Worst Tenants Ever!

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This Gospel lesson is of immense importance. It reveals so much. When Jesus was but an infant, Simeon declared “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.” (Luke 2:34-35). In today’s Gospel lesson Simeon’s prophecy took on flesh.

We see also see a dynamic scriptural principle at work. It is clearly articulated by Joseph in the Book of Genesis. He was the Prince of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. His journey to Egypt’s throne began as a slave. He was sold into slavery by his brothers. 

When Joseph stood over them, with their lives in his hands he said: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” God used their jealously, anger and criminal intent to bring about good. In Egypt Abraham’s clan grew from 70 to over a million. We see this principle at work in today’s Gospel.

In this scripture lesson we witness the law and judgement. We see what God demands and when it is not produced, judgement is swift and final. But we see more. God’s heart is revealed. We see that He constantly reaches out to the sinful and the disobedient.

What then does this Parable reveal to us? In one sentence: Jesus told the parable to expose the religious leaders' rejection of God and His messengers, to predict His own rejection and crucifixion, to announce God's judgment upon unfaithful leadership, and ultimately to reveal that the rejected Son would become the cornerstone of God's saving work.

Jesus’ words evoke the words of Isaiah 5:1-7 we heard this morning. Both Jesus and Isaiah begin their parable in the same way: an owner cleared land and planted a vineyard. In a few short sentences Jesus and Isaiah painted a picture the history of the nation Israel. God had promised Abraham a land and a nation. 

God had given them a law to live by. The law hung on two principles: to love the Lord your God, with all your heart, soul and strength and your neighbor as yourself. The law included a moral code that protected life, marriage, family, property and reputation. Their love for God was lived out in Sabbath worship, daily worship in the Tabernacle and then the Temple. God gave them solemn rites and festivals. Each rite and festival involved the offering of sacrifices. God promised that their obedience to the law would be rewarded by blessings. The greatest blessing would be that from among their number would come a Messiah who would bless the entire world. The Tabernacle, Temple, rites, festivals and their related sacrifices all pointed to the identity and the mission of the Messiah. God waited for His people to love Him, and embrace His promises. He wanted to shower blessings on them.

The pages of the Old Testament reveal that, just as Jesus and Isaiah declared, God’s people did not bear fruit. They did not love and worship God. They violated God’s moral code. They murdered, committed adultery, robbed one another, destroyed reputations, coveted and worshiped other peoples’ gods and deities. The Kingdom broke in two. In direct contravention of God’s law, the Northern Kingdom set up their own temple, priesthood and rites and sacrifices. The Southern Kingdom had the priesthood and the Temple but either abandoned the worship God in favor of other gods, or when they did worship God they did not worship with their whole mind, soul and strength. They did not obey God’s moral code.

God did not abandon his disobedient people. In Jesus’ parable he sent servants to plead with the people to bear fruit. These were the prophets God sent to His people over the centuries. He sent Moses, Samuel, Nathan, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Zachariah and many more. These men called the Chosen People to turn to God and to live by God’s laws and to wait for the Messiah. The books of the Old Testament testify that the Chosen People, like the tenants in the parable, seized God’s servants; and they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. This is how Israel actually treated God’s Prophets.

Then the parable takes a sudden twist. “Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.” Why would the owner of the vineyard do this? Why would he send his son? If the tenants did not respect the Landlord’s servants, why would they respect his son? The landlord’s son journeyed to the vineyard in obedience to his father’s will. The son did not inspire respect and obedience. Instead, the tenants saw an opportunity to throw the yoke of the landlord off of them. Kill the son and there is no heir, no successor. They unleashed their evil intent on the son of the landlord. They pitched him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Jesus asked the leaders of God’s chosen people to judge. What should the landlord do? Their judgement was immediate and swift. Destroy the tenants and find suitable replacements. Jesus affirmed their judgment and its consequences. First, he recited Psalm 118:22-23 “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. “The meaning is clear in this context.

