Sunday Worship
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the 17th Sunday after Trinity. Our Church Services today are at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes' and 11 am at St Thomas'. If you are unable to be with us in person, you can find a Gospel reading, reflection and prayers below.
Today's Gospel
Matthew 21:23-32 The Authority of Jesus Questioned
When Jesus 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?” Jesus 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. Did 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?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” So 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.
“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which 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. 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 after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.
Reflection
By pure coincidence, I was looking at John 1: 11-12, last night; 'He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God'. Take a look at Jesus’ last sentence above. Do you see the similarity?
Following Jesus is a choice. We have free will and it is up to us what we do and how we do it. But what does following Jesus mean? What do you think it means to you?
Is it about reading scripture, praising God and going to church? Is it about being seen to be a follower of Jesus? Or is it something more than that?
Naturally, going to church and making space in our lives for regular prayer are indeed righteous and good things. But if that is all we do, are we just paying lip service to our faith? Are we truly serving others as much as we should and doing what is required to establish God’s kingdom here?
This is part of the message that Jesus is making here; He was of speaking to the senior Israelite community representatives, to the learned and revered members of society. They were the religious leaders who claimed to have the authority of the prophets who originally received God’s word. The sort of people that everyday people didn’t ever question, let alone challenge.
To use a modern colloquialism, Jesus was ‘calling them out’ for their hypocrisy, because despite their words and messages, their actions just did not align with their words. To use another common phrase, it was a case of, ‘do as I say, not as do’.
On the other hand Jesus recognised that some of those who were despised in society were not only willing to listen to John the Baptist and Jesus; they were readily and willing to change. To repent and set their hearts and actions on righteous ways of living. These were like the first son that Jesus mentions. All right, so they weren’t immediately willing to say yes and do what was asked, but they were willing to listen and ultimately come to Jesus. They were willing to understand what the Father asks of them and do His will. Paul
