The Parable of the Vineyard

Bible Reading: Mark 12:1-11

He then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. ^2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. ^3 But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ^4 Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. ^5 He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.

^6 “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

^7 “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ^8 So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

^9 “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. ^10 Haven’t you read this scripture:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone ^a;
^11 the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’ ^b?”
^[1]

In it's original context this parable is specific to the nation of Israel, it's leaders and their relationship with God, but I think it also speaks to all of humanity. God has established us and given us a wonderful world to be stewards of and to enjoy. However we have usurped God's rule and pretended that we are accountable only to ourselves. Jesus came into this world in order to reconcile us to God, but many of us continue to reject Him.

God created the universe - it belongs to Him along with everything it contains. Unfortunately many of us are like 2nd, 3rd...25th generation farmers who by virtue of their residency assume the land belongs to them. They do not remember the tenancy agreement forged between the Creator God and the original humans.

Right now we are in a period of history after the Son has come but before the vineyard has been reclaimed. We as tenants are still carrying along our merry way ignorant of the fact that the Owner will return and judge the rebels. God has chosen to delay His return to allow the news of His Son to be spread throughout the world, so that people may choose to be reconciled to God and live in right relationship with Him. These people will be prepared for His coming, and will have cause for great celebration when it occurs. For those who continue to live in rebellious autonomy, the occasion will not be one for celebration, but judgment.

Reflection
We tend to shy away from these truths because they are antagonistic. People don't like hearing about judgment, or being accused of living in rebellion against God.
As someone who is a natural peacemaker, I tend to underplay this part of the gospel picture also. I naturally prefer to emphasize love, acceptance, reconciliation, the blessings of being reconciled to God and the hope of eternal life, rather than talking about the consequences of rejecting God.

However the Bible strongly teaches that God will judge the Earth. As confronting as that message is, it needs to be heard. Not to scare people into the pews, or to condemn people not in the pews, but to give people the opportunity to choose to be prepared.

---

^a Or cornerstone

^b Psalm 118:22,23

^[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Mk 12:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

The Triumphal Entry

Reading: Mark 11:1-10

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, ^2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ^3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”

^4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, ^5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” ^6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. ^7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. ^8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. ^9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

“Hosanna! ^a”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” ^b

^10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”

“Hosanna in the highest!”

^[1]

The citizens of Jerusalem were excited about receiving their long-hoped-for Messiah. "Hosanna" they cried - this is the one who will bring God's salvation to us. They looked forward to the reinstatement of the Kingdom of Israel, restored by the power of God working through His servant Jesus. I'm not sure how many people had grasped Jesus' true identity but certainly they didn't grasp His true mission. Their idea of salvation had a very earthy feel to it - get rid of the Romans and make Israel a powerful nation again.

Jesus' mission was much bigger than that. He was about reconciling all of humanity to God, and that pathway involved rejection, suffering, death and then finally new life.

Jesus' agenda was so much better than what people wanted or expected, yet when it became clear that He was not going to give them what they wanted, many of these people turned their backs on Him. Some joined in the throng that yelled "Crucify Him" less than a week after they had shouted "Hosanna".

Reflection
Am I really interested in God's plan for my life, or do I just want God to bless my plan for my life?
How am I investing time in seeking God's will and being obedient to it?
How do assist others in discerning God's will and give them the encouragement and resourcing they need to carry it out?
Do we really believe that God's purposes are for our best, even when the pathway involves submission and suffering?
In what ways have our hearts hardened toward God when it became clear He was not going to give us what we wanted?

My Prayer
Lord, I believe that you have a great plan and purpose for calling our family here. Some of that has been accomplished already, but I believe much more lies ahead. Show me where my vision for myself, our family, church and community is not Your vision. Give me the courage and wisdom to choose Your plan instead of my own. Give me the heart to take up my cross and follow you, rather than seeking to have a crowd that adore me! Just as You loved the crowd who welcomed You into Jerusalem and the crowd who tormented You on the way out to Calvary, help me to love people who praise me and people who condemn me. Amen.

---

^a A Hebrew expression meaning ``Save!” which became an exclamation of praise; also in verse 10

^b Psalm 118:25,26

^[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Mk 11:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Group Correction

Reading: Mark 10:35-45

^

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,

40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.

42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.

43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Mk 10:35-45). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Jesus answers James & John's request without really addressing the heart issues that motivated that request. He lets the situation play out in the whole group before getting them together to address the issue of ambition / ego in the Kingdom of God. To our natural way of thinking, the point of greatness is to serve us - to feed our ego or satisfy our lust for power or to provide material comforts. In the Kingdom of God the manifestation of greatness is serving others.

It's interesting the way Jesus lets the whole group get involved in the dispute before He exposes the difference between natural and Kingdom thinking. Maybe if He dealt with it with James and John immediately the other 10 would have felt quite self-righteous and maintained an indignance with James & John. By letting them buy into the dispute, Jesus demonstrated that we all suffer from the same disease - we are all in it for ourselves and we get upset when others try get in ahead of us! James and John weren't alone in what their hearts desired, they just had the confidence / naivety to go after it!

