Parable of Wicked Tenants

First Context - Ready for the Reign

Just finished “Trust the Promises.” Ended on the promise: “I Give You Hope.” This promise was drawn from St. John’s vision of the resurrected Jesus in glory, recorded in the book of Revelation.

Today we begin a new series, Ready for the Reign. A play on words here. Coming into the rainy/storm season. Heightened awareness, preparedness. Metaphor to help us think about how ready and prepared we are to enter into the Kingdom of God, the Reign of Christ.

The readings are drawn from the Revised Common Lectionary. The lectionary is a schedule of Sunday Scripture readings that lead us every year through our experience of Christ. A schedule we share with many other Christian communities.

Last part of the Christian year. Heading toward Christ the King Sunday on November 26th. All our readings, will be encouraging us to be ready for the Kingdom of God by letting Jesus reign in our hearts right now.

Today’s readings are from Isaiah and Matthew.

Isaiah wrote in the 6th and 5th BCE. He preached messages of judgment and hope, to help God’s ancient people reform their lives. In today’s reading, he compares God and Israel to a vineyard owner and his vineyard.

First Text - Isaiah 5:1-7

Isaiah 5:1–7 ESV

Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!

Second Context - Matthew 21:33-36.

Our second reading come from the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus has recently arrived in Jerusalem, which we remember as the “Triumphal Entry.” The crowds hailed Jesus as the “Son of David”, a great prophet, and even the Messiah.

The religious leaders — Scribes, Sadduccees, and Pharisees — are wary of Jesus’ fame with the people and his teachings that challenge their traditions and authority.

They corner him in the temple and begin to plow him with trick questions in an attempt to discredit him before the crowds. Jesus knows that their ultimate intention is to put him to death.

He tells them a series of parables. Earthly stories with a heavenly meaning.

Today’s parable: The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

Second Text - Matthew 21:33-46

Matthew 21:33–46 ESV

“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

INTRODUCTION

Greatest Showman. The show: It’s everything you ever want, its everything you ever need, and its here right in front of you. Pursues fame and fortune in the “Greatest Show on Earth.” The truly important thing, his family pays the price…even to temporarily losing them.

The most important thing may be right in front of us, but we may not be seeing it.

ANCIENT PROBLEM

Jesus tells a parable. A master. Vineyard. Tenants. Servants. Murder. Finally a Son. What will the owner do?

From their own lips…a bad end!

What they hadn’t realized was that Jesus was drawing on a Biblical image of divine accusation against Israel and especially its religious leadership.

The parable relies on a well-known Biblical image: Israel is the vineyard of the Lord. The prophets (Isaiah) use this metaphor. Isaiah 5:1–2

God chose Israel. Planted, hedged, guarded, them in a Promised Land.

As a vineyard, an example among all the nations of what it looks like to be in a relationship with the Lord.

EG: Driving tour, wilderness. Suddenly a vineyard. Kept and beautiful, I want to visit there!

Israel to attract all the nations into covenant.

But the history of the Israel was that it was not productive, didn’t produce good, but produced evil: Isaiah 5:7

Isaiah 5:7 ESV

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!

God, like the vineyard owner, sent his servants, the prophets, to correct this behavior in his vineyard - Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, but all were rejected...some even killed.

Not a truth the leadership liked to acknowledge....perhaps why not picking up on where Jesus might be going with the parable.

Then, Jesus moving the parable to a new level intensity

Finally the vineyard owner sends his Son - they will respect my son.

But, wicked tenants in the parable reject even the Son and kill the Son. A hostile take over of the vineyard

Gasp of dismay and disgust!

Jesus says, what will the owner do in response?

destroy them!

Jesus says, you are exactly right.

Then he surprises them. And does the reveal:

Have you not read the Scriptures? The builders reject the cornerstone (Ps. 118), yet the Lord’s is at work!

Suddenly the religious leaders realize that the whole parable has been about them.

Jesus is saying:

The kingdom of God is right here, I am the Son. And you can’t see it. You are missing it. You think it is the temple, the ritual, the boundaries,…the “show”, but it is more.

CURRENT PROBLEM

This parable helped Matthew’s early church community to understand why some of the ancient religious elite were not leading the church. Christians saw themselves as the “others” to whom the vineyard had been given.

And they heard the warning: The moment they take their eyes of the living and present Jesus, the Son of God, that is when they will fail to be the church.

Peter and the admission of the gentiles. Believed in Jesus. But we can’t do that! But Jesus did! Acts 15:6-11.

paul and factionalism. I like Paul, I like Apollos. God gives the growth! 1 Cor. 3:5-6. Christ is over all of us.

Jesus in Revelation to Laodicea, inwardly turned, and satisfied, rigid: I stand at the door and knock. Rev. 3:20. We are all “in” but Jesus is “out.”

Today, we LCPC are a vineyard.

Are our eyes on Christ? I am right in front of you…but you are resisting me.

We can be in denial: I would never reject Christ!! I’m not so sure...

