Sermon Starters

Changing Your Mind Can Be Blessed or Disastrous Key Verse: Matthew 21:29 I. The context of the parable of the two sons A. The parable comes in response to the question the chief priests and elders asked Jesus as He taught in the temple, “… By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?” (Matt. 21:23). 1. Jesus refused to answer their question directly since they declined to answer His own question concerning the source of John the Baptist’s baptism. 2. Yet this parable provides an indirect answer, as is shown by the connective “but” which begins it. B. This parable is presented as a vivid pictorial challenge to the Jewish leaders. 1. In Matthew 3:4–6 we find a first group responding to the message of repentance by John. But they came to John after their change of mind and regret for their sinful way of life. They feared that the Messiah would have nothing to do with them. The first son is representative of this group. 2. In Matthew 3:7–10 are the religious characters which parallel the second son in the parable who said he would obey and yet, in the end, did not. 3. The specific explanation and application is found in Matthew 21:31, 32. These religious leaders saw only too well that Jesus was referring to them (Matt. 21:45, 46). II. The content of the parable A. A father had two children growing up. 1. The word used in this parable is tékna, “children,” not huioí, “sons,” who are old enough to decide what they are going to do in life, which word is used in the parable for the prodigal son in Luke 15:11–32. 2. In this parable we have two children who had not yet carved their careers nor made any final choices. B. The father invited both sons to go and work in his vineyard. The duty of every father is to instill in his children the necessity and blessing of work. 1. The children must recognize the field is still their father’s although they are called to work in it. “Son, go work today in my vineyard” (Matt. 21:28). 2. As laborers, children at work, we must never lose sight of the fact that it is not our world, it is His. “The field is the world” as Jesus said (Matt. 13:38). The whole world is His vineyard for His children to work in. C. These two children were of the same father and yet they were so different. 1. When the second son is introduced, the Greek text in some manuscripts is tṓ hetérō which means “the other who was of different makeup and outlook.” 2. The first child said, “I don’t want to go” (Matt. 21:29). a) He voiced the instant inclination of his sinful nature. Tell a child to do something or go somewhere and the likely answer will be “I don’t want to” (ou thélō) or as the KJV has it “I will not” (Matt. 21:29). b) “Afterward he repented and went.” How much afterward? In Greek the adverb is hústeron which implies not immediately afterwards, but toward the end of the thought process. It has more the meaning of “finally.” 3. The other child is differently disposed but the challenge of the father was the same. Work is for all. This child said “I’ll go,” but he did not. III. The change of mind which means repentance A. The word most commonly translated “repentance” in the New Testament is metonoéō, derived from metá, “after,” and noéō, “to think, perceive.” 1. It means to change one’s mind, which involves an instantaneous change of heart, a regret for unbelief and sin, and a determination to change direction. 2. This is what both John the Baptist (Matt. 3:2) and the Lord Jesus preached: “Repent: for the kingdom of God is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). Real repentance (metánoia) results in the forgiveness or removal of sin (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3; Acts 2:38). B. This is not the word used in Matthew 21:29: “… but afterward he repented and went.” 1. The Greek verb here is not metánoḗsas, but metamelētheís, the passive participle of metamélomai, derived from metá, “after,” and mélomai, “to care or show concern for oneself.” 2. It means to regret, not because one feels he has done anything wrong but because something did not turn out to his own advantage. A thief when caught regrets stealing not because he has concluded that stealing is a sin, but because he was caught. Such a person, however, has not become moral if he does not steal anymore. 3. Metánoia represents moral change in an individual while metaméleia is a convenient, selfish change of behavior and regret. a) This verb metamélomai is the verb used of Judas in Matthew 27:3, “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he [Jesus] was condemned, repented himself [metamelētheís] and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.” b) This was mere regret and not true repentance. Judas was not saved at the end, but he proved himself to be what he always was, the son of perdition (John 17:12). It is this verb metamélomai that is used in Matthew 21:29, 32. IV. The application of this parable A. A prophetic application 1. The first son or child represents the Gentiles who were expected to say “no” at the beginning but in the end said “yes,” and are now ahead of the unbelieving Jews (Rom. 10:18b–21). 2. The second son is representative of the Jewish nation. Jesus was of their own nationality. “Yes” was the immediate response expected, but then they changed their mind about Jesus and this change became disastrous (Rom. 9:1–10, 18). 3. God is not yet through with the second son who will change his mind again and say “yes” (Rom. 11). B. A personal application 1. Your initial response to Christ may be a “no.” Change your mind and be blessed. 2. Was your initial response a hurried “yes” without sufficient thought? Have you found that no fruit has come from your flippant “yes”? Change your mind by allowing the gospel to take root and bring forth fruit. Spiros Zodhiates, Sermon Starters : Volumes 1-4 (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1998).