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The Son of the Vineyard

Luke 20:9-19

Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.

10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.

11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.

12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.

13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.

14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?

16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.

17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

  1. Creation was done by God. He made the garden to which we and all of life were planted

Genesis 1:9

And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

  1. God’s people have been planted and nourished by God, this would eventually be the fruit to which would be profitable

Psalm 80:8

Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

  1. The farmers or tenants were the Leaders in Israel whom did not want to pay the rent

Luke 14:28

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

Planting a vineyard on a hillside has to be a long-term investment. Initially there would be considerable outlay and expense. God invested so much in these Old Testament people – his covenants and promises, the feasts, the sacrifices and the law code, but God has also invested so much in you. What God did was to put people under wise leaders and to give them many encouragements to do his will. So they had prophets, and they had the Scriptures; they had priests and Levites who taught them God’s way so that they were without excuse for sinful behaviour, and these leaders became the very people who opposed his word. They led the people astray. They were naive at the stoning of the prophets. They preached ‘Peace!’ when there was contempt and hostility against God. What was happening in Jerusalem when Jesus walked into the Temple? The chief priests and elders and scribes who taught in the synagogues, the very men responsible for the nurture of the fruit of faith in Israel, were plotting to destroy their Messiah. 

  1. The messengers sent to them were the Prophets

Jeremiah 7:25-27

25 Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:

26 Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.

27 Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.

5) The son that was sent is Jesus Christ

So what happens next? Does he send them all into exile? Does he send fire from heaven and treat them all like Sodom and Gomorrah? No. The Lord speaks and he says, “Let’s go to them, my Son. You will be my representative, as if I were going right to them. 

Isaiah 53:5

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6) In order to receive the inheritance of the Kingdom of God you must receive Jesus love for you!

John 3:18

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Grace, Marvelous Grace

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Romans 3:9-24

[9] What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
[10] As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
[11] There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
[12] They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
[13] Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
[14] Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
[15] Their feet are swift to shed blood:
[16] Destruction and misery are in their ways:
[17] And the way of peace have they not known:
[18] There is no fear of God before their eyes.
[19] Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
[20] Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
[21] But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
[22] Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
[23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
[24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

1 – a blessed change comes to pass in a sinners state when we become a true believer, regardless of whatever we were before. God cannot be at peace with a sinner while we are under the guilt of sin. A justification takes away the guilt, and through our justified faith in the peacemaker Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven.

2 – We were and are led into this grace, something we did not have before, and by our justified faith and undeserving grace…something happens…we stand! It creates a posture that causes us to rejoice.

3-5 – tribulation worketh patience, suffering produces endurance
and patience experience, endurance produces character
and experience hope, character produces hope

hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Ghost

Romans 5:1-20

[1] Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
[2] By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
[3] And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
[4] And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
[5] And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
[6] For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
[7] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
[8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
[9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
[10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
[11] And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
[12] Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
[13] (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
[14] Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
[15] But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
[16] And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
[17] For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
[18] Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
[19] For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
[20] Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

Thank God we have the peace, freely given, that goes beyond what we can understand or comprehend. Thank God for the amazing grace and access to it!

Romans 6:1-7

[1] What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
[2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
[3] Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
[4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
[5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
[6] Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
[7] For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Paul was speaking to those that have oftentimes taken advantage of God’s grace and was saying that not only the sin must die but the man’s carnal nature.

Romans 8:35-39

[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
[36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
[37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
[39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When we come into the almighty grace of God in true submitted unity we come to the revelation that there is nothing formed in the earth, whether carnal or sinful that could conquer or come against what grace performs to the soul. This passage means the world to me: it is one of the most powerful and empowering verses that encourages mankind to look within them and use the grace of God to overcome everything that would try to destroy them. Praise the most high for the abundant, undeserving and mercy-given grace for each and every one.

Faith Is Your Lifeline

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Galatians 2:20

[20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

By Faith, we live. We should always take advantage of the wonderful spirit that lives within us and apply our faith to it to grow each and every day. It can sometimes make or break how well that you will endure through a trial.

John 3:18

[18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

And as we were condemned, faith removes the sentence. By the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we have the ability to ask forgiveness of sins and not have to live with the condemnation of sins from any timeline. And through the gift of salvation, we have eternal life beyond this vapor of life we live here on earth!

