Parable of the tenant farmers

33 “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it to tenant farmers and took a trip. 34 When it was time for harvest, he sent his servants to the tenant farmers to collect his fruit. 35 But the tenant farmers grabbed his servants. They beat some of them, and some of them they killed. Some of them they stoned to death. 36 “Again he sent other servants, more than the first group. They treated them in the same way.37 Finally he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. 38 “But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come on, let’s kill him and we’ll have his inheritance.’ 39 They grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 “When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenant farmers?” 41 They said, “He will totally destroy those wicked farmers and rent the vineyard to other tenant farmers who will give him the fruit when it’s ready.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the scriptures, The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The Lord has done this, and it’s amazing in our eyes? 43 Therefore, I tell you that God’s kingdom will be taken away from you and will be given to a people who produce its fruit. 44 Whoever falls on this stone will be crushed. And the stone will crush the person it falls on.” 45 Now when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard the parable, they knew Jesus was talking about them. 46 They were trying to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, who thought he was a prophet. (Matthew 21:33-46, CEB)

Who in their right mind would think if we kill the heir then we will get that inheritance? Seriously?

But this parable is more about the church in Jesus’ time and our current time than is actually possible. There are so many in the church who would kill the son to get the inheritance to keep things the way that they want them, rather than follow after God. It seems so many are bound to the rules that humans created and set up as a system they have forgotten their first love and are following after the way that makes them happy.

Following Jesus is not an easy task and what the people around us will always see as the right way. Jesus threw the religious order of the time on it’s head, so why do we think that that stopped then? Complacencies are always coming in and Jesus and God are not complacent, and move to have their love know in the world.

So follow the Father, not your religion.

deceived…

40 When some in the crowd heard these words, they said, “This man is truly the prophet.”41 Others said, “He’s the Christ.” But others said, “The Christ can’t come from Galilee, can he? 42 Didn’t the scripture say that the Christ comes from David’s family and from Bethlehem, David’s village?” 43 So the crowd was divided over Jesus. 44 Some wanted to arrest him, but no one grabbed him. 45 The guards returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked, “Why didn’t you bring him?” 46 The guards answered, “No one has ever spoken the way he does.” 47 The Pharisees replied, “Have you too been deceived? 48 Have any of the leaders believed in him? Has any Pharisee? 49 No, only this crowd, which doesn’t know the Law. And they are under God’s curse!” 50 Nicodemus, who was one of them and had come to Jesus earlier, said, 51 “Our Law doesn’t judge someone without first hearing him and learning what he is doing, does it?” 52 They answered him, “You are not from Galilee too, are you? Look it up and you will see that the prophet doesn’t come from Galilee.” (John 7:40-52, CEB)

No one speaks the way He does…

Have you been deceived?

And then Nicodemus shows up again, the one who had come to Jesus under the cloak of night to not be seen, now openly speaks in defense of Jesus in the high council.

The question from this text is where is Jesus from? We the readers know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but only because we have all of the stories. The birth of Jesus is not laid out in where and when in John. So the powers that be think Jesus is from Galilee because that is all they know, and seem to be unwilling to allow Jesus to answer questions before passing judgment.

How many of us are like that? We make up our minds based on the things we think we know and do not care to discover the real meaning behind something? How often do we deceive ourselves?

Be like Nicodemus and look for the truth…

everything

14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, innocent children of God surrounded by people who are crooked and corrupt. Among these people you shine like stars in the world 16 because you hold on to the word of life. This will allow me to say on the day of Christ that I haven’t run for nothing or worked for nothing. 17 But even if I am poured out like a drink offering upon the altar of service for your faith, I am glad. I’m glad with all of you. 18 You should be glad about this in the same way. Be glad with me! (Philippians 2:14-18, CEB)

Be glad in any and all circumstances!

Seriously Paul? How are we supposed to do that?

Two weeks ago, my daughter was in an accident and our van was totaled, and I’m supposed to be glad about that?

Last week we got a letter from the IRS saying we were randomly chosen for a 3 year audit, and I’m supposed to be glad about that?

Well actually even in the midst of trials and tribulations, of not knowing how we will afford another car payment and where we will find a good used vehicle, and worrying about producing everything the IRS wants to see, I am glad.

I’m glad we have insurance and a vehicle that allowed my daughter to walk away from the accident. I am glad that no one was seriously injured and property damage will be fixed. I am glad for a CPA that will help with an inquiry into taxes and know we have records for everything we said.

