Matthew 21:23-32 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?” Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’  “ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Your faith is something you need to put into action. Putting on a good front or a show won’t cut it. It has to be more than lip service. You need your faith to be shown by the way you live.

The Jews in Jesus day were proud of their privileged status among the nations. True, they may not have had earthly power, but they were, after all, God’s chosen people. This led many of them to become smug. They lived outwardly correct lives, but they saw no need for repentance or a change of heart. They rejected John the Baptist’s call to repentance. They rejected God’s offer of salvation that was accomplished by Jesus.

How many today view themselves as being superior because they have agreed to follow the demands of Christ’s teachings? Aren’t we better than those who reject the Gospel and engage in obvious sins? Most of us have been Christians for a long time now. Do we really have anything that we need to repent of? Are we falling into the same trap that is so easy for us to identify in the Jews of Jesus’ day?

When God calls people to Himself, they can react in two ways. The first son says no, but later does the will of his father. That represents the tax collectors and prostitutes and sinners of Jesus’ day. Their actions said loudly that they would go their own way, but later the Spirit of God led them to go His way after all.

The second son, who says “Yes, I will” but then does nothing, is a depiction of the nation of Israel as a whole. They were quick to profess allegiance and obedience with their mouths, but their actions did not match their words. The rendered lip-service, not real service to God. These are the kind of people Jesus was speaking of when he quoted from Isaiah: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. (Matthew 15:8)

God’s desire is that we say it, believe it, and live it. Knowing of the salvation and life we have through the death and resurrection of Jesus should not lead us to smugness or a feeling of superiority, but to a heartfelt response of living the new life.

Two brothers were found guilty of stealing sheep. In that time and country, the punishment was to have their foreheads branded with an S and a T, standing for sheep thief. The first brother was embarrassed and bitter and ran of to another country. He nursed his resentment the rest of his life and died there forgotten and unknown. The second brother stayed home. He repented of his crime. He reasoned, “I can’t run away from the fact that I stole sheep. I will stay here and try to win back the respect of my neighbors.” As the years passed, he established a reputation for honesty and integrity. One day a stranger came to town and noticed the brand on his forehead. He asked one of the locals what the S and T stood for. After thinking about it a moment, the local responded, “It all happened so long ago I really don’t remember the details. But I think those letters are the abbreviation for ‘saint!’ ”

Repentance is a turning, away from sin and to God. Repentance is a way to receive God’s pardon and salvation. And that will be expressed in your life.