REPLACING THE TENANT FARMERS

Matthew 21:33-35,37-41,43

“Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.

At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop.

But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.

“Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’

“But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’

So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.

“When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?”

The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”

I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.

The religious leaders with their own mouth passed judgment against themselves.

It reminds us of another event in scriptures when king David misbehaved, Nathan was sent to him, and with his own mouth David passed his own sentence.

2 Samuel 12:1-7

So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor.

The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle.

The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter.

One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”

David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!

He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”

Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul.

I have observed in life that one adjusts to one's own mess but becomes irritated by another's mess. We can say it is natural. For it is so eazy to condemn others but difficult to correct ourselves.

When they religious leaders at that time brought a woman supposedly caught in adultery to Jesus to be condemned, they did not bring the man who also was part of the act, and when Jesus responded, we see that all of them were equally guilty of sin. They quietly walked away.

In our opening verses Christ told the religious leaders a parable of some who were given tenancy by the original land owner. In this case the landowner was the Heavenly Father Himself. The tenant farmers were the religious leaders.

What did they tenant farmers do? They wanted to take God's place. They killed the Lord's servants, i.e, prophets. The went further to kill His son, that is Christ Jesus.

Do we not see the same today?

Many have left their position as tenant farmers and have called themselves God over the lives of people. They now want people to worship them instead of the Heavenly Father.

In all religions we see this, human creating their own doctrines and calling it God's own to keep the people in bondage. Killing people in the name of God.

We ask the same question Jesus asked?

Matthew 21:40-41

“When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?”

The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”

Jesus made it clearer in relation to the rebellion of the Jews:

Matthew 21:43

I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.

It is not a nation that will repeat the errors of the Jews, but a nation whose Lord is Christ Himself. Not governed by any man no matter what title he is given.

It is better to judge oneself than to judge others. Many who point a finger at others, truly have the remaining four fingers pointed at them. For when the audit is carried out on them, we find them more guilty.

Matured believers are to live as examples for others to follow, not merely playing lip service or boasting of their dedication to religious rites. They should show forth their fruits, the nature of God's Spirit in us, they should display love, the character of the Heavenly Father.

May we be counted among the new tenants who are faithful. Do you know what, these ones are not just tenants anymore, the Lord made us family/friends.

John 15:14-16

You are my friends if you do what I command.

I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

Where do you belong?

Know your place, do not follow the errors of those who erred, we win.

Help us Good Lord.

We will not err, we will win.

Glory to God.

He calls us blessed.

Love

@the watcher