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

Reasoned. #faith7

Heb:11:19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. Who said Christian life is unreasonable? Abraham reasoned based on the One who does things His way. It looks illogical to you because your understanding is limited. Nothing is impossible for God. He is a God who created everything from nothingness. The Sovereign ruler. Abraham believed in this God. And it was natural for him to believe in the normalcy of God. What God could do, he reasoned and therefore he did receive. Believe realistically and logically in the God who is all Powerful. That is reasonable. Look at God not with your finite lenses. Look at the world with His infinitely focussed lens and it will make sense. He is a God who makes impossible things possible. But that is normal for Him. Image credit: https://eccles.utah.edu/news/why-well-reasoned-theories-are-more-important-than-crunched-numbers/

Blessed. #faith8

Heb:11:20-21 When things were still unseen, they blessed their children. Looking forward positively when things were blurry, when things were uncertain, when future looks bleak, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau; Jacob blessed Joseph's son's. Isa:54:13. All your children will be taught by the Lord and great will be their peace. Psalm:127:3. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Psalm:128:3. Children will be like olive shoots around your table. It is the Almighty, Sovereign God who promised this and He will not lie.

Abraham and Sarah. #faith5

Heb:11:8. By faith Abraham obeyed . And it was complete obedience. Despite the uncertainties around him, he still obeyed. That was out of faith in Him who called him. Faith brings forth absolute obedience. By faith you are able to keep aside that habit, because you know that hurts your love, your husband. By faith you are able to say no to things which allured you before. By faith you are able to say yes to things which God asks you to do, eventhough it looks foolish according to the world. Jesus says, if you love me, you will obey my commands