When God invites me into a new direction,…This my ministry. This is my church. I do not change, we are rejecting a messenger from God.

When we hear a sermon message, read Scripture, “that was good” but don’t put it into practice…rejecting a servant of God.

When we receive the spirit of Christ but then drift away, Hebrews 6:6 crucifying again the Son of God and are hold him up to contempt.

Our marriage, our work, relationship with our children. All vineyards.

In this parable Jesus surprises us too: while we are recipients of incredible grace of church, we place ourselves in danger of judgment — even of losing the gifts we have been given — if we take our eyes of Jesus.

HINGE

Threat. But God’s threats always contain a promise. An invitation to avoid the evil consequences and seek the good.

To see this preferred arrangement, let’s re-imagine the parable according to what should have happened. The parable Jesus would like to tell.

ANCIENT SOLUTION

The landowner establishes a vineyard. All the necessary things are in place - cleared, walled, tower, winepress. The community is excited about the new produce. Workers are ready to be hired for this great opportunity.

Workers are hired and set to work, the landowner departs and allows them free reign to manage, while he continues others ventures.

Production begins. Harvest produce are being sold in the market square. The gleaning are left for the poor. Revenues are sent to the owner. The tenants eat off the land. Build their homes.

Occasionally, messengers are sent back to the vineyard to check on progress.

The tenants receive them courteously. Take them around for inspection. Ask about the satisfaction of the owner. Any direction to offer?

Good report goes back to the owner. Well pleased, he buys more land and entrusts the tenants with more opportunity. New jobs are created. Local community relies on the positive impact of the vineyard.

Now the tenants well established. Families emerge.

The son, the inheritor, comes for a visit. They welcome him with great honor like a banquet. He is pleased with all things. He promises that he will continue the legacy of his father. The vineyard will continue to expand, the children of the tenants can be assured of having a future too.

In short, where there was no vineyard before, now there is a thriving business and community.

This is the kind of relationship that God has always desired and pursued with his people.

Israel/church where people come and grow; Pointing behind itself to the good master.

well done good and faithful servant. enter into the joy of our master!

CURRENT SOLUTION

God is sending messengers, still sending his son, still giving us the opportunity to be good tenants in his vineyard.

church where people come and grow; work; marriage and family. Pointing behind itself to the good master.

Thomas Edison example. Another chance. Electric lights are so common today that we never even give them a thought. If I were changing a light bulb and I dropped one and broke it, I wouldn't worry about it. I would just go and get another one. That hasn't always been true. I heard a story about when Thomas Edison was working to invent this crazy contraption called a "light bulb." It took a whole team of men working for twenty-four hours to put just one light bulb together. The story is told that when Edison's team was finished with one light bulb, he gave it to a young boy to carry upstairs. Step by step he carefully carried it, afraid that he might drop this priceless piece of work. You can probably guess what happened; the poor boy dropped the bulb at the top of the stairs. It took the team of men twenty-four more hours to make another bulb. Finally, tired and ready for a break, Edison was ready to have his bulb carried upstairs. He gave it to the same young boy who dropped the first one. That's true forgiveness. Mr. Edison gave the boy another chance! [1]

God offers that same kind of forgiveness. He offers man a second chance — and a third!

We can start anew.

It is all gift.

Being grateful to be in his vineyard

church, ministry, job, family, all gift.

Don’t have to control, own it, seize it. Appreciate it.

Focus on what the vineyard is for:

Love of God

Love of neighbor

Be responsive to messengers from the Lord

When the disciple is ready the master appears.

Sermons, services, scripture study, prayerful moments. Be on the lookout for messengers and when they come welcome them. Then show them around and get evaluation

Enjoy the favor of the Owner.

As we manage his blessings he gives us more. To whom much has been given, much is required, and he who is faithful in little is faithful in much and more is given.

Most especially we can look forward to the legacy. Christ will visit us regularly. When he does he will ensure that we and ours are always part of his vineyard.

CONCLUSION

Greatest Showman. He is with his wife. Watching his daughter perform. This is everything I ever want, need, and it is here right in front of you.

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

Let us pray for the needs of the world, saying, Lord of the vineyard, hear our prayer.

Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

For your beloved, chosen people, the vine you brought out of Egypt, Lord of the vineyard, hear our prayer.

For the church of Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, Lord of the vineyard, hear our prayer.

For martyrs, saints, and prophets, persecuted for doing your will, Lord of the vineyard, hear our prayer.

For all who are suffering, through sickness or oppression, Lord of the vineyard, hear our prayer.

For the coming of your kingdom, with justice and peace for all, Lord of the vineyard, hear our prayer.

Turn again, O God of hosts; look down from heaven and see; have regard for your people; through Christ, the vine, in whom we are branches. Amen.

I love Jesus. Hmmm. “Jesus loves you....the rest of us think you are a jerk.” I love God, I just don’t like people.

Love of God, love of neighbor is not an either/or choice.