MORE DESTRUCTION

Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.'

But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. 'This is the heir,' they said. 'Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. "What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "May this never be!"

Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone'? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

Luke 20:13-19

In Jesus' parable, rebelliousness does not only apply to killing the prophets.

The owner's son should be offered respect, recognition of a special status. Instead, the son is thrown out of the vineyard and meets his death. Of course, in this thinly-veiled parable, the son is the Son of God, whose death takes place outside the city of Jerusalem, at Golgotha.

The Greek word apokteino, means literally “to deprive of life” while the "Throw out" (NIV) or "cast out" (KJV) is the same Greek verb (ekballo) that is used when Jesus casts out a demon.

How will the owner (God) respond? With continued patience? Not at all!

In verse 16, the verb "kill" (NIV) or "destroy" (KJV) is a different verb than what happened to the son. It is apollumi, meaning "ruin, destroy, to cause destruction especially, put to death." Not the same immediacy as the previous verses.

Notice how the listeners of this parable respond: "May this never be!" (20:16)

The people must understand something of what Jesus means in this parable. The key idea of vineyard may have tipped them that Israel was the subject. Perhaps the plots swirling around Jesus and the people's belief that he was the Messiah contributed to their understanding. Even Jesus' enemies "knew he had spoken this parable against them." (20:19)

But Jesus, amazingly, rejects the people's spur-of-the-moment merciful impulse.

Jesus is clear that scripture must be fulfilled with the destruction of God's enemies.

HISTORY REPEATED

He went on to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed.

He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.'

But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. 'This is the heir,' they said. 'Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. "What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "May this never be!"

Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone'? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

Luke 20:9-19

If you've lived very long and are blessed with some self-perception, then you know how possible it is to rebel against God. You can love God on the one hand, but stand adamantly against his will on the other. Your reasoning and justification can rise to heights of presumption and convolution. You can even fool yourself (mostly) into believing your own rationale. But in the end you are a rebel, and more -- a rebellious unbeliever -- who loves God, or claims to. Crazy? Yes. But possible as I will try to evidence over the next few entries.

Jesus begins this story -- for that is what a parable is -- with a very familiar hallmark of the Middle Eastern agriculture, a vineyard.

The vineyard, along with the fig tree, is almost proverbial for abundant blessing. "Each man under his own vine and fig tree" is repeated over and over in the Old Testament. The vineyard sometimes refers metaphorically to Israel: "The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the house of Israel...." (Isaiah 5:7).

But Jesus' parable of the vineyard is unique. It is not just a story, but an allegory, with each part representing something else. A man (who represents God in the parable) plants the vineyard and then rents it to tenants. "Rented" is Greek ekdidomi, "let out for hire, lease."

Tenant farmers are usually paid by allowing them to keep a portion of the harvest, with a fixed percentage going to the owner. But these tenants did not want to share.
"Tenant" in the NIV, or "husbandman" in the King James Version is the Greek georgos, which can refer either to the owner of a farm, or, in this case, to one who does agricultural work on a contractual basis, "vine-dresser, tenant farmer." When the owner's representatives come to claim the owner's share, the tenants beat and mistreat them. In our passage we see three words that describe this violence:

"Beat" is Greek dero, "to beat, whip."

"Treat shamefully" is Greek atimazo, "to dishonor, shame," perhaps subject to public ridicule. It is an especially grievous offence in the honor-shame oriented Semitic society.

"Wound" is Greek traumatizo, from which we get our word "traumatize."

It's pretty clear to the disciples who have heard Jesus' teaching who he is referring to.

Luke 11:47 – 50: "Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.'

Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world…"

And in Luke 13, verse 34: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!"

In this parable, the tenants represent unbelieving rulers, while the vineyard is the nation of Israel itself.

Jesus sees the current rulers doing the same as their ancestors -- killing the prophets who were sent to Israel to correct and turn hearts and praises to God as His fruit from His vineyard.

One day, that is precisely what they would do to the Son of God.

LIKE ISAAC, LIKE SON

And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.

Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.

So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously."

And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" (NKJV)

Luke 2:42-50

God is our heavenly Father. He sent His Son to earth. His Son was named Jesus. Jesus was born to parents Joseph & Mary. But even at an early age, Jesus knew of His heavenly connection. A 12 year-old Jesus stays behind in the temple as His family was leaving Jerusalem. They found Him later and said, “We have been searching for you.” Jesus replies, “Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Fathers’ house?” But they didn’t understand Him. Young people can relate to that. How many times have you been misunderstood by your parents?

Jesus understood His role. He was to be led to Calvary by doing His Father’s will.

Unlike Isaac, foreshadowing Christ as the sacrificial Son before God provided the Ram, Jesus knew that He was to be the sacrifice.

Like Isaac, there was willful submission; no wrestling, no fighting or restraint. Jesus knew his fate and even pleaded for His accusers and tormentors asking, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Then when He had been judged as an acceptable sacrifice - not just acceptable but also spotless, pure and holy - Jesus spoke once more to His Father in a loud voice saying, “Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit.” When He had said this, He breathed His last.

This is a day that you can guarantee your meeting with your heavenly Father. Jesus died on the cross at Calvary to be a sacrifice for our sins. He was obedient to God’s word. By confessing to God your belief of Jesus’ sacrifice for your sins, you will find a place in Heaven.

* Scripture quoted is from the New King James translation.

OBEDIENCE AT ANY COST

Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am."

And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." (*NKJV)

Genesis 22:9-12

Imagine, it’s early morning, like any other morning. Dad’s out getting a donkey saddled up and he calls for you. You help him gather up the wood for an offering. You walk for three days to set up for a burnt offering and you realize or wonder, “we have the fire, we have the wood, but where is the lamb?” You leave your servants behind and move forward. The alter is all set up but still no lamb.

The scripture makes a quick summation saying only, “He bound his son Isaac and laid him upon the altar.” No word of explanation. No struggling by Isaac. We don’t read, “After wrestling with Isaac, Abraham had him bound.” Simply, he was bound and laid on the altar. Then as Abraham draws his knife, a voice calls out from Heaven, “Abraham, Abraham. Do not lay a hand on the lad. Do not do anything to him.”

Abraham had shown that he is obedient to God’s word. After hearing from God of this sacrifice, they set out the very next morning.

How often have we heard God’s command but we waited hoping it might change? How many times have we hoped God’s will would go away?

Sometimes our plans by God are not easy, but our obedience is pleasing to God.

* Scripture quoted is from the New King James translation.

BREAD OF LIFE

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen Me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do My will but to do the will of Him who sent Me.

“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. For My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

John 6:35-40

Jesus is the Bread of Life. He says so in His book.

Bread is an international food. Wherever you go, you can find bread. It’s not a regional food associated with only one place, like Polish Sausage, or Haggis, or English Toffee.

When you think of Bread, you don’t think of a particular place because it is an international food. Christ is an international Saviour. He isn’t just the Saviour of Western civilization. He isn’t just the Saviour of His chosen people. He is the Saviour of all mankind, no matter where you live. This is God’s will for us.

God’s will is that we should look to His Son, Jesus, to be our Saviour. God’s will is for us to join with Him in the air when the last day comes and be with Him in eternity, to be with Him in Paradise.

Would you like to be there? Then take Christ into your heart today.

IT'S THAT SIMPLE

Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

John 3:3

This is pretty important. If I’m lost right now and I want to find Christ, if I want to give my life over to Him right now, how do I do this?

“… if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

This is the only way to Heaven. Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Is it really this simple?

I ask you to look into your heart. Can you admit that you are a sinner? Can you admit that you have done wrong? Are you willing to turn from away from sin?

Do you believe that Jesus Christ Died for you, that He was buried and rose again from the dead? Then through prayer, invite Jesus into your life to become your personal Saviour.

It really is that simple.

So simple that many wise people have wasted it by over-thinking the situation or by trying to justify the gift that God has given us. We need to accept this gift through faith, like a child is accepting of truth from their parent.

Our Heavenly Father wants us to be united with Him.

WHERE'S YOUR ALL YOUR STUFF?

Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

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And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 12:22-26, 29-34

When I think about this portion of scripture, I can only think how little faith I have. I can preach the gospel but when I read a portion of scripture like this, I am immediately set into my place.

Do you spend time worrying about how to pay the bills? Christ tells us that our Father in Heaven knows what we need. Seek Him first and He will give us His kingdom.

Would you argue that kingdom won’t pay for my CD player... or my new car... or my sports card collection?

No, it won’t. But ask yourself, “Where is my heart?” Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

If you are more concerned about your personal wealth than your riches in Heaven, your heart is in the wrong place. We build here the treasures that we will receive in Heaven. No matter what material gain we make here, we will not need it in Heaven. We will not be able to purchase our way into Heaven with all the money in the world. As it is said, “You can’t take it with you.”

When you’re standing before the Judgement seat, no one is going to ask you, “Hey, where’s all your stuff?”