Changing Your Mind Can Be Blessed or Disastrous

Matt 21:29 & Matt 3:5-6

The Context of the Parable of the Two Sons

The parable comes in response to the question the chief priests and elders asked Jesus as He taught in the temple,
". . . By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?" (Matt 21:23).

The Context of the Parable of the Two Sons

This parable is presented as a vivid pictorial challenge to the Jewish leaders.
Matt 3:4-6 we find a first group responding to the message of repentance by John. But they came to John after their change of mind and regret for their sinful way of life.

The first son is representative of this group.

The Context of the Parable of the Two Sons

Matt 3:7-10 are the religious characters which parallel the second son in the parable who said he would obey and yet, in the end, did not.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (NIV)

The Context of the Parable of the Two Sons

The specific explanation and application is found in Matt 21:31,32. These religious leaders saw only too well that Jesus was referring to them (Matt 21:45,46).

31 "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. - Matt 21:31,32

Matt 21:45-46 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

The Content of the Parable

A father had two children growing up.

The Content of the Parable

The father invited both sons to go and work in his vineyard. The duty of every father is to instill in his children the necessity and blessing of work.

The Content of the Parable

These two children were of the same father and yet they were so different.

The Change of Mind Which Means Repentance

The word most commonly translated "repentance" in the New Testament is metono, derived from met, "after," and no, "to think, perceive.
It means to change one's mind, which involves an instantaneous change of heart, a regret for unbelief and sin, and a determination to change direction.

A prophetic application
The first son or child represents the Gentiles who were expected to say "no" at the beginning but in the end said "yes," and are now ahead of the unbelieving Jews (Rom 10:18 b-21)

A prophetic application
The second son is representative of the Jewish nation. Jesus was of their own nationality. "Yes" was the immediate response expected, but then they changed their mind about Jesus and this change became disastrous (Rom 9:1-10,18).

A prophetic application
God is not yet through with the second son who will change his mind again and say "yes" (Rom 11).

A personal application

Your initial response to Christ may be a "no." Change your mind and be blessed.

A personal application
Was your initial response a hurried "yes" without sufficient thought? Have you found that no fruit has come from your flippant "yes"? Change your mind by allowing the gospel to take root and bring forth fruit.