GRAPES OF WRATH

GRAPES OF WRATH Matthew 21:33-46 March 11, 2007 Given by: Pastor Rich Bersett [Index of Past Messages] Introduction There once was a Catholic man who so desperately wanted to serve God that he would do anything just to know that he was making a sacrifice for God. So he decided to join a monastery and become a monk. But not just any monastery—he wanted the toughest regimen of holiness he could find. Finally he found the one—it was one that had a strict vow of silence. In fact, those who committed to residency there were allowed to speak only 2 words a year. He signed up and began. After his first full year, he appeared before his superior who invited him to say his annual two words. He said, “Food bad.” Then he went back to his disciplines. The next year he again came before his superior for his two word visit, and said, “Bed hard.” And after another year of discipline, he used his two words to say, “Room cold.” The fourth year he told his superior, “I quit.” The older monk broke his silence to respond, “I’m not surprised—all you’ve done is complain since you got here!” In our text today, Jesus had plenty to say, would not remain silent and it was most definitely a complaint. This is the second of three parables Jesus told in response to the priests and elders who questioned his authority. Last week we considered the parable of the two sons working (and, not working) in their father’s vineyard, accusing the religious leaders of disobedience. Today we look at another parable about a vineyard. Text – Matthew 21:33-46 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. The looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet. Judgment Against Israel’s Leaders 1. They mishandled God’s mission – The tenant farmers in the parable were easily understood by Jesus’ hearers. It was not uncommon for wealthy landowners to leave their farms and vine-yards in the hands of stewards for long periods of time. But, of course, they would expect a profit and would send messengers regularly for a full accounting. The tenants in this story have decided they were tired of working for someone else and they stage a hostile takeover, a vineyard mutiny if you will. Both of the landowner’s envoys met with disaster, which pretty well telegraphed big problems back at the vineyard. Now it was time for the son and heir to go return to the farm and get the mess straightened out. The rebel workers decide this is their chance to get everything, so they kill the landowner’s son. The parable is a perfectly tailored comparison to what Israel, God’s stewards, have done with the kingdom He gave them. First, they failed to handle the mission God gave them. They were called to be a light to the rest of the nations of earth, to demonstrate the love, justice and righteousness of God before those who were not yet in covenant with Him. But their history is a tale of repeated failure, as they turned inward, serving themselves, engaging in idolatry and ignoring their wider mission. 2. They mistreated God’s messengers – Throughout the History of Israel, God sent His emissaries—messengers called prophets—to call the nation to repentance and a return to their mission in obedience to God. As illustrated in the parable, the prophets did not fare well in their work of challenging and confronting kings and religious leaders. One by one they are mistreated, maligned and murdered at the hands of their fellow Israelites. Through it all, God remains true to His covenant with His chosen people, even though His people persisted in their wickedness. John the Baptist, the penultimate prophet, was the latest casualty among the misunderstood messengers.   Unimaginably, God’s patience and mercy toward His covenant people remained strong for centuries, as He chastened them and worked with remnants of the faithful among them. But in the end there were no more faithful stewards in Israel—certainly not among the leaders. Until the day when God send His Son, Jesus, born as a Jew under the law. He would come as God’s final messenger to the nation, but also as the consummate man of Israel—keeper of the law, true representative of Jehovah, the Messiah, the God-man. In Him and His obedience, every ambition God had for mankind and for the nation of Israel came to fruition. He was God’s perfect man and man’s perfect God. How would the nation respond to this ultimate messenger? The parable tells the story that was actually unfolding among the religious leaders. They were already planning to kill Him—He knew it and they knew it. So the landowner’s own son is murdered as were the messengers before him. Israel’s leaders, likewise were following the script they wrote down to the letter. Verse 45 reveals that the Pharisees and the chief priests knew that the story was about them. And how does verse 46 read? They looked for a way to arrest him. 3. They will murder God’s Son – It is a testimony to the deep depravity of humanity that they who serve God faithfully will always be persecuted by those who have refused to serve Him. Just as the landowner in the story sent his own son in his desperate attempt to reconcile matters with the mutinous tenants and is killed by them, so Jesus has come from God the Father as His final statement of mercy and grace to rebellious Israel. Though Jesus spoke the clear and perfect will of God He was opposed by the religious leaders. Though He was the absolute fulfillment of John’s forecast of the Messiah, they would hear neither one of their calls to repentance. Though they heard His teaching and witnessed His miracles, they would not change. The more Jesus spoke the truth, the more into a rage they