333. Tuesday after Eleventh Sunday after Trinity.
Lord, give us grace to hear
and obey thy call. Amen.
Matthew 21, 28-32. But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not; but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir; and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
❦
“The publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you”; that is to say, they enter the kingdom, while you do not. Let us, dear brethren, not allow this judgment to fall on us! We will put the devil to shame, and become the blessed spoil of Christ. It is our wish that publicans and harlots may be cleansed and sanctified, and enter the kingdom of heaven; but neither will we remain without, where are the dogs, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. What, then, shall we do? We shall obey the word of the Lord, and go work in his vineyard. Let us who hear and read the word of God, who come together to be edified by it, and to confess it; who are church-goers and communicants; who are called, and who wish to be, Christians; — let us go and do that which the Lord says! The world has a habit of finding fault with the conduct of the Christians, and comforts itself in its sins by accusing them of hypocrisy, pride, and covetousness. Let this cause us to examine ourselves, and to cultivate a holy earnestness in our faith and life. Let us not shut our ears against the accusation; there may be some truth in it for our correction. Then the world shall see that we have a living Savior who purifies unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, and able to stop the mouth of them that mock him. Go work in the Lord’s vineyard; that is, in his kingdom on earth, the Christian church! To enter this vineyard is to repent and believe; but to work in it is to do all things in faith, to the honor of God and the good of man. Publicans and harlots believed John the Baptist, took his preaching of repentance to heart, confessed their sin, and came to Jesus. Thereafter they walked in newness of life, and served him. The important thing is to believe the word of God. The obedience of the heart; the acquiescence of the heart in the declarations, “you are a lost sinner,” and “Jesus has saved you from sin and death and devil”; — this obedience of the heart is followed by obedience in word and deed, causing you to live for the Lord; and then you work in his vineyard. Do all things in the consciousness that you belong to him, and that he has a right of ownership in all men, as he has bought them with a price; and make the salvation of their souls, and their temporal welfare, and their healing, and comfort, and happiness, the object of your work; and it shall be said of you: “And he answered and said, I go, sir; and went out.” Remember that Christ served us unceasingly in obedience to the word of the Father, and that you thereby are become his own, free from sin and the law, a child of God, and heir of salvation. Be therefore, in return, zealous to serve others in love, obedient and happy always and everywhere before the face of the Lord. Help us to do this, merciful God. Make us obedient under the discipline of thy word, that we may have knowledge of our sin; and help us to believe thy gospel, that we may enter into the true liberty of grace. Make us rich in charity, that we may become a blessing to the world. Amen.*
Lord, to thee I make confession:
I have sinned and gone astray,
I have multiplied transgression,
Chosen for myself my way.
Now I see my grievous error,
And my heart is struck with terror.
Yet, though conscience’ voice appall me,
Father, I will seek thy face;
Though thy child I dare not call me,
Yet receive me to thy grace:
Do not for my sins forsake me,
Do not let thy wrath o’ertake me.
[TLH 326, LSB 608, ELH 450; listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.