Watch Out for the Stones

Today we read the second parable Jesus gave after entering the temple the day after he turned the tables over and threw out the money changers. Like last week’s parable this one also talks about an owner of a vineyard. Last week it was about his sons. This week it is about those who have leased the vineyard agreeing to give a portion of the harvest to him. But when it comes time to make the payment the owner sends his slaves to collect and the lessees beat, killed, and stoned them. When the owner sent his son they killed him as well believing that they would be able to keep the vineyard because he was the owner’s only son (thus hoping for his inheritance). That they would receive it makes no sense. Remember, that this is a parable, it is not an account of an actual event but a story to tell a lesson. That lesson was pretty clear to those whom Jesus was speaking to. The vineyard is the promised land, the lessees are the Israelites, and the lessor is God. The lease is the covenant between the Israelites  and God. That same covenant they broke many times. The slaves are the prophets God sent to show them that they had broken the covenant and to call them to turn around and repent. Now they are rejecting the Son and planning to kill him. After telling this parable Jesus invites them to comment on how God should treat them. Fortunately, God does not follow their advice. Instead, God has a different plan – a different covenant.

That all seems obvious to us. Yet we need to ponder what this parable means for us since we  are now leasing the vineyard. Isaiah tells us to sing a love song to the vineyard. For Isaiah that was the people of Judah. For us it is first our fellow Christians and church members. Because of Jesus' commandment it is the whole world. That love song we sing is a proclamation of God’s love. A love, so strong that God will not tear down the walls that protect us and allow the briers and thorns to infest us. Instead, God will make the vineyard prosper because of our work and, sometimes, in spite of our work. Yet, as Paul tells us, the work in God’s vineyard is hard and can include suffering and even death. But the wall of salvation will not be torn down. 

Our lives are precious in God’s eye because Jesus has paid the price for our wandering lackadaisically, even refusing the work we are called to do. By his life, death, and resurrection we are assured of Jesus’ presence in our lives and his support of our work. That difficult work of sharing love to a world in great need of it but who often refuses it because something else is desired -- that is where our love song comes in. That song which comes from God and invites all to join in singing the praise of God for all that God has done. Do not count your worthiness, possessions, or deeds as gains. Instead follow Paul and regard Jesus as your all-in-all. Then count your blessings and decide how you will use them to join in the song of love to those around you. Help those who have chosen stones instead of Jesus to break free from sin and death so that they may experience the freedom to sing of God’s love.