Of the two

Haiku for the first in line.

Chief priests and elders

can only defend the past;

cannot see the new.

We are entitled!

They cry with indignation.

No, you’re not, he says.

What authority

do you have to say these things?

I will not tell you.

A man had two sons.

Asked them both to work the vines;

different answers.

One said I will not,

but later changed his thinking

and did the right thing.

One said Yes, I’ll go;

but for whatever reason

that son never did.

Words are easily

spoken. It is the actions

that really matter.

The tax collectors

and prostitutes believed John;

entered the kingdom.

Chief priests and elders

believe they set the standard

while others fall short.

You wear the Tee-shirt;

make sure you know its message;

act accordingly.

The first will be last.

Those who pass up the invite

lose their place in line.

© Ken Rookes 2020

Which did the will of his father?

The reading from Matthew tells of Jesus being challenged by those in power about the validity of his teaching and his authority to teach. This is a scenario we have seen played out many times since the issue of climate change was first raised. Over and over the people in power, the people who have stood to lose most if new ways were implemented, have sought to discredit the prophetic voice and have challenged the authority of those who have spoken out.

Matthew went on to Jesus telling a story about the two sons. Both were asked to do something. One said he wouldn’t go to work in the vineyard, but later changed his mind and went and the other said he would go and later changed his mind and did not go. Twice Jesus asked those listening about this. First he asked, “What do you think?” in other words, he was asking how his listeners saw this situation. Then he asked, “which of the two did the will of his father?” Which of them did what was right?

What does this story mean to you? In light of Climate Change issues, we can see this story as the way the Australian people have behaved with the issue of climate change. First many people were reluctant to move towards taking responsible action towards adjusting for climate change. They had classic grief reactions in that they were shocked and denied what they were hearing. But later they came to believe that what they were hearing and experiencing were real and so were willing to do what was asked of them for the best possible outcome.

Now, under new leadership, they are behaving like the son who said he would do what his father wanted and then did not. The government of Australia has going back on the promise to do something about emissions which speed Global warning.

The reading from Philippians [2:1-13] urges us to ‘do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit and let each look not to your own interests but to the interests of others’, sound guidelines for dealing with all ecological issues.

As Christians, we have an obligation to care for God’s creation and keep it safe into the future. But doing things because we are obliged is never a good reason. Our reasons, to be successful, needs to come from a deep passionate understanding of all things other, the whole of Creation and the mystery we respect as God.

REv Julianne Parker 

for full sermon see the sermons page