Even in the midst of worries, pain, and trials, Jesus is there, and there is always reason to be glad.

Be glad always, that you are a chosen child of God, and God is always with you!

Human Commandments

16 So don’t let anyone judge you about eating or drinking or about a festival, a new moon observance, or sabbaths. 17 These religious practices are only a shadow of what was coming—the body that cast the shadow is Christ. 18 Don’t let anyone who wants to practice harsh self-denial and worship angels rob you of the prize. They go into detail about what they have seen in visions and have become unjustifiably arrogant by their selfish way of thinking. 19 They don’t stay connected to the head. The head nourishes and supports the whole body through the joints and ligaments, so the body grows with a growth that is from God. 20 If you died with Christ to the way the world thinks and acts, why do you submit to rules and regulations as though you were living in the world? 21 “Don’t handle!” “Don’t taste!” “Don’t touch!” 22 All these things cease to exist when they are used. Such rules are human commandments and teachings. 23 They look like they are wise with this self-made religion and their self-denial by the harsh treatment of the body, but they are no help against indulging in selfish immoral behavior. (Colossians 2:16-23, CEB)

Human rules do not help you over come your selfish immoral behavior.

Only God and being who God created you to be can help you live the life that God intended for you. You can not let others tell you how to live or what to do, only God can do that. Human rules only get in the way of our loving God and God’s creation.

So know that you have died with Christ and the world no longer controls your life, but your life is in the hands of Christ. Live as Christ intended for you to live and share the love that Christ has given to you.

easier

2 People brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a cot. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man who was paralyzed, “Be encouraged, my child, your sins are forgiven.” 3 Some legal experts said among themselves, “This man is insulting God.” 4 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Why do you fill your minds with evil things? 5 Which is easier—to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But so you will know that the Human One has authority on the earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“Get up, take your cot, and go home.” 7 The man got up and went home. 8 When the crowds saw what had happened, they were afraid and praised God, who had given such authority to human beings. (Matthew 9:2-8, CEB)

The interesting thing about this story is that the person healed is no the one who wants or asks to be healed. People brought to Jesus a man lying on a cot. And because of the will of those people to bring this man to Jesus, Jesus heals the man.

You see it is not about our individual faith, but about the faith of the community. We can have faith for the one who can’t.

So when you don’t have the faith, lean on your siblings, and when you see someone struggling, be the faith they need.

Why do you preach Christ?

15 Some certainly preach Christ with jealous and competitive motives, but others preach with good motives. 16 They are motivated by love, because they know that I’m put here to give a defense of the gospel; 17 the others preach Christ because of their selfish ambition. They are insincere, hoping to cause me more pain while I’m in prison. 18 What do I think about this? Just this: since Christ is proclaimed in every possible way, whether from dishonest or true motives, I’m glad and I’ll continue to be glad. 19 I’m glad because I know that this will result in my release through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 20 It is my expectation and hope that I won’t be put to shame in anything. Rather, I hope with daring courage that Christ’s greatness will be seen in my body, now as always, whether I live or die. 21 Because for me, living serves Christ and dying is even better. (Philippians 1:15-21, CEB)

This is a passage that I need to read and reread and put into my heart.

You see I have a lot of conservative friends on social media and they seem to be single issue focused of abortion right now. I do not like abortions, and do not want women to get them. But I also know I can not make that decision for someone else, and if this is not legal and done safely, it will still be done at more harm to the mother as well. So to say I am pro-choice is not to say that I am pro-abortion. I say all of this to say that above Paul says we should rejoice because Christ is being preached.

And even if Christ is preached for wrong reasons, Christ is still preached. People still hear the message of love, hopefully, even when the gospel is used for selfish reasons.

So have hope, that Christ is alive and with us always. And Christ being preached is what we all need to be doing.

Prisoner for Christ

3 I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. 4 I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. 5 I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now. 6 I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus. 7 I have good reason to think this way about all of you because I keep you in my heart. You are all my partners in God’s grace, both during my time in prison and in the defense and support of the gospel. 8 God is my witness that I feel affection for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. 10 I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. 11 I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God. 12 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that the things that have happened to me have actually advanced the gospel. 13 The whole Praetorian Guard and everyone else knows that I’m in prison for Christ. 14 Most of the brothers and sisters have had more confidence through the Lord to speak the word boldly and bravely because of my jail time. (Philippians 1:3-14, CEB)

Even though Paul is in prison he is still hopeful and knows that God will not let him or the Philippians down.

Do we have that kind of faith?