went. He was in the world, and through the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.. (John 1:10) God has a vineyard. It was then the nation of Israel whom He called to Himself and into His service. They rejected Him, and they killed Him. He has brought judgment on them. We are the New Israel—the church is. Through the amazing grace of the Lord Jesus, we are now His people. “Christ in us—the hope of glory”. He has come into our lives and by His Spirit given us a new heart and a new power to obey Him. Don’t resist His Spirit. Do His will. Be His people. Just as surely as that first vineyard faced judgment for their rebellion, so we face His wrath for rebellion. We are not impervious to His chastening. The Importance of Obedience When you hear the Word of God, don’t be like Israel’s leaders who disobeyed because of their pride and rebellion. Disobedience to God’s Word is the most dangerous activity in all the world. The priests and elders were unable to receive anything from Jesus. Why? Because they were in rebellion and wouldn’t obey what they knew they should do. We cannot learn new truth if we’re disobeying what God has already told us. The Colorado, (& North Carolina) State Department of Fish and Wildlife is advising hikers, hunters, fishermen, and golfers to take extra precautions and be on the alert for grizzly bears while in certain areas. They advise people to wear noise-producing devices such as little bells on their clothing to alert but not startle the bear, and carry pepper spray in case of an encounter with a bear. It is also a good idea to watch for signs of bears in the area. They suggest people should watch for signs indicating the presence of grizzly bears. Grizzly bear droppings have bells in them and smell like pepper spray. Disobedience is the grizzly bear of the Christian life. Watch for the signs. As soon as you realize you are being disobedient in the little things, repent. They will lead to bigger disobedience. Be careful when you reject the Lordship of Jesus in even the little things, because not only are you saying NO to God, but your heart will grow a little harder, your rebellious spirit gets stronger and your ability to repent and say YES to Him grows weaker. Each minute rejection sets you up for ultimate denial. First you say no because you don’t like what He says; then as your boldness is taken to new levels, you begin to scorn Him and soon you want to kill Him and get His influence completely out of your life. Another sign you are in a state of rebellion against God is when you no longer listen well to the Word of God. It has become boring to you, you fall asleep in the first sentence of a sermon, you easily resist the urge to read/study your Bible. The hardest thing for the religious leaders to do was to listen to the teaching of Jesus. It made them nervous, and angry. Why? They were sure they were going to do anything but what Jesus said to do. When you find yourself avoiding the Word of God—read, taught or preached—you are on the wrong track. Another sure sign of being in a state of disobedience is this: if you have lost the joy of serving others in the name of Christ. Some have lost it because they simply no longer serve others, and this is itself disobedience. Serving others is one of the main things we are called to, and, when spiritual healthy, we enjoy. Others may still be serving, but they’ve lost the joy. There is a simple, but profound, antidote to joylessness. Repent of your sins. Let the grace and forgiveness of Jesus refresh you. Another indicator of a weakened spiritual condition related to disobedience is this clue: if you can’t remember the last time you repented of sin—truly repented before the Lord. Now, you know you’ve sinned and needed to repent, but if you haven’t lately, then that is an indication you are not in a state of spiritual humility before God—always a dangerous condition that leads to greater levels of disobedience. Time magazine published a piece on political lobbyist Jack Abramoff who was disgraced in the big scandal in 2006. In it Abramoff said this about his experience: "God sent me 1,000 hints that he didn't want me to keep doing what I was doing. But I didn't listen, so he set off a nuclear bomb." When you are in spiritual danger—when you’re in disobedience and don’t recognize it, God will send you messengers—don’t kill them. Stephen, the Spirit-filled deacon of the early church spoke similar judgment against (whom?) the Jews in Jerusalem, the elders and teachers of the law, the Sanhedrin. When they heard the truth, what did they do—repent? No. Because of their hardness of heart, led by the high priest himself, they dragged him out of town and stoned him. What had he said? You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet you fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it. (Acts 7:51-53) I shudder when I think of the many times in my own carnality I have looked directly into the living Word of God and refused to obey it, even in some small thing. I know every time I do that I am weakening my own faith and resolve, and I put myself into a place of heightened vulnerability in the face of the next temptation. Children of God, you’ve been born again through the grace of the Lord Jesus, and have received more favor than Israel ever understood, let us not trifle with God’s will for our lives! We can never become what He wants us to be by disobedience. We will never grow beyond what we are for Him by rejecting His Word. “Be faithful in the little things and He will make you a master over big things.” We cannot learn new truth if we are disobeying what God has already told