WEBVTT 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:10.480 Last few weeks we've been looking at a series on the church, and two weeks ago we looked at how to choose a church and what to look for in uh finding a new church. 00:00:10.560 --> 00:00:18.000 If any of you were to move away from here uh to give you some things to think through for how to choose a new church where you're going. 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:26.879 And last week we looked at why you should choose a church, like why it is important for believers to gather together face to face for the worship of Jesus Christ. 00:00:27.039 --> 00:00:38.560 And so this morning I want to kind of bring this little mini-series to a conclusion here by asking even, I guess, a more theological question or a question that goes deeper back into time is why did God choose the church? 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:41.920 We looked at how you should choose a church, we looked at why you should choose a church. 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:46.399 Now I want to ask the question, why did God choose the church? 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:49.359 You know, our lives are very self-focused. 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:59.280 We live in the worlds that's everything is here and immediate, and our life is what is important to us, our world is what is important to us, so we can lose a bit of perspective. 00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:04.239 Namely, here's a perspective for you: the church has not always been in the world. 00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:10.159 The church came into existence at Pentecost where the Holy Spirit filled believers. 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:18.959 This is described in Acts chapter 2, and then sent them into the world with the courage and the power and the boldness to preach the gospel to every tribe, nation, and language. 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:21.680 And ever since then, the gospel has gone around the world. 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:25.760 This is the great commission that Jesus gave his disciples at the end of his ministry. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:28.799 When Jesus says it in Matthew 28, it is prophetic. 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:33.519 He says, I'm sending you into the world, you will be my disciples into all the nations. 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:37.519 And that's the command that we're supposed to go, but it was future then. 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:43.680 It's in Acts 2 where the Spirit empowers it, and we know that the church will not be on the world for forever. 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:53.359 The rapture is coming where the church will be removed from the earth that launches us into the tribulation, and then ultimately the kingdom of God, and then into the eternal state. 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:54.560 That's all future. 00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:58.799 And so for this little time right now, the church is here on earth. 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:00.719 And so it is worth asking why. 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:09.919 And I want to go to a passage that's not often looked at to answer this question, but I think it is critical in an understanding of why God has chosen the church. 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:12.879 And that's Matthew 21, verse 33. 00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:14.400 This is the parable of the tenants. 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:18.159 And before we read the parable, understand the context where this takes place. 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:23.840 We're going to read through the whole parable twice this morning, but I want to give you the context for where it takes place. 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:28.960 This is the third day of Jesus' ministry in Jerusalem in the last week of his life. 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:31.840 He entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:34.479 It may have been Monday, it may have been Sunday evening. 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:36.319 There's differences of opinion on that. 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:47.919 We don't have access to his daytime, or we don't know exactly, but his first day in Jerusalem, he comes in, he's welcomed in as the crowd is singing Psalm 118, and they receive Jesus into Jerusalem. 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:51.280 He goes to the temple where he clears it out. 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:58.080 He turns over the tables, he drives people away, and then he retires in Bethany. 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:02.719 He returns the next day for teaching in the temple, day number two of his time in Jerusalem. 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:06.879 So either Monday or Tuesday, he's there for teaching, and he spends the entire day. 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:08.800 And that must have been quite a scene. 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:18.080 I mean, nobody had, other than Jesus, ever had ever gone into the temple before and cleaned it out and turned over the tables and driven out the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin. 00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:20.159 This is the holy week in Israel. 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:22.240 It's the week leading up to Passover. 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:24.560 This is where the temple is packed. 00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:25.360 It is crazy. 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:27.520 It's the focus of Judaism. 00:03:27.840 --> 00:03:34.080 There's pilgrims from all over the world pouring into Jerusalem at this week to go to the temple. 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:37.360 The Psalms of Ascent were written for going to the temple this week. 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:39.280 I mean, this is this is nuts. 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:49.520 And Jesus goes there this week, clears it out one day, the next day shows up and begins literally holding court there, teaching in the temple all day long. 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:57.759 His third day and his final day in the temple, he is there and he has people gathered around and he begins to teach them again. 