NOTES:
1] Authority has always been an issue in the church. 2] Jesus' story is aimed at religious heavies. 3] There are differing versions of which 'child' (Jesus says 'child', not 'son') says & does what in the story, a common result of oral transmission. 4] Jesus' point is that original leaders may be replaced by others, non Hebrews, who eventually say "Yes" to God. 5] The sting in the tail of what Jesus says is that God's inclusiveness is all embracing.

WARMING UP:  When did we last say we'd do one thing, but actually did another?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Identify God at work in anything this week?

EXPLORING GOSPEL:

23-27    Is the question of authority, in any way, shape, or form, an issue in our church? At what level(s)? If someone were to ask us where Jesus gets his authority, could we answer them convincingly?

What essentialy defines the authority of a 'person of God', whether it's John Baptist, Jesus, or us? How do we know if a person claiming some authority within the church really derives that authority from God or just some human process? What does it do to a person's claim to authority if we decide it isn't backed by God? Where does ultimate authority lie? Does 'democracy' solve or just avoid this issue?

28-32     Have we ever been called by God to do something for him, & said "Yes", but didn't do it? Or the reverse? How can we encourage each other, fellow church members, & the wider community to both say "Yes" to God & do "Yes". Is it more common within our church fellowships for people to say "Yes" & do "No", or, say "No" but do "Yes"? What light does this story throw on the day by day responses we're called to make to God?

Do we ever find it offensive that, according to Jesus, under God's Rule, even, say, sex-workers & money-grabbers who say & do "Yes" to God may take precedence over more openly 'religious' people who let God down? Deep down, aren't we as shocked & outraged as Jesus' hearers must have been? Surely that sort of thing's not fair? What is justice? Righteousness?

If God's Rule is as topsy-turvy as this, mightn't we be better off with someone else's? How much do we operate under it anyhow? What's the essence of God's Rule as Jesus declares & demonstrates it? Is our usual human way of setting standards & making laws wrong, or is Jesus just too mind-blowingly right for us to cope with? What changes would we have to make in attitude, if not in law-making, to reflect God's Rule as Jesus teaches it? Would it work? Would we really want it to?