeding mothers who have to stay away from certain foods because it gives their infants gas. The Jews of Ezekiel's time apparently held that something like that was happening to them. They believed that they were being punished for the sins of their forebears. They would quote a proverb to this effect: ''The parents have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge'' (v. 2). To always be looking for scapegoats is sour grapes, which makes one a sour--puss.
Sermon Title: Bringing God To Trial
Sermon Angle: The Lord is accused of being unfair by God's suffering people (v. 25). Many times God's children are gripped by the feeling that the Lord hasn't dealt fairly with them. Like Job, they would like to bring God to trial, to make him defend some action that he has taken which doesn't seem fair. C.S. Lewis wrote a book that deals with these thorny issues titled God On The Dock. However, it's one thing to consider these issues from a detached philosophical perspective and quite another to have to struggle with them in our personal experience. When Lewis' wife of only months died, he had to struggle with the gut feeling that her death was unjust. As he struggled with these issues, his faith attained a new maturity. God is not bound to explain his ways to us, but getting our honest feelings out in the open can bring healing and cause us to see things in a new light.
300
Lesson 2: Philippians 2:1--13
Sermon Title: Being Of One Mind
Sermon Angle: In verse two, Paul urges unity upon the Philippian church by encouraging them to be of ''the same mind'' and ''of one mind.'' His wish for them was that each of them would have the mind of Christ and so find their being in the One Mind of Jesus Christ. When the mind of Christ controls us, we are united in love and service.
Outline:
1. In America, we emphasize independent thought and doing your own thing
2. Christianity emphasizes having Christ's mind and unity of spirit
3. Being of one mind is expressed in Christ--like self--giving love (vv. 6--11).
I am always suspicious of those couples who claim that they have never had an argument or a cross word. Yet I must admit that my Uncle Herman and Aunt Lotti Anderson, as far as I could tell, fell into that exalted category. Some women's liberationists might scoff at this relationship, in that he coordinated their efforts. She looked to him for leadership and he gave it. He looked to her for support and he got it. Their joy was to make one another happy. Every action was directed by love and consideration. They were truly of one heart and mind, the mind of Christ.
Sermon Title: Don't Mind Your Own Business
Sermon Angle: Paul expands on the meaning of Christ--mindedness by saying that Christians should not only look after their own interests but also the interests of others. Contrary to the notion of personal individualism, which has it that each person should mind her own business. Paul contends that we must take an interest in others (v. 4). We are not like isolated atoms but, complex molecules; we are bonded together by the Spirit of Christ.
Outline:
1. Everyday people suffer and die in isolation (mind your own business)
2. Contemporary society is an association of individuals, not a true community
3. Christianity is meant to be a community that flows from the mind of Christ
4. A sign of this community is empathy for others and mutual support
5. How well are we taking a Christ--like interest in others?
Sermon Title: Therefore
Sermon Angle: Paul links Christ's humble obedience with his exaltation by God with the preposition ''therefore.'' Then, after his poem dedicated to the humble, yet exalted Christ, he applies its significance for the believer also with the word ''therefore.'' We are, therefore, to work out our salvation with fear and trembling for God is at work to will and to do what is pleasing to him. Therefore is indicative of prior action which has consequences for the present and future. God has acted mightily in Christ, therefore ... Christ is risen, therefore ... God has shown his love for us, therefore ... We are inheritors of eternal life, therefore ....
Gospel: Matthew 21:23--32
Sermon Title: What Do You Think?
Sermon Angle: Christianity is the thinking person's religion. Christ usually employed inductive reasoning to get people to see the truths for themselves. The parable in this week's Gospel is prefaced with the question Jesus posed to the religious leaders: ''What do you think?'' Christ doesn't want us to sit on our minds or accept things without reflection. He wants to see the truth of God as it is revealed in life's story. Our minds are limited but God wants us to go as far as we possibly can in the pursuit of divine truth.
Outline:
1. Jesus asked the religious leaders about what they thought
301
2. Christ does not teach dogmatically but inductively
- he helps us to see God's truth in life's story
- he helps us see God's truth in our own story
3. What do you think about Christ?
- Who is he to you? Is he Lord?
- Are you seeing Christ's truth in the world around you?
Sermon Title: Rebellion In The Vineyard
Sermon Angle: The first son in this parable was guilty of the sin of overt rebellion. He, at first, refused to obey his father's request that he work in the vineyard, but later repented. The second son showed outward respect for his father and said he would go, but didn't. He was guilty of the sin of covert rebellion and didn't repent. The first son was rebellious but, at least, he was open and honest about it. The second son perhaps didn't have the guts to say ''no.'' His was a cowardly and dishonest kind of rebellion. The first type of rebellion was practiced by the tax collectors and prostitutes. The second type was practiced by the religious breed. The overt sinners could more readily see their sins and repent of them, while the religious sinners disguised their rebellion under a religious cloak.
Outline:
1. Both sons in the parable were rebels but with a difference
2. The first son rebelled overtly and openly (criminal behavior is of this stripe)
3. The second son rebelled covertly (the most common variety)
4. Overt rebellion is easier to confront than covert rebellion
5. The primary distinction is that the first son repented
''Almost all your faults are more pardonable than the methods you think up to hide them.'' (La Rouchefoucauld, a French moralist)
In John Steinbeck's epic novel, East Of Eden, Adam Trask is left to raise his two sons by himself. The one son, Aaron, was always obedient and pure. The other brother, Cal, was something of a wild hair. Yet, more than anything, he craved his father's love. To gain this love, he earned a great deal of money in the commodities market and presented it to his father on his birthday. Adam had lost a lot of money on a failed business and Cal's gift would make up the difference. In so doing, he hoped to earn his father's love. When his father rejected his gift, Cal lashed out at Aaron. Cal knew a horrible truth that would shatter his brother. He discovered that their mother was not dead, as they were told, but that she ran a brothel in a nearby town. Cal brought his brother to the brothel and confronted him with the mother. Aaron's image of who he was shattered like falling ice. Aaron cracked, went off to war and got killed. Cal was racked with guilt, and the father got a stroke from the shock of it all and became mute. In the end, the rebel son and the stricken father are reconciled by Lee, their Chinese housekeeper, who pleaded with Adam.
''Your son is marked with guilt out of himself .... Don't crush him with rejection. Don't crush him ... Adam, give him your blessing.''
With extraordinary effort, Adam was able to utter a word which was a blessing; a word which conferred the father's forgiveness on his rebellious son.
Whatever the cause or nature of our rebellion, the Lord stands ready to take us back as soon as we repent. Jesus Christ, who pleads with the Father of Lights, is our bridge builder.
302
