{"id":4679,"date":"2026-09-27T13:32:52","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T20:32:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hopelcs.ca\/church\/?page_id=4679"},"modified":"2026-09-26T15:37:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-26T22:37:09","slug":"a-change-of-mind-matthew-2121-33-philippians-2-1-414-18-september-27th-2026-hope-lutheran-port-coquitlam-pastor-lucas-albrecht","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/hopelcs.ca\/church\/a-change-of-mind-matthew-2121-33-philippians-2-1-414-18-september-27th-2026-hope-lutheran-port-coquitlam-pastor-lucas-albrecht\/","title":{"rendered":"“A change of mind\u201d\/ Matthew 21:21-33; Philippians 2.1-4;14-18 \/ September 27th, 2026 \/ Hope Lutheran Port Coquitlam \/ Pastor Lucas Albrecht"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sermon \u2013 September 27th<\/sup>, 2026
\n<\/strong>Hope Lutheran Church, Port Coquitlam BC
\nText: Matthew 21:21-33; Philippians 2.1-4;14-18<\/strong>
\nTheme: \u201cA change of mind\u201d
\n<\/strong>___________________________<\/p>\n

Introduction \u2013 <\/strong>In Matthew 21. <\/strong>Jesus tells the parable of two brothers who receive the same command from their father: \u201cGo work in my vineyard.\u201d The first one says no but later changes his mind and goes. The father asks the second son the same thing. He says, \u201cYes, sir,\u201d but he does not go. Two boys with a similar even: a change of mind.<\/p>\n

Jesus asks, \u201cWhich of the two did the will of his father?\u201d The answer is obvious: the one who actually went. The first son\u2019s first answer was wrong, but his final attitude was right. He changed his mind, and that change showed up in what he did. The second son gave the correct answer, but he did not have the right attitude. His actions were not where his words were. A change of mind.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The people who said yes<\/strong><\/p>\n

This parable is about a people\u2014the chosen people of God, Israel. They said they would obey the Father. That is, they would receive the Messiah. They knew the promises. They had the Scriptures. They had the temple. They knew what the prophets had said.<\/p>\n

But now the Messiah is standing in front of them, and they question His authority. \u201cWho do You think You are?\u201d Their words fall flat. Their attitude is, \u201cNo. Not going into this vineyard. Not a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Near them were tax collectors and prostitutes\u2014sinners, people whose lives had said no to God in their life and attitude. But now their minds have changed. They saw the Messiah in front of them. Words were overturned. Unbelief fell flat, and their hearts were turned to Jesus.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n

That makes us wonder: How can a mind be changed?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Human tools and spiritual life<\/strong><\/p>\n

In this topic, even as Christians, who know about God\u2019s call and God\u2019s grace, it is easy for us to go back to human explanations and human tools. \u201cYou have to accept Jesus.\u201d \u201cYou better have a plan.\u201d \u201cHere are ten tips for how to straighten your life before God.\u201d \u201cYou need this new book.\u201d \u201cYou need therapy.\u201d \u201cYou need to believe in yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, some of those things can be good in their proper place. But only when we are talking about human affairs. Here we are reflecting on spiritual life. When we are talking about a change of mind that is really a change of heart\u2014repentance, faith, forgiveness, and new life\u2014human tools cannot do that work.<\/p>\n

There is only one Book that can change minds, or rather, hearts: the Book\u2014the Word of God.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bible does not work because it is simply more impressive than other books. It works because, in Scripture, God speaks. He shows us who we really are. He shows us our sin\u2014not to humiliate us, but to bring us to repentance. And He shows us Christ, who has taken our sin and carried it to the cross.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The chief priests and elders begin by asking Jesus, \u201cBy what authority are You doing these things?\u201d They want to know who gave Him the right to teach in the temple, to cleanse it, to heal people, and to call them to account.<\/p>\n

But Jesus\u2019 authority does not come from them or from any human institution. It comes from the Father. So when Jesus calls people to repent, He is not offering another opinion or another strategy for self-improvement. He speaks with the authority of the Son of God. His Word is not only information; it does something. Through His Word, the Holy Spirit calls, convicts, forgives, and creates faith.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The mind of Christ<\/strong><\/p>\n

That is why Paul can say in Philippians, our epistle for today: \u201cFor it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.\u201d (Philippians 2:13). God works in us not only what we do, but even the will to do it. The change of mind begins in the mind of God.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That is a relief, because otherwise it all depends on us. It depends on us finding the right words, making the perfect argument, reading the right book, or organizing our lives well enough to make ourselves into better Christians.<\/p>\n

But Paul says that God is at work. Even when we can say we repent, we believe, we make our decisions, we go into the vineyard, behind it all is the gracious work of God, who works in us both the willing and the doing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And that leads to another question. If God changes our mind, what is He changing it into?<\/p>\n

Paul answers that one too: \u201cHave this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.\u201d (Philippians 2:5). God is not simply helping us become better versions of ourselves. He is giving us the mind of Christ:<\/p>\n