It's Not Mine, I'm borrowing it!
Notes
Transcript
1 Then he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watchtower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 2 When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. 5 Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. 6 He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this scripture:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
11 this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is amazing in our eyes’?”
12 When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away.
IT’S NOT MINE, I’M BORROWING IT.
IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, YOU ENJOY A GOOD MYSTERY STORY EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. ONE OF THE BEST MYSTERY WRITERS IN HISTORY IS AGATHA CHRISTIE ….WHO MY WIFE IS NAMED AFTER …
AGATHA CHRISTIE WROTE 66 DETECTIVE NOVELS AND 14 SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS. HER WORKS HAVE SOLD OVER 2 BILLION COPIES, AN AMOUNT SURPASSED ONLY BY THE BIBLE.
JESUS WAS THE MASTER STORYTELLER. WE HAVE OVER 50 PARABLES RECORDED IN THE FOUR GOSPEL ACCOUNTS, ALTHOUGH MARK ONLY INCLUDES SIX.
JESUS SPOKE IN PARABLES BECAUSE HE WANTED HIS LISTENERS TO DIG A LITTLE BELOW THE SURFACE TO FIND THE HIDDEN TRUTH.
IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER…WE SEE THE JEWISH LEADERS DEMANDED TO KNOW THE SOURCE OF HIS AUTHORITY. TODAY SOMEONE MAY OF SAID TO JESUS…… “JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, ANYWAY? WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO GO THROUGH OUR TEMPLE AND MESS UP OUR GOOD THING?
JESUS DIDN’T GIVE THEM A STRAIGHT ANSWER. HE ANSWERED THEIR QUESTION WITH A QUESTION OF HIS OWN.
BUT THEN HE WENT BEYOND GIVING THEM A SIMPLE ANSWER; INSTEAD HE ANSWERED THEIR QUESTION WITH A PARABLE. AND THE JEWISH LEADERS WERE IN THE STORY. WE SEE THAT PARABLE IN OUR TEXT TODAY…
MY NEW TESTAMENT PROFESSOR…DR. LARRY GEORGE SAID THAT IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND JESUS’ PARABLES, YOU HAVE TO PEEL OFF THE LAYERS LIKE AN ONION.
THERE IS THE ACTUAL STORY ITSELF, WHICH SHOULD BE APPRECIATED SIMPLY FOR ITS LITERARY VALUE.
THIS IS A STORY OF THE CRIME OF TENANTS REFUSING TO PAY RENT TO THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD. THEY EVENTUALLY MURDER THE OWNER’S SON, AND THE OWNER BRINGS THEM TO JUSTICE FOR THEIR CRIME.
BUT WHEN YOU PEEL OFF ONE OF THE LAYERS, WE SEE THAT JESUS WAS USING THE PARABLE TO DELIVER A MESSAGE TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL.
IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THIS LAYER YOU MUST IDENTIFY THE CHARACTERS IN THIS PARABLE (1) THE OWNER IS GOD.
HE CREATED THE VINEYARD. (2) THE VINEYARD REPRESENTS ISRAEL. GOD PLACED THEM IN THEIR OWN LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY
. (3) THE TENANTS REPRESENT THE JEWISH LEADERS. THEY HAD FORGOTTEN GOD AND HAD TURNED HIS TEMPLE INTO A DEN OF THIEVES.
(4) THE SERVANTS REPRESENT THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS. GOD SENT MANY PROPHETS TO WARN ISRAEL; THE LAST PROPHET WHO WAS WOUNDED IN THE HEAD SURELY IS A REFERENCE TO JOHN THE BAPTIST WHO WAS BEHEADED.
5) OF COURSE, THE ONLY SON REPRESENTS JESUS.
WE TEND TO STUDY THE PARABLES OF JESUS FROM A HUMAN PERSPECTIVE RATHER FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE. YOU CAN SEE THIS TENDENCY IN HOW WE NAME THE PARABLES.