Reflection
What behaviours from others grate on me? How does that speak to my own heart condition?
How am I leading groups to discover their "natural" patterns and helping them to learn & apply biblical, "Kingdom of God" ones?

Sermon - Training Children for Wise Living

Training Children for Wise Living

Mothers Day 2008

11/05/08

Proverbs 23:24-25

“…parents who have wise children are glad because of them.

Make your father and mother happy;

give your mother a reason to be glad.”

What is it about your children that you take great pleasure in?

Sometimes it’s because of the funny things they say and do. Here’s some absentee notes that may have been written by parents, but I suspect that most were written by kids…

• Dear school, please accuse John from being absent on January 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and also 33.
• Mary could not come to school because she was bothered by very close veins.
• My son is under the doctor's care and should not take fiz ed. Please execute him.

Sometimes their funny adventures are also a bit hair-raising. Like learning to drive…(o/h)

but anything kids can do their dads can do better!

I love watching my kids enjoying themselves – Tim loves telling stories and Alyssa loves dancing

I love it when my kids want to connect with me – when Josiah studies my face wondering what on Earth this big fella is saying.

I love watching my kids develop and discover new things.

I love seeing them do the things that we are training them to do, like using good manners or remembering to stop and look before crossing the road.

I love watching them sleep. Every night I go in and give them a kiss and a prayer. I can feel my heart swell when I look at them sleep – it’s like an overflowing of love and tenderness for them.

If you are ever going through a rough patch with a child and they live at home, my advice is to go and watch them sleeping and talk to them softly. The problem behaviours and attitudes won’t be blocking your view, you will just see your child. Sometimes our hearts need to be refreshed by that view. Sometimes it’s easier to let go of anger or stubbornness when we see our child with fresh eyes.

This saying from Proverbs 23 is one that I have discovered to be true in my own life both as a child and as a parent. As a child I have heard the pleasure in my mother’s voice when she has commented on some positive behaviour or attitude. I have seen the respect in my father’s eyes and heard it in his tone when he has been pleased with the character I have shown. On the other hand I have also seen and heard the disappointment or even anger when I have been selfish or wilfully foolish.

As a parent I have also experienced these things from the other side. I think we all know the range of emotions you experience as a parent when you see how your children are living, no matter how old they are.

All of us want to see our children living well. We want to see them treating others as they would like to be treated. We want to see them grow in good character, learning the value of honesty, truthfulness, gentleness, respect, generosity, patience, self-control and so on.

We want to see our children happy. We don’t want them to ruin their chances at happiness by making foolish decisions. We don’t want to see them stuck in bad habits that control their lives.

There’s another piece of ancient wisdom from the Bible that talks about this…

Proverbs 22:6

Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their lives.

We cannot control what will happen to our children or how they will turn out.

However we can influence these things.

Parents are the most important influences in a child’s life. When a parent consistently and lovingly trains a child in living well, it makes a profound difference in that child’s future.

Training our children is not the responsibility of schools, day-care centres, babysitters, churches, relatives or friends – it is our job as parents. Of course all of those things can be a great help. Last week I saw a bit of the work the year 6/7 class was doing on dealing with difficult emotions, and it was excellent. However, the responsibility for training our children to live well is ours.

The issue of how to train children to live well is a big one, and I’m not going to cover it today. For today it’s enough just to invite you to challenge yourself to step up to that challenge, and if you’d like to talk more about it I can do that with you or recommend some good resources for you.

I want to close with one more piece of ancient wisdom from the Bible…

Proverbs 3:12

The Lord corrects those he loves,

just as parents correct the child they delight in.

We talked earlier about the range of emotions that we experience as parents as we watch our children and relate to them.

This verse is just one of many that describe God as being like a parent. The Bible says that God created people in His own image, and so the range of emotions that we experience as parents in many ways reflect what God is like.

It is true that we do not reflect God perfectly. We cannot love as purely or as strongly as God does. God is not hampered by the character flaws that we have – the selfishness or laziness or lack of wisdom that we struggle with sometimes.

But I want you to reflect on the love for your children that you have when you watch them sleeping; the desire you have to help them grow up to live well; your love of spending time with them; the pride that you take in them and your joy when you see their happiness; and I want you to realise that these are things that God feels toward you and I.

So go and study your children in bed, or look at some photo’s of special times that you’ve had with them, and remember that what you feel toward them is just a shadow of what God feels toward you. Maybe that will affect what you feel toward Him too.

The Request of James and John

Reading Mark 10:35-37

^35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

^36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

^37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Mk 10:35-37). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

What is that I want from God?
What is it that people around me are asking / would ask from God?
What do those desires reveal about the condition of the heart?
How does behaviour reflect those desires or fears?

For me:

Fears / lack of confidence can lead to

• procrastination with certain pastoral tasks. Need discipline to "discharge all the duties of your ministry" - like Timothy (2 Tim 4:5)
• Tend to be too soft at times when hard questions need to be asked & principles shared

Love for God & others leads to

• hard work behind the scenes
• perseverance with people when I would naturally opt out of involvement

What do I want? I want God's Kingdom to grow (Matt 6:33). This desire is enough to make me choose behaviour motivated by love instead of behaviour motivated by fear, as long as I keep conscious of it.