The builders represent those religious leaders who rejected Jesus. The stone is Jesus himself. They had examined him and rejected him. They had refused to accept his authority. They would accuse him of blasphemy for declaring he was the Son of God and the promised Messiah who had come to save the world. They would find him guilty of the crime of blasphemy and condemn him to death. The Romans would take Jesus outside the vineyard (Jerusalem) and hang him on the cross.

On Good Friday, the words of the parable came true. Jesus was rejected and defeated. The religious leaders had rejected him and the crowds turned against him. His disciples fled. He was mocked and crucified. Humanly speaking, the cross looked like a failure. But something else was going on. Isaiah put it this way. “Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities (Isaiah 53:10-11).

But Easter changed everything. On the third day, just as Isaiah promised, Jesus rose from the dead. In so doing God took the rejected stone and made him the cornerstone.

What is a cornerstone? It is a stone that forms the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls. A cornerstone is an image of foundation, stability, and unity. The One whom people rejected became the foundation of salvation. This is why Peter later applied the same verse to Christ: “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.” The Church is built upon Jesus. Our salvation rests upon Jesus. Our faith rests upon Jesus. Our hope rests upon Jesus.

The rejection, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus are essential and the foundation of God's saving work. The Jewish leaders intended evil. However, out of their evil, God brought salvation. Human beings rejected Jesus, but God exalted Him. Human beings crucified Him. God raised Him. This is the great reversal at the heart and soul of the Gospel.

Jesus declared that the leaders of Israel that would condemn him would have their authority stripped away by God. Some forty years after Jesus’ resurrection in 70 AD, the Roman army destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and exiled the Jews to locations throughout the Roman Empire, many as slaves. The Temple was the spiritual and political center of the Jewish people. This marked the start of a 2,000-year journey of exile, displacement, and great hardship for the Jews. The ruling class of the Jewish people were removed from their ministry by the hand of God, who used the swords, spears, hammers, picks and battering rams of the Roman Empire to do His will.

He declared that he would be the start of something new. Fifty days after his resurrection, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit gave birth to the Church of Jesus Christ. The accounts of the beginning of and early years church are found in the chapters of the Book of Acts and the letters of Paul, Peter, John and Jude. The church spread form the Holy Land to the ends of the earth in the centuries that followed.

God is still planting vineyards all over the world. He still wants His vineyards to produce fruit, and He is still looking for fruit. The vineyards God plants today are very different from the one he planted centuries ago in the Holy Land and God is no longer is an absent landlord who goes away and comes and looks for fruit.

God plants only one vine in each of His vineyards. Jesus said: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” (John 15:1). The true vine has many branches. “I am the vine and you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). What could go wrong?

The pages of the New Testament, beginning with the Book of Acts, testify that we go wrong. We should not be too quick to judge the wicked tenants. Paul and the other Apostles revealed how divisions from within and persecution from the outside constantly imperiled the existence of congregations. To quell the divisions from within the Apostles constantly called the errant branches back to Jesus.

Jesus calls us to loyalty to him and faith in him alone. He said: If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples (John 15:7-8). 

Remaining in Jesus is not passive; it is active. John’s Gospel reminds us that salvation comes from the work of the Father and the Son. God’s role is as the very active divine gardener. “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” Through the proclamation of the law, God prunes and cuts us. He causes us to see our sinfulness. He moves us to contrition. We confess our sins to Him, and we beg Him for forgiveness. He plants in us a desire to repent, to turn and follow His ways. When we hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are forgiven in Jesus’ name and for Jesus’ sake. Forgiven people are given another opportunity to live their lives that reflects their high calling in Christ. This is the fruit that the Father and Son love to see.

The Church of Jesus Christ will always be in peril from outside and from within. Jesus promised it. The world is going to come after us. Jesus said: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (John 15:18). The disciples constantly competed for leadership positions. This competition continues today and will continue tomorrow and every day thereafter until Jesus comes again. What are sinful branches to do? The Apostle James gives us this advice “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:10).

Our prayer should be: Feed me Lord Jesus. Prune me Heavenly Father. Inspire me Holy Spirit. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me. Then we can bear fruit and Your vineyard will flourish. 

Amen.

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