QT 18 May 17, Matt 21:28-32, God's will? It's simple--obey his commands

Matthew 21:28–32 (ESV) — 28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 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 when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

NOTE: These parables are aimed at Israel. The two sons are two factions within the nation, the religious and the righteous. Both groups struggle with sin, one more publicly and the other discreetly. But only one group obeys in the end. The religious say they will obey, but it is all façade, there is no real change or difference. The righteous struggle to do the will of God, and choose to disobey, but their conscious grips them, and they ultimately choose to do the right thing. The people who followed Jesus are the righteous, they came from all walks of life--some not so pretty--but, in the end, they obey. Ultimately, we want to be the people who obey, because those are the ones who do the will of the Father. Do you want to know God's will? Obey his commands. It all flows out of obedience.