Dear Christian friends:

During the past few Sundays, the Gospel lessons have been stories about vineyards. Two weeks ago, it was about the man who hired workers for his vineyard at different hours of the day, 6:00 A.M., 9:00 A.M., 12:00 noon, 3:00 P.M., and 5:00 P.M. But when evening came, he paid them all the same wages. Last Sunday, it was about the father who sent his two sons into the vineyard to work. Today, the Gospel lesson is about a man who rented his vineyard to some tenants.

These stories which Jesus told are called parables. A parable is an earthly story with a spiritual lesson. We sign parable like this, “compare story".

The parable for today has a very strong spiritual lesson for us. It helps us to see our sins against God and then also to see the great love of God for sinners. It also impresses on us how we should serve God with our life. So let us attend to Jesus’ parable:


This parable tells how the wicked tenants (renters) of the vineyard refused to pay the owner his rent money. They killed the owner's servants and finally they even killed his son whom he sent to collect the rent money.

We, perhaps, think, "Those terribly wicked renters (tenants)! They should be punished and killed." Also, perhaps we think, "I am not like them." But sadly, we too, are wicked tenants. Are you surprised that I call you a "tenant?"

Yes, you are a tenant here on earth. God is the owner. In Psalm 24:1, we read, "The earth belongs to God. Everything in all the world is His." In another Bible verse, God says, "The gold is Mine and the silver is Mine." (Hag. 2:8) "The cattle on one thousand hills are all Mine." (Psalm 50:10) God is like the owner of the vineyard; we are like the tenants. God is the owner and we are tenants here on earth. We owe God His rent money. We are stewards. We must use our time, talents, and money according to His will.

But we often think and say, "My money, my house, my car, my life." We often do not feel responsible to God about how we spend our money and how we spend our time. We even become angry and complain when our pastor preaches to us about money. We say, "That's my business, not his." We are like the wicked tenants in the parable. We often fail to give God what we owe to Him. We have not spent our time and money according to His will. We have not used our talents for His glory and honor. We often use them to sin.

When Jesus told this parable about the wicked tenants to the Jewish church leaders, they were not sorry about their sins and they refused to change their ways. We read in our text that when they realized Jesus was talking about them that they were like the wicked tenants, they wanted to get rid of Him. (verses 45-46) They wanted to kill Him, so He couldn't preach to them anymore about their wicked ways.

Maybe you are angry today because I preach to you about money and tell you that you are like the wicked tenants in the parable. The devil will tempt you to become angry against me and say lies about me, the same as the Jewish leaders felt about Jesus. But I hope that you will not listen to the devil. I hope that you will not do like the Jewish church leaders. I hope that you will wake up and see your wrongs and sins, then confess them, feel ashamed and sorry and try to change your ways.

That is what Jesus wants you to do. That is why He told this parable to the Jewish people. He tried to help them and warn them to see their wicked ways. Then if they wake up and see and are sorry and confess their sins, He can forgive them and help them change and become new persons, living a new and righteous life. But they refused. Too bad! Do not be like them!

Jesus wants you and me today, through this parable about the wicked tenants, to see our sins, confess them and accept His mercy and forgiveness.

Today is a good time to confess our sins. Today, we again have the Lord's Supper. In that Holy Supper with the bread and wine, Jesus offers to each one of us His body and His blood which He offered on the cross. He offers His body and blood to you to seal unto you the forgiveness of all your sins. And with forgiveness of sins, He gives you His Holy Spirit, peace, joy, and a new life. He gives you power to remove your old wicked ways and habits and helps you change and take up a new life, living for His praise and glory. He helps you be a good tenant on this earth, giving God His "share", His glory, praise and honor.

Let us close with the hymn: Living For Jesus

Living for Jesus a Life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.

Chorus:

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For thou, in Thy atonement (suffering),
Didst give Thyself to me;
I own no other Master,
My heart shall be Thy throne,
My life I give, henceforth to live,
O Christ for Thee alone.

Amen.