NONE OF THE PARABLES HAD NAMES IN THE ORIGINAL TEXT, BUT SOME OF THE NEWER TRANSLATIONS ADD TITLES. FOR INSTANCE, WE ALL HAVE HEARD OF THE “PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON,” BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE, IT REALLY SHOULD BE CALLED THE “PARABLE OF THE FORGIVING FATHER.”
IF YOU HAVE AN NRSV TRANSLATION, THE PARABLE WE READ TODAY IS LABELED, “THE PARABLE OF THE WICKED TENANTS.” WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE WE SHOULD CALL IT THE “PARABLE OF THE PATIENT LANDOWNER.”
IN THIS STORY JESUS TEACHES FOUR FOUNDATIONAL TRUTHS ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF GOD.
AND ONCE WE UNCOVER THOSE TRUTHS, THEN WE WILL FIND A CORRESPONDING PERSONAL LESSON THAT WE CAN APPLY TO OUR LIVES.
1. GOD IS THE OWNER
THE PSALMIST PROCLAIMS, “THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S AND EVERYTHING IN IT.” (PSALM 24:1) LIKE THE OWNER IN THE PARABLE, GOD IS THE CREATOR AND HE OWNS ALL OF THE EARTH AND BEYOND. THE TENANTS DIDN’T OWN THE VINEYARD; BUT THE OWNER PLACED THEM THERE EXPECTING TO RECEIVE SOME OF THE GRAPES HARVESTED.
HE DIDN’T DEMAND ALL OF THE GRAPES, JUST A PORTION OF THEM AT HARVEST TIME. BUT THE TENANTS REJECTED THE OWNER’S REQUEST AND ACTED AS IF THEY OWNED THE VINEYARD.
IF TRUTH BE TOLD THAT CAN BE LIKE US WHEN IT COMES TO THE GIVING OF OUR TITHES AND TIME….
IF WE EXAMINE THIS…..WE WILL SEE THE ESSENCE OF SIN ……
DECLARING INDEPENDENCE FROM THE LORD…THE CREATOR—REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD’S OWNERSHIP OF THIS WORLD AND ALL THAT HE GIVES US….
IT’S NOT MINE….IM JUST BORROWING IT.
PERSONAL LESSON: I DON’T OWN ANYTHING; I JUST MANAGE SOME OF GOD’S PROPERTY
MOST OF US IN HERE HAVE HEARD THE TERM “SHARECROPPERS.”
TRUTH BE TOLD MANY OF US IN HERE HAVE ANCESTORS THAT WERE SHARECROPPERS.
SHARECROPPERS WERE FAMILIES WHO LIVED ON AND FARMED LAND THAT DIDN’T BELONG TO THEM. THEY PLOWED THE OWNER’S LAND, PLANTED THE OWNER’S SEEDS, AND PICKED THE OWNER’S HARVEST. IN RETURN FOR THEIR HARD WORK, THEY KEPT SOME OF THE FOOD THEY PRODUCED AND GAVE THE REST TO THE LANDOWNER.
IN A REAL SENSE, EACH ONE OF US IS A SHARECROPPER FOR THE LORD.
WE DON’T OWN ANYTHING; WE JUST MANAGE A PART OF GOD’S CREATION. BUT SOMETIMES WE MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE THE TENANTS IN THE PARABLE MADE. WE START IMAGINING WE OWN THE VINEYARD.
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A LITTLE CHILD GRAB A TOY FROM ANOTHER CHILD AND SHOUT, “MINE!”
WE REALIZE THE CHILD DIDN’T PURCHASE THE TOY AND HE OR SHE REALLY DOESN’T OWN IT. THEY JUST HAVE POSSESSION UNTIL ANOTHER KID TAKES IT FROM THEM.
I WONDER HOW OUR HEAVENLY FATHER MUST FEEL WHEN WE WALK INTO OUR HOUSE AND SAY, “MINE!” OR WHEN WE GET IN OUR NICE CAR AND SAY, “MINE!” OR WHEN WE GO ONLINE AND CHECK OUR ACCOUNT BALANCE AND SAY, “MINE!”
NO, IT’S NOT YOURS. EVERY GOOD THING YOU HAVE IS A GIFT FROM GOD.
EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD IS TEMPORARY EXCEPT THE WORD OF GOD AND THE SOULS OF PEOPLE.
YOU SEE…..
THE ORIGINAL JOB DESCRIPTION GOD GAVE TO ADAM AND EVE WAS TO BE GOOD MANAGERS OF HIS CREATION. THE BIBLE SAYS, “THE LORD GOD TOOK THE MAN AND PUT HIM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO WORK IT AND TAKE CARE OF IT.” (GENESIS 2:15) WHAT KIND OF JOB ARE YOU DOING TAKING CARE OF THE PORTION OF GOD’S CREATION THAT HE HAS ENTRUSTED TO YOU?
IT’S NOT MINE, IM JUST BORROWING IT.
2. GOD IS PATIENT
THE BIBLE SAYS, “THE LORD IS COMPASSIONATE AND GRACIOUS, SLOW TO ANGER, ABOUNDING IN LOVE.” (PSALM 103:8) THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD SENT A MESSENGER TO COLLECT WHAT WAS DUE HIM, BUT THE SHARECROPPERS BEAT HIM UP AND KICKED HIM OUT.
IF THIS HAD BEEN LIKE A TV CRIME SHOW…THE OWNER WOULD HAVE CALLED THE POLICE OUT TO HIS VINEYARD TO INVESTIGATE.
BUT THIS OWNER SIMPLY SENT OTHER SERVANTS—AND THEY KICKED ALL OF THEM OFF THE VINEYARD—EVEN KILLING SOME OF THEM. WHAT IS THE MAIN THING WE LEARN ABOUT GOD FROM THIS PART OF THE STORY? HE IS PATIENT WITH US.
PERSONAL LESSON: HE SENDS MANY MESSENGERS TO REMIND US TO OBEY HIM
THIS PARABLE IS ABOUT EACH ONE OF US. GOD HAS PREPARED A VINEYARD FOR US TO MANAGE.
THAT GREAT JOB YOU HAVE DIDN’T COME BY YOUR TALENT OR GOOD LOOKS. GOD PUT YOU THERE. GOD IS THE CREATOR AND HE OWNS IT ALL.
HE EXPECTS A GOOD RETURN FROM YOU. HE’S NOT ASKING FOR YOU TO GIVE HIM 90% OF WHAT YOU HAVE, OR EVEN HALF. HE’S SAYS 10% IS A GOOD START, BUT HE’S NOT PRIMARILY INTERESTED IN YOUR MONEY.
HE WANTS YOU. HE’S ASKING YOU TO FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE HIS OWNERSHIP, HIS LORDSHIP OVER YOUR LIFE.
THE GREATEST MISTAKE YOU CAN MAKE IS TO THINK THAT YOU ARE PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTAINING ANY OF YOUR WEALTH OR PROPERTY THAT YOU OVERSEE.
GOD IS PATIENTLY REACHING OUT TO YOU TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS LORDSHIP OVER YOUR LIFE. HE HAS SENT YOU PLENTY OF MESSENGERS. YOU HAVE THE BIBLE. YOU HAVE CHRISTIAN RADIO AND TELEVISION. YOU HAVE A WORLD WIDE WEB FILLED WITH MILLIONS OF BIBLE STUDIES.
THERE ARE REMINDERS ALL AROUND YOU THAT YOU HAVE A DATE WITH DEATH AND YOU’D BETTER PREPARE TO MEET YOUR CREATOR.
WHEN YOU OPEN THE NEWSPAPER AND READ THE OBITUARIES, GOD IS SENDING A MESSAGE TO YOU. WHEN YOU DRIVE BY A CEMETERY, ANOTHER MESSENGER.
GOD IS SO PATIENT WITH YOU THAT IF YOU HAVE REJECTED HIS OFFER A DOZEN TIMES, OR A HUNDRED TIMES, OR A THOUSAND TIMES, HE KEEPS SENDING YOU MESSENGERS.
TODAY, I’M JUST THE MOST RECENT MESSENGER YOUR CREATOR HAS SENT TO LOVINGLY REACH OUT TO YOU TO RESPOND TO THE OWNER’S GRACIOUS OFFER.
