Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the lesson just read, from Luke 20. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- This parable of Jesus has always bothered me. In fact, it always angers me to read of the death of the owner’s son, his beloved son. However, it also challenges me to consider deeply what God has entrusted to me, and what He can reasonably require of me.
- It is also fascinating that Jesus’ audience, particularly the scribes and chief priests, knew immediately that the parable was talking about them, their behavior toward God’s servants. And instead of taking Jesus seriously, they instead determined to “catch Him in something He said” so that they could deliver to Pilate for death.
- How can this be, that the ones who were supposed to be most versed in Scripture, most pious and eager to serve God, had no spiritual life in them? They had no repentance, and no desire to receive the real blessings of God, the blessings of faith. Instead, they were focused only upon their “comfortable,” secure, and prestigious place in life, this earthly life.
- This is where this parable applies also to us. We think we would never do what these tenants did. We think that we would never act like the scribes and chief priests. Yet there is the matter of how well we give thanks to God with our offerings. There is the matter of how well we hear and implement the Word of God in our lives. We have a constant battle against our own selfishness. And we can become quite cynical about God, and about His church, and end up being quite presumptuous in the conduct of our lives.
- So let us remember to “BEWARE OF PRESUMPTION” for:
I. The Length Of Our Life May Dull Our Attention To Duty
Text: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard.”
The tenants beat the first servant and sent him away empty handed.
The tenants beat the second servant, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty handed.
The tenants actually wounded the third servant and threw him out of the vineyard.
The tenants knew the owner’s son, and when they saw him they immediately assumed that they could obtain ownership by murdering the heir.
Statement: It is said that “possession” is about nine tenths of the law. The tenants had possession of the disputed vineyard. They became presumptuous, assuming that they could actually take over the property and have it as their own. They rejected their role as tenants – a relationship that the owner had graciously given them. They ended up completely rejecting the owner, his rights, his prerogatives, and also his power.
Application: This is what the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were doing. In fact, throughout the Old Testament the prophets of God call the nation of Israel to repentance for just this – rejecting God, rejecting His prophets, and presuming that they can do as they wish with what God had given them, and that God could do nothing about it. The question is posed to us as well, as to how we think about life – our own life which is a gift of God, and also how we think of the “things” we have, our money, our possessions, our time, our talents and abilities. Are we faithful – returning fruits to God for what He has given us [including forgiveness, eternal life, and a true and correct knowledge of Him, and His gift of salvation in Jesus]? Or do we have some “presumptuousness” of our own to confess? Well it is not only a waste of God’s blessings, and a presumptuous arrogance that is at stake. For as we see in our text:
II. Such Presumption And Cynicism Breeds Very Evil Behavior, And Rejection Of God
Text: [The violence done to the three servants] “But when the tenants saw the owners beloved son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.”
Statement: This points to what was to become of God’s beloved Son, the Lord Jesus. Yes, presumption and cynicism rejects God. In the end it rejects God fully and completely. The owner’s response to such presumption and cynicism was well warranted. It is as Jesus once taught: “Unless a person abides in Me, he is thrown away like a pruned branch and dries up. People gather such branches, throw them into a fire, and they are burned up.” [John 15:6] So for the presumptuous, cynical, and arrogant who reject God in unbelief, there is nothing left in end but their utter destruction in the fires of hell.
Application: Again, this parable also addresses us. No, people today within the church generally do not execute those who bring God’s Word to them, even when that Word of God is hard on them. However, many a pastor has been fired, harassed, and mistreated because he was faithful to God’s Word. But we must remember that any such behavior is a rejection of God’s cornerstone, the Lord Jesus Christ. What Jesus says about Himself is absolutely true: “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
So again, if we have need to repent of such presumptuous thoughts let us do so, for Jesus came also to take away the guilt and punishment for such sins, and He now is the cornerstone. God wants us to return to repentance and faith, so that we may also return to love – which are the fruits God wants us to bear in this lifetime.
Transition: And while many seem unconcerned about the health and vitality of the church, this much is certain:
III. God Will Give The Vineyard To Those Using It Properly – Those Repenting Of Their Sins, Those With Faith In God’s Forgiveness And Mercy, And Those Moved By God’s Love To Be Loving And Serving
Text: “He will give the vineyard to others.” [Who will bear the fruits that God wills by honoring Him in repentance, faith, and love for others.]
John 15:5 “[Jesus said] “I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who abides in Me while I abide in him produces much fruit; but apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Statement: This is what God wills for us to be and to do. First, He wants us to receive His gifts humbly and gratefully. He wants us to know that He is our great Lover and Benefactor. He wants us to live in His love, to abide in Jesus by faith. For then we will bear much fruit for God – what He wants: our love, our trust, our worship, our joy and blessedness, our thanksgiving!
Application: This only happens to those who know God by faith, who know Jesus to be “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” So let us “BEWARE OF PRESUMPTION” and the cynicism of unbelief. If we have sins to confess in this regard, let us do so, for God delights in having mercy and forgiving our sins!
Conclusion: Again, let us take careful stock of our “stewardship” of God’s vineyard. The “vineyard” includes all that God has given us, all spiritual blessings and also all physical blessings. How well are we doing with the time, talents, and treasure that He has bestowed upon us? How well are we doing being attentive to His Word, in worship and bible study? How are we doing sharing our faith with others? Or inviting others to church with us?
Our relationship with God and with His world is not shallow or superficial, but as deep as the human heart is. May it ever be so with each of us, that we be delivered from presumption, Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting. Amen.