A man had two sons (daughters)

"There was once a man who had two sons. He went to the older one and said, "Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' 29 "I don't want to,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. "Yes, sir,' he answered, but he did not go. 31 Which one of the two did what his father wanted?' "The older one," they answered. So Jesus said to them, "I tell you: the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John the Baptist came to you showing you the right path to take, and you would not believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. Even when you saw this, you did not later change your minds and believe him."  -- Matthew 21: 28-32

"A man had two sons..."

(Let's get the son's abilities out of the way.)

What can we say about these abilities?
What are the abilities?
Son (A) lists them this way: There were many families with two sons living then, so we can eliminate birthright numbers as a key ingredient. In other words, the fact that this son was No. 2 was of no significance. The father asked the second son to go work in the vineyard, and the fact is (voila), AMAZINGLY ENOUGH, he said yes. I even love the way it is expressed: He READILY agreed. There is a degree of (to quote LSU football coach Les Miles) WANT TO in hs voice. He said yes, in a hurry, with passion. In other words, he really WANTED to. If there was a want-to meter right there, this man's very want-to would have sent the scale to the top. IF you can ever agree to this. This is somewhat of a set up. He wants to go to work. He really, really wants to go to work. If ever someone wanted something, this second son (for reasons we're never told) HAS A DEGREE OF WANT TO in his mannerisms, in his tone, in his want to get up and go. That's the second son this particular morning. Not only does the son have a set of want-to in his jeans, he has an umphphph in his get-a-long. Why? We don't know. We just know his get-along has gotten up and got-along.

The other son? The first son? Not so much. His get-along has some done-got-along attached to it. He thinks about it for just a second, or mabe even two. He says, the only way to express it, NO. Nope. No, sir. Nada. No chance. But the bottom-line is ...wait for it ....wait for it ...his got up done got. For him, well, the opportunty came, and like a good meal at Canes, the opportunity went, quickly. But unlike a good meal at Canes, this opportunity came back around again, quickly. He says no way, Jose. Not me. No, Sir. Like a lot of us, he says no. Opportunity? No, I don't think so. I'll catch the next opportunity bus, thank you.

A man had two sons. One son given an opportunity, says yes, then doesn't take advantage, then eventually with his actions says no.
One son given an opportunity, says no, thinks it over, ponders it, ponders it, then takes advantage. Not sure if it is days or weeks or even months, but eventually, he ponders it long enough that he EVENTUALLLLLLLLLLY says yes.

Jesus asks, which of the sons did the will of the Father, the one who made the promise and broke it or the one who was outwardly rebellious but inwardly the one who responded? The one who said yes in front of the crowd and no in front of his own heart or the one who said no for all the world to see and then yes for only his own heart to know?

The great news this morning, as one ponders this life-changing equation, is that we are all given this opportunity. Even better, we're given this opportunity each day. The Bible says mercy comes every morning. Every single morning. Heck, even better, every single day.

While you're pondering, go ahead and ask yourself which one is you in the story. Don't daudle. Which one is you. While you're taking long minutes placing yourself in the story, remember this: mercy comes every morning. It's new every morning. Heck, even better, every single day. Maybe, just maybe, it's new every single minute for those who will but receive this blessed grace.

Now...which is you? Have you received this mercy? Have you reached out to God, who is reaching out to you?

Jesus said, "For John the Baptist came to you showing you the right path to take, and you would not believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. Even when you saw this, you did not later change your minds and believe him."

John the Baptist came and showed you the right path, and still, STILL, mind you, you didn't see it but tax collectors and prostitutes did. What must we do to show you? What must we accomplish for your to see it, receive it, absorb it?

I feel that sentence to the very core of my being. Throw out the WWJD bracelets and sit down for a moment. Like tired sentences in my hands.

Tired muscle. Weary bones. Wasted opportunity. It's not about what would Jesus do, friends. It's about what He did that we seem so very incapable of doing. He has shown us. What will we do? WWWD...indeed.

A man had two sons (daughters). ...