Sermon 17 August – Luke 20:9-18
The Amazing Grace of the Kingdom (The Parable of the Wicked Tenants)
Jesus told this parable during the time when he came to Jerusalem in the last week before his crucifixion. He had told his disciples for the third time that he was going to his death there. During all of this time, opposition from the religious leaders of Israel has been increasing until we read at the end of chapter 19 that they were seeking some way in which they could destroy him.
At the beginning of chapter 20, these leaders come to Jesus with a question to try and trap him, asking by what authority he is doing these things. Jesus avoids answering the question by asking one of his own: “was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” These men could not safely answer this question, so they replied that they didn’t know.
Jesus then tells a parable to the people. A man planted a vineyard, and rented it to some tenants, and they moved to another country. When the time came to collect some of the profits, he sent a servant, who was beaten and thrown out with nothing. The man then sent two more servants, and they were treated the same way. The man then decided to send his own son, thinking that the tenants would respect him. The tenants, though, plotted to kill the son, thinking that they would then inherit the vineyard.
Jesus asks his audience, “What will the owner of the vineyard do to them?” and then he answers the question: “He will come and destroy those tenants ….”
This shocked and frightened the people, because it brought back to their memories the fact that God had judged Israel in the OT because of their rejection and disobedience toward God.
This parable predicts what will happen soon: the leaders will kill the Son, just like the wicked tenants planned to do. How will God respond? Judgement will come! Israel will be judged, both by ceasing to be the center of God’s program on earth, and by the coming destruction of Jerusalem and Israel by Rome in the near future.
The surprising aspect, though, is that through this wicked act of crucifying the Messiah, God will also provide mercy, grace, and forgiveness for all who believe. Jesus willing went to the cross, and in doing so, he took on our guilt and our punishment, and gave his life as the sacrifice to pay that penalty. The Kingdom of God reverses the intent of humanity and uses it to advance His plan to create a new people. Because of this, we now become heirs in the Kingdom of God!
Questions to Consider:
- In what ways is humanity – in their response to God – like the wicked tenants? (See Romans 1:18-23)
- How should we relate to God now that we know of his great mercy toward us? (See Romans 5:1-11)
