The Lord's Vineyard

“Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

Introduction

As students of the bible, sitting at it were at the feet of Jesus, taught by the Holy Spirit, we come to understand fundamental biblical truths.

It is what I like to call the “Main and the Plain”.

There are two such truths that run through every book of the bible.

From Genesis through Malachi, in the OT

And from Matthew through Revelations, in the NT.

These two truths are distinct, yet also inseparable.

Saved by Grace through Faith

The first truth is that we are saved by grace through faith.

Saved by grace alone throughFrom first to last. Full stop

Grace is “God’s unmerited favour”.

It is a gift.

It is Unmerited.

And that gift is Jesus.

(Slide)

Ephesians 2:8 NKJV

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

To emphasis this truth, Paul basically says it twice in the space of three verses in .

Double emphasis.

Double Full stop.

The test of genuine faith is Obedience

If the first truth is that we are saved by grace through faith

The second inseparable main and plain truth is that the test of genuine faith is obedience.

The New King James Version Chapter 2

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8–10 NKJV

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

This is the biblical truth that makes us somewhat uncomfortable.

As it should.

(Slide)

Ephesians 2:10 NKJV

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

(Slide)

John 14:15 NKJV

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.

The test of genuine faith is our obedience.

Grace and Obedience. The test of faith is Obedience. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. The importance of Fruit and God’s long suffering ...

Legalism nor Liberalism

We dare not, and must not, get these two truths out of balance.

For fear of drifting either into legalism or into liberalism.

Both are equally destructive, to our relationship with God, and to others.

We are saved by grace through faith.

And the test of genuine faith is obedience.

(Slide)

The parable of The Lord’s Vineyard Owner

I would suggest this is the main thrust of the parable of the Lord’s Vineyard.

But eventually time will run out. Even today time is running out for many people.

Even today time is running out for many people.

We read it earlier.

This parable is recorded in all three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke).

Synoptic means “describing events in a similar way or “from a similar viewpoint” .

The gospel of John comes at things in a different way.

Jesus in Jerusalem

Jesus and his entourage are in Jerusalem.

Jesus destination, and Jesus destiny.

Jesus had recently made the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We read it in , ; ; .

And Jesus had just cleansed the Temple. We read it in , ; , .

We are in the final week of Jesus earthly life.

Jesus at the Temple

His parents found him there as a boy after they lost him.

Jesus is at the Temple in Jerusalem.

His parents found him there as a boy after they lost him. Remember that.

Jesus earthly life is drawing to a close and where is he again? At the Temple.

And Once again He is with the religious leaders of the day.

But this time they are not amazed at him.

Jesus is Teaching

And Jesus is teaching.

Jesus is teaching the people.

Making the most of every opportunity

For surly those opportunities are drawing rapidly to a close.

Remove...

In this parable we have the entire story of the bible and the gospel. It shows the Lord as Creator, Sustainer, Stewart, Sender, Redeemer and Judge.

The sun will soon set on this ministry.

The parable also implies that Jesus with his prophetic eyes, knew about His coming death and its manner (, , ), His coming resurrection, ascension and new church headship with the inclusion of other nations or people (, , ), and the destruction of Jerusalem and ultimately the destruction of all who refuse Him (, ).

The Vineyard

(Slide)

The parable starts,

Matthew 21:33–34 NKJV

Mat

The owner of the vineyard here is an absentee Landlord, in the previous parable it is the Father of the two sons.

Only in Matthew do we find the parable of the two sons which also features a vineyard () preceding this parable. The owner of the vineyard here is an absentee Landlord, in the previous parable it is the Father of the two sons.

Napa Valley. Micro climate ideal.

(Slide)

Vintage time or the season for the fruit, drew near. Fruit is a recurring word and theme in this parable, used three times depending on translation. See . Fruit of repentance is also highlighted in . This apples at an individual level but also as a church, just as Jesus spoke to the person, as he did the religious nation of Israel.

The Golden Vine

It is recorded in ancient writings about a remarkable Golden Vine in the Temple at Jerusalem during Jesus time.

