Meeting ID: 923 9542 3097
Printable Version
Readings:
- Exodus 17:1-7
- Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16
- Philippians 2:1-13
- Matthew 21:23-32
Collect
Grant, O merciful God,that your Church,being gathered by your Holy Spirit into one,may show forth your power among all peoples,to the glory of your name;through Jesus Christ our Lord,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Reading: Matthew 21:23-32
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
23 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ 24Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” 26But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ 27So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 ‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” 29He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. 30The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. 31Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32For 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 after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.
Reflection Questions
- The authority of Jesus is shown by the integrity of his words and actions, what can we do to be likewise authentic?
- Can we distinguish the fruit of divine power in the midst of all that the other powers of this world?
Welcoming God,you receive and bless allwho come to you in humility.Show us our false pride,that we may repent of all conceit and arroganceand, caring for one another,may honor Jesusto the glory of your name. Amen.
The Message: Matthew 21:23-32
True Authority
23 Then he was back in the Temple, teaching. The high priests and leaders of the people came up and demanded, “Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to teach here?”24-25 Jesus responded, “First let me ask you a question. You answer my question and I’ll answer yours. About the baptism of John—who authorized it: heaven or humans?”25-27 They were on the spot and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and whispered, “If we say ‘heaven,’ he’ll ask us why we didn’t believe him; if we say ‘humans,’ we’re up against it with the people because they all hold John up as a prophet.” They decided to concede that round to Jesus. “We don’t know,” they answered.Jesus said, “Then neither will I answer your question.
The Story of Two Sons
28 “Tell me what you think of this story: A man had two sons. He went up to the first and said, ‘Son, go out for the day and work in the vineyard.’29 “The son answered, ‘I don’t want to.’ Later on he thought better of it and went.30 “The father gave the same command to the second son. He answered, ‘Sure, glad to.’ But he never went.31-32 “Which of the two sons did what the father asked?”They said, “The first.”Jesus said, “Yes, and I tell you that crooks and whores are going to precede you into God’s kingdom. John came to you showing you the right road. You turned up your noses at him, but the crooks and whores believed him. Even when you saw their changed lives, you didn’t care enough to change and believe him.
No comments:
Post a Comment