“Two Sons Only a Mother Would Love” Matthew 21:28-32 5/10/20 (by Dr. Ben Sloan)
I remember distinctly visiting with a mother who had sent her son away for many years to prison. He had definitely broken the law- she knew it. She was an upstanding woman in the community I lived in at the time- well educated, had a beautiful home. Years ago this boy ran away from home. What I remember is she looked at me and said, “I am embarrassed. I feel terrible for the people he hurt, but I still love him. He is my son- and I will never quit loving him.” I truly felt sorry for her. Her steadfast love for her son was evident. She would visit him when no one else would. She was there for him. When he finally got out she helped him get back on his feet. I thought at the time- and I told her this- that this is the kind of love God has for us. Though we are unfaithful to Him, He is faithful to us.
In our passage, it tells the story of two sons. Neither of them were exactly great. Both said no to their father- one by his words and the second by his actions. These are sons that we might say “only a mother could love.” But the parable is really about God and us. I want us to look at these two sons, and then look at how we respond to God- which is really important in life.
The first son said no. He refused. We don’t know why he refused. You see, it didn’t really matter. He could have been tired; he could have had other things that he felt were more important; he could have had a meeting coming up; he could have been mad at his father; he could have just been lazy; he could have just been rebellious against his father. In the end, all the reasons to not go did not matter. All we know is he said, “I will not.” His will was against his father’s command.
But the first son came around. Something happened to his will that enabled him to get up and go. Again we don’t know why. He changed his mind. This word for “changed his mind” is one word in the Greek and it means to repent. Repentance means you were going one way- and you stopped and decided to go another way. He changed His mind. Some might say he was a late bloomer. Some would say he messed up but then he got straight. But his actions show he repented.
The story of the Prodigal Son is similar to the story of this first brother. He rebelled at first but then came back. In his rebellion he always knew deep down he could come back and do the right thing. Some of the greatest leaders of Christianity are prodigals. Augustine had a good Christian mother who loved him, but he went away from her teachings. He lived a purposeful wild life. But in the end, his mother’s prayers brought him back. Mothers, do you pray for the faith and the coming back of your children? Augustine became the greatest Christian thinker outside of the New Testament. Billy Graham, everyone knows of. But not everyone knows that Ruth Bell Graham, raised her children pretty much by herself. Her son, Franklin, gave them both a particularly hard time. He went off against his father and he didn’t care how much embarrassment he caused his parents. Ruth wrote a wonderful book called, “Prodigals and those that love them.” It is simply a pouring out of her poetry and her heart during this heart breaking time when her son said “No” to God. Franklin did come back and say “Yes.” He founded Samaritan’s Purse, which does so much good in the world for the glory of God. They boldly go to the hot spots in the world- where there is Ebola, or wherever there is a disaster. LMPC gives hundreds of shoeboxes a year to needy children through them at Christmas. They set up a hospital in Central Park of New York City when it was the hotspot of the pandemic. Like the Good Samaritan helped those hurting, so does Samaritan’s Purse. Without Franklin’s saying “Yes” to God, this would not have happened. Later Franklin became the head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association- preaching the gospel. But at first he said, “No.” Maybe, some of you listening to this sermon today have said “No” to God. Maybe you have said it quietly and privately. But maybe some of you have said it openly and publicly by the way you live. Yet you are listening today and if you are, God is inviting you to turn around, change your mind toward God, and enter His kingdom work. Look there is much to do for the glory of God. God made you with a purpose- but He wants you to respond to that purpose.
Repenting is not just for salvation, it is also a regular thing for ALL CHRISTIANS TO DO. We all mess up and fall short of the glory of God. Christians are not sinless- just because we believe. But we do want to correct our wrongs and to repent of our sins- which are many.
