As I have pointed out, these are the rough notes for my messages. If you come hear the message, you may be surprised how different it is preached.
MARK
12: 1-12
1And he began to speak
unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about
it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to
husbandmen, and went into a far country. 2And at the season he sent to the
husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of
the vineyard. 3And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. 4And
again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and
wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. 5And again he
sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing
some. 6Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last
unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. 7But those husbandmen said among
themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall
be ours. 8And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
9What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the
husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
10And have ye not read
this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the
corner:
11This was the Lord's
doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
12And they sought to lay
hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the
parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.
The
Unfaithful Tenants
Trashing the place- $30,000
damage in 3 months,
We often look at those that abuse what is not theirs
with disgust and think that is horrible and maybe even pat ourselves on the
back because we are not like that.
However as is often the
case of the Bible, what we see as the issues of others are often things in
ourselves that we need to deal with.
This is where we come to
this parable.
A man created a vineyard.
1. Plant
a vineyard (Prepare the land)
2. Put
up a wall (Protect from pest, animals, and trespassers, direct water)
3. Dug
a pit for the juice (way to prepare the juice for wine)
4. Watchtower
(ALL THIS IS HARD!)
5. Hired
workers (Do the easier work, but there is still work)
6. Moved
(often to do marketing, get buyers for the wine)
The owner sends to get proceeds
of the crop. Perhaps to give samples to possible customers so even this action
is an act of kindness.
A greater market could
mean more income for the owner and the tenants.
However, the tenants treat
the servants that are sent like trespassers.
These tenants get worse.
Finally the owner sends
his son.
Is the Owner stupid? No
he is showing love, he is trying to make a connection to the people he believes
should recognize him.
There were times in the
ancient world when a ruler had an area in rebellion that they would send a
family member to the area to try and rebuild the relationship. The idea was
that others could be doubted (someone just claiming to speak for the
master/king) however a relative they couldn’t doubt. The would see the family likeness.
If however, they would not accept the family member the king would know that
these aren’t as it were wayward children but enemies of the king/owner.
The act of sending his
son wasn’t an act of ignorance or stupidity, it was an act of love.
Jesus is saying that God
values the tenants so much he is willing to sacrifice his servants to save them
and eventually his son.
Side note: To take a step
away from this parable, God hasn’t changed. God is still willing to sacrifice his
servants to save the wayward. God can ask that of us because he also did it. God
isn’t up in heaven calling us to suffer for him while he has it easy. God has suffered
for us.
Sometimes the suffering
in this world is a result of sin, ours or others but other times God allows us
to suffer so that other tenants in this world can be saved, just like he
allowed others to suffer so that we might be saved.
The tenants have faulty
logic, they believe that killing the son will mean that they will get the
inheritance. (What???)
Nowhere in the world does
murder mean you get an inheritance. It’s always the way to lose it. Even Klingons
wouldn’t go for that. An honorable fight to the death yes, murder never.
Jesus asks what will that
owner do?
This question is like
what Nathan did when he confronted David.
(This answer is obvious
and no one would have argued it.) Tenants will need to be killed (face
judgement) and new tenants found.
Then Jesus gives a quote
from Psalm 118:22,23. The stone the builders rejected has become
the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’ The chief
priest and the scribes see this as an accusation against them.
Jesus as Paul will say is
Ephesians 2:20 and Peter sill say in 1 Peter 2:6 Jesus is this cornerstone and
his rejection is a marvelous thing.
This is the truth: The
rejection and crusifition of Jesus which we will soon celebrate is a victory,
not just because he dies for our sins but he is risen and is in victory. He has
become the chief cornerstone. Without Jesus nothing holds together.
The Chief priest and the
scribes know this is directed at them but they see it as against them.
This is NOT against them
it is a warning to them.
The story isn’t a
condemnation it is like the story of Hosea a love story a story which is trying
to call them back. Yes it carries a warning a dire warning but they need it. These
both show God is slow to anger and full of mercy. But eventually if God is
going to be just he has to punish.
It is like a doctor
warning a person who has kidney disease to watch out for the amounts of fluids
they drink. He isn’t being mean. He is trying to warn them.
Often in the Bible we
receive warnings and condemnations about sin. Often people don’t like it but
the truth is that if life run on our own principles falls apart.
Before people point at
the church (as an organization through history) and say they didn’t do well. I
would say yes but that is because they may have been saying they were serving
God and following Jesus but they weren’t. They were like the chief priest and
scribes that we read about here and God will bring judgment on them.
The owner has been doing
what is right, in a real way he is working for the tenants but the tenants don’t
see it. They see a threat to what is THEIRS (even if it isn’t)
Unlike David, the Chief
Priests and scribes though seeing this was about them, didn’t repent. They
wanted to kill and destroy.
This is true. Even today
if we don’t like what someone says what often takes place is we try to destroy
the messenger.
We see this but as I
mentioned earlier We often look at these
people and think that is horrible and maybe even pat ourselves on the back
because we are not like that.
However as is often the
case of the Bible, what we see as the issues of others are often things in
ourselves that we need to deal with.
Leviticus 25:23 The land
must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my
land as foreigners and strangers.
Psalm 24:1 The earth is
the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it
1 Corinthians 10:26
“The earth is the Lord’s,
and the fullness thereof.”
Revelation 4:11
“Worthy are You, our Lord
and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by
Your will they exist and were created.”
Everything in this world
is Gods.
God is trying to work for
your best and the best for all. Are you willing to trust him?
Or do you attack and
dismiss the truth or maybe even the messengers he sends?
Today I’m like Nathan, I
have shared a parable where you may have said those chief priest and scribes
are horrible they deserve to die.
I’m here to tell you, if
you haven’t surrendered everything to Jesus (not just saying Jesus I want to go to heaven
but really given him everything) then you’re the man.
You are refusing to give
the God, the owner of your life, what is right.
And judgement will fall.
The good news is God is
working for you good. He wants to save you and guess what he sent his son to
save you. Though our sins put him on the cross, so in a real way we killed Jesus.
God wants to save us.
God wants you to be in
right relationship with him. The true Lord of Life. So will you surrender to him.
Dear God,
Forgive me for I have not let you have all of
my life. I have sinned against you and not been obedient. Have mercy on me. I
thank you that you sent Jesus to die for my sins and that he was resurrected so
I have hope for life everlasting. Jesus be the Lord of my life and help me to
serve you faithfully.
I ask in Jesus name, Amen
Photo by Moritz Knöringer on Unsplash
