ESOCS Devotional 30 January 2025 – Living As Sons and Daughters
MEMORY VERSE: “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?” Matthew 21:23
TEXT: MATTHEW 21:23–32
Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”
24 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”
And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ 29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”
They said to Him, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward [a]relent and believe him.
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Wow! Authority? Jesus could have really “unloaded on them” regarding His authority! He could have told them… “I am the Great ‘I Am!’ Before the world began, I was, and after the world is gone, I will yet remain! I Am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I was in the beginning with the Father. I am the ‘Word made flesh’ who dwells among you with truth and grace. I created the world and everything in it, everything visible and invisible.” He could have said all of these and much more, but He didn’t. Rather, He simply asked them a question about authority… “John’s baptism where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?” (Matt. 21: 25).
Jesus’ opponents huddled together and discussed how to answer Him. If they answered that John’s authority came “from heaven,” Jesus would justly accuse them of not following John’s heavenly teachings; and if they answered “from man,” they were afraid of the reaction of the crowds because they knew the people believed that John was a prophet sent by God. So, the cowards simply replied to Jesus, “We don’t know where John received his authority.” Then Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things” (Matt. 21: 27).
Jesus told them that by their flagrant, rebellious disobedience to God’s will, it would be much more difficult for them to enter heaven than it would be for openly sinful people (thieves, prostitutes, tax collectors, murderers, etc.) who later repented, believed in Him and followed the will of God.
To make His point, He told the story of a father who asked his two sons to go out and work in the field. One said, “No,” but later repented, changed his actions and went to serve as his father desired. The other son immediately replied to his father’s request by saying, “Yes,” but ultimately turned his back on his father’s will and refused to go and work. Which did the will of his father?
Which type of son (daughter/servant) are you? Do you say, “No,” to God’s call to you but change your mind and go? Or do you say, “Yes,” but never go to do the will of your Heavenly Father? We say we will be “in” God’s Word, but how faithful are you in your personal Bible reading, in family devotions or corporate Bible study? We know God’s desire that we worship regularly (frequently/weekly) but the attendance of so many is so infrequent and irregular! As Jesus called the religious leaders of His day to repent, so He calls us to repent today!
He calls us to humble ourselves at the foot of His cross to come repentantly and confess our failure to live as His sons and daughters! And He does forgive us! His sacrificial death and resurrection welcome us back into the loving arms of our forgiving Heavenly Father. Through His grace, we are made right with God; are united in Christ; and are made one in humble service.
CHALLENGES
- Develop the character of instant obedience to God’s will and commandment.
PRAYER POINT
- My desire is to live as your son (daughter), so help me Lord. Amen.
FURTHER READING: Isaiah 42:1-end; 43:1-15; Matthew 21:33-end
ESOCS Devotional 30 January 2025