We don’t want to forget the second brother. The second brother in Jesus’ parable at first said yes, but then he didn’t move. He may have had good intentions. He may have wanted to make his father happy with his intentions. But good intentions did not give him a reward with his father. Good intentions- and a flippant surface belief in God will not get us very far either. Some of you who are listening have been dependent on your parents’ faith or maybe even your grandparents’ faith- but you are not really sure. Maybe you were raised in the church and had every good intention of becoming a committed believer in Christ- but you never moved. Maybe you felt the tug of the Holy Spirit inviting you to move but you wouldn’t let Him pull you very far.
In our day, the world is full of people who have grown up in the church but have become what some would call apostate, back slidden, or a “None”. You said, “Yes I will” to God a long time ago, but today your life doesn’t reflect that intention. Today no one can tell by looking at your life or your words that you believe. You said yes but your actions are saying no. Maybe you are listening today because this global pandemic has made you nervous about your relationship with God. It is not too late. But you too, must like the first son, get up and get going in God’s way. You must not just believe intellectually, but trust Him deep down. The Bible says even the demons believe in God intellectually- they know He is real- but they do not have faith in God and certainly do not trust God as their Father. Your heavenly Father is wanting you to not just say “yes” but be the “Yes.” It is not that we have to find God- He has already found you- and wants you to say, “yes.”
Which of the two did what the father wanted? The one who came back. Do not be embarrassed to finally do the right thing. If you have publicly wandered off, and maybe even have been an enemy of God- it is still not too late. Just as that mother welcomed that prisoner back into her home- God wants to welcome you back into His love and into His arms. The person who cannot say “I am sorry, I messed up” will not be able to keep many relationships. They will not be able to keep their job long- no matter how talented they are. If your pride controls you and you cannot apologize to others and change your mind- eat crow- and do the right thing- then you will be unlikeable.
Do you know the Bible speaks of a time when people will not repent? A time when they are so adamant that they know better than God, that God is wrong if He exists, that they are much smarter than God- that they will never repent? I read an article just last week that said, “Even during this coronavirus pandemic, religion will not make a comeback.” Is there room in the way you believe about God for coming back?
In Revelation it describes global pollution, and world war, and famine, and plagues that make the coronavirus seem tame. One third of the earth’s population was destroyed. But what about the two-thirds left? Let me read what the scripture says, “The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands- their idols of gold and silver; They did not repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts” (Rev. 9:21). These words- along with the same thing said again seven chapters later in Revelation 16- give me pause to not repent. They did not repent of their murders- like the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, shot while jogging in New Brunswick, Georgia- just over the SC line. Or seven year old Knowledge Sims, killed in Columbia. The Chief of police said, “Enough is enough. If the murder of a seven year old won’t put a lump in your throat or tear at your heart, I don’t know what will.” Hardness of heart to repentance won’t let you get that lump in your throat or tear in your eye. But let me say there is a vast turning away from God spiritually- and it is driven by sexual immorality of all kinds. The third thing he speaks of is theft. In some states while other crimes decrease, car thefts are up sharply. In New York they are up 53% in the last month. Identity theft is up sharply too- a whole new breed of thievery, where people are stealing stimulus checks, identity for unemployment checks or committing fraud. It is time to learn to respect God and keep His laws- but it is time to say, something is wrong- we need to repent. Leave room for repentance. Leave room for you to repent; Leave room for others to repent. Most have learned the need to be flexible as things change so quickly now. Be flexible about repentance.
On this Mother’s Day can we not say that everyone has had to repent to their mother? Everyone messes up- every mother and every child. Everyone has had to tell their mother they were sorry at some point in their lives. The great thing about mothers is their willingness to continue to love. Mothers, leave room for your children to say they are sorry. Children, leave room for your mothers too to say this. And let me cross on shaky ground and also say mothers-in-law say you are sorry to your child in law; and Children-in-law, allow room to repent toward your mother-in-law. Living in forgiveness and repentance is an essential part of a peaceful and blessed life. There are millions of Americans who cannot see their mother because they are isolated in nursing homes or hospitals. I love the creativity of signs, and gathering outside windows to wave. Being able to see your mother on this earth is a gift that I think we are not taking for granted right now. But Christian mothers want their children to repent for their own good, but also so they will see them again in heaven.
