Matthew 21:23-32 ESV
And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the
elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By
what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus
answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the
answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The
baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And
they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will
say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From
man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a
prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to
them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to
the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he
answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And
he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but
did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said,
“The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax
collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For
John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe
him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even
when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.
So, here we are, all together, wiggling and waggling and
making a whole bunch of noise. We just watched this guy go through the Temple
in a fit of rage tipping the tables and screaming and wagging one of us into a
fit of rage. Then this same guy wags one of us about some tree that didn’t make
any fruit. There is a difference between us here. This one wagging organ means
what is spoken and what is wagged comes to fruition. It happens just like it
was wagged!
So then… then… a bunch of other waggers got together and
wagged at the One. These waggers were attempting to trap the One wagger with a question
of some sort. The One wagger didn’t need the credentials of the other waggers
who gathered against the One wagger because they were afraid of the One wagger and
what the One wagger stood for. You see, this One wagger was beginning to convince
so many of the other waggers in the surrounding area that this One wagger was
something more. This One wagger always told the truth and revealed the Word of
God in and honest, forthright way. This One wagger was directly from God.
The One wagger rejected the authority of the religious
waggers of the day to examine the owner of the One wagger because they didn’t
want an open wagging session about the wagger in John or the One waggers
teachings. The religious waggers wanted to persuade the community waggers that
their way of wagging was the only way.
Well… now we have to get together with the waggers and bring
in the lips in all of this too. It never seems to stop! Before you know it, all
the parts will have to come together and use their own special talents and
skills given by God himself to form One whole holy thing.
Anyway, the One wagger leads me to believe as a whole human,
that all these waggers are leading me to understand that I need to look at my sin
as a whole human and repent for my sinful ways. Especially as my own wagger
leads me astray into sin and selfish, hurtful actions to all the other waggers
that have been placed in my life. I repent and turn to God. I turn my whole
human to God’s Word and not just to offer lip service. There are those lips
getting into the action. God calls my whole human to do His will, NOT, my own,
selfish, whole human will… waggers, lip, and all.
So, here is the deal, as I studied the Gospel lesson this
week…
For me? I need to face the Light… Hear the Word… See the
Truth. My life is not about me. My life is about Jesus and what God has given
to me.
As far as for myself and for others in my life… Look at
actions… not wagging tongues about actions never taken.
Lord Jesus, as I turn to you and live in your presence; lead
me and teach me and call me and show me the way you would have me speak and
most of all act. May I produce the fruit you have instilled in me. Plant your
seed in me and cultivate and tend to me as I turn to you in humility. Tame my
wagging tongue and may my tongue wag only for you… today… tomorrow… and forever.
--- Amen
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