3. GOD IS LOVING
THE BIBLE SAYS, “FOR THE LORD IS GOOD AND HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER; HIS FAITHFULNESS CONTINUES THROUGH ALL GENERATIONS.” (PSALM 100:5)
IN THE PARABLE, AFTER THE OWNER’S SERVANTS HAD BEEN REJECTED AND ABUSED, HE TAKES AN ASTONISHING STEP–HE SENT HIS ONLY SON, WHOM HE LOVED. HE HOPED THE TENANTS WOULD RESPECT HIS SON, AND INSTEAD THEY KILLED HIM.
THIS PARABLE NOT ONLY REVEALS THE LOVE OF GOD, IT ALSO REVEALS THE UTTER WICKEDNESS OF THE HUMAN HEART. THE TENANTS OF VINEYARD DIDN’T KILL THE OWNER’S SON IN THE SPONTANEOUS HEAT OF EMOTION; THEY MADE A CALCULATED DECISION. THEY THOUGHT BY KILLING THE SON, THEY COULD CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF THE VINEYARD.
PERSONAL LESSON: HE SENT HIS ONLY SON TO OFFER US THE GIFT OF LIFE
AS YOU LISTEN TO THIS PARABLE, YOU’RE PROBABLY THINKING IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE FOR THE OWNER TO SEND HIS SON. HE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY REALIZED THE TENANTS WERE WICKED. DIDN’T HE REALIZE THEY WOULD KILL HIS SON, TOO? IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE IN HUMAN TERMS. BUT IN THE HEART AND MIND OF GOD, JESUS WAS THE LAMB OF GOD SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.
THE BIBLE SAYS, “THIS IS HOW GOD SHOWED HIS LOVE AMONG US: HE SENT HIS ONE AND ONLY SON INTO THE WORLD THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM.” (1 JOHN 4:9)
HOW CAN YOU RESIST THAT KIND OF LOVE?
4. GOD IS THE FINAL JUDGE
GOD IS PERFECT IN HIS LOVE, BUT HE IS ALSO PERFECT IN HIS JUSTICE. THE BIBLE SAYS, “BUT THE LORD ABIDES FOREVER; HE HAS ESTABLISHED HIS THRONE FOR JUDGMENT, AND HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (PSALM 9:7-8 NASB)
WHEN JESUS FINISHED THE PARABLE, HE ASKED THE QUESTION, “WHAT DO YOU THINK THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD WILL DO TO THOSE TENANTS WHO KILLED HIS ONLY SON?”
IT WASN’T A RHETORICAL QUESTION. JESUS ANSWERED IT FOR THEM. HE SAID, “HE WILL COME AND EXECUTE THOSE WICKED TENANTS AND TAKE THE VINEYARD FROM THEM AND GIVE IT TO OTHER TENANTS WHO WILL BE FAITHFUL.” THE JEWISH LEADERS WERE ENRAGED BECAUSE THEY KNEW JESUS WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THEM REJECTING HIM AS THE MESSIAH.
AS JESUS FINISHED THIS PARABLE HE ASKED THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS, “10 HAVE YOU NOT READ THIS SCRIPTURE:
‘THE STONE THAT THE BUILDERS REJECTED
HAS BECOME THE CORNERSTONE;[A]
11 THIS WAS THE LORD’S DOING,
AND IT IS AMAZING IN OUR EYES’?”
JESUS WAS QUOTING FROM PSALM 118.
IN EPHESIANS 2:20 JESUS IS CALLED THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE.
THE “STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED” IS A REFERENCE TO THE BUILDING OF SOLOMON’S TEMPLE.
IT TOOK OVER 30,000 WORKMEN SEVEN YEARS TO COMPLETE THE FIRST TEMPLE.
PERSONAL LESSON: THOSE WHO REJECT GOD’S SON/STONE WILL FALL UNDER HIS JUDGMENT
WHENEVER YOU HEAR SOMEONE SPEAK ABOUT THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, BE REMINDED THAT THEY AREN’T THE TRUE SUPREME COURT. HUMAN JUDGES ARE PRONE TO MAKE MISTAKES, BUT GOD IS THE PERFECT JUDGE.
