Jesus loves his church so deeply that it pains him to see us offering sacrifices instead of obeying his word. During the Triumphant Entry, the Israelites welcomed Jesus by celebrating him as their King and offered their time to him. However, when Jesus entered the temple and found that the house of God was being defiled by traders, he was filled with anger. He drove them out, reminding them to respect God and follow his commands.
The following day, after the Sabbath, Jesus cursed a fig tree that bore no fruit to satisfy his hunger. He used this incident to warn that God will judge sinners who fail to produce the expected fruits of grace. He also taught the importance of obedience over sacrifice through the Parable of the Two Sons in Matthew 21:28-30. In 1 Samuel 15:23, it is reiterated that obedience is what the Lord demands above all else.
In the Parable of the Two Sons, Jesus demonstrated that the first son offered true service by tending to the vineyard, despite his initial vow to disobey his father. On the other hand, the second son promised to tend to the vineyard but did not act accordingly. Jesus warned that, like the first son, sinners who confess and repent will enter heaven before Christians who fail to fulfill their promises and obey God’s word.
Obedience is the most valuable thing we can offer to God. We should let go of religious mindsets and instead follow in Christ’s footsteps, fully committed to him. God sees our hearts and intentions, and we cannot deceive him. We should repent, obey God’s word, and remain humble like the first son in the Parable of the Two Sons. God opposes the proud but lifts up the humble. We should avoid being hypocrites and instead honor God as the son honors the father and the servant honors the master. Let us not just listen to God’s word but also put it into practice.
Many of us abandon our first love for Christ when we face hardships. We profess our love for him, but our actions fail to match our words. Proverbs 12:15 teaches that a wise person changes their mind, but a foolish one clings to their foolishness. As Christians, we should continuously seek to obey God’s word and remain humble in his sight.
Key Scriptures:
Proverbs 12:15
Malachi 1:6
Malachi 3
Malachi 4
Matthew 21:18-22
Matthew 21:28-30
James 1:22
James 4:6:7
1 Peter 5