I remember distinctly visiting with a mother who had sent her son away for many years to prison. He had definitely broken the law- she knew it. She was an upstanding woman in the community I lived in at the time- well educated, had a beautiful home. Years ago this boy ran away from home. What I remember is she looked at me and said, “I am embarrassed. I feel terrible for the people he hurt, but I still love him. He is my son- and I will never quit loving him.” I truly felt sorry for her. Her steadfast love for her son was evident. She would visit him when no one else would. She was there for him. When he finally got out she helped him get back on his feet. I thought at the time- and I told her this- that this is the kind of love God has for us. Though we are unfaithful to Him, He is faithful to us.
In our passage, it tells the story of two sons. Neither of them were exactly great. Both said no to their father- one by his words and the second by his actions. These are sons that we might say “only a mother could love.” But the parable is really about God and us. I want us to look at these two sons, and then look at how we respond to God- which is really important in life.
The first son said no. He refused. We don’t know why he refused. You see, it didn’t really matter. He could have been tired; he could have had other things that he felt were more important; he could have had a meeting coming up; he could have been mad at his father; he could have just been lazy; he could have just been rebellious against his father. In the end, all the reasons to not go did not matter. All we know is he said, “I will not.” His will was against his father’s command.
But the first son came around. Something happened to his will that enabled him to get up and go. Again we don’t know why. He changed his mind. This word for “changed his mind” is one word in the Greek and it means to repent. Repentance means you were going one way- and you stopped and decided to go another way. He changed His mind. Some might say he was a late bloomer. Some would say he messed up but then he got straight. But his actions show he repented.
The story of the Prodigal Son is similar to the story of this first brother. He rebelled at first but then came back. In his rebellion he always knew deep down he could come back and do the right thing. Some of the greatest leaders of Christianity are prodigals. Augustine had a good Christian mother who loved him, but he went away from her teachings. He lived a purposeful wild life. But in the end, his mother’s prayers brought him back. Mothers, do you pray for the faith and the coming back of your children? Augustine became the greatest Christian thinker outside of the New Testament. Billy Graham, everyone knows of. But not everyone knows that Ruth Bell Graham, raised her children pretty much by herself. Her son, Franklin, gave them both a particularly hard time. He went off against his father and he didn’t care how much embarrassment he caused his parents. Ruth wrote a wonderful book called, “Prodigals and those that love them.” It is simply a pouring out of her poetry and her heart during this heart breaking time when her son said “No” to God. Franklin did come back and say “Yes.” He founded Samaritan’s Purse, which does so much good in the world for the glory of God. They boldly go to the hot spots in the world- where there is Ebola, or wherever there is a disaster. LMPC gives hundreds of shoeboxes a year to needy children through them at Christmas. They set up a hospital in Central Park of New York City when it was the hotspot of the pandemic. Like the Good Samaritan helped those hurting, so does Samaritan’s Purse. Without Franklin’s saying “Yes” to God, this would not have happened. Later Franklin became the head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association- preaching the gospel. But at first he said, “No.” Maybe, some of you listening to this sermon today have said “No” to God. Maybe you have said it quietly and privately. But maybe some of you have said it openly and publicly by the way you live. Yet you are listening today and if you are, God is inviting you to turn around, change your mind toward God, and enter His kingdom work. Look there is much to do for the glory of God. God made you with a purpose- but He wants you to respond to that purpose.
Repenting is not just for salvation, it is also a regular thing for ALL CHRISTIANS TO DO. We all mess up and fall short of the glory of God. Christians are not sinless- just because we believe. But we do want to correct our wrongs and to repent of our sins- which are many.
We don’t want to forget the second brother. The second brother in Jesus’ parable at first said yes, but then he didn’t move. He may have had good intentions. He may have wanted to make his father happy with his intentions. But good intentions did not give him a reward with his father. Good intentions- and a flippant surface belief in God will not get us very far either. Some of you who are listening have been dependent on your parents’ faith or maybe even your grandparents’ faith- but you are not really sure. Maybe you were raised in the church and had every good intention of becoming a committed believer in Christ- but you never moved. Maybe you felt the tug of the Holy Spirit inviting you to move but you wouldn’t let Him pull you very far.
