Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins
| Time Stamp | Transcript |
| 0:13 | hello |
| 0:16 | today |
| 0:18 | let’s talk about what has happened |
| 0:20 | in spite of yourself |
| 0:23 | this gospel lesson is told by our lord |
| 0:26 | Jesus during his final week His Holy |
| 0:29 | Week |
| 0:30 | it is the parable of the wicked tenants |
| 0:33 | and in some ways it’s the most |
| 0:35 | impractical and impossible of all the |
| 0:37 | Parables but in other ways it is |
| 0:40 | absolutely true to life as if Jesus were |
| 0:43 | reading the deepest and most intimate |
| 0:46 | details of our own Diaries point one |
| 0:51 | unimaginable patience |
| 0:54 | the parable begins with a statement |
| 0:56 | about the care and provision of the land |
| 0:59 | owner |
| 1:00 | he planted a Vineyard and put a wall |
| 1:02 | around it dug a wine press and built a |
| 1:05 | tower it was a lovely setting |
| 1:08 | he rented the land to tenants who would |
| 1:11 | work the vineyard |
| 1:13 | then he went on a journey |
| 1:16 | when the time came for Harvest the owner |
| 1:18 | sent some servants to receive his share |
| 1:20 | of the produce but the tenants beat one |
| 1:24 | servant killed one servant and beat |
| 1:26 | another with stones |
| 1:28 | why would they do such a thing why would |
| 1:31 | they treat the owner with such |
| 1:33 | disrespect and why would they treat the |
| 1:35 | servants with such violence |
| 1:38 | at this point the owner did something |
| 1:41 | that makes no sense at all |
| 1:44 | his next actions were contrary to Common |
| 1:47 | Sense and against every human instinct |
| 1:52 | some of his servants had already been |
| 1:55 | violently abused and even unto death |
| 1:58 | but instead of bringing Justice and |
| 2:01 | Punishment upon the tenants |
| 2:03 | the owner sent more of his servants to |
| 2:08 | receive his fair share |
| 2:09 | the tenants did the same thing again |
| 2:12 | they beat and killed |
| 2:15 | the servants in the second group too |
| 2:19 | they acted as if the vineyard were their |
| 2:21 | own property and the servants were |
| 2:24 | robbers trying to take what was their |
| 2:26 | Vineyard |
| 2:27 | finally |
| 2:29 | the most unlikely and Fantastical part |
| 2:32 | of the parable is told |
| 2:34 | Jesus teaches that the owner of the |
| 2:37 | vineyard |
| 2:38 | determined that he would as a last and |
| 2:41 | final Resort send his own son |
| 2:46 | surely said the vineyard owner they will |
| 2:48 | respect my own son surely They will |
| 2:51 | receive my own son but they did not |
| 2:55 | the tenants said to themselves that if |
| 2:58 | they killed the son they could have the |
| 3:01 | inheritance for themselves so |
| 3:03 | they killed the son of the vineyard |
| 3:06 | owner |
| 3:08 | I don’t know which is more shocking the |
| 3:10 | patience of the vineyard owner or the |
| 3:13 | selfish sin of the tenants |
| 3:17 | in the end the owner did bring Force to |
| 3:20 | Bear he brought the tenants to a |
| 3:22 | wretched end and he rented out his |
| 3:24 | Vineyard to new tenants |
| 3:26 | what is the meaning of this Parable well |
| 3:31 | surely the most conspicuous message |
| 3:34 | is that the vineyard owner is |
| 3:36 | unimaginably gracious and more patient |
| 3:38 | and kind than any human being ever could |
| 3:41 | be |
| 3:42 | and I suspect that is the first point |
| 3:45 | that our lord Jesus is teaching us |
| 3:49 | God our heavenly father is unimaginably |
| 3:52 | patient with each one of us |
| 3:56 | point two |
| 3:58 | Insidious selfishness |
| 4:01 | it’s clear to anyone that the vineyard |
| 4:04 | did not belong to the tenants they were |
| 4:07 | just renting it but they wanted it to be |
| 4:10 | theirs they wanted to be in charge of it |
| 4:13 | they wanted it to be their own |