To look into the unknown and say, God started something good here and God will bring it to a close?

That is hard. But Paul praise for the Philippians and for each of us that we will see Christ as our help and guidance and an assurance of the things that will come because of the promises we have from Christ that He has fulfilled.

So trust in Christ and know that even in the worst of place God is always with you.

Authority

23 When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and elders of the people came to him as he was teaching. They asked, “What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus replied, “I have a question for you. If you tell me the answer, I’ll tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things. 25 Where did John get his authority to baptize? Did he get it from heaven or from humans?” They argued among themselves, “If we say ‘from heaven,’ he’ll say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’26 But we can’t say ‘from humans’ because we’re afraid of the crowd, since everyone thinks John was a prophet.” 27 Then they replied, “We don’t know.” Jesus also said to them, “Neither will I tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things.

28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. Now he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’
29 “‘No, I don’t want to,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went. 30 “The father said the same thing to the other son, who replied, ‘Yes, sir.’ But he didn’t go
31 “Which one of these two did his father’s will?”
They said, “The first one.”
Jesus said to them, “I assure you that tax collectors and prostitutes are entering God’s kingdom ahead of you.32 For John came to you on the righteous road, and you didn’t believe him. But tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. Yet even after you saw this, you didn’t change your hearts and lives and you didn’t believe him. (Matthew 21:23-32, CEB)

Which son actually did what the father asked?

Actually neither. The first flat out told the father no and then felt guilty and changed his mind and went. That is not following the will of the father. Even though this pretty much match my journey to being a pastor and almost every other pastor’s journey I know. We all heard God say go to seminary, and we said no, or went somewhere else. But God came again and again, so it was not the first time we said yes, but sometime later when God asked again. So did God ask the first son to go again?

And the second son lied to the father and said, yeah I’ll go and just did what he wanted which was not doing what the father wanted.

God wants us to go where God sends us, not because it is our choice, but because we want to do what God has called us to do. And those who the religious leaders think will be the last to enter heaven will be there first because they live their lives in the truth of being real, and not fake before others.

That is what God wants. For us to be real.

Be real. Live for God.

Controversy over authority

27 Jesus and his disciples entered Jerusalem again. As Jesus was walking around the temple, the chief priests, legal experts, and elders came to him. 28 They asked, “What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I have a question for you. Give me an answer, then I’ll tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things. 30 Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.” 31 They argued among themselves, “If we say, ‘It’s of heavenly origin,’ he’ll say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But we can’t say, ‘It’s of earthly origin.’” They said this because they were afraid of the crowd, because they all thought John was a prophet. 33 They answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things.” (Mark 11:27-33, CEB)

Has someone ever asked you a question that you knew the answer to but you were afraid to answer it because you know they wanted a different answer than you were going to give?

The religious leaders of the time were trying to get Jesus to give up something they could use against him, but he knew their hearts and why they were asking, so he asked them a question, that would be a start of a conversation they were not willing to have.

You see we need not fear answering a question honestly because God will always give us the words to speak. Plus if we are honest we do not have to have a good memory. Only the one who lies needs to have the perfect memory, to remember the falsehoods they have told and to whom.

Life is easier when we share the truth of God’s love in everything we do.

Won’t Believe

32 “We proclaim to you the good news. What God promised to our ancestors, 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it was written in the second psalm, You are my son; today I have become your father. 34 “God raised Jesus from the dead, never again to be subjected to death’s decay. Therefore, God said, I will give to you the holy and firm promises I made to David. 35 In another place it is said, You will not let your holy one experience death’s decay. 36 David served God’s purpose in his own generation, then he died and was buried with his ancestors. He experienced death’s decay, 37 but the one whom God has raised up didn’t experience death’s decay. 38 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, know this: Through Jesus we proclaim forgiveness of sins to you. From all those sins from which you couldn’t be put in right relationship with God through Moses’ Law, 39 through Jesus everyone who believes is put in right relationship with God. 40 Take care that the prophets’ words don’t apply to you:
41 Look, you scoffers,
    marvel and die.
I’m going to do work in your day —
    a work you won’t believe
    even if someone told you.”
(Acts 13:32-41, CEB)

Make sure you don’t become like those who received the prophets before Jesus came and wouldn’t believe the messengers of God. God does marvelous things in our presence and we just don’t believe it. Even when we are told it will happen we scoff and say it will never be.

But God has done many wonderful things and will do many wonderful things to come. Know that you can not save yourself and God has done that for you through Jesus. Believe and follow where God lead you and help others to believe it also.