00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:00.560 Only this time the Sanhedrin is ready. 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:04.319 The Sanhedrin is the group of 70 leaders of Israel. 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:06.639 They are the upper class of Israel. 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:09.520 They're the ones who are in charge of the Jewish religion. 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:12.080 There are some Pharisees among them. 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:15.759 There are some religious leaders, some scribes and priests among them. 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:19.519 Of course, the high priest is supposed to have a chair of authority over it. 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:27.439 We know that wasn't true during Jesus' lifetime, but it was just a title, really, who was holding over the Sanhedrin. 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:29.519 But they're all gathered there this morning. 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:31.120 They were ready for Jesus. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:32.079 And we know their plan. 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:33.839 Their plan was to trap Jesus. 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:39.920 They thought that this was a long joke that had gone on too long, and they wanted him out. 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:43.439 They begin this day by putting him to the test. 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:46.800 They have questions for him, almost like, you know, show me your papers. 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:50.319 What gives you the right to be here and have authority over to over us? 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:52.399 Who made you in charge? 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:55.360 And Jesus is going to respond to them. 00:04:55.439 --> 00:05:00.240 But you just have to appreciate the gravity of this situation. 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:04.160 The Sanhedrin is, of course, noticeable. 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:17.519 Black robes, outlandish hats, stones in their robes, the Pharisees are around them, and a massive crowd of thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people pressing in around them. 00:05:17.839 --> 00:05:21.439 This is a place where they want to see what will happen. 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:27.360 They're there, they've had enough of Jesus, and they want to finally be done with him. 00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:32.800 In fact, they ask in Matthew 21, verse 23, by what authority are you doing these things? 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:34.240 Who gave you this authority? 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:39.519 That's what the crowd and the chief priests and the elders, which is another way of saying the Sanhedrin, they want to know. 00:05:39.680 --> 00:05:42.000 And Jesus responds to them with a little bit of a riddle. 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:46.959 He says, Sure, I'll tell you what authority I have if you tell me what authority John the Baptist had. 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:57.519 And they were terrified of John the Baptist because the people loved John the Baptist, and the Sanhedrin was not able to respond to John the Baptist because John wasn't doing his thing in Jerusalem. 00:05:57.839 --> 00:06:03.519 He was out by the river, finally put to death up by Tiberius in Galilee area. 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:08.160 And so the Sanhedrin didn't know how to handle him, and so Jesus throws that right back at them. 00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:11.519 That's Jesus' way of getting the crowd on his side. 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:18.399 Jesus is aligning himself with John the Baptist, and the Sanhedrin does not know how to respond to that. 00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:22.399 And so now they're a little bit gobsmacked here, and they don't know what to say. 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:27.519 And Jesus responds to that with the parable that I'm about to read. 00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:34.319 Now, this parable is designed to confront the Sanhedrin for their rank hypocrisy. 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:44.240 And it is just a wonder of Jesus' supernatural ability to communicate when you think of all that he accomplishes with this parable. 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:48.959 Remember the scene, the 70 Sanhedrin pressing in on him, the thousands of people around them. 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:56.240 Jesus, by appealing to John the Baptist, has started to sway the crowd to his side, but the whole thing is just a spectacle. 00:06:56.480 --> 00:06:58.800 The Sanhedrin is furious with Jesus. 00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:02.160 I mean, they're as likely as not to just kill him right then and there. 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:03.759 It's 70 against one. 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:06.160 The Romans would not intervene in this. 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:10.240 It's a likely outcome of the story. 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:17.120 And Jesus begins to speak to them, to play off their hypocrisy and expose their spiritual blindness with a parable. 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:18.959 A parable, of course, is a fictional story. 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:20.079 This didn't happen. 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:24.560 Like most of Jesus' parables, they have an outlandish twist in them. 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:32.480 And I just say that to you because if you grow up in the church, you grew up reading the Bible, the parables sound normal to you, like you're ready for the story. 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:34.879 You know, the prodigal son is the best example of this. 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:42.560 The, you know, the prodigal runs away from his family and comes back, and the dad runs out and greets him, and it becomes a picture of love and all this. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:44.399 And it's a it's a normal story to us. 00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:46.000 We're not surprised by it. 