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“More than saying, I Do” – Matt 21:23-32 – September 28, 2008

One time a woman went on a long weekend retreat with a group of women from her church. About halfway through the Monday session, she suddenly jumped to her feet and left the room. Concerned, a friend followed her to see what had caused her to leave the meeting so abruptly. She found her friend in the lobby talking on her cell phone.

“Is everything alright?” she asked. “Oh yes,” the woman responded. “I didn’t mean to cause you alarm.” Feeling a bit sheepish, she added, “I suddenly remembered that Monday is trash day.” Her friend seemed puzzled. “Trash day? Surely your husband is at home.” “Yes,” the woman said, “but it takes two of us to put out the trash. I can’t carry it and he can’t remember it.”

When we make a commitment to someone, like getting married for example, each partner says, “I do.” Those words symbolize a covenantal relationship. We say “I do” to other things too, like those who enlist in the military, those who volunteer for some activity, and for those of us who commit to church membership. Saying “I do” means our words are backed up with behavior that reflects our commitment.

To say, “I do,” however is meaningless unless there is a change in our behavior. When we say “I do” to our partner in marriage that means we put our partner first above everything else. We make some sacrifices and compromises along the way. If we continue to give more energy, time and devotion to our work or other activities rather than our spouse we are just giving lip service to the commitment we have made. In other words, our behavior doesn’t match our commitment.

Jesus told the story of the two sons to illustrate the lack of commitment for those who said, “I do” but didn’t change their behavior. On the one hand, there was the first son who didn’t say “I do” in the beginning but later changed his mind. He represented the tax collectors and prostitutes who heard the words of John the Baptist and responded by following. Granted the first son was a little slow out of the gate, but eventually he came around.

On the other hand there was the second son who said, “I do” but never followed through. He represented those in the religious establishment who talked a good game, but their behavior didn’t support their words. They appeared to look good but they rejected the words of John because their words didn’t match their actions.

One time, a rabbi, master of the Talmud, taught some seminary students a valuable lesson. They were playing checkers when they should have been studying the Talmud. He told them not to be ashamed since they could always find time to study the law. But, he asked them if they knew the rules for the game of checkers. They said nothing, since they were sure that the rabbi knew more than they did. So the rabbi told them the rules. First, he said, “one must not make two moves at once.” Second, “one may move only forward, not backward.” Third, “when one has reached the last row, then they can move wherever they like.” The students concluded that (1) they should not clutter their lives with more than one move at a time. (2) they should always keep sight of their goal and move in that direction and (3) in the last row they would take on the role of a servant. (from Homiletics, September 2002)

To make one move at a time means we are focused on the task at hand. Life throws many problems at us simultaneously. The only way to cope is to work on one challenge at a time.

One time Charles Schultz addressed the need for his readers to make the most of the current moment. He illustrated this with his cartoon characters in Peanuts. Charlie Brown was at bat. “Strike three,” the umpire bellowed. Once again Charlie Brown had struck out and so he slumped down on the player’s bench. “Rat’s” he said, “I’ll never be a big league player. I just don’t have it! All my life I’ve dreamed of playing in the big leagues, but I know I’ll never make it.” Meanwhile Lucy turned to console him. “Charlie Brown,” she said, “you are thinking too far ahead. What you need to do is set yourself on more immediate goals.” Charlie Brown looked up and replied, “What do you mean by immediate goals?” Lucy said, “You can start in the very next inning.” Charlie Brown was still confused and looked up at Lucy, waiting for her to explain. Lucy then said, “See if you can walk to the mound without falling down.”

We live in a world which puts many demands upon our time. We are pulled in many directions and therefore overwhelmed. We are a world of multi-taskers who live our lives with conflicting goals. Consequently we are frustrated that we don’t accomplish anything much less feel fulfilled. Like the rabbi said, the only way to move forward is to concentrate on a single step at a time.

According to the second rule we can only move forward which means we cannot move backwards. We have to live in the present moment and not live in the past. What holds us back are things like guilt, shame and failure. By saying “I do” to Jesus we are forgiven and therefore free to live in the present.

The seminarians discerned that to reach the last row in checkers is take on the role of a servant. Remember, Jesus had just said previously, “The last shall be first and the first shall be last.” To say “I do” is to take the role of a servant. When we serve others our actions speak for themselves. Jesus didn’t want his followers to be like the religious leaders of his day who were always boasting of their goodness. Their behavior did not reflect their claims. That’s why he said that tax collectors and prostitutes would enter the kingdom before them. They changed their behavior and followed.

One time there was a physically powerful but not so bright farmhand named Lem. He lived in a valley in Vermont. His mother resented him from the day he was born. She often ridiculed him with harsh and demeaning words. Even so, the boy served her until she died. Lem was the target of village jokes. But one night he came upon a huge dog killing some farmer’s sheep. Using his bare hands, he strangled the dog to death. When morning came, the villagers discovered the dog was really a giant timber wolf. For the moment Lem then earned the admiration of the villagers. Later, an unwed girl falsely accused Lem of being the father of her child. Even though he was innocent, he married the girl so the child would have a father. Unfortunately, the mother died within a year, so Lem raised the little girl alone. After she had grown and married, her own baby became desperately ill, and Lem sold all his sheep to pay for the baby’s medical care. Although Lem was confronted with meanness, discrimination and loneliness his whole life, he lived the life of a servant. (Dorothy Canfield Fisher)

Lem understood the rules of checkers. He was committed to the life of a servant. Intolerance from others did not hold him back. He kept living his life, giving of himself.

Which son are you? Do you make commitments like the first son but take your time following through? Or are you like the second son, saying “Yes” but only telling people what they want to hear? In the end it’s not what we say that matters, it’s what we do. I believe that God really doesn’t want us to be like either of the sons in the parable. God wants us to say “I do” and respond without hesitation.

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio