Sunday, October 8, 2017

The Wicked Tenants; A Complicated Parable Matthew 21:33-36

                                                                           
This week we are examining what many consider to be a very complicated parable: the parable of the wicked tenants. This is a parable about Israel. It goes along with similar themes to the parable of the two sons and the parables of the wedding banquet and feast.



A mother ran into the bedroom when she heard her seven-year-old son scream. She found his two-year-old sister pulling his hair. She gently released the little girl’s grip and said comfortingly to the boy, "There, there. She didn’t mean it. She doesn’t know that hurts." He nodded his acknowledgement, and she left the room.



As she started down the hall the little girl screamed. Rushing back in, she asked, "What happened?"



The little boy replied, "She knows now."



The parable of the landowner and the wicked tenants continues the theme of Jesus’ conversation with the rich young man. “The last will be first, and the first will be last” (Matthew 20:16) this is a notion that challenged the general religious economy of Jesus’ era and continues to challenge that of our own time. The parable points a finger at the religious elite of Jerusalem. As the story unfolds, the Pharisees know that Jesus is speaking about the unfaithful history of Israel, Israel who refused the witness of prophets, Israel who killed God’s messengers, and now Israel who denies the witness of Jesus, whom some have called the Messiah. Now do not get me wrong this is not Israel the nation, so much as Israel influenced by a corrupt religious leadership.



The heart of the parable is the wicked and violent way that stewards of the law and the temple have failed through the centuries to acknowledge God’s clear message of justice and righteousness. Now the Son has come to give a clear message, and the attitude is still the same. These men of power will not stand much longer for this kind of teaching.



As with many parables, Jesus uses symbols in his stories that give a deeper meaning. This is where we need to be careful because not all things have deeper meanings. Sometimes a field is really just a field. But here we can deduce some likely meanings. I say likely here because sometimes these things are debated.



Symbolic Indicators



• The vineyard is Jerusalem



Here some say that the vineyard is all of Israel. I do not believe that this represents all of Israel because it is a narrative that is indicative of Jerusalem. Jesus paints the picture of a wall, a watch tower and a winepress. This combination most likely would have pointed to Jerusalem. The wall around Jerusalem, the watch tower would be the temple that is supposed to keep watch over the spiritual life of the people. The winepress would also point to the Temple but specifically the Temple authorities who were supposed to take care of the people, especially the financial responsibility of the poor, but Jesus is indicating that they had misappropriated the finances. No wonder the religious rulers were so upset.



Besides, the placement of this parable, the timing, in relation to Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and arrival at the temple makes it very clear who Jesus is accusing.



• The servants are the prophets



These are the Old Testament prophets many of whom were beaten and killed as God’s messengers. God sent them to all of Israel and to Jerusalem many, many times.



• The son is Jesus



In the parable the son is taken outside the vineyard then killed. Jesus would be very shortly taken outside the city walls and crucified. He was taken outside so that the city and the Temple would not be ritually defiled.



• The tenants are Israel’s leaders



Not just one generation but in general all of the Israelite leaders over the course of its history. I know that it can be especially tempting to continue allegorizing everything in this parable. However, other than these items, there is no clear indication that Jesus intended for his hearers to do so.



The inheritance is a deeper relationship with God the creator. The fruit is the abundance of a growing community here on earth...  Then there are more generalized interpretations as in the message of the kindom and the productive living that follows. Specifics are not given by Jesus here about what entails productive living nor does Jesus give details on what the judgment looks like other than the wicked tenants will meet their deserved end.

So what message is Jesus trying to give us through this parable? It is really very simple for those who have ears to hear. The parable is a proclamation concerning the world to come, and Israel’s part in this present, but not yet realized world to come.



There is a Proclamation within this parable which is that

*The stewardship of this heavenly kindom will be taken away from one people and given to many people; taken away from the hypocritical judicial leaders of Israel’s history and given to the chosen people and those who lay beyond this concept of the chosen few.

God’s intention all along is that God has a people who are God’s own. But the boundaries that creates this people will not be based on birth or race or religious standing or economic standing or even social standing.

The rules for this new people is twofold.



• This new people are all those who respond to the fullness of God’s message for them and then bear fruit.

Both parts are essential: Responding to the message of the all loving God by bearing fruit through productive living. This living is based on the ways of God and the teachings received, for the Christian this is the teachings of Jesus. Productive living may not necessarily mean being a good citizen, being a good citizen is just enough but God and Christ have called us to more than that. It probably doesn’t mean being affluent economically. In fact, it probably means you will not be affluent.



• Blessings and gifts are not permanent possessions they come and go. So, as Christians, we should never feel comfortable, we should never feel we have done enough.