One writers says, “A golden vine stood over the entrance to the sanctuary, trained over posts; and whosoever gave a leaf, or a berry, or a cluster as a freewill-offering, he brought it and the priests hung it thereon.”

This vine was so famous that even Tacitus (History 5.5) wrote about it. While keeping the Passover in Jerusalem, Christ may also have alluded to this very feature of the Temple when he said in : “I am the true vine.”

Tacitus c. 56 – c. 120 AD), a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire wrote about it, as did Josephus, a first-century Romano-Jewish historian who was born in Jerusalem.

Titus Flavius Josephus 37 – c. 100),[2] was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly descent and a mother who claimed royal ancestry.

One can imagine Jesus in the Temple courts near or pointing to this golden vine as he told this parable.

Or when He uttered such words as. “I am the true vine”.

(Slide)

Another Vineyard

Matthew 21:33–34 NKJV

Matt 21

Mat 21

Jesus starts “Hear Another Parable”. Another parable and another vineyard.

“Hear Another Parable”. Another parable and another vineyard

In Matthew we find the parable of the two sons before this one, which also is set in a vineyard () and is about a the Father and his two sons.

This parable here is about the Landlord’s Vineyard.

The Gracious Landlord

And the Lord is the gracious Landlord.

Napa Valley. Micro climate ideal.

He created it, He Planted it, He Equipped it, He Protected it, He Watered it

And finally He Entrusted the care of it to his Tenants or Vinedressers.

Finally Vintage time or harvest time draws near.

Napa Valley

This apples at an individual level but also as a church, just as Jesus spoke to the person, as he did the religious nation of Israel.

Have you ever been to Napa Valley in California?

It is the heart of the wine making industry in California.

It is Beautiful area.

Vast Vineyards everywhere.

Beautiful buildings .

It is filled with tourists most months of the years.

We used to live a couple of hours from it.

Pacific Union College is right in the middle of it, on a hill.

Our daughter attended that university for 4 years so we got to know the area.

Elmshaven is there, where Mrs White lived her final years.

The climate, soil, rainfall is critical. It has the perfect micro climate for vast vineyards.

Israel

God planted Israel, his Vineyard, out of being dead in slavery.

God planted Israel in a land flowing with Milk and Honey.

It was an act of unmerited favour.

It was an act of Unmerited love.

It was an act of Grace.

It was a gift.

What God asked in return as a test of their genuine faith was obedience.

God has planted his church today in the world.

Spiritual Israel

Today, God has planted his church, his people, in the world.

Finally Vintage time or harvest time draws near.

He has lavished on all who believe every spiritual blessing.

Not worldly blessing, but in Christ, we have all spiritual blessings

It was an act of unmerited favour.

It was an act of Unmerited love.

It was an act of Grace.

What God asks in return as a test of genuine faith is our obedience.

The Vinedressers

(Slide)

Jesus continues,

Matt 21

Matthew 21:35–39 NKJV

And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Kingly Power

We have the Landlord, the Landlord’s Servants, the Landlord’s Son and the Vinedressers (or tenants, or stewards).

The tenants produced fruit, but they wanted to keep it all to themselves .

In seminary, I enjoyed all the classes and professors who taught them.

But one professor stood out. I met him recently at the European Pastor Council last year.

He is average height man and extremely over-weight.

To be honest, when I say goodbye to him… last time I will see him, until the new earth.

His special subject is Christian Leadership.

He rails against “Kingly Power” creeping into most church organisations.

He tells the story of a conference president, in USA, who when something was happening that he did not like said,.“That will not happen in MY conference”.

“That will not happen in MY church”.

This is MY..

Stewards not Owners

In this parable,

Key Point : In this parable, the tenants had forgotten they were tenants or stewards.

Key Point. They acted like Owners. They wanted the Power and the Prestige.

And they covered it all with the cloak of religion and legalism.

At the very time Jesus is telling this parable, the religious leaders of the day, led by the Chief Priest, were seeking means to do away with Him, so fulfilling the very words Jesus is speaking.

