Parable of the evil farmers

Matt:21:33-46

The owner - built the vineyard, dug a pit, made a watchtower, bulit the vinepress, employed the tenants. He owns the place.

The tenant farmers - works out daily in the farm, thinking that the produce that they have toiled for is theirs - that is rebellion. That is self.

No matter what they say or do - they do not literally own the place. They have worked hard, agreed. But legally they do not own the land. And as long as they do not own the property, the produce is also not theirs. They are stewards. They are answerable. They have to give back. The owner will give them what deems best for him.

This owner is kind and good. He is no hard taskmaster, who is stingy. He just wanted a share of the produce. Not the whole thing and give the tenants ruthlessly. He gives freely.

Remember we do not own. We are tenants. Everything that we think we own - are not literally and legally ours. We are answerable to the master, who owns, who possesses, who takes care. It is not unfair to be a steward to toil hard and then give back to Him. It has always been and originally His. It is only just to give back.

When we try to grab and hold on to what we have in our fists for our own, then we are no less than those evil tenant farmers who was rebellious to beat up the servants and killed the son. We are no less than the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who dragged down Jesus to kill Him. It is out right rebellion to think that it is mine. It is out right rebellion not to let go of things which God had entrusted you to look after - your children, your education, your job, your money, your desires, your passion. Unless you give it back to God, unless you let it go to be used by Him, it is spelt in God's eyes as SELF. Or REBELLION.

Therefore repent.

Image credit: https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/jesus/final-ministry/parables-vineyards-cultivators/

Comments

Ashley

Dear Brother. Rest in peace. This life is small. Yet proved again. But you proved. Living for Christ alone matters. Trying to acquire skill And to use your well earned medical knowledge For the poor and needy. Your words still ring in my ear. "We are alone there" Brother gone too soon. Leaving behind a legacy. Well done good and faithful servant. Enough is enough. Come back and enter the rest planned for you. In His bosom, the classic smile I can imagine. Your laughter will surely resound in heaven today. There is rejoicing in heaven For a son has come back home. Fulfilling his Father's will for him Why should earth be gloomy? For he is home.

Pressed down Shaken together

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Why? - a short story

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Karun Nair, Indian cricketer was unduly kept away from Indian cricket team. Though he scored runs in international and domestic circuit. This was a viral post of his in 2022. After which he scored piles of runs in domestic circuit and in the IPL. Finally he was given a chance to represent team India again. Inspiring stuff. Give it one more chance. Lk:13:6 Jesus the intercessory keeps on asking for one more chance for you. Those that do not bear fruit are expected to be cut down. V:5 reaffirms by saying - No and I tell you again and again that unless you repent you will perish too. Sin is not something which a holy God can accommodate with. Bearing fruit is what you think as a higher level of Christianity. But not bearing fruit is actually sin. Because that is the purpose of the plant. If you don't love your neighbour, if you do not have joy despite all your circumstances, if you do not have peace that passes all circumstances , if you are impatient and short tempered, i...

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I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true. Lk:1:38 It is easy to accept His will, when it's cordial When it's a blessing in our terms. But will it be possible to thank Him, When it is confusing and disturbing? Elizabeth, old as she is would be ome pregnant. The Lord is kind; she exclaims. Mary, a virgin is pregnant six months later. I am the Lord's servant; she accepts. After years of prayer, Elizabeth is blessed. All rejoice with her. All praise God for her. But Mary is all alone. She is cursed when she accepts His will. A virgin getting pregnant, can that be God's will? Someone greater than the greatest is being formed. In her womb, through all her pains. Through all the loneliness and difficulties She alone had to go through. Yet she accepted. Would you accept pain and ridicule. The same way you accept blessings from God. For through this, Christ is being formed in you Painful, but worth it. Consider it pure joy, dear b...

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Luke:10:29 Who is my neighbour? Through the story Jesus' answer to this question was very explicit. Everyone is your neighbour. Anyone who is in need is your neighbour. Anyone who is spiritually, emotionally, physically in need, you should be fully available. Do you cross over to the other side? Showing you did not see. Are the other responsibilities standing in your way. Or are you freely available Selling out yourself, your time, your energy, your money. Are you a good neighbour?

Pray

Ask and shall be given to you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door shall be opened to you. Luke 11:9 Pray. And that's it. The Father who loves you, won't He give what is best for you. Just like an earthly father wants to give the best for his child. Wouldn't the Heavenly Father do much more? Then why wouldn't we ask, seek and knock? Because we think we are self sufficient. We think we are comfortable in the way we are. It's because of pride that we are lazy to ask. So just pray. Pray aloud. Pray silently. Pray with others. Pray alone. Pray without ceasing. Pray desperately. Pray with tears. Pray with confidence. Father teach me to pray to you. Image credit: https://exodus90.com/blog/spiritual-defense-deliverance-prayers-for-the-laity/

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