2 Corinthians 2:14

[14] Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

By faith we stand. We must learn to not only “get through” a trial, but to come out in triumph. We accomplish this by letting our faith be strong and overpower the doubt and present weakness in our life. As we become more humble before God (and faithful), it allows the ability to recognize who our source of strength is as well as who it is that we submit and trust to.

Acts 10:43

[43] To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

And as we were guilty, faith procures our pardon. That makes me rejoice to know that I do not have to live in the midst of my history of guilt; for faith has pardoned us to be new creatures and to become the loving followers of Christ that God has called each and every one of us to be.

2 Corinthians 5:7

[7] (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

By faith we walk. As we go through the motions of each day our faith must be based beyond what we can focus on with our senses. By Jesus passing from earth and back to Heaven we walk now striving for a better place that is beyond our vision to see, touch to feel, sound of hearing, aromas to smell, and flavors to taste!

Acts 13:39

[39] And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

And as we are evil, faith brings justification. No matter how present an evil we are able to fend off every instance of darkness by the power of Jesus Christ. As it reads in the word of God, no weapon formed against me (us) shall prosper!

1 John 5:4-5

[4] For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

[5] Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

By faith we overcome the world. By the faith that we stand for we overcome the influence that would try and hinder your belief or stray you to unbelief every time something goes wrong. By standing in faith you become a witness for it and people see you as a witness of it.

Romans 4:5

[5] But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

And as we are unholy, our faith is counted for righteousness. Our faith leads us to a higher standard and allows us not to count ourselves as worthless or to have the attitude thereof. It’s easy to just fall into the general consensus of complaint, but faith and complaint cannot be within the same spirit, for complaint shows a sign of doubt or unbelief which in turn proves a form of ungodliness (or not God like).

Ephesians 6:16

[16] Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

By faith we overcome the devil. We are able to say no to every temptation that would try to steer you away from your walk with God by staying continual in your trust in God.

John 3:36

[36] He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

As we were dead in sin, faith begins to lay hold on life. As we live in this life on earth for a season, faith brings life as the spirit lives within you!

Hebrews 4:3

[3] For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

By faith we enter into rest. One of my favorites! I must believe that God will catch me when I fall for the full effect of the rest of God to be useful; for otherwise I simply fall to mine own unbelief. Keeping an established trust that is renewed daily (as Paul had written) is one of the only methods to not only be a stable Christian but a stable assembly.

Romans 10:9

[9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

As we were lost, the confession and faith bring salvation! It makes me rejoice to know the simplicity of believing and taking action on an act of faith to call out on God for a brand new life!

Learning To Beat The Scoffers

Luke 16:19-31

[19] There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
[20] And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
[21] And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
[22] And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
[23] And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
[24] And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
[25] But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
[26] And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
[27] Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
[28] For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
[29] Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
[30] And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
[31] And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

The Pharisees did not believe in grace. They were upset that Jesus received sinners and ate with them. They could agree with Jesus on rejoicing for finding something that was lost, like the sheep or coin, but not to a sinner coming to repentance. In part of the response to the mocking and scoffing towards him, Jesus addressed the one thing that mattered most to them at that time: their wealth and outward riches.

What part of this is of worth to us today? Let’s read on.

Matthew 8:11-13

[11] And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
[12] But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
[13] And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

When we read up above about how that Lazarus was in Abraham’s bosom, it speaks to me about how there was a separation when it came to where the riches of the heart were. When a person has their riches in this earth and not in God, there is only but one destination in the end. It is inevitable, and cannot be changed but only through salvation by Jesus Christ. Lazarus didn’t have riches and was a beggar in this illustration, and as you read it begins to show that when we come to God we cannot bring all of the riches and things of worth (sin) in our hearts. Those things must be confessed and forgiven as we start a new life as a forgiven individual, saved by the blood of Jesus!

I remember how I came with so many problems in my life, and to the view of many there was no hope for me. I probably would have been looked on with all of the things that I had done and never had any hope. However, when I came to God seeking for forgiveness for the things in my life, all things were my new by the forgiveness of my sins. I am not as what I was before, and I too will be in Heaven! As I live today, I have to remind myself that I cannot change what is behind me, but I am forgiven for it. I have to demonstrate by what God has done through the way I live for Him (as He helps us) that we are new creatures! And trust me, when you truly surrender all of the things that hold you captive, you won’t feel the bondage anymore!

I went down a beggar, but I came up forgiven and free! You don’t have to prove anything to anyone anymore; simply live your life for God and let Him fight the battles that you cannot control!