If you have played sports or watched sports . . . you have heard the phrase, “follow through.” Even if you have not played or watched sports, you have probably heard that phrase in association with getting a job or task done. In sports--especially in throwing and hitting, “follow through” is important because that is where all the power comes from. In everything else, “follow through” means getting the job or task finished to completion. In any case, “follow through” is important . . . especially in the context of our scripture reading this morning.
Consider the case of the two brothers who are asked by their father to go and work in the family vineyard. The first son, refuses . . . but, he later changes his mind and goes to work in the vineyard. The second son agrees to go and work in the vineyard, but then he sloughs it off and does nothing. Then Jesus poses the question to his audience, “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
Jesus’ audience at this point probably includes his disciples . . . and, it includes the chief priests and elders who had challenged Jesus prior to this parable. Remember the challenge? The chief priests and elders wanted to know “By what authority are you doing these things. And who gave you this authority?” Remember that challenge? Remember how Jesus responded by asking them his own question about where the authority of John the Baptist came . . . was it from heaven or from men? In responding to their challenge, Jesus tells them that if they can answer his question, he will tell them by whose authority he has to do his ministry, preaching, and teaching.
Of course they can’t . . . they can’t answer the question because it is a “no win” situation for the chief priests and elders. If they say John’s authority was from heaven . . . well, then, why didn’t they believe him? If they say it is from men . . . well, that would upset the people because they believed that he was a prophet. Either way that the chief priests and elders answered Jesus’ question would put them between a rock and a hard place. Thus it is that they claim ignorance . . . “We don’t know.”
Because they don’t answer the question, neither does Jesus answer theirs . . . but, instead he tells them a parable . . . the parable of the two brothers asked to work by their father.
At the end or the parable, Jesus poses another question to the chief priests and elders . . . remember the question? “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
This time the chief priests and elders do not hold a confab to determine how they will respond. No, this time they respond quickly and with great confidence in their answer. They tell Jesus that it was the first son who did the will of his father.
It always amazes me how Jesus’ foes always seem to step right into a public rebuke. The chief priests and elders would have fared better if they had claimed ignorance one more time . . . but, no, they were pretty sure that they knew the answer to this question, and that Jesus would give them a gold star for their answer. Needless to say, they did not get a gold star. Instead they received a pretty scathing rebuke.
Jesus wants to know . . . why, then, didn’t you follow through?
Therein is the problem with the second son. Though he answered his father in a way that his father wanted him to answer, he did not do the work. It was all lip service. There was no “follow through”. On the other hand, the son who had refused to work, but then went to the vineyards to work . . . well, his actions spoke volumes to his father. He “followed through.”
Apparently “follow through” is pretty important in the eyes of Jesus. In the estimation of Jesus, those in control . . . the chief priests and elders . . . did not “follow through”. They were all lip service . . . all words, no action.
Jesus doesn’t like lip service when it comes to those who claim to be his followers. Jesus wants the words that his followers speak to match up to the actions that they take. Jesus expects “follow through”.
If a follower of Jesus proclaims that he or she loves all people . . . well, they better love all people . . . and, not just on Sunday morning between ten and eleven o’clock.
If a follower believes that all are welcomed into God’s family . . . well, they better be ready to set up more chairs at the table . . . and, they better be ready to receive people that they never imagined they would ever associate with.
If a follower believes in peace and justice . . . then they better live their lives in such a way that peace and justice is the end product.
If a follower believes that outreach is an important part of one’s faith . . . then he or she better be ready to move beyond mere contributions to the offering plate and to actually put one’s self in the presence of those who need help.
Jesus does not want right answers when it comes to faith . . . Jesus wants right action. Jesus wants the words of the followers to be congruent with the actions that they take. Jesus does not want his followers to only say it . . . Jesus wants his followers to do it. Anything less is not to “follow through”.
One of the spiritual exercises that helps people understand their own faith comes from a simple question: Who in this reading do you identify with? The choice we make, when we use this practice, reveals a lot of about our own faith. In this parable of the two brothers . . . which brother do you identify with? Now, remember, be honest with your answer. Are you the one who refuses to work, but ends up working anyways . . . or, are you the brother who says he will work but never does?
No matter what you anwer . . . may you discover the power of “following through”. In the “follow through” comes the blessing . . . and, the power. Amen.
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