It is so easy to get caught up in false sense of security. The only security is through the continuing love relationship with Jesus, walking humbly as is taught through the Gospels. Degrees, promotions, bible studies, number of worship services, number of prayers and prayer meetings, number of meals served to the homeless are all great things and often beneficial to our own spiritual growth. However, they do not provide security. The security lies in striving to be what I am called to be. All actions should flow out of where we are at in our journey, what we are capable of doing but also, perhaps what we are challenged to do. Our actions need to flow out of a sense of calling and spiritual walk with God which may seem to call us beyond what we are capable of.

The only assurance that God is with us is by intentionally setting our hearts on God. God’s favor and blessings are permanent but, Jesus is giving Israel and us a warning that fulfilling religious responsibilities is not enough. He warns us that we may get to the end and find that we are spiritually bankrupt because we have been denouncing, ridiculing, degrading, and ignoring the very messengers that God has been sending us. Jesus is warning us also not to just simply go through the motions but to develop a spiritual life and a life that is rich and full.



There is no guarantee except what comes through the indwelling presence of God’s Holy Spirit. That is your security deposit. And that is not something that you give but receive and continue to be filled with and in turn are required to nurture, grow and seek out your spiritual edges… in return



• God does the unexpected.



Probably of all the things that God may be saying to us today through this parable is that God does the unexpected, the unexpected grace and love that is shown by those that love God and God’s ways. The unexpected provision that God gives sometimes before we realized we even had a need, the unexpected lesson that Jesus teaches us when we are wrapped up in ourselves.



Jesus gives us a proverb or saying at the end of this parable. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed. When we fall in complete and utter abandonment to Jesus who is the cornerstone, we may be broken but we are never crushed. Through the spirit and growing in Christ we often are broken and broken again for the love of Christ that can dwell in the heart will often cause it to break, break for the violence, break for the pain and suffering that exists in this world, break every time there is another storm. Our hearts break at another mass shooting and we feel helpless in its wake.



The amazing thing is that when we are broken before God, Jesus takes the broken pieces of our lives our mistakes those times when we missed the mark, our helpless ness, or our justified anger and unexpectedly transforms them. God takes people that many in the world might cast out as trash and creates a thing of beauty that allows the light of the spirit to shine through. Let me say that again; Jesus takes the broken pieces of our lives and unexpectedly transforms what many in the world might cast out as trash, as emotionalism, as foolishness and creates a thing of beauty that allows the light of the spirit to shine through.



The message is plain but not easy. Are you certain of your walk with God? Are sure that you are walking with Jesus? Do you love God and God’s ways more than anything else? Have you responded by living a life of abundant fruit? There are no barriers here today. The only barrier is the one inside of ourselves. Is the spirit of God calling us to go further, to be bolder, to act up or speak out?

Now I am not saying we need to be saints for God knows we are human. We are called to do our best to respond to the messenger, to follow Jesus, and live this abundant life that has been given us. We should guard against our pride less we convince ourselves that we are doing enough. We can always do more, spend a few more minutes in prayer or contemplation, spend an extra 15 minutes visiting a friend in need, volunteer a few more minutes somewhere.

This means seeking opportunity to enrich your spiritual life as well. Seeking out what feeds you spiritually to keep that constant connection.  The connection that goes up and down, God to me, me to God, is what makes it possible for me to make connections laterally. There are so many ways to feed the up and down; Journaling as prayer, walking meditation, the Jesus prayer, which is Lord Jesus Christ; have mercy on me repeated over and over till it is constant on your heart, the daily offices or book of Christian prayer. Arts and crafts can become prayer as perhaps you work in silence you offer a simple prayer per stich. I also strongly encourage you seek out a spiritual companion, a spiritual director.

Spiritual Directors international reminds us that throughout human history, individuals have been inspired to accompany others seeking the Mystery that many name God. Spiritual direction has emerged in many contexts using language specific to cultural and spiritual traditions throughout history. Stillpoint California a training program for spiritual directors states A Spiritual Director is a privileged witness in the spiritual unfolding of another person. The focus is on the relationship between the "directee" and God, much more than on the relationship between the director and “directee.” I always say that the Spiritual director is a companion on your spiritual path to help you notice things along the way you may not have noticed, rarely does a spiritual director direct more often than not they just pause and inquire.  Their purpose is help one grow in their spiritual journey.

The whole concept is you need to find what feeds you, what will keep your heart open to the beauty and the wonder that is God’s spiritual invitation to walk the path daily and as we grow spiritually the invitation is always to act upon it. Seek out the ways in which we can serve our congregation and our community around us.








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