+ 18th Sunday after Pentecost – September 27th, 2026 +
Series A: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32; Philippians 2:1-18; Matthew 21:23-32
Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church
Milton, WA
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The musician Bob Dylan once sang...
“You may be an ambassador to England or France
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody”
Where there’s a servant, or service, there’s authority. And wherever there’s authority among sinners there’s a power struggle.
So far in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus has entered Jerusalem, taught, preached, healed, forgiven sins, and cast out demons, and raised the dead. Then he strolls into the temple like he owns the place (which he did) and speaks the word of God as if he’s God himself (which he is!).
By whose authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority?
When the chief priests and elders question Jesus’ authority, He could have just as well have said:
You may be a pharisee a teacher of the scroll,
You may be a chief priest with a hand upon the bull,
You may be a gentile, an escort or publican,
You may be a sinner fightin’ that demon within
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
“I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?”
Matthew 21 is a clash of authorities. The chief priests and elders on one side. Jesus on the other. Man’s authority. Or Christ’s authority.
But the line Jesus draws goes deeper still. Deeper even than the tension of Jew and Gentile. Deep as the heart. The difference Jesus is getting at, is between belief and unbelief. Faith and unfaith. Righteousness in Jesus, which is life. Self-righteousness which leads to death. You’re gonna have to serve somebody.
So whose authority do you live under? Who or what do we fear, love, and trust in above all things? Our own authority or Christ’s?
Jesus’ words, and his parable of the two sons, are a call to repentance aimed at the chief priests and religious leaders of his day. Even in Holy Week as they plot and scheme to kill and crucify him, Jesus seeks to save them. To bring them under the same good and gracious rule that the tax collectors and sinners have been brought under, the daily road of dying and rising, of repentance and forgiveness and life in Jesus.
His words do the same for us too. To wake us up. To raise us from the dead. To give us life in him. His cross. His gracious authority
Where our so-called authority reigns and runs wild, sin and death run amuck. Christ’s authority reigns, life and mercy and grace run wild and free.
Where man’s authority leads to sin and slavery. Christ’s authority leads to forgiveness and deliverance.
Where our authority would seek to serve ourselves. Jesus comes with the authority given by the Father to seek and to save the lost.
Jesus also knows he’s gotta serve somebody. And he does. Only He does it perfectly. Not for himself, but for you. No waffling like in the parable. His answer to the Father is always, Yes. His promises to you are always, Yes.
He serves the Father. And in doing so he comes to serve and to save you.
The Father says to the Son, “go and work in my vineyard on a Friday afternoon. Go and give your hands to the nails, your arms and legs to the tree of the cross, your back to the whip, your head to the thorns. Shed your blood. Lay down your life. Breath out your last. All to give life to sinners.”
And the Son says to the Father, “Yes, I will go.”
And the Son says, “Yes, I have done it for you. It is finished.”
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
