· CHILDREN'S EDUCATION

· ADULT EDUCATION

· EFM

· JOURNEY TO
   ADULTHOOD
      RITE 13
      J2A
      YAC

· VACATION BIBLE
   SCHOOL

· SERMONS

· CURSILLO

· HAPPENING

· RESOURCE LIST
      Chapel Library
      Recommendations

SERMONS

The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
October 6 , 2002

By David Christian

I know that teaching is a very rewarding profession. I also know that, at times, it is very frustrating. One of the biggest frustrations must be those times when the student just can't seem to grasp the point. The teacher works and works; tries one way of explaining and then another; but the light never goes on. J

esus has been called the great teacher. And the gospel accounts are filled with occasions when his classes fail to get the point. Today's gospel is a prime example.

The setting is Jerusalem during the last week of his earthly ministry. The triumphal entry-Palm Sunday-is past. The tension between him and the Jerusalem authorities is rising. He is in the temple talking with the chief priests and elders. He tells them a story. Then he asks them a question.

"There was a landowner who planted a vineyard," he says. "This landowner didn't believe in doing things half way. He put a fence up around it. He dug a wine press in it. He put up a watchtower. Then he found someone to care for it, as he was going on a trip to another country.

"When harvest time came he sent servants back to collect his share of the produce. But the tenants, who by this time had grown very comfortable with the vineyard, had no interest in giving up any of its harvest. So they beat one servant, stoned one, and killed one.

"The landowner, sensing that their was some misunderstanding, sent more servants. The same thing happened to them. Finally, he decided to send his son, thinking that surely they would respect the son's authority. But by this time the tenants had become very, very comfortable in the vineyard. When they saw the son coming they thought, 'If we can just get rid of him then all this will be ours.' So they grabbed the son and killed him too.

"Now here is your question: When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"

What's your answer?

The class answered, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time."

A reasonable answer. The answer most people might give. The answer most of us would probably give. In fact, through the years it is the answer most people discussing this parable have given.

Most commentators explain that the vineyard represents the people of Israel. The landowner is God, who chose them, gave them great blessings, and placed them under the care of leaders. When from time to time he sent servants- the prophets- to them, they mistreated them. Finally he sent his Son, Jesus. They killed him too.

So God ripped the kingdom out of their hands and placed it under new management: Us; the Church.

At least that's the way those priests and elders would have handled it if it were their vineyard. I suspect its the way we would handle it too. We would use the courts and lawyers and police. But we would see that those dishonest tenants were moved out and punished. You can count on that.

How did they do?

Well, I'm afraid that the class didn't do so well. They failed to recognize one thing. This landowner has demonstrated that he does not use force to get his way. Over and over he has sent servants, who the tenants have mistreated or killed. He has even sent his own son, who they have also killed. Why should we assume that he will change? Why should we assume that now he will resort to force?

There is also information that we have that that first class did not. The teacher, Jesus, is the very son of the story. He is also the one whose last words to the landowner, as he was being killed, were "Father, forgive them."

So they failed.

So we fail. Matthew tells us that when the chief priests and Pharisees heard this parable they realized that it was about them.

And it is about us too. At the bottom of the test paper Jesus comments, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."

God's kingdom is built on a foundation of love and forgiveness. That is the basis on which God operates. That is the only basis on which God operates. Over and over again God has demonstrated that truth. Over and over again we reject it and attempt to build lives on the basis of power and force. Over and over again we fall. And over and over again God comes to us to raise us up and show us once again his love.

Thank God that we have a teacher who is not easily frustrated. Thank God that we have a landlord who does not deal with us as we would deal with others. Thank God that we are heirs to a kingdom that is built on the ground of infinite love and mercy.

It is the Lord's doing and it is amazing in our eyes.

David Christian
The Chapel of the Cross
Madison, Mississippi

Proper 22A
Isaiah 5.1-7
Philippians 3.14-21
Matthew 21.33-43