Obedience
Matthew 21:28-31; Haggai 1:12-14

There is no great mystery why so many never win souls to Christ.  They never try.  This is absolutely inexcusable.  

In out text, a father said to his son, "Go work today in my vineyard" (Matthew 21:28).  Now, this is not an unreasonable request.  The answer was unbelievable, for the son said, "I will not" (v. 29).  This son however "repented and went."  For some reason he changed his attitude and obeyed his father.

The second son said, "I go, sir" but alas, he "went not" (v. 30).  He had good intentions but he did not go.  "Which of them did the will of his father?"  The answer of course came, "The first" (v. 31).  The second could have loved, admired and praised his father for many things, but he was disobedient.  The first, and he alone, did his father's will.

Christians ought to witness because they have been told to.  Not to do so is pure disobedience.  No matter what else one does, it does not substitute for doing the will of God as commanded. 

Imagine the president of a company, while on a trip, writing a letter to the home office giving a list of things he wants done while he is away.  When he returns several tell him what a wonderful letter he wrote.  They were thrilled at the grammar, the play on words and the logic.  He asks, "Did you do all I told you?"  The reply comes, "Well, no, we have been studying the letter all this time and just never got to it yet."

Can this happen in churches and individual lives today?  Without a doubt God wants our worship and adoration as expressed by thousands of offerings made through the ages.  This, however, never takes the place of obedience to His command to witness.  one could pray all day and study the Word by the hour, but it he never witnesses to those around him, he had not done the will of his father. "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (I Samuel 15:22).  When one begins to obey the voice of the Lord then God will stir up the spirit to do the will of God (Haggai 1:12-14).  Begin witnessing now and see your heart stirred up with a new joy.