Parable of the Two Sons
Parable of the Two Sons
Introduction:
1. Jesus taught in the form of parables.
2. He used these stories to convey moral and ethical standards that were required of all men.
3. In doing so he captured the minds and hearts of His hearers to teach them eternal truth.
4. In this parable Jesus teaches us that the Father wants all men to be His sons.
5. Those potential sons have a choice to make.
6. By teaching the Jews this parable Jesus has revealed that the choice was made by what they had done.
7. Yet as always there was an opportunity to repent.
8. Let us never forget that as long as we are alive we can change.
9. That change must be governed by action rather than words.
10. Let’s examine this parable as it relates to the context, meaning and application so we may know what God expects of His sons.
I. Background of the Parable
A. Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem
1. Five days before Jesus would be hung upon the cross He proclaimed His Lordship.
a. Yet this proclamation would be short lived.
b. Jesus has reached the final stage of His work.
c. Matthew 21:8-9 - And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. (9) And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
2. They shouted Hosanna which means save now.
a. It was a cry for help.
b. They saw evidence of their occupation by the Romans everywhere.
c. This cry of distress was reserved for a liberator or king.
d. They wanted a deliverer to save them from this oppression.
3. Yet as he enters into the Temple Jesus cleanses it from the brood of vipers.
4. Jesus heals the sick.
5. These things cause the Jewish leaders to be “sore displeased” ( Matthew 21:15).
B. Teaching in the Temple
1. Jesus returns to the Temple to teach.
a. It was at this point that the elders came to ask Him some questions.
b. The chief priests wanted to challenge Jesus’ authority.
2. These chief priests are the heads of the classes of priests.
a. They are the elders of the city.
b. They were authorized to teach Law of Moses as they saw it.
c. They comprised the Sanhedrin.
C. Questioned by the Sanhedrin
1. The Sanhedrin wanted to know what Jesus’ authority was for teaching things contrary to what the Sanhedrin taught.
2. They wanted to know what authority He had for entering Jerusalem the way He did
a. The Sanhedrin were cunning individuals.
b. They did not immediately challenge Jesus.
c. They waited until the following day in order to catch Jesus preaching false doctrine.
3. Their questions were countered by the parable of the two sons.
a. This was to reveal the true nature of John the Baptist’s purpose.
b. This was to place these evil men in a dilemma.
c. Their inability to escape the dilemma Jesus presses them to make a decision.
II. Meaning of the Parable
A. Father’s Request
1. The father asked each son to work in his vineyard.
a. He asked each son only what that son could perform.
b. There was no hardship involved on part of either.
c. It was a request that was right for the father to make.
2. It needed to be done immediately and without reason.
a. This was not something that could wait.
b. It was a request made with authority.
c. There was no please or if you want to.
d. Parents have the right to demand things of their children without the need to answer why or what for.
e. Children, your parents have plans that you don’t understand and thus they will demand certain things from you without giving you a reason for it.
B. Son’s Response
1. The first son said that he was not going to do it.
a. This answer was hasty and blunt.
b. It was given without any regard for the authority of the father.
c. Certainly this would create grief for the father.
d. I am not saying this is an appropriate answer merely the one that was given.
2. The second son said that he would go.
a. It was given promptly.
b. But it was given without a grateful or ready mind.
c. He told the father what he wanted to hear but to the son it meant nothing.
3. The first son repents of his response.
a. The first son represents the publicans and harlots of Jesus’ day.
b. They lived in open sin, opposition to God.
c. They were condemned for their actions.
d. But the messenger God provided affected their hearts.
e. They went from hopeless to hopeful knowing that there was an open gate to the kingdom of heaven if they repented.
4. The second son disregarded what he told his father and did not go.
a. The chief priests, elders, and the Sanhedrin represent the second son.
b. They are the ones that are respected as the religious men in Israel.
c. They had spent their entire lives professing to be God’s servants.
d. Yet they had one thing to do.
1) They were to hear the voice crying in the wilderness.
2) They were to heed the call of John the Baptist and prepare the way for the Messiah.
C. Purpose of the Parable’s Message
1. Jesus is teaching the Jewish leaders about authority.
a. Jesus is saying that profession of obedience does not constitute Sonship.
b. Sonship is tested by obedience not profession.
c. The one who submits to the authority and obeys is the son.
2. This is a stinging rebuke to the chief priests, scribes, and elders.
a. Jesus says that those they hated were going to heaven before they were.
b. Matthew 21:31 - And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
c. This implies that these men would not be going to heaven at all.
3. John the Baptist was sent to call all men to the Messiah.
a. Matthew 3: 1-2 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, (2) And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
b. Mark 1:1-3 - The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; (2) As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. (3) The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
c. Mark 1:7-8 - And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. (8) I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
d. Christ affirmed that all those that accepted the message of John the Baptist were acceptable to God and in the kingdom because of their obedience.
III. Application of the Parable
A. God speaks to all men today.
1. Acts 10:34-35 - Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: (35) But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
a. God does not offer something to someone that he would not offer to everyone.
b. God’s justice would be perverted and unjust if he were to be a respecter of persons.
2. Rather, God is fair and impartial in all His ways.
a. Titus 2:11 - For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
b. God’s invitation is open to all; past, present or future.
c. God therefore asks everyone to work in His vineyard, today.
B. Vineyard is the church.
1. 1 Corinthians 3:9 - For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
a. He sent Jesus to be the savior for the world.
b. The Savior allowed for those who would faithfully endure to be delivered up at Judgment.
c. Notice that only by doing the will of God is one able to enter and work in the vineyard.
2. We must consider 5 things about the vineyard of the Lord.
a. There is a vast sphere of duty.
b. There is tremendous requirement to serve.
c. There is an intense responsibility.
d. The privilege is great
e. The reward is without fail.
C. Son’s represent the type of men in the world today.
1. The first son represents the people lost in sin all across the world.
a. They have never heard the Gospel.
b. They have never had their heart pricked or convicted of their sins.
c. God has given us a great responsibility to ensure that they hear the Gospel call.
d. Romans 10:14 - How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
2. The second son represents two groups of people.
a. First we see the so-called religious person.
1) He is one who seems to be sincere in his religion.
2) Yet when the truth is revealed he turns a deaf ear or changes the truth to a lie.
3) These people profess to be Christians but would rather wear different names like Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Holiness, etc.
4) They have said they will go to the vineyard but refuse to even look for it.
b. Secondly, we see the so-called Christian.
1) There are untold numbers in the Lord’s church today.
2) They agree to work for God but are not working.
3) They vow to be a faithful worker and yet they have no faith
4) James 2:17 - Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
5) Sadly, these are the ones who allow the vineyard of God to dry up and wither away due to inactivity.
6) Sadly, the churches that are filled with these are the one’s turning to liberalism or simply shutting the doors because no one is there.
Conclusion:
1. The father addresses his sons individually placing responsibility upon their own shoulders.
2. The father did not force either of his sons to go to work but allowed them to choose.
3. The father gave the same command to both sons implying that they were amenable to the same judgment.
4. God is telling us that he wants us to make a choice about the way we live our lives.
5. Will we obey His commands in order to be righteous?
6. Will we be like the first son or the second son?
7. To be like the first we need to do the following:
a. Plan of Salvation for the Alien Sinner.
b. Plan of Salvation for the Fallen Saint.
Posted in: Christian Growth, Christian Living, Christlikeness, Discipleship, Judgment, Passage Study, Sermon Outlines