This attitude of I want it all could be said to be the same attitude of the tenants in the Vineyard

Transcription

1 You may remember when (Queen) sang out these song lyrics (in 1989!) a song written by Brian May, the lead guitarist, but a song that seemed to perhaps embrace the lifestyle of Freddie Mercury who said of himself I like to be surrounded by splendid things ( mercury ) He died Christmas Eve, years after the song was released. This attitude of I want it all could be said to be the same attitude of the tenants in the Vineyard 1

2 If you want a different way of how this is expressed, then this well known saying would also fit the bill. The tenants were after something that wasn t theirs and they were prepared to do anything to get it and keep it. 2

3 Just as an aside maybe this is how What s yours is mine and what s mine is my own is worked out in your house? 3

4 Back to the parable; walled vineyards are not so rare as you might think. We are perhaps used to seeing pictures of open vineyards stretching out into the distance but vineyards surrounded by a wall are not uncommon. This is one in the Middle East now 4

5 And this is closer to home, in France. But are the walls in the parable built by the tenants to keep them safely kept in or to keep others out? It would seem the walls were to keep other out. 5

6 The first servants in the parable are the Old Testament prophets whom God sent to warn His People and to help get the chosen people back into relationship with God. The prophets were abused, ignored or killed the people rejected God s messengers and also God s Message. 6

7 God sent John the Baptist, the last of the pre- Jesus prophets. Jesus said of John: Mt 11:9-10 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you. And one who is more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way before you. John was rejected no one in authority spoke up for his release he died alone and rejected. 7

8 Then the Vineyard owner sends His Son Jesus, to the tenants of His vineyard. In the parable, the tenants kill Him a clear reference to Jesus being killed by the Jewish Leaders who had the oversight of Israel, God s Vineyard. In Jewish law, if an owner failed 3 times to get his share of the harvest, then the tenants could claim it for themselves this aspect of the analogy Jesus doesn t pursue the focus is what will happen the tenants following their decision to reject and kill the Owner s Son. 8

9 The Jewish Leaders though they were preserving the vineyard, but in fact they were going to lose their exclusive relationship with God. They rejected Jesus, so they rejected God. They executed Jesus outside the walls they had built in doing so they sowed their public rejection of God and that Jesus died for all those within the vineyard and for those outside it the rest of humanity. 9

10 So the message and God s ultimate Messenger turns about face to us; not for us to stay within whatever vineyards and walls that may be of our own making, but step out into the world where we have been placed. There s no fine detail or game plan we are given we know no more detail than the first disciples did only Go and with the promise of Jesus that He is with us. 10

11 A quote from the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. God was and is working outside of our comfort zone, our walls but if we do not step out we will never know, and never be able to join in it is both God s command to us and yet it is also our choice. 11

12 The harvest from our labours is God s. We offer back to Him the fruit, the lives, of all those of whom we share the Good News of God s Kingdom. 12

13 It s the way God s Kingdom works what we offer back to God always was His, and always will be His. The moment we start to think that it is anything about us, we have lost our focus and we are rebuilding walls around our vineyard whether that s the vineyard of our hearts or our church fellowship. 13

14 This isn t a call for us to hold our church gatherings under a gazebo on the front lawn. It s how we choose to think of church and where our focus is certainly the during rest of the week when we are not here. It s being church and having our church focus out in the community where we are when we are living out our lives, and our faith. 14

15 It is on 3 levels; The world wide scale which for us is sharing in and supporting our new CMS partners Grace and Festo in Tanzania. The national scale in how we choose to influence the decision made by our National Leaders Christian & Political leaders The local scale how we reach out to others ourselves and how we help others to do this, such as our Families Worker, Help for the Homeless, School Uniforms project etc 15

16 What I have spoken of, isn t of an academic exercise. It s real. It s about your discipleship, and how it does impact others. We/you do make a difference in everywhere you go (your Frontline); in all you offer and show (the fruits of the Holy Spirit) an in all you speak in and through these others will hear and see Jesus in you We don t want it all we should be wanting the world to know God and we want this now. 16