“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’”
(verse 13)
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This soliloquy takes me into the mystery of God, into the surprise of the Gospel.
Our God is the Lord of all Creation, King of the Universe, the Almighty, the Judge of the whole earth, the Ancient of Days. He is sovereign over all things.
In light of such sovereignty, one would expect judgement on the vineyard tenants right from the start. Their insolence demands it. We would expect the strong arm of Justice to come crashing down upon them.
And yet, in this verse, Jesus portrays his Father in very vulnerable terms. Tenderly, he reaches out with his most precious gift, the Son he loves, tentatively hoping that the vineyard tenants will respond positively.
Dare we speak of the vulnerability of God? I think the story demands it. The Lord, wearing his heart on his sleeve, reaches out in love,while we, hearing the story for the first time, sit on the edge of our seats wondering how the tenants will respond. The story itself carries no implication that the Lord has uncertainty about the outcome – indeed, we understand from the rest of Scripture that he knew all along how the story would play out. He knew the gift of his Son would result in the Son’s crucifixion on an accursed tree. But his foreknowledge of humanity’s response only increases the vulnerability of his action – rejection is assured, yet he pressed forward with the gift.
This is the wonder of the Gospel. When wrath was deserved, grace was extended. The story helps us apprehend it. While we too easily excuse our own waywardness, the brazen rebellion of these vineyard tenants gets our juices going. We’re offended by their impudence. We clamour for them to be brought to their senses, put in their places. Indeed the story embraces us in its own demand that justice be executed on them and punishment brought down on their heads.
It’s only then, when we have been so deeply offended, that we awaken to the fact the story is about us. We’re in the vineyard. We’re tending the land. Yes, the story was originally told by Jesus, pointedly, to the religious leaders of his day, the ones who would not receive him. But we, too, have engaged in their sin. We’ve held back what is rightfully his. Yet the Owner loves us, still. The Son has been sent to us, even us. And though we don’t ever remember raising a hand against him, yet our sin and rebellion brought death upon his head.
The story is pointed indeed. Yet there is a sequel. The rest of the New Testament tells us that our guilt, so clearly portrayed, has actually been redeemed through the death of this rightful Son, this One who came in the Father’s name, who came with the Father’s love.
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us … When we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son … (Romans 5:8, 10).
Wow. What a powerful story. What an incredible love. What grace.
Although judgement will still come for any who refuse the gift, first there is this costly gambit of love.
Oh, what a Saviour.
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O Father, praise you, and thank you, that while I was still your enemy you sent your most precious gift to pay what I owed. You sent your Son to redeem me, winning me back. Praise your name.
Lord Jesus, thank you for submitting to the Father’s will and coming to suffer my punishment, laying down your life that I might live. Praise your name.
Grip my mind, imagination, soul and spirit afresh with the power of this story. Use me to so live its reality that others might come to know its grace, also.
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Reflect:
Take time to simply sit in the Lord’s presence, allowing the gift of the Son to settle into your experience afresh. Give thanks.
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Photo by Jaime Casap on Unsplash
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