People have always been fascinated by crime stories
Crime stories hold our attention
They hold our attention. From the magnificent tales of Sherlock Holmes, to Lieutenent Colombo or Agatha Christie, to the modern long-running television series like Law and Order, or Criminal Minds, the stories of wicked motivation and perverse actions disturb and fascinate us. And deep within our own psyche is a desire to see the wicked brought to justice by the likes of Hercule Poirot, Perry Mason or Jethro Gibbs.
Jesus rivets the attention of his hearers with a terrible and perverse tale. He recounts, in what has come to be known as "the parable of the vineyard," dark times in Israel's history. He weaves a tale of rebellion against God and his prophets. He predicts the conspiracy of premeditated murder of the Son of God which will take place by the end of that very week. He evokes a sense of justice due to those who soon will shout "Crucify! Crucify!"
Jesus says: "'Hear another parable. 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 went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him."
We recoil at this wickedness. But then Jesus, as he does so often, ask a question to his audience (and to you and me):
"When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
How did they answer? How would you answer?
"They said to him, 'He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.' "
Ah. Right. We agree. They deserve justice. And as Jesus tells the story, he assures them that justice will be done.
But this gruesome tale takes a turn. Jesus listens to their answer and then he responds that something marvelous will happen. He quotes from Psalm 118. “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?’ Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
There will be justice done. But Jesus knows that the living and true God is the God who brings good out of evil. And Jesus knows that He is the Beloved Son of the vineyard owner. And Jesus knows that He is "the stone the builders rejected." And He also knows that this Rejected Stone will become the Chief Cornerstone of the everlasting kingdom of God which will extend to the ends of the earth.
How does this happen? Isaiah 53 tells us that this very servant of the Lord will, himself, be crushed for our iniquities. Yes, before he comes in judgment to crush the wicked, he first came to be a Savior for those who will not reject him.
What about you? Do you acknowledge your need for a Savior who was "crushed" for your iniquity? Do you own him as the Chief Cornerstone of the church and of your life?
Like any really well told crime story, this parable rattles the chief priests and the Pharisees. "When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet." But the conspiracy to murder Jesus is underway. Soon they will be in the house of Caiaphas hatching their plot to destroy him. And they will succeed.
But this Rejected One will be confirmed by God as his Beloved Son and He will rise again from the dead. Soon Peter will preach, quoting likewise from Psalm 118: "Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead... This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
What a great ongoing story!
Musings from Pastor John, November 1, Click to Email Pastor John
Click Below for Pastor John’s sermon from November 1, Terrible and Wonderful – Is it Marvelous in Your Eyes? - Matthew 21:33-46.