us. What is true for us as individual members of the body of Christ is also, perhaps especially true of us as a church. Just as Israel was called to faithfully be a light to the nations, a witness of God’s message of love and salvation, so we, the church of New Israel, are called to one magnificent mission—to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that He has commanded us. To this we are called. Brothers and sisters, make every effort to do your part in sustaining the mission of this church. When the Word of God calls you to such clear obedience in anything, don’t delay, hesitate, rebel, but do it. If the New Testament is clear on anything it says we are to be in vital Christian relationships, involved in the lives of fellow believers, serving one another in the context of Christian community. Therefore I urge you to get into meaningful relationships in Life Groups where you can draw on the encouraging fellowship of other believers; where you can learn in community the living and active Word of God; where you can corporately carry on the discipling of others; where you can live out the dynamic relationships Christ has called you to; where you can serve others in the name of Christ; where you can receive genuine teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness; where you can be the body of Christ in real life; where you can become the well-rounded, fully-equipped and edified, strengthened, mission-focused part of the kingdom you are called to be. Another important area of calling for Christians is disciple-making, sharing the gospel in clear and compelling ways with a view to winning others to Jesus and growing them to maturity in Him. When there is opportunity to sacrificially support the disciple-making ministry Jesus has mandated for His church, through your enthusiastic service, participatory intercession and generous giving, don’t say NO to the God who calls you by His grace. Give consistently and generously to the mission of this church in Brazil through our beloved missionaries, the Gregory’s. Encourage and support the worldwide work of Bob and Jan Claus. Pray for the awesome work of God among the Fulani-Woodabe in Niger. Get whole heartedly behind the life-giving ministry of New Beginnings. Love the people of Jericho with the love of God. And never fail to get involved in any disciple-making ministry in the St. Louis metro-east area through your church family. Let’s be God’s New Israel. To this we are called. Don’t ask Him to “send” you—you’ve been sent! What better thing do you have to do with your brief life on God’s earth? What better thing do you have to do with the abundance of His provisions in your life? In what better way can you spend the money He gives you so graciously through your faithful work? We Are God’s New Israel. Let’s get behind the outreach of feeding the hidden, hurting, hungry people of this area. Let’s feed them meals and let’s feed them the love and saving Word of God. Let’s support the other sustaining ministries of this church by putting the rich resources of our God-given gifts and talents to work in worship, hospitality, evangelism, finances, teaching, youth work, children’s ministries and all forms of outreach. Let’s be God’s new Israel Let’s not hesitate to share our testimony and teaching with anyone God puts in our lives, faithfully sowing the seeds of the gospel in their lives. Let’s pray beyond Sunday mornings for those whose names are in this harvest basket. Let’s ask Him to save 40 more. Let’s be God’s New Israel. Take up the challenge to lead a Life Group in some area of your strength, whether it be a Bible-teaching group, a service/ministry group, an interest group or a home cell group. Who’s going to do it if you don’t? Time’s a wasting, children of God! Let’s be God’s New Israel! What are you waiting for? Why delay another week to invite your friends and neighbors to church activities and services where the Word of God is preached and fellow-believers are on hand to love them and serve them? Let’s get more children in this fabulous Kid City program—it’s a kingdom shame to have only a few in such a vital and exciting program. Let’s have more volunteers. Singers, teachers, teacher’s assistants, ushers, puppeteers, administrators and those who will share the love of God in meaningful ways with kids, some of whom don’t get it at home. We have a very good and serviceable facility here on this property. We have consecrated it to the glory and work of God. Let’s scare up a few more who will help keep it maintained, functioning properly and beautified so it is attractive to visitors. An unkempt property doesn’t just not attract people—it’s a turn-off. What we need to see are more people and fewer cob-webs, broken furniture, unfinished classrooms, unsightly vegetation and dirty windows. How about some able-bodied people who like to work and will help Bob Claus in a very big job, who will show up faithfully for work days? “We will not neglect the house of our God.” There are a thousand ways to express your obedience to Jesus Christ as Lord. You can’t, and you shouldn’t, feel as though you need to do them all. But until you apply yourself to obedience and seek out what God wants you to do, you are walking in disobedience. And that is personally spiritually dangerous territory, not to mention unsuitable behavior for New Israel. If we will not respond to Him in faithful obedience, and not respond when His messengers bring His corrective Word, He will give the work of the mission to someone else. In both the parables we’ve studied we’ve seen the high value God places on obedience, instant obedience.     [Back to Top]