ARE YOU DOING THE FATHER’S WILL?

ARE YOU DOING THE FATHER’S WILL?

Matthew 21:28-31 But what think you? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
Which of these two did the will of his father? They said to him,
The first. Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.


This father had two sons. He requested them to work in his vineyard. And through this simple and direct story Christ teaches us some profound truths concerning doing the Fathers will
This story moves directly to the point. There is no uncertainty. It is speaking to two classes of men. That is to the "Publicans and harlots" who represent the open and rebellious sinners, and to the Pharisees. If we asked the Lord: "Who are modern representatives of the Pharisees?" We might hear this answer, "Those good church people, who never do my Father’s will." Let’s now take a moment to examine this parable and see what it has to say to us today.

The Command

There is a command from the Father. The Bible says "A certain man had two sons". The one who issues the command is not a tyrant or a slave driver. He is our Father, and as our Father He loves us and expresses that love through His commands. Since this is our relation to the Commander we can rest assured that doing the Father’s will is always best for us.
God will never Command you to do wrong, or to do that which is detrimental to your soul. But rather all things that come from God work for our good and the eternal good of others.

It is a command to individuals. The father in Christ’s story did not call his family together or even his two sons and then issue a general command. Rather he spoke to each son personally.
This is the way our Father often speaks to us, not as groups or as mankind, but as individuals. What God has to say to you He says personally and he often will make a direct claim on you and yours.

It is a command for work The Father does not say to us, "Lie beneath the shade, eat of the fruit," but rather, "Go work!" Perhaps this is why many of His children are deaf to His command. They know when their Father speaks it may well be a command to work. But be sure of this: God commands all men to work in vineyard.

It is a command of urgency The Father says: "Go work today in my vineyard". We must work today because now is when we are needed. The Father had His workers yesterday and He will raise up others tomorrow -- but today WE must work. When the Father speaks to you and tells you to do something, do not hesitate, do not put it off, do not compromise it, but rather do it immediately.

We must work today because now is the only time we have. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come. The Bible says "Today if you hear his voice harden not your hearts!" Today is the only time we have! The Fathers command to you is, "Go work today in my vineyard."

It is a command that awaits your response. The Father commands you to work in His vineyard but he will not compel you. You are free to obey or to disobey. As Father, He will never violate your will. He says with His Son, "I stand at the door and knock," but only you can decide to respond and open the door.
You decide IF you will obey the will of the Father or your own will.
You decide IF you will be pleasing to the Father or to man. Too many of us are attempting to please men rather than God. We are not basing our decisions on the will of GOD, but we are letting the desires of fleshly men and women and children dictate our lives. Listen to me Church, if you are a Christian, then you have ONE MASTER, and it would be best that you submit to his will. As the Apostles said it is better to obey GOD rather than man!

COMPARING THE TWO SONS.
Matthew 21:29-30 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Clearly this is a study of two types of people. Christ’s story is a contrast of attitudes.

One son was rude, abrupt, and disrespectful. When asked to work he snapped back to his father, "I will not".
Now what kind of person does this son represent? He represents the stiff-necked sinners of the world. Those who know the Father’s will, but refuse to do it. They are not religious, in fact they don’t have time nor place for God in their life. He doesn’t recognize God’s authority, he promises God nothing and delivers even less.
He is that person who is proud in saying: "I shall never be a hypocrite!"

Then the other son answered, "I’ll go sir". The second son is polite, and with his mouth he shows great respect for the Father. When his father speaks he readily agrees to do whatever he is asked to do. He openly commits himself to do the fathers will, but never gets around to doing it.

What do you think this young man represents? He represents most of the people who go to church today. They are smooth talkers, but very poor performers. They talk the talk, but fail to walk the walk: "Yes I love God, and all of his commandments are good. I want to live in a way that is pleasing to him. I want to do his will". But then they never do the revealed will of God.
You see giving the right answer doesn’t make up for doing the wrong action.

But openness about ones sins is no cure for those sins.
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Now as we consider these two sons up to this point, I think most of us would say it would be better to be open and honest about our neglect to do the Father’s will, than to be like the second son who was hypocritical about it. But let me warn you: Those who openly refuse to do the Father’s will are heading to the same hell as the hypocrites. Yet I know that a person who acknowledges he is a sinner and not with God, who can admit he is on the road to hell is more likely to find the narrow way to heaven than those who profess that all is well when it is not.


THE KEY IS REPENTANCE
Matthew 21:29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

And here is the reason why. Those who know and admit that they are lost, are more likely to repent, and repentance is the only escape route from hell. Since we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, since we all have went astray, then it is needful for every one of us to Repent. As Jesus said to the Jews of his day: "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish". – Luke 13:3

The disrespectful son who had given the rude answer, repented and went as the Father commanded. And this is the work of true repentance. If we truly repent we will stop refusing to do the Father’s will, and we will start doing it. Those who continue to refuse the will of God have not repented.

WHOM DID THE FATHER’S WILL?
Now notice the question that Jesus asked: "Whether of them twain did the will of his father?..." – Matthew 21:31
That is the question. Not "which promised " or "which intended " or "which desired" but "which DID the fathers will?"
Even Jesus Christ said He did not come to do His own will, but rather the will of His Father. And as we have quoted before: " he that doeth the will of my Father... shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven"

When you face God at the end of each day and then at the end of life itself, the one question that really matters is, "Have you done the Father’s will?"

That is the question you should ask yourself for every decision you make. Is it the Father’s will that I miss Church? Is it my Father’s will that I neglect the work he has given me to do so that I can please my family? Is it the Father’s will that I spend my time and money on these carnal things? I think for many people "Father’s will" is the last thing they consider, but in fact it should be the FIRST AND ONLY thing they consider.

THE CLOSING OF THE PARABLE
Matthew 21:31-32 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

In closing, Christ speaks to the heart of those to whom the parable was directed. He makes it plain to these proud religious people that the moral scum of the earth was nearer the kingdom of God than they were.

"Publicans and harlots" Christ says are going to go in to the Kingdom. How? Because they are repenting of their sins! My friends true preaching always points the sinners to repentance, and repentance always works a marvelous change upon the soul.

The death of Jesus Christ on the cross has opened up a door of salvation to all who will trust in him. There is hope even for the greatest sinner.

The kingdom of God welcomes both sons today. It welcomes that one who has promised to do the Fathers will but who has failed to keep that promise.
It welcomes that one who has refused to do the Fathers will, but whose guilt condemns him.
For both sons, the expressed will of the Father is that "not . . . any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

Now if you are one of those sons, who wish to repent and do the will of the Father, I must tell you that the only way you can do so is to first put your trust in Christ.

John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Until you trust in Christ none of your works can be pleasing to God. So I ask you: Will you not trust upon Christ and be saved?