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:50.720 So you lose sight of the fact of just how shocking Jesus' parables were. 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:59.439 They all start out with a normal story about their world where something just totally insane happens in the middle of it that people don't know how to deal with. 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:07.199 And so you have to remember that as you read this story, that it's it has a twist in it that nobody was ready for. 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:11.040 So it starts with a very normal encounter in verse 33. 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:12.160 Here's a parable. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:23.519 There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants and then went to another country. 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:27.199 This would be a very normal situation. 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:31.040 Normal in that it's it's something that would often happen in Israel. 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:41.600 If a wealthy, this is an investment property, a wealthy person, obviously very wealthy, if he can buy land and you know, build a tower and a wine press and all this, a fence around it, hire tenants to be in there. 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:47.840 I mean, there's a lot of financial outlay to get this to happen, and this wealthy person is able to do that. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:52.879 So he's bought the property, planted a vineyard, fence around it, wine press in the middle. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:56.960 The fence is to protect it from enemies, of course, to mark the boundary of it. 00:08:57.279 --> 00:08:59.679 The wine press is to turn the grapes into wine. 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:01.919 That's how he's going to acquire his income from it. 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:03.279 He's got a tower in it. 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:08.000 The tower is going to be for a watchtower to see if there's enemies coming to attack. 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:09.679 I mean, this is it's a luxury. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:13.200 Most vineyards wouldn't have that, but this guy, this guy does. 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:15.360 And then he goes to another country. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:16.720 So he's out. 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:18.879 So this is a very wealthy individual. 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:20.799 There's no Southwest Airlines back then. 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:26.240 This is a very wealthy person who's investing in a vineyard and then going who knows where to. 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:31.440 A lot of wealthy Jews at this time did live in different parts of the Roman Empire. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:34.559 Some of them could even go off to Persia or to Egypt. 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:37.600 That would be unusual but not unheard of. 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:41.360 And so that's something that's happened here. 00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:44.159 Everybody would have a grid for this story so far. 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:45.200 They would all understand this. 00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:49.039 A wealthy guy, farm, he's going to want something from it eventually. 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:51.840 Verse 34, when the season of fruit drew near. 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:54.720 Season of fruit is going to be several years later. 00:09:54.960 --> 00:10:00.399 Leviticus 19, 23 says you're not allowed to sell the grapes from your vineyard until the fifth year. 00:10:00.559 --> 00:10:02.159 So five years have gone by here. 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:05.919 The fourth year, you give them to the temple as a sacrifice to the Lord. 00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:11.840 The point is not whether or not these fictional characters were keeping the Mosaic law, but the point is that many years went by. 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:13.600 That's how the Jews would understand this. 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:19.360 Lots of years have gone by between the planting of the vines and now the time for grapes. 00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:26.000 So many years later, the rich guy sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:28.000 So he is dispatched servants. 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:32.480 And there's different details of this parable in the other synoptics account, as synoptic accounts. 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:37.519 Mark lets you know the servants came one at a time, and they were not well received. 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:39.039 They were not well received. 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:42.799 Verse 35, here becomes the shocking twist. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:51.360 The tenants took his servants, they beat one, they killed another, and they stoned another. 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:57.039 So that is not what anybody would have expected to happen next in this story. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:06.799 Nobody would have had a grid for the rich guy sent his servants to get the grapes and they beat him up and then killed one of them. 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:10.480 I mean, that's the kind of thing that should never happen. 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:12.799 Especially in Israel. 00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:15.279 And who's Jesus telling this to, remember? 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:23.600 The Sanhedrin, the religious leaders of Israel, the ones who are, in some sense, would be in charge with enforcing moral conduct in Israel. 00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:28.960 For something like murder, the Romans would have gotten involved, but likely at the Sanhedrin's urging. 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:35.759 So if this story is true at all, it would fall on the Sanhedrin's heads to do something about it. 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:39.759 So there's different ways the Sanhedrin could have heard this story so far. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:45.600 One way they could have heard it is that Jesus is indicting them that this kind of thing may have actually happened. 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:48.559 I think more likely is that it's just such a shocking twist. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:51.360 They would have heard of something like this happening in Israel. 00:11:51.600 --> 00:12:00.559 They would have heard of this kind of vineyard, and they definitely would have heard if the messenger came and was murdered, much less messenger after messenger after messenger. 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:03.120 This is outrageous. 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:05.120 It's outrageous. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:06.879 Verse 36. 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:09.039 It keeps getting crazier. 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:14.000 The wealthy guy sent other servants, more than the first. 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:17.440 And they did the same thing. 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:21.440 Well why? 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:26.399 I mean, at that point of the story, you would be you would have some questions for the rich guy, right? 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:36.559 You sent one servant who got beat up, another servant who got stoned, a third servant who got killed, and so your response was to send more servants? 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:39.759 Like at what point did that become a good idea? 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:42.240 No, you don't send more servants. 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:51.120 You go get the army, you go get the police, you go get law enforcement of some kind, you you come yourself with lots of swords. 00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:53.679 That's what that's the right response to this. 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:58.639 You don't keep sending them, but he does. 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:02.879 He does keep sending them, which is just incredible. 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:08.159 And you can hear the crowd really just in the background of your picturing the scene. 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:11.840 You can hear the crowd almost shocked at this. 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:15.440 Like, why would he keep sending more servants? 00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:18.879 Then verse 37, finally he sent to him his son. 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:21.679 And Jesus actually said, Finally, he sent his beloved son. 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:24.559 He had a beloved son, his own precious son. 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:28.879 Not one of the sons that he's okay with getting killed, but one that he actually likes. 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:32.159 He sent his beloved son. 00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:35.679 There's one son that stands among the rest. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:37.279 This is the favored son. 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:42.879 This is the son who the father loves in a unique and privileged and special way. 00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:44.879 That's the son that sent. 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:48.639 And notice the language here the father has. 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:50.960 He says, They will respect my son. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:54.879 Now, is that rational thinking from the father? 00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:57.120 No way. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:59.759 They just killed all of your servants. 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:03.519 Now you're gonna send your son and think they'll respect the son. 00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:06.639 Of course they're not gonna respect the son. 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:11.039 They just murdered servant after servant. 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:14.320 They're not gonna be shocked that you sent their son. 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:16.639 Who would think that? 00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:18.000 Who would think that? 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:20.000 They'll respect my son. 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:21.120 Verse 38. 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:29.120 When the tenants saw the son, they saw the son, they threw him out of the vineyard. 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:31.840 Look at what it says in verse 38. 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:34.480 They said to themselves, This is the heir. 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:37.840 Let us kill him and we'll have his inheritance. 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:39.759 There's nobody left. 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:49.039 If the owner is in a faraway land and the son is dead, who would come execute justice? 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:52.000 Israel had a squatter's law. 00:14:52.960 --> 00:15:00.399 If you could occupy property for three years without paying rent or without being having a claim laid against you, it was your property. 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:03.440 You know, America has kind of similar laws in some places. 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:08.799 If you can occupy a house over a certain period of time, it is very, very difficult to evict you. 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:10.399 And that's what's happening here. 00:15:10.559 --> 00:15:14.000 These guys conspire together and say, many years have gone by. 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:18.080 We've never given this landlord anything, and now the heir is here. 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:21.679 If we kill him, who could possibly- This is our land then? 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:23.600 That's their plan. 00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:28.879 I don't think they would get away with it, but that's their goal. 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:34.480 And so verse 39, they took him out, threw him out, and they killed him. 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:41.360 I mean, this should not be. 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:46.000 If something like this had happened in Israel, it would be front page news. 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:49.039 And the Sanhedrin would be on it. 00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:51.440 The Romans would come after him. 00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:54.080 I mean, this is this is just insane. 00:15:55.600 --> 00:16:04.000 And so then Jesus asks a question in verse 40, and here's where you just see the profound rhetorical ability of Jesus Christ. 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:09.200 I mean, again, if you grow up with a story, you lose sight of the majesty of it. 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:13.679 But do you just see the economy of words here? 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:24.960 That just in such a short amount of words, Jesus is manipulating a crowd of thousands of people to think and then teach them a lesson that they don't see. 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:28.559 So verse 40, he asks verse 40, he asks a question. 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:34.399 When the owner of the vineyard comes, what do you think he will do to those tenants? 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:37.440 So now this is open to open mic time. 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:39.519 The crowd is now able to answer. 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:41.279 What do you all think? 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:47.440 And the crowd, in their rush to answer, doesn't see what this story is about. 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:49.840 They don't see where Jesus is going with this. 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:52.639 It's, and of course, the Sanhedrin are not just gonna stay quiet. 00:16:52.799 --> 00:16:54.639 They need to answer that question. 00:16:54.879 --> 00:17:03.039 There's a massive crowd here, and if the leaders of the crowd say, Ah, I guess they get the property, and what's gonna happen to the Sanhedrin's property? 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:06.000 I mean, this is a rush to justice here. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:13.440 The crowd is gonna shout for justice, the Sanhedrin is gonna shout for justice, everybody is gonna want justice in this. 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:17.440 And so the crowd does respond almost with one voice, verse 41. 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:25.680 He will put those wretches to a miserable death and give the vineyard to other tenants who will give them the fruit in their season. 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:27.920 That's what will happen. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:30.160 He'll kill them, is what he'll do. 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:32.000 He'll execute them. 00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:35.039 That's what the Levitical law would demand. 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:35.920 They're murderers. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:37.839 That's what the Romans would demand. 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:40.079 Everybody would expect this. 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:42.799 And then he'll just give the property to other people. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:48.960 They don't realize what the story is about. 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:50.319 Do you notice that? 00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:52.799 It's so obvious to us. 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:55.440 But they don't see it. 00:17:57.039 --> 00:18:02.720 I'm reminded of the story of Nathan where he confronts David in 2 Samuel 12. 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:07.359 He tells him a story about the poor guy with the one sheep and the rich guy who kills the poor guy's sheep. 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:09.119 And David, what should we do? 00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:13.759 And David's like, kill him! That's what we just saw here from Jesus. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:21.119 And the crowd shouts, kill that guy! So let's rewind back to the beginning of the story. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:23.039 We're gonna go through it again. 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:27.519 And now we're gonna go through the story understanding what it's about. 00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:29.839 And we're gonna see what the Pharisees miss. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:31.200 And I know you know this. 00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:34.799 This is this is not that profound stuff yet. 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:38.880 We're working towards the application at the end, but this is stuff, this is stuff you know. 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:39.519 I know that. 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:44.559 The story begins in verse 33, of course, everybody gathered together. 00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:54.240 And Jesus begins by telling them the story of a man who plants a vineyard, puts a fence around it, digs a wine press, puts a tower, and leases it. 00:18:54.880 --> 00:19:03.359 Now, this is a quotation of Isaiah chapter 5, verse 1, and it is going to be worth your time to flip over to Isaiah 5. 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:07.599 If you go back about to the middle of your Bible, you can find the book of Isaiah. 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:10.480 Flip over to Isaiah chapter 5. 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:12.000 I want you to see this. 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:20.079 This and the parable of the seed that grows into a tree where the birds land in it, those are the only two parables where Jesus quotes scripture. 00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:21.759 So this is noteworthy. 00:19:21.839 --> 00:19:24.559 In Jesus' parables, he doesn't quote scripture. 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:28.799 But he begins this one with a somewhat extensive quote here. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:31.920 Isaiah chapter 5, verse 1. 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:34.319 And he's quoting it in the Greek, the Septuagint. 00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:38.240 So it's going to be a little bit different in English, but no, it's a quote of this. 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:42.000 A song that Isaiah has, and the quote picks up in the middle of verse 1. 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:45.200 My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. 00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:49.440 He dug it, he cleared it of stones, and that's where the fence comes from. 00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:51.359 He planted it with his choice vines. 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:53.200 He built a tower in the middle of it. 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:55.680 He hewed a wine press out of it. 00:19:57.519 --> 00:19:58.960 That's how this parable starts. 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:01.039 Now the Sanhedrin missed that. 00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:01.839 They missed that. 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:06.640 Likely because Jesus did not often quote scripture in parables, but Isaiah 5 is not obscure. 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:09.839 It's not like he quoted an obscure part of Isaiah. 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:12.720 Isaiah 5, a very well-known passage in Israel. 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:15.599 It's about it's the idea that Israel is the vineyard. 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:16.640 That's where it comes from. 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:18.000 Every Jew understands this. 00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:20.799 They know God spoke to them as if they were the vineyard. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:22.720 They're supposed to be producing fruit. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:28.960 The Jews in Jesus' lifetime saw it as a vineyard that had been invaded by an invading army. 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:29.839 That's the Romans. 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:32.000 The Romans were stealing the vineyard from God. 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:34.240 And so the Pharisees would have made the connection. 00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:37.119 They likely would have seen themselves as the victims in this. 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:41.759 But you can tell by the way the story ends, they didn't see the connection. 00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:45.119 But the point is that Israel is the vineyard. 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:46.799 And Jesus makes that clear. 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:48.799 But this chapter goes on. 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:55.119 Inhabitants of Jerusalem, verse 3, men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. 00:20:55.200 --> 00:20:57.440 So God is saying, I have a dispute with my vineyard. 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:00.480 At the end of verse 2, he said the vineyard is giving wild grapes. 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:02.160 He didn't want great wild grapes. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:05.039 He wanted grapes that could be made for wine. 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:07.759 So he asks in verse 4, what can I do to my vineyard? 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:10.480 This is the vineyard owner asking, What should I do with my vineyard? 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:11.680 They haven't done in it. 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:14.079 It's only giving me wild grapes. 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:16.559 Verse 5, I'll tell you what I'll do. 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:18.559 I will remove its hedge. 00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:20.559 I'm going to knock down its fence. 00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:21.839 It will be devoured. 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:23.119 I will break down its wall. 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:26.880 If a vineyard loses the fence around it, wild animals will come into it. 00:21:28.799 --> 00:21:29.680 It'll be devoured. 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:31.039 It'll be knocked down. 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:32.480 It'll be trampled upon. 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:35.920 People will cut through it, step on all of it, the end of verse 5 says. 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:37.200 I will make it a wasteland. 00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:39.039 People will dump their trash in there. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:41.039 It won't be pruned or hoed. 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:43.599 Briars and thorns will grow up. 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:46.319 I will command the clouds that they won't rain upon it. 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:48.799 So we're leaving the you know the human analogy now. 00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:51.680 God says, I'll knock down the fence, everybody will trample over it. 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:52.960 It'll be ruins. 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:56.319 Also, I'm going to tell the clouds don't rain on it. 00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:59.680 The vineyard of Yahweh, verse 7 is the house. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.559 Of Israel. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:03.279 There's no ambiguity about the interpretation of this parable. 00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:05.680 The vineyard is Israel. 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:09.279 The men of Judah are his pleasant plants. 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:12.799 But God looked for justice and found bloodshed. 00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:15.680 He looked for righteousness and behold, an outcry. 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:19.279 And so verses 8, I won't take us through all this, but now is all the woes. 00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:21.680 Woe, woe, woe, woe, woe to Israel. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:23.279 Israel's going to go down. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:24.640 God's going to destroy it. 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:27.440 Verse 13, he's going to send them into exile. 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:38.559 Woe, verse 18, to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, who draw sin as with a cart, you draw ropes, a cart with ropes. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:45.519 Woe to those, verse 20, who call good evil and evil good, who put darkness for light and light for darkness. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:46.720 God will destroy them. 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:52.799 Verse 24, he's going to send fire and it's going to burn it down because it's a rotten, rotten vineyard. 00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:54.160 That's what's going to happen to it. 00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:56.000 They are going to go down. 00:22:57.200 --> 00:23:00.480 You can turn back over to Matthew 21. 00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:04.319 So the image here is very clear. 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:05.920 Israel is the vineyard. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:09.759 God wanted fruit from them, and God did not get fruit. 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:14.160 If we spent more time in Isaiah, you would see who the servants are that God sends. 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:14.960 But we know this. 00:23:15.119 --> 00:23:19.519 God sends servants to Israel to help them bring their fruit to harvest. 00:23:19.599 --> 00:23:21.599 The servants are, of course, the prophets. 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:24.000 He sends prophet after prophet to them. 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:32.640 But back in the parable, verse 34, the tenants were took the prophets and they beat them, they killed them, and they stoned them. 00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:36.480 And is that not exactly what happened to the prophets in the Old Testament? 00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:38.880 When God looked for fruit in Israel, he didn't find it. 00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:41.440 What kind of fruit is God looking for, by the way? 00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:45.279 The good news of the Savior to go to the world. 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:47.519 That's how Israel starts in Deuteronomy 4. 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:50.400 They're supposed to be exporting good news. 00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:52.720 They have the truth of the Savior. 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:54.480 They should stand for righteousness. 00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:56.880 They should stand for justice, Isaiah 5 says. 00:23:57.039 --> 00:24:03.039 The nation should come to them and see how transformed their society is and long to meet their Savior. 00:24:03.119 --> 00:24:04.079 That's the fruit. 00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:06.319 That's not what's happening there. 00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:11.839 You've more likely to meet a God-fearing Gentile in the Old Testament than a Jew. 00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:16.720 And so God sends them prophets. 00:24:16.880 --> 00:24:25.680 The prophets expose Israel's sin, ask them why they're not producing fruit, confront them for their sin, and what do the Jewish leaders do to the prophets? 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:37.359 They stone them, they abuse them, they throw them out of the vineyard, they kill them, they mocked and ridiculed Ezekiel. 00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:41.680 They threw Jeremiah into a pit and eventually ran him out. 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:44.880 They betrayed Ezra. 00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:48.400 Isaiah was sawn in too. 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:52.640 Zechariah was killed at the altar of God. 00:24:54.160 --> 00:24:57.599 There's no shortage to how the prophets were mistreated. 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:06.480 To the point where Jesus says, You're calling me a prophet, is it possible for a prophet to die anywhere except in Jerusalem? 00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:08.640 He's not making an exhaustive statement. 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:14.480 He's just saying, that's what happens to prophets, is that the Jewish religious leaders kill them? 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:20.720 Do you remember the question, the shocking twist in this parable earlier? 00:25:21.119 --> 00:25:26.559 Why would the vineyard owner keep sending servants when they keep getting killed? 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:29.599 Is he crazy? 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:34.400 But when you relate to Israel, what's the answer? 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:37.359 Why did God keep sending them prophets? 00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:39.839 Because he loved them. 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:42.880 And he wants them to produce fruit. 00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:44.640 He's patient towards them. 00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:46.960 He doesn't want to come and burn the vineyard down. 00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:50.880 He doesn't want to come and just slaughter the people that are there. 00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:54.960 He's actually showing them mercy by sending prophet after prophet. 00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:56.880 Now it does not feel that way to the prophets. 00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:58.160 Ask Jeremiah. 00:25:58.400 --> 00:26:00.880 Jeremiah, do you see God's mercy all over your life? 00:26:00.960 --> 00:26:02.480 And Jeremiah says, no. 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:06.559 I'd make a vow to stop speaking about God if I could. 00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:13.359 Except God, He puts His word in my bones like a fire, and I can't hold it in any longer, but I definitely don't see it as an act of mercy. 00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:18.000 But his ministry was an act of mercy to the Jews. 00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:22.240 But they didn't perceive it that way. 00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:25.599