Loving God, in spite of our tendency to go our own way rather than following your lead, you continually call us back to you, speaking to our hearts by the power of your Spirit.  As we gather this day, renew us in your love, strengthening us for life in your service, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

           The timing of this particular gospel is rather interesting – right after Orange Shirt Day and right before a provincial election.  When it comes to authority, one might say that, in a democracy, authority is supposed to be given by the people.  Elected officials only have authority by virtue of the people who elect them.  Of course, then there is the whole question of what they say versus what they actually do.  Once again, it is the voters who are supposed to hold them accountable.

         As for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, even though it has more to do with residential schools and their legacy, my mind goes back even further to when European explorers first landed in North America.  Imagine somebody planting a flag and claiming the territory for their country of origin, and an Indigenous person asking, “By what authority do you do these things, and who gave you this authority?” (Mt. 21:23).  Of course, due to language and culture, this conversation probably never happened, but how might our attitudes change by thinking about this?  

In the same way, the whole question of what we say versus what we do hearkens back to treaty days.  Many promises were made by way of treaties, and very few of those promises were ever kept.  It is kind of like saying, “I go, sir,” and then not going.  Of course, these are just some of the things that come to mind when hearing today’s gospel.

The reading begins with the religious leaders approaching Jesus as he is teaching in the temple, and asking him where his authority comes from.  After all, nobody elected or appointed him.  He wasn’t vetted by the religious authorities or certified as a trustworthy teacher.  He didn’t go to rabbi school, and he hung out with all of the wrong kinds of people.  Yet, throughout his ministry, people said that “he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes” (Mt. 7:29).

In asking Jesus this question, however, it is highly unlikely that the religious leaders actually want to know the answer.  After all, it is only recently that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple.  He had even welcomed the blind and the lame in the temple, and had allowed the children to cry out, “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Mt. 21:15).

No.  It is far more likely that they are hoping that Jesus will incriminate himself in some way – like claiming to be the Son of God or the Messiah.  Instead, Jesus turns the tables and asks them from whence John the Baptist got his authority.  After all, John also was not humanly appointed or certified to be a prophet.  Then, not liking their options, the religious leaders decline answering the question – and so does Jesus – which leads into a whole discussion of what we say versus what we do.

In the crowd of people that was around Jesus as he was teaching in the temple, there were at least two types of people.  There were the religious leaders, who would certainly say that they were following God’s commandments, but who often missed some of the really big ones like love and mercy and justice (Mt. 23:23).  There were also tax collectors, prostitutes, sinners, and common people, who were thirsty for the good news of God’s kingdom and knew their need for Jesus.  Hence, the parable where Jesus asks them which of the two sons did the will of his father.

The answer given by the religious leaders is actually quite surprising, as neither son succeeded in fully doing his father’s will.  However, they choose the one who initially refused, and later changed his mind – the one who is kind of like those who repented when they heard the preaching of John the Baptist.  Ideally, these people would do their father’s will in what they say and in what they do – which is also true for us.

Throughout the gospel of Matthew, and especially in the Sermon on the Mount, both words and actions are lifted up as important.  Today’s parable reminds us of when Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Mt. 7:21).  In this case, actions speak louder than words!  However, we are also warned about verbally insulting people, which is just as much of a sin as murder (Mt. 5:21-22).  Both words and actions matter.

However, to return for just a moment to the authority of Jesus, it is an interesting question in light of those who mistrust authority of any sort, and might even mistrust Jesus.  As mentioned before, Jesus did not get his authority from any human source.  Instead, he lived and breathed the Scriptures, revealing the power of God in many of his miracles, and the love and compassion of God in his treatment of those who were most in need.  It was only those who felt threatened by Jesus who questioned his authority and where it came from.

 For our part, we, too, are asked to go and work in the vineyard.  Will we say “yes” and then not do it?  Will we say “no” and then change our minds?  Or, will we say “yes” and then go to work?  The good news is that, regardless of how faithful we might have been in the past, we are treated with grace and mercy in the presence of God, both forgiven and redeemed through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Lectionary 26(A)                              Matthew 21:23-32

October 1, 2023

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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