28“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. 30The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. 31Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.” Matthew 21:28-32
When I visit my favorite restaurants, I often have my favorite meals to order. I also often look forward to them throughout the day. My favorites give me comfort and in a difficult or challenging time, I seek comfort in my favorite meals. But I am also pleasantly surprised when visiting my favorite restaurants and see a special that I had not anticipated. I often change my mind and order the special that catches my eye or my taste buds. I visit expecting to eat my favorite pasta or chicken and find a special on an intriguing sandwich. Thus, my mind changes from the old standard to the special of the day.
In our parable of the two sons, both sons change their minds like I change mine. One son tells his father he won’t work in the vineyard and then changes his mind and goes. The other son tells his father he will work in the vineyard and then does not go. But both sons change their minds. This idea of the changing mind is part of what Jesus is describing for the Jewish Religious leaders of his day and age. In theological language to change one’s mind describes repentance: to turn around or to alter one’s attitude. Both sons change their minds, and the church of every age is called to change their minds.
Let’s look at the first son, the one who said no I won’t work and then does. He changes his mind, but he changes from an unfaithful decision to a faithful one. He tells his father he won’t work and then realizes that he was wrong and changes to do the right thing. This is the ideal repentance in that a person who starts off by doing wrong realizes their mistake and then does the right thing. When our relationship with God is examined, we all too often are the ones that tell God no, but then through the work of the Son and the Spirit, we repent and do the right thing. We start off doing wrong but then change our mind to do right.
But what about the second son, the one who said yes, I will work and then doesn’t? he changes his mind, but he changes from a faithful decision to an unfaithful one. He says the right thing and then does the wrong thing. This is the worst kind of repentance in that a person who starts off by doing the right thing then fails to follow through and does wrong. Perhaps we run out of time, or resources, or just plain are not committed to doing the work of the vineyard that God asks us to. But we have still repented and still repented wrongly. We repent of the right and do the wrong thing. We start off faithful but then change our mind to do wrong.
The entire point of this parable is to show that true repentance is about doing right even if you started wrong. This is what the tax collectors and prostitutes were doing, and Jesus commends them. They were wrong in that tax collectors were cheats and oppressive, and the prostitutes were wrong for sexual immorality. But they might start wrong but change their minds and return to God by believing in Jesus. But the Religious Leaders are the ones who start right and change into wrong. They profess obedience and belief, but change their minds and reject God, because they reject Jesus. Both groups repent, both groups change their minds, but which does the will of God, the sinners who start wrong and become right or the saints who start right and become wrong?
Here is the lesson for us, anyone can change their mind and believe, thanks be to God. But we also can change our mind and leave. Which is being truly remorseful, or true repentance, sinners who want forgiveness, or the saints who do not need it? Both are a change of mind, both are repentance, but only one leads to light and life. Which are you, the sinner who asks and receives forgiveness, or the religious saint who cannot abide with “those” people in the room? Let us always remember that anyone can end up right through faith but let us also remember that when we stop believing we can end up wrong. Change your minds and believe in him. Never change your minds and leave from him. Amen.
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