| 4:17 | this is not hard for us to understand |
| 4:20 | Humanity often acts because of selfish |
| 4:24 | desires |
| 4:26 | in this case Humanity refused to hear |
| 4:29 | from God the vineyard owner |
| 4:32 | who God not only said this is my |
| 4:34 | Vineyard |
| 4:35 | that is this is my world but he also |
| 4:39 | said you are my tenants that is you are |
| 4:41 | my children |
| 4:43 | sometimes we do not want to hear that we |
| 4:47 | are God’s children in God’s world the |
| 4:50 | response of humanity is |
| 4:52 | whose world is this this is my world |
| 4:55 | then whose life is this this is my life |
| 4:58 | I’m in charge of my own life I’m in |
| 5:01 | charge of my own body I have my own |
| 5:03 | wants I’m free to make my own decisions |
| 5:08 | and so we choose |
| 5:12 | and often |
| 5:13 | we choose to break God’s Commandments |
| 5:17 | we break the first commandment |
| 5:19 | we have other gods before him and mostly |
| 5:21 | the other gods are ourselves and our own |
| 5:25 | wants |
| 5:27 | we follow our own passions and desires |
| 5:29 | our own wisdom and understanding we |
| 5:32 | convince ourselves of all kinds of |
| 5:35 | things |
| 5:36 | because we want them |
| 5:38 | and then we begin the progressive steps |
| 5:41 | of evil |
| 5:44 | you see when we choose evil for the |
| 5:46 | first time |
| 5:48 | it may be kind of tentative |
| 5:50 | but after all it is what we want |
| 5:55 | and so we do it |
| 5:57 | then when we choose evil the second time |
| 6:00 | it’s not quite as hard as it was the |
| 6:03 | first time and now well you know we |
| 6:05 | really do want it |
| 6:07 | and by the third time |
| 6:10 | often it’s no longer a tentative Choice |
| 6:12 | it’s an easy Choice it may even be a |
| 6:15 | comfortable Choice by now |
| 6:17 | because we are on the path to evil and |
| 6:21 | to greater and greater evil does that |
| 6:23 | make sense to you this Insidious |
| 6:27 | temptation of evil |
| 6:30 | at first the Pharisees only wanted to |
| 6:32 | embarrass Jesus they wanted to publicly |
| 6:35 | humiliate Jesus but then they wanted to |
| 6:38 | silence Jesus they wanted |
| 6:40 | to get Jesus out of the way |
| 6:43 | but finally |
| 6:44 | they were determined to kill Jesus they |
| 6:48 | had convinced themselves that this was |
| 6:50 | good and right yes indeed they should |
| 6:53 | kill Jesus |
| 6:55 | that was exactly what they were thinking |
| 6:58 | even as they heard Jesus tell them this |
| 7:00 | Parable it was about them and they knew |
| 7:04 | it |
| 7:05 | but they were now blind to the truth |
| 7:07 | that he was the Messiah and blind to the |
| 7:10 | truth that they were breaking God’s |
| 7:12 | commandment |
| 7:13 | even as they planned to kill him |
| 7:18 | point three |
| 7:20 | individualized salvation |
| 7:24 | what is the relationship of the tenants |
| 7:26 | to the vineyard owner |
| 7:28 | while it was hateful |
| 7:30 | antagonistic |
| 7:32 | they are his enemies |
| 7:35 | they want what the vineyard owner has |
| 7:37 | and they want to be the vineyard owner |
| 7:40 | themselves |
| 7:41 | does it sound familiar |
| 7:43 | the Bible teaches that is exactly our |
| 7:47 | condition before we receive God’s Grace |
| 7:50 | and Faith in Jesus Christ we are God’s |
| 7:54 | enemies Romans 5 verses 8 and 10. |
| 7:58 | but God demonstrates his love toward us |
| 8:02 | in that while we were yet sinners Christ |
| 8:05 | died for us for if while we were enemies |
| 8:09 | we were reconciled to God through the |
| 8:11 | death of his son how much more |
| 8:13 | having been reconciled shall we be saved |
| 8:17 | by his life |
| 8:20 | even after we become Christians baptized |
| 8:24 | believing children of God still |
| 8:27 | sometimes we still act like God’s |
| 8:31 | enemies |
| 8:32 | forgive us Lord |
| 8:34 | sometimes we still forget conveniently |