And yet Jesus still speaks the truth in love, hoping even as the sun was setting on his earthly life, some may repent.

Is there a lesson in this for us?

BTW, I believe Indifference is as bad as outright rejection!

Can we see all things through the lenses of stewardship based on God’s promises to us and for God’s glory. Our relationship with God, our relationship with others, our relationship with ourselves and our relationships with our resources.

Lecturer. “Kingly Power” model. “That will not happen in MY conference”. “That will not happen in MY church”.

Indifference towards God is rejection of God.

It was totally the wrong kind of fruit. It was not “fruit in keeping with repentance”, rather it was fruit in keeping with the works of the flesh, and worse of all, it was covered with a religious canopy, so misleading many. Those who pointed this out to them they mistreated.

We are tenants and Stewards and need to have a loose affection for the things of this world, while keeping our eyes and heart on the Landlord Himself.

Remove....

We have a picture here of the work of the Holy Spirit striving with the hearts of unbeliever, through the use of Jesus words. Jesus words are simple, they are truth, light, there is no deceit, and no other motive than the eternal well being of all.

But we see in that such striving is sadly rejected and hearts are further hardened. In one senes this is the providence of God and in an equal sense it is the free will of a person.

Conviction of the Holy Spirit comes, Confess and change our mind, or rationalise sin, so hardening our heart.

The Landlord Comes

(Slide)

Matthew 21:40–41 NKJV

Matthew 21:40–46 NKJV

“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

Question and Answer

Matthew 21:40–41 NKJV

It is question and answer time with Jesus.

Jesus question is telling.

If the question is telling, the people’s answer is prophetic.

Jesus question and answer session, is followed by his Jesus customary saying “Have you never read...”.

Ignorance of the scriptures is be avoided and a people perish through it.

(Slide)

Then we read,

Matthew 21:42 NKJV

Mat 21:42

Matthew 21:42–44 NKJV

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

Ignorance of the scriptures is be avoided and a people perish through it.

The Cross and the Glory

Jesus quotes from

(Slide)

Psalm 118:22–23 NKJV

The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.

Once again Jesus infers or implies the very action that is unfolding in that very place at that very time.

Jesus is being rejected.

The plotting is underway for his trial and death.

He will soon bear the cross, alone, outside the city gates.

But “this was the Lord’s doing. It is marvellous in our eyes”

The “crown of glory will follow the cross of separation”

And must it in our lives.

And so it also must be with us.

We must take up the cross of separation daily, separation from the way and thinking of this world, so as to be “forever with the Lord”, in just a little while.

One Nation

Jesus concludes with,

(Slide)

Matthew 21:43–44 NKJV

“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

Nation here in GRK is “Ethnos”.

It is singular, not plural!

Just as there is only one body, one church, with Christ as the head.

It is Jew and Gentile, as one in the new body of believers.

It is Given. “For by grace are we saved”.

And this one new nation, this one church, this one community of faith will bear the fruits of it.

Because the test of genuine faith is obedience.

We have to come to a realisation that we are broken and fall on Jesus.

Broken Together

I finish with the words of a contemporary christian song.

You may have heard of singing group, Casting Crowns.

I have a number of their songs on my phone.

One of them is called “Broken Together”.

Do you know it?

It talks about a marriage that has gone though some really tough times.

I quote, (try and get through this without my voice breaking…)

How it must have been so lonely by my side We were building kingdoms and chasing dreams and left love behind I'm praying God will help our broken hearts align And we won't give up the fight

It's going to take much more than promises this time Only God can change our minds

And then the Chorus

Maybe you and I were never meant to be complete Could we just be broken together If you can bring your shattered dreams and I'll bring mine Could healing still be spoken and save us The only way we'll last forever, is broken together

Broken together.

The only way we will last forever

Because when we realise we are broken, then God can really work.

Really work His fruits, in season

The New King James Version Chapter 21

And whoever falls on this stone will be broken

The fruits in season

Because when we realise we are broken, then God can really come and make His home with us.

His fruits, in season.

Broken together. The only way to last forever.

The only way to last forever.

Amen.

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