“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.’It seems to me that the people who have the most trouble accepting the grace that Jesus offers are the "religious" people. Those of us who have grown up in the church sometimes have a harder time accepting grace than those who have not. I think that may be because deep down inside we don't really think we need it. We've lived our whole lives around Christian people, doing Christian things, and active in the church...so, naturally, God will accept us. But we have a hard time believing that God would really and truly accept someone who hasn't done that stuff. And yet, Jesus spent most of his earthly life telling us and showing us that we all need God's grace and forgiveness and that includes the "tax collectors and prostitutes". In fact, they were drawn to Jesus and his offer of forgiveness more than anyone else.
“‘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, “Truly I tell you, 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." (Matthew 21:28-32)
"Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you."
I pray he doesn't mean me.
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