Tenants

Introduction

With the death of a loved one comes the task of dealing with the estate. For many of us, the estate is valuable because of our sentimental attachment more so than the earthly value of the estate. But this is not always the case. Years ago I was talking to a funeral director about some of his more interesting remembrances about his experiences. He immediately told me about a family that while riding in the limousine on the way to the graveside service that they began to argue about dividing up the inheritance. He said by the time they got to the graveside, the family was firmly divided. He said it was one of the most awkward moments in his work.

Some regard the dividing of the estate of a loved one as dividing the spoils of war. It is plunder and the benefits of being alive. An odd way of looking at things but one that has been repeated through generations. The strangest thought is that the estate is to be divided by default. The inheritance was not earned nor deserved. Warren Buffett, one of the wealthiest men in the world, has gone on record saying that when he dies, his children will not divide his billions. He is already in the process of giving as much of it away as possible. Buffett says he doesn’t want to deprive his children of the joy of working hard to accomplish something. Wisdom.

To presume upon an inheritance is foolish. It is not only foolish it is arrogant. To live in such a way that you act as if your family owes you an inheritance or is supposed to make life easier for you is to send a message that family is for your benefit. In the same way, to presume upon God’s grace is to send the message that God is for your benefit. God is gracious and loving. He is merciful and compassionate. He also has a limit to his patience. May we recognize today that God wants what is best for us. God pursues us. Our rejection of him results in judgment. Let’s open our hearts to him.

The Vineyard

The parable has an obvious point — Israel and her leaders have rejected God throughout their history. Even now the final rejection will result in Israel’s demise. This is a continuation of Jesus’ declaration at the end of chapter 19 as he sees Jerusalem from the top of the Mount of Olives as he enters the city one last time.

The parable is straightforward. A farmer who is God plants a vineyard. He rented out the vineyard. As is not uncommon, the landowner rents to others who will work the land and then from the harvest pay the landowner. In this case, a vineyard would take at least 5 years to produce a harvest. Three times the landowner sends a servant to retrieve the rent. The servants represent prophets of old. Every time a servant is sent the farmers not only refuse to pay what is owed but mistreat the servant resulting in injury to the servant.

The wording leaves little doubt that each servant was sent back to the landowner as a warning. The land which was rented out has now become in the minds of the farmers theirs. They work the land; they reap the harvest. The landowner gets nothing. But the landowner is not trying to destroy the farmers. The landowner rightfully wants what belongs to him. In one last effort, the landowner sends his own son to appeal to the farmers. The landowner is not being harsh. The landowner by sending his son is demonstrating the length he is willing to go to build relationship with the farmers. But the farmers have other ideas.

With the son’s presence, they believe that the owner is dead. In other words, in the ancient world, if the landowner did not show up then it was assumed either that the landowner no longer cared or was dead. The son’s presence proved that the landowner was dead. So if the heir apparent is present and he dies, then the land can become the possession of those who work it. So the farmers kill the son believing that they now have full possession of the land. But the farmers misjudged the landowner. Upon hearing of his son’s death, the landowner comes bringing judgment and death to those who rejected him and his son. The point of the parable is not lost on those who heard the parable and the leaders of the people standing around.

The people recognize that the farmers have acted wrongly. And the leaders know that the parable is meant for them. They also understand that in the parable Jesus is claiming to be God’s Son. This will not do. They must get rid of Jesus. Not now but soon. And the tension builds as we continue to look at the last week of Jesus’s life.

So What?

God is filled with grace and mercy. He is the landowner. He is the Creator. He planted a vineyard. He waited for the harvest. He did not have to plant. He did not have to wait. He sent his representatives to instruct the people. The people rejected prophet after prophet. The people wanted the benefits of God’s grace but didn’t want to be held accountable. And when the Son came, their thought was only about finally being rid of accountability.

Teenagers rebel against parents. In their quest to be treated as an adult, they will say and do things to push parents away. But they want and need the benefit of the parents. Incapable of truly living on their own, teens will act as if parents are not needed. Parents are patient. But at some point the child receives judgment. It’s not easy to allow the child to suffer the fuller consequences of their choices. But even with judgment some continue to live rebelliously. Parents make overtures only to have them rejected over and over again. It breaks the heart of the parent and it breaks the heart of God. God eventually runs out of patience.

Jesus quotes from Psalm 118. The text that the people quoted as Jesus entered Jerusalem, Jesus now quotes the previous section which speaks of rejection. But it also speaks of God’s grace. For when some reject God’s overtures then others are invited to receive God’s benefits. The Son was rejected but God exalted him. The people of God rejected Jesus but God brought others, the Gentiles, into connection with him.

Like teenagers we can rebel against God. We want God’s grace. We want forgiveness. We want what God has to offer but then we want to be left alone. We want to act like God’s grace is for our benefit with no accountability. We want God’s grace of forgiveness but act as if we have the right to live the way we want to. We want God’s grace of prosperity but act as if the material blessings are ours to do with as we wish. We want God’s grace of freedom but act as if the freedom is ours to presume upon.

We want God’s grace but we don’t want the accountability. We don’t want him to interfere with our choices. And we shun his call to listen to him and to his Son and to his warnings. We protest “we aren’t like that” and then we keep ignoring him and living as we want. Jesus is Lord whether we follow him or not. The invitation stands.

Follow Jesus

If you’d like to respond to this message or learn more about following Jesus, please reach out.