Confess, and Work in God’s Vineyard

(Matthew 21:28-32 NKJV) “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.’ (29) “He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. (30) Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. (31) 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. (32) For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.”

From this parable, yesterday we saw our need to confess disobedience and then to obey. The second point we see in it is that he said that the father—representing God the Father—said, “Go, work today in my vineyard.” In Jesus’s parables, the vineyard speaks of the church, or God’s kingdom business:

(Matthew 20:1 NKJV) “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.”

(John 15:1-2 NKJV) “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. (2) Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

We note that Jesus said God “takes away” the fruitless branches. This reveals that Father’s expectation is not only that we “work” in his vineyard, but that we also bear some fruit.

Thankfully, our wonderful Lord Jesus made provision for those who abide in him to bear much fruit—sweatlessly:

(John 15:4-5 NKJV) “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. (5) I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Jesus says that we are safe if we are “in” him; we won’t be taken away. Additionally, if we “abide” constantly in him, he promises that we will bear “much fruit.” This is obviously by walking in the works that he has prepared for us:

(Ephesians 2:10 NKJV) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

God’s dream is for a loving family who will draw near to him, and who will develop wholesome, loving family relationship with him. This objective is seen in Jesus’s “vine” and “branches” allegory. We can easily walk in the works prepared for us and bear much fruit, if we abide in him. The ones in danger, are the ones who—even though they may say, “Lord, Lord”—don’t actually draw near with worshipful surrender, and who do not abide in him:

(John 15:6 NKJV) “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

Jesus is very clear: on one hand he explains what it takes to be safe; but on the other hand, he defines the path to destruction. Let’s stay abiding in the love of our amazing Savior; he is not repulsive—at all. He is saying, “Come on in; draw near to me, and I will draw near to you. I desire your close intimate fellowship; if you trust me, abide in my word, and give me what I want, I will take care of the rest. I will even make you more fruitful than you could ever imagine.”

What’s even more wonderful, is that Jesus went on to make another astounding promise to those who abide in him and who have his word abiding in them:

(John 15:7-8 NKJV) “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (8) By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

For those in Jesus, God’s goodness is truly astounding. He has not only provided finished works for you to walk in, he says you can bear “much fruit” by asking what “you desire.” Can you imagine that? We are not dealing with a harsh tyrant who demands our subservient obedience; we are experiencing the loving heart of the ultimate Father. He wants companionship, love, close communion, and a family of loving sons and daughters—whom he can shape into all he created them to be.

Yet, God also knows that the only way for us to come into that joyful experience is to obey the only one who can lead us through the mine-field of this life successfully. Again, I repeat Heb. 5:9: “He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”

Now, the clincher that proves God’s loving heart and good intentions for us:

(John 15:9-11 NKJV) “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. (10) If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. (11) These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Jesus wants us to have full joy. He also wants us to know that if we do as he asks, we will enjoy Father’s love at the same intensity with which he loved Jesus. Yes, if we abide in Jesus’s love, keep his commandments, and if we abide in him and his word, we will not only bear much fruit, but Father will love us as he loved Jesus. And … our “joy” will be “full.”

This shows God’s heart and intentions. He doesn’t want any of us thrown out and burned; that only happens to those who rebel against his desire that we abide in Jesus … continuously.

So today, by reviewing today’s reading of Jesus’s parable about the words and actions of two sons, let’s conclude: either confess you’ll do Father’s will and then do it, or confess your disobedience, and then do his will.

PS. We know that Jesus is not just addressing this to those under the Old Testament, because he specifically uses the phrase, “in me.” This is clearly a New Testament term applied to those who are in him, or “in Christ.” After all, that is the whole basis for being under the new covenant. We can only become a “new creature” in him:

(2 Corinthians 5:17, 21 NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ... (21) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.