| 8:37 | that this is his Vineyard and we are his |
| 8:40 | tenants his children |
| 8:42 | we forget that the vineyard is designed |
| 8:44 | as a place for our blessing and our |
| 8:47 | protection and it’s a place to bear |
| 8:49 | fruit The Vineyard is not an end in |
| 8:52 | itself it has a purpose The Vineyard |
| 8:54 | that is the church |
| 8:57 | is to bless and to protect us so that we |
| 9:01 | might bear fruit that will feed others |
| 9:04 | The Vineyard is to feed the world |
| 9:07 | and to bless other workers in the church |
| 9:13 | it’s interesting that some commentators |
| 9:15 | stress that this is a parable |
| 9:19 | about Jewish leaders Jesus told the |
| 9:21 | parable to the Pharisees and he spoke it |
| 9:24 | for the sake of the Pharisees they say |
| 9:27 | so the Pharisees were the ones plotting |
| 9:30 | to kill Jesus and the Pharisees were the |
| 9:32 | ones who really need to listen to the |
| 9:34 | parable |
| 9:36 | what do you think |
| 9:38 | it was for the sinful Pharisees true |
| 9:41 | but beloved even we children of God |
| 9:44 | still struggle with our sin |
| 9:47 | we struggle with our human wants and |
| 9:49 | desires our human angers and resentments |
| 9:52 | our human selfishness and unforgiveness |
| 9:56 | this Parable is for each one of us too |
| 10:00 | so here’s the conclusion |
| 10:02 | in spite of yourself |
| 10:06 | so what is the message of the parable |
| 10:07 | what is the relationship of the tenants |
| 10:10 | to the vineyard owner |
| 10:12 | well here’s the crazy thing |
| 10:14 | we would all be lost in our sin-sic |
| 10:17 | selfishness except for one thing that is |
| 10:20 | the unimaginable patience and |
| 10:23 | Indescribable love of God you see God |
| 10:26 | knew that there was no way that we |
| 10:29 | broken Fallen sinful children could |
| 10:32 | choose |
| 10:33 | him |
| 10:35 | to serve him |
| 10:36 | or to understand him |
| 10:39 | we were dead in our sin and God |
| 10:43 | he so completely different from us so |
| 10:46 | absolutely other than we are |
| 10:49 | it was he who had to make a way |
| 10:53 | God used your Rebellion |
| 10:56 | and turned it into your Redemption |
| 10:59 | God used your selfishness and turned it |
| 11:02 | into his sacrifice |
| 11:04 | he knew that you would betray his son |
| 11:06 | and would would refuse his lordship |
| 11:10 | but God used even that to save you |
| 11:15 | oh it’s true that it appears some of the |
| 11:19 | tenants will refuse the patient love and |
| 11:21 | mercy of the owner some will to their |
| 11:23 | own detriment and demise reject the |
| 11:25 | owner’s kindness and the owner himself |
| 11:28 | some will reject God |
| 11:30 | and |
| 11:31 | that may be a surprise |
| 11:33 | but beloved here’s the real surprise |
| 11:35 | here is the real shock |
| 11:38 | the death of the vineyard owner’s son |
| 11:40 | that is the cross of Jesus Christ |
| 11:43 | it appeared to be the vineyard owner’s |
| 11:45 | naivete and foolishness but it was |
| 11:47 | really |
| 11:48 | his great love and faithfulness it |
| 11:51 | appeared to be our killing of his son |
| 11:53 | but it was really his opening of the |
| 11:56 | Gates of Heaven to all who believe |
| 11:59 | the cross appeared to be the |
| 12:01 | demonstration of our depravity and of |
| 12:04 | our own death |
| 12:06 | but God knew us and God used our own sin |
| 12:10 | to make the cross the demonstration of |
| 12:14 | his mercy and of our only hope |
| 12:19 | Jesus knew you so well |
| 12:22 | Jesus knew you so well |
| 12:25 | that he saved you in spite of yourself |
| 12:30 | yes |
| 12:31 | in spite of yourself when you nailed his |
| 12:34 | hands to the wood |
| 12:35 | he opened his arms wide |
| 12:39 | to capture your heart |
| 12:43 | amen |
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