Dear Christian friends:

When we listen to a sermon here in the church service and the pastor makes a point we may often wonder: "Does he mean me? Or does he mean someone else?"

In our text, which is the Gospel Lesson for this Sunday concerning Jesus' Parable of the Wicked Tenants, the law teachers and the chief priests had no doubt as to whom Jesus was aiming His remarks at. They knew He was speaking to them. In verse 19 we read:"They knew He had spoken this parable against them."

Did Jesus speak this parable only against the Jewish leaders? Did He have others in mind? Was He aiming this parable at us also? In the sermon this morning we will answer the question:

At whom did Jesus aim this parable? It is obvious that Jesus aimed this parable at the Jewish leaders who deserved it.

The parable summarizes Israel's violent response to God's patient dealings with them and God's judgment against those who reject His Grace.

Jesus compares God's chosen people to tenant farmers. Because of God's grace and mercy to them in calling them to be His special people forgiving their sins and giving them not only a promised land of heaven, they were to be thankful to Him and bring forth the fruits of faith. (Isaiah 5:1-7)

But instead of doing that they sought to keep the fruits and seize the vineyard for themselves, even though the Owner patiently sent servants (prophets) to remind them of His grace and their responsibility. (verses 10-12)

In the ultimate act of love, the Owner sent His Son Jesus Christ who was violently rejected and killed. (verses 13-15) In his speech to the Jewish leaders shortly after Jesus' ascension into heaven Stephen said: "You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him." (Acts 7:51-52) When Stephen was done preaching they promptly stoned him to death also.

The owner of the vineyard should really destroy those violent, rebellious tenants and give the vineyard to others. (verse 15)

So, it is obvious that Jesus aimed this parable at the Jewish leaders and people. But did He aim it at us also, who live almost 2,000 years later? Yes, indeed. It is aimed at us also! We too often act like wicked tenants in response to God's gracious dealings with us.

We are tempted and inclined by nature to reject our Creator's ownership of us, seeking to lay claim to what is really not ours: our life; our time, talents and treasures which He has entrusted to us. Also we may fail our duty to the world around us, which we may abuse carelessly or selfishly; fail to love.

Richard W. Patt, Pastor of Sherman Park Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin wrote regarding this parable: "This is one of the most grim parables Jesus ever told. It's shock value lies in the unabashed violence we observe in the tenants. Part of what Jesus is telling us here has to do with our own tendency toward violence. Our selfishness often results in violence. Our selfishness is more than a quirk, more than a quiet inward stirring. It leads to overt acts of violence. It breaks loose and lets loose on other people. The statistics about our acts of violence, as individuals, gets worse every year. This parable is meant to absolutely shock us about our potential for violence and our eroding view toward the serious effects of sin and selfishness in our time."

We are also tempted to reject God's gracious call through His Word and Sacraments: reject or ignore the covenant He made with us in Baptism; neglect the church services, Bible study and the Lord's Supper. And even though we attend to these we may do it half heartedly and indifferently with no salutary effect.

We may also like Israel, fail to bring forth the fruits of faith. Obey the Ten Commandments enthusiastically. Love God with all our heart. Love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Love the minority races living among us.

Yes, indeed, this parable is aimed directly at us also. Yet not to destroy us nor to deny the Kingdom to us and give it to others. It is another and perhaps final wake up call for us to repent and bring forth the fruits of repentance.

One purpose in aiming this parable at Israel was to help them realize their terrible evil and the grave danger to their immortal souls, so that they might be led to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and then bring forth the fruits of faith. And some did.

On Pentecost Sunday after Peter told the people that in crucifying Jesus of Nazareth they had killed God's Son whom He raised from the dead and made both Lord and Christ. "they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:36-38) Three thousand were baptized that day.

Later on we read how Saul, the Pharisee at whose feet the young men who stoned Stephen to death laid their coats was (Acts 7:54-59) converted to repentance and faith on the road to Damascus. (Acts 9)

In the Epistle Lesson, which was read before, we heard Saul, now Paul tell in his own words what a great difference that made in him and his life, that he was no more under the law but under grace, not having his own righteousness of the law, but the righteousness which is from God through faith in Jesus Christ; and how that energized him to work for Christ and suffer for Him in bringing the Gospel to the Gentile nations.

Another purpose was to let them know that God's time of grace for Israel was limited. The time was near when God would take away His kingdom from Israel and give it to others who would produce its fruits. Unfortunately that time came all too quickly. And when God takes the Gospel from a people there is no salvation left to them. Peter told the Jewish leaders, "Christ is the stone you builders rejected which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12) (also verse 18! Read!) These are the purposes Jesus had in aiming this grim parable at Israel.

What are his purposes for aiming this parable at us today? First of all, that we may realize and appreciate that we are part of the "others" to whom Jesus has given the kingdom of grace.

When Jesus had finished telling the parable and concluded that the owner would kill those wicked tenants and give the vineyard to others the people said, "May this never be!" Then Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written:" “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes"? Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. (Matthew 21:42-43)

The Jews in rejecting Jesus and crucifying Him actually executed God's eternal plan for saving the world. All nations not just the Jewish nation. God used their evil for the greatest good. Basically it was God's good and gracious will that caused Jesus to suffer and die on the cross. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

We should say with the Psalmist and Jesus: "The Lord has done this and it is marvelous in our eyes! The stone which the Jewish builders rejected and God the Father rejected has become the "Capstone" by virtue of His resurrection and ascension into heaven. "To God be the glory Great things He has done!"

Secondly, Jesus aims this parable at us so that we may bring forth the fruits that He expects of us. The Holy Spirit calls us to faith in Jesus through the means of grace, the Word and the Sacraments. By these same means He empowers and equips us for productive work in His kingdom of grace, the vineyard. How important it is that we use the means of grace faithfully and diligently!

A good tenant or steward is the opposite of the wicked tenants in Jesus' parable. We are to be humbly aware of God's ownership and of His marvelous mercy and grace to us in choosing us to be the other, new tenants in His vineyard.

With joy and thanksgiving we are to accept responsibility and give God His due! And when we fail, we are to be quick to confess, and repent and receive anew His grace and forgiveness and strive by the Spirit's power to do better, just as St. Paul strove to win the prize for which God had called him heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14 Epistle Lesson)

May God give us the wisdom and faith to realize and appreciate that we are the "others" to whom Jesus has given the vineyard, and may He empower us to bring forth the fruits of the vineyard for His glory and our own eternal good!

Amen.