Love in Freedom and Choice

Matthew 21:33-46 -- 33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. 35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. 38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

During the course of the past week, I came across the story of Marcus Paterculus.  Does this name ring a bell to any of you?  Paterculus was a Roman officer around the time of Christ and the Vatican recently discovered a manuscript written by Paterculus.  Carbon dating places the writings between 20-45 AD which works for the life of Christ.  Anyway, the manuscript says that Jesus healed a stillborn baby in the town of Sebaste.  Paterculus made mention of Jesus and his disciples but he also mentioned the number of people who had come from neighboring towns to catch a glimpse of Christ.  The manuscript says that Jesus went to the house of a woman called Elisheba where he healed the baby.  Paterculus called Christ a great doctor and miracle man for he had no background in the Jewish faith.  I think its great that science has been able to come of with a pretty reliable source to back the story of Christ.  This particular story is not mentioned in the Bible so this goes to show that there could possibly be several upon several stories of Christ that we haven’t heard.  There are likely hundreds we will most likely never hear about.  And that is because everyone who has a relationship with Christ, has a different story.  The way that Christ takes hold in my life may be different than it is in the lives of many others.  Each individual has a unique relationship with Him, a truth which I feel should be celebrated more often.  

Getting to our scripture for this morning, we find Jesus talking to some of the Jewish elite about a landowner trying to collect some of the crops that are owed to him.  When harvest time approached the land owner sent some of his servants to collect that years bounty but the farmers beat one, stoned another and killed yet another.  So the landowner sent more servants and they too were treated in the same way.  He then thought he would send his son thinking the farmers would respect the landowners son but the farmers killed the son as well, with the thought of his inheritance on their minds.  So then Jesus asked the Pharisees what do they think should happen to the farmers... They reply by saying the farmers should be brought “to a wretched end” and that the landowner should find other tenants to rent his farm to.  And this is where the irony of our story starts to ring true.  At the beginning the Pharisees did not know that Jesus was calling them the farmers.  Jesus was politely telling the Pharisees that if they did not get their act together that God could potentially call upon other tenants.  

I do not think Jesus was trying to throw the Jewish pharisees under the bus here but I do think he was trying to get them to more inclusive.  The Jewish elite lived a privileged life and how people like manage to continue to live a privileged life?  By convincing those around them that they are needed, that they are important, that we cannot survive without them.  But Jesus challenged that way of thinking and that is what really made them upset.  That is what ultimately got Jesus hung on a cross.  Jesus turned out to be the kind of savior that they weren’t looking for.  I often wonder why God chose that moment in history for Jesus to walk the earth.  I catch myself asking why then?  Why not now?  In an age where we can snap a picture and post in online in a matter of seconds for the entire world to see.  We would have more than enough proof to show future generations the pictures and videos of the miracles of Christ.  Instead, Jesus existed in a time where none of today’s amenities existed.  The only proof we have of Christ are the stories that have been passed onto us through time.  But each person, each unique, and individual faith has a story.  A story that is just as important as mine and yours.  

God loved each one of us enough to leave our faith up to a choice and the pharisees that Jesus was talking to in our

scripture for this morning were left with a similar choice.  Jesus, a Jew himself, was hoping to get the pharisees to open up that day.  Jesus was trying to stress that the love of God is not for just a select few.  Jesus was ushering in a new way of looking at religion and faith.  Instead of privilege and exclusivity Jesus was trying to teach the world to love another as God loves you.  Several times in the book of Isaiah, the nation of Israel is called a vineyard so this comparison was a relatively easy one for the Jewish people to follow.  So the nation of Israel is vineyard in our scripture this morning and that makes God the owner who sent the servants (prophets) and his son.  The farmers/tenants are the religious leaders of Israel.  And finally, the son whom the owner sent was of course Christ.  

When I read a parable like this, I kind of have a tendency to have a bitter point of view towards the Jewish leaders.  I mean how could that see Jesus for what he was?  To us it seems so obvious but to them, the ideas Jesus was throwing around were pretty radical.  The point here is that in my own faith, I am no better.  How many times did I reject God’s calling before finally taking that step.  How many “servants” did God send my way that I too rejected?  Several.  There were times that I also rejected the son whom He sent.  So, let us not be so quick to judge the struggles and doubts of others if we ourselves are not willing to take a closer look inward.  God loves you but He also wants you to produce fruit.  God has made an investment in you.  An investment that cost Him some of the lives of those who serve the Lord and it cost Him His son.  That is quite an investment.  But do you know what?  God did all the regardless.  Whether or not your conviction is strong enough to want to do something in return, it does not matter.  The stone the builders rejected, the son that the farmers killed, was all for you.  I don’t want you to think I am trying to guilt you into any action because I’m not.  I just want you to know that there is someone out there that cares that much about you.  That despite what this life has thrown at you, there is God who says “I Love you.”  There is a God who loved you enough to make the decision of whether or not to follow Him completely up to you.  There is love in freedom and choice, and God chose that avenue instead of privilege and prestige.  

The chief priests and pharisees were angry after hearing this parable for a couple different reasons.  First, they did not like the scriptures to be turned around on them like that.  They were the religious leaders and did not like getting showed up like they did.  And second, Jesus was talking directly about them and it stung.  Sometimes the truth does sting.  Sometimes our convictions may burn but it is because God wants you to produce fruit.  Your faith is exactly that, yours.  I encourage you to embrace the love that comes out of the choices that God has laid before you.  I also encourage you to embrace the love that comes out of the choices that you have made in the past. But most importantly, know that God loves you dearly.  Amen.