THE WICKED FARMERS
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) Story of the wicked farmers
i) 33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. (Matthew 21:33-45 NIV)
1. What is this parable all about?
a) The main elements in this parable are:
i) the landowner - God.
ii) the vineyard - Israel.
iii) the vinedressers - the Jewish religious leaders.
iv) the landowner's servants - the prophets and priests who remained faithful to God and preached to Israel.
vi) the son - Jesus.
@1. 38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ (Matthew 21:38 NIV)
vii) the other vinedressers - the Gentiles.
b) Jesus was exposing the religious leaders' murderous plot.
i) 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. (Matthew 21:45 NIV)
c) In trying to reach us with his love, God finally sent his own Son, Jesus' perfect life, his words of truth, and his sacrifice of love are meant to cause us to listen to him and to follow him as Lord. If we ignore God's gracious gift of his Son, we reject God himself.
d) Jesus refers to himself as "the stone which the builders rejected". Although Jesus was rejected by many of his people, he will become the capstone, or cornerstone, of his new building, the church.
i) 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ (Acts 4:11 NIV)
ii) 7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," (1 Peter 2:7 NIV)
e) Jesus used this metaphor to show that one stone can affect people different ways, depending on how they relate. Ideally they will build on it; many, however, will trip over it. And at the lasst judgment God's enemies will be crushed by it. In the end, Christ, the "building block," will become the "crushing stone." He offers mercy and forgiveness now and promises judgment later. We should choose him now!
2. Prayer focus
a) Pray that we choose Christ Jesus now as salvation has already been provided for on the cross.
i) 2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2 NIV)
The End ..
0. Introductiona) Story of the wicked farmers
i) 33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?
43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. (Matthew 21:33-45 NIV)
1. What is this parable all about?
a) The main elements in this parable are:
i) the landowner - God.
ii) the vineyard - Israel.
iii) the vinedressers - the Jewish religious leaders.
iv) the landowner's servants - the prophets and priests who remained faithful to God and preached to Israel.
vi) the son - Jesus.
@1. 38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ (Matthew 21:38 NIV)
vii) the other vinedressers - the Gentiles.
b) Jesus was exposing the religious leaders' murderous plot.
i) 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. (Matthew 21:45 NIV)
c) In trying to reach us with his love, God finally sent his own Son, Jesus' perfect life, his words of truth, and his sacrifice of love are meant to cause us to listen to him and to follow him as Lord. If we ignore God's gracious gift of his Son, we reject God himself.
d) Jesus refers to himself as "the stone which the builders rejected". Although Jesus was rejected by many of his people, he will become the capstone, or cornerstone, of his new building, the church.
i) 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ (Acts 4:11 NIV)
ii) 7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," (1 Peter 2:7 NIV)
e) Jesus used this metaphor to show that one stone can affect people different ways, depending on how they relate. Ideally they will build on it; many, however, will trip over it. And at the lasst judgment God's enemies will be crushed by it. In the end, Christ, the "building block," will become the "crushing stone." He offers mercy and forgiveness now and promises judgment later. We should choose him now!
2. Prayer focus
a) Pray that we choose Christ Jesus now as salvation has already been provided for on the cross.
i) 2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2 NIV)
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