Parables of the Kingdom 3 (2)

Session 3

II. Responsibility to the Kingdom

Matthew 21:33-43; 22:1-14

INTRODUCTION

ILL- Responsibility to pay taxes

Deadline given—Consequences Expressed

Matthew 21:33–43 ESV

33 “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. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. 35 And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 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.” 42 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’? 43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.

A. The Wicked Vine-dressers

Matthew 21:33–34 ESV

33 “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. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit.

1. Wall, winepress and watchtower= protection God lavishes on vineyard (Israel)—everything needed for success.

2. Farmers= those to whom God has entrusted his nation (Jews)

3. Fruit= proof of your life.

B. Matthew 21:35-37

Matthew 21:35–37 ESV

35 And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

1. Servants’ fate= treatment of God’s prophets

2. Son= Jesus

C. Matthew 21:38-39

Matthew 21:38–39 ESV

38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

1. Attempt to claim vineyard for themselves.

a. Jews tried to take over Kingdom.

b. Became about them, not God.

c. Our tendency to take over the church for self.

2. Killed son= they forgot about the Father and His vengeance.

D. Matthew 21:40-41

Matthew 21:40–41 ESV

40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 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.”

1. Father will find new tenants for his vineyard who will be obedient.

2. Obedience is the Key Fruit of the Kingdom. (Seed and Sower)

E. Matthew 21:42

Matthew 21:42 ESV

42 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’?

1. The rejection of Son does not mean He was not the Son.

2. Rejection of Jesus does not mean He is not Messiah.

3. Jesus fulfills prophecy as much in his death as in his brith.

F. Matthew 21:43-44

Matthew 21:43–44 ESV

43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

1. Kingdom= for those who produce fruit.

2. Rejection of Jesus as cornerstone leads to judgment.

3. Less than genuine discipleship will lead to judgment.

G. Conclusion (45-46) Matthew 21:45-46

Matthew 21:45–46 ESV

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

1. What do you do with truth?

a. Ignore

b. Try to destroy

c. Allow it to change your life.

B. The Wedding Feast

Matthew 22:1–14 ESV

1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

A. Matthew 22:1-3

Matthew 22:1–3 ESV

1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.

1. Wedding= eschatological consummation.

2. Originally invited= Israel

a. “They refused”= lit. They were not willing

B. Matthew 22:4-7

Matthew 22:4–7 ESV

4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

1. “They paid no attention”= They didn’t care—apathy.

2. The rest—actively resistant and hostile.

a. The apathetic and hostile are both LOST.

4. Vengeance—Day of Judgment

C. Matthew 22:8-10

Matthew 22:8–10 ESV

8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

1. Original invited guests are UNWORTY.

2. 2nd Group of Invited Guests= Seem less unworthy.

3. Worthiness or unworthiness has to do with one’s response to Gospel.

D. Matthew 22:11-13

Matthew 22:11–13 ESV

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

1. Man without Proper Dress= Did not change.

a. Custom of king providing festive dress for guests.

b. Invitation is not enough= You must put on purity.

E. Matthew 22:14

Matthew 22:14 ESV

14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

1. Many people hear the summons of the gospel, but only a

certain percentage responds properly.

2. “Many”= all

3. “Few”= less than all.

4. “Called” (Kletoi)= literally here mean “invited”

5. Chosen= those who have been changed.

6. “The elect are the true community of the people God chooses to save, even as Israel had once been so chosen, but those people must freely respond to the Spirit’s work in the lives.” (NAC)

7. “Divine sovereignty and human responsibility are again finely balanced.”

8. “The man’s behavior demonstrates he is not elect. Election does not violate free will nor occur irrespective of the man’s conduct.”

Conclusion

We must be the servants who go out and invite guests.

We aren’t responsible for what they put on.

We must not replace the true gospel with some substitute of our own design.

Galatians 6:9 ESV

9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.