In our day, the world is full of people who have grown up in the church but have become what some would call apostate, back slidden, or a “None”. You said, “Yes I will” to God a long time ago, but today your life doesn’t reflect that intention. Today no one can tell by looking at your life or your words that you believe. You said yes but your actions are saying no. Maybe you are listening today because this global pandemic has made you nervous about your relationship with God. It is not too late. But you too, must like the first son, get up and get going in God’s way. You must not just believe intellectually, but trust Him deep down. The Bible says even the demons believe in God intellectually- they know He is real- but they do not have faith in God and certainly do not trust God as their Father. Your heavenly Father is wanting you to not just say “yes” but be the “Yes.” It is not that we have to find God- He has already found you- and wants you to say, “yes.”
Which of the two did what the father wanted? The one who came back. Do not be embarrassed to finally do the right thing. If you have publicly wandered off, and maybe even have been an enemy of God- it is still not too late. Just as that mother welcomed that prisoner back into her home- God wants to welcome you back into His love and into His arms. The person who cannot say “I am sorry, I messed up” will not be able to keep many relationships. They will not be able to keep their job long- no matter how talented they are. If your pride controls you and you cannot apologize to others and change your mind- eat crow- and do the right thing- then you will be unlikeable.
Do you know the Bible speaks of a time when people will not repent? A time when they are so adamant that they know better than God, that God is wrong if He exists, that they are much smarter than God- that they will never repent? I read an article just last week that said, “Even during this coronavirus pandemic, religion will not make a comeback.” Is there room in the way you believe about God for coming back?
In Revelation it describes global pollution, and world war, and famine, and plagues that make the coronavirus seem tame. One third of the earth’s population was destroyed. But what about the two-thirds left? Let me read what the scripture says, “The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands- their idols of gold and silver; They did not repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts” (Rev. 9:21). These words- along with the same thing said again seven chapters later in Revelation 16- give me pause to not repent. They did not repent of their murders- like the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, shot while jogging in New Brunswick, Georgia- just over the SC line. Or seven year old Knowledge Sims, killed in Columbia. The Chief of police said, “Enough is enough. If the murder of a seven year old won’t put a lump in your throat or tear at your heart, I don’t know what will.” Hardness of heart to repentance won’t let you get that lump in your throat or tear in your eye. But let me say there is a vast turning away from God spiritually- and it is driven by sexual immorality of all kinds. The third thing he speaks of is theft. In some states while other crimes decrease, car thefts are up sharply. In New York they are up 53% in the last month. Identity theft is up sharply too- a whole new breed of thievery, where people are stealing stimulus checks, identity for unemployment checks or committing fraud. It is time to learn to respect God and keep His laws- but it is time to say, something is wrong- we need to repent. Leave room for repentance. Leave room for you to repent; Leave room for others to repent. Most have learned the need to be flexible as things change so quickly now. Be flexible about repentance.
On this Mother’s Day can we not say that everyone has had to repent to their mother? Everyone messes up- every mother and every child. Everyone has had to tell their mother they were sorry at some point in their lives. The great thing about mothers is their willingness to continue to love. Mothers, leave room for your children to say they are sorry. Children, leave room for your mothers too to say this. And let me cross on shaky ground and also say mothers-in-law say you are sorry to your child in law; and Children-in-law, allow room to repent toward your mother-in-law. Living in forgiveness and repentance is an essential part of a peaceful and blessed life. There are millions of Americans who cannot see their mother because they are isolated in nursing homes or hospitals. I love the creativity of signs, and gathering outside windows to wave. Being able to see your mother on this earth is a gift that I think we are not taking for granted right now. But Christian mothers want their children to repent for their own good, but also so they will see them again in heaven.
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