THE BIBLE SAYS, “GOD IS JUST: HE WILL PAY BACK TROUBLE TO THOSE WHO TROUBLE YOU AND GIVE RELIEF TO YOU WHO ARE TROUBLED, AND TO US AS WELL. THIS WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE LORD JESUS IS REVEALED FROM HEAVEN IN BLAZING FIRE WITH HIS POWERFUL ANGELS. HE WILL PUNISH THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW GOD AND DO NOT OBEY THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS.” (2 THESSALONIANS 1:6-8)
SO WHAT ARE OUR TAKE-AWAY TRUTHS? FIRST, HAVE YOU ACKNOWLEDGED GOD’S CLAIM TO YOUR LIFE? HAVE YOU ACCEPTED HIS SON? IS YOUR LIFE BUILD UPON THE ROCK OF AGES? SECOND, ARE YOU BEING A GOOD STEWARD OF THE VINEYARD WHERE GOD HAS PLACED YOU?
DO YOU CONSTANTLY REMEMBER THAT YOU DON’T OWN ANYTHING, THAT HE OWNS IT ALL AND HE HAS THE RIGHT TO IT ALL?
WILL YOU ADOPT A SHARECROPPER’S ATTITUDE WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR POSSESSIONS?
WE ARE ENTERING GOD’S VINEYARD WHEN WE WALK OUT THESE DOORS.
LET’S GO AND BE FAITHFUL SHARECROPPERS FOR THE LORD!
OUTLINE
CHARACTERS IN THE PARABLE
1. THE OWNER: GOD
2. THE VINEYARD: ISRAEL
3. THE TENANTS: JEWISH LEADERS
4. THE SERVANTS: OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS
5. THE SON: JESUS
• • •
1. GOD IS THE OWNER
“THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S AND EVERYTHING IN IT.” (PSALM 24:1
LESSON: I DON’T OWN ANYTHING; I JUST MANAGE SOME OF GOD’S PROPERTY
“THE LORD GOD TOOK THE MAN AND PUT HIM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO WORK IT AND TAKE CARE OF IT.” GENESIS 2:15
2. GOD IS PATIENT
“THE LORD IS COMPASSIONATE AND GRACIOUS, SLOW TO ANGER, ABOUNDING IN LOVE.” PSALM 103:8
LESSON: HE SENDS MANY MESSENGERS TO REMIND US TO OBEY HIM
“YOU MAY SAY TO YOURSELF, ‘MY POWER AND THE STRENGTH OF MY HANDS HAVE PRODUCED THIS WEALTH FOR ME.’ BUT REMEMBER THE LORD YOUR GOD, FOR IT IS HE WHO GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE WEALTH.” DEUTERONOMY 8:17-18
3. GOD IS LOVING
“FOR THE LORD IS GOOD AND HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER; HIS FAITHFULNESS CONTINUES THROUGH ALL GENERATIONS.” PSALM 100:5
LESSON: HE SENT HIS ONLY SON TO OFFER US THE GIFT OF LIFE
“THIS IS HOW GOD SHOWED HIS LOVE AMONG US: HE SENT HIS ONE AND ONLY SON INTO THE WORLD THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM.” 1 JOHN 4:9
4. GOD IS THE FINAL JUDGE
“BUT THE LORD ABIDES FOREVER; HE HAS ESTABLISHED HIS THRONE FOR JUDGMENT, AND HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.” PSALM 9:7-8 NASB
LESSON: THOSE WHO REJECT GOD’S SON/STONE WILL FALL UNDER HIS JUDGMENT
“GOD IS JUST: HE WILL PAY BACK TROUBLE TO THOSE WHO TROUBLE YOU AND GIVE RELIEF TO YOU WHO ARE TROUBLED, AND TO US AS WELL. THIS WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE LORD JESUS IS REVEALED FROM HEAVEN IN BLAZING FIRE WITH HIS POWERFUL ANGELS. HE WILL PUNISH THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW GOD AND DO NOT OBEY THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS.” 2 THESSALONIANS 1:6-8