Just That Simple
Matthew 21:23–32
You guys remember Ross Perot? He was kind of famous for saying, "It's just that simple." And when you read that parable, you're kind of tempted to go, "It's just that simple." And yet it can go a little deeper. I am guilty sometimes of trying to read more into the scripture than might be there. Sometimes it is just that simple.
Now, what's going on here is chapter 21 is this great drama. Jesus enters Jerusalem, He goes straight to the temple, and He throws the money changers out. He comes back the next day, and that's where we find Him here. They're trying to trick Him, trying to catch Him in some mistake, and so they ask this question: "By what authority do you do this?" And He basically does a switcheroo on them and says, "Well, first tell me, was John's baptism from heaven, from God, or was it of human origin?" And they know they're caught, and they just said, "We don't know." But see, they had status. They had position. They had temple authority. They were the guardians of this sacred place.
To boil it all down, Jesus is saying a promise without action doesn't mean anything. You can have the status, you can have the position, you can have the degrees, you can be the head of the institution. But if you're not in the vineyard doing the work of the Lord, wouldn't it be better if you said no in the beginning, but then reconsidered and came later? Which is what the tax collectors and the sinners were doing with Jesus. These are the people that the people in the temple looked down on. They were just plain people. And at first they said no. But then they reconsider, and they say yes. And they began to serve the Lord.
You can stand here at the front of the church, say, "I love God. I wanna be baptized," but if that doesn't change your life in any way at all — a promise and no performance means nothing. Sometimes I get stuck on this scripture. I just can't get over how simple it is. I keep wanting to find more there. Sometimes it's just that simple.
When we make a promise, we have to follow it with performance. We have to do something. Actions matter more than words. And Jesus is saying, "You've gotta be willing to change." The first one said, "No, I will not go." But reconsidered and changed. You can make a mistake and you can change, and God's arms are open. That is the good news. All those people that they were looking down their noses at had said they were gonna change, and they did change. And with open arms, Jesus blessed them, accepted them, and loved them. It's when you refuse to change and you don't do anything, that's when we're making our mistake.
The second group said, "Yes, I'll go," but didn't go. Who knows why they said yes, but didn't follow through? But what we know is that's an issue we all battle every day. You wanna serve. You wanna be a good Christian. You want to do what the Lord is calling you to do. I know you're busy. I know there's lots of other places you could be. And when we pray and when we ask God, that's when we make those kind of promises. And God is saying, "You can change. You can change."
From the sermon of September 27, 2026
Pastor William Mitchell
You guys remember Ross Perot? He was kind of famous for saying, "It's just that simple." And when you read that parable, you're kind of tempted to go, "It's just that simple." And yet it can go a little deeper. I am guilty sometimes of trying to read more into the scripture than might be there. Sometimes it is just that simple.
Now, what's going on here is chapter 21 is this great drama. Jesus enters Jerusalem, He goes straight to the temple, and He throws the money changers out. He comes back the next day, and that's where we find Him here. They're trying to trick Him, trying to catch Him in some mistake, and so they ask this question: "By what authority do you do this?" And He basically does a switcheroo on them and says, "Well, first tell me, was John's baptism from heaven, from God, or was it of human origin?" And they know they're caught, and they just said, "We don't know." But see, they had status. They had position. They had temple authority. They were the guardians of this sacred place.
To boil it all down, Jesus is saying a promise without action doesn't mean anything. You can have the status, you can have the position, you can have the degrees, you can be the head of the institution. But if you're not in the vineyard doing the work of the Lord, wouldn't it be better if you said no in the beginning, but then reconsidered and came later? Which is what the tax collectors and the sinners were doing with Jesus. These are the people that the people in the temple looked down on. They were just plain people. And at first they said no. But then they reconsider, and they say yes. And they began to serve the Lord.
You can stand here at the front of the church, say, "I love God. I wanna be baptized," but if that doesn't change your life in any way at all — a promise and no performance means nothing. Sometimes I get stuck on this scripture. I just can't get over how simple it is. I keep wanting to find more there. Sometimes it's just that simple.
When we make a promise, we have to follow it with performance. We have to do something. Actions matter more than words. And Jesus is saying, "You've gotta be willing to change." The first one said, "No, I will not go." But reconsidered and changed. You can make a mistake and you can change, and God's arms are open. That is the good news. All those people that they were looking down their noses at had said they were gonna change, and they did change. And with open arms, Jesus blessed them, accepted them, and loved them. It's when you refuse to change and you don't do anything, that's when we're making our mistake.
The second group said, "Yes, I'll go," but didn't go. Who knows why they said yes, but didn't follow through? But what we know is that's an issue we all battle every day. You wanna serve. You wanna be a good Christian. You want to do what the Lord is calling you to do. I know you're busy. I know there's lots of other places you could be. And when we pray and when we ask God, that's when we make those kind of promises. And God is saying, "You can change. You can change."
From the sermon of September 27, 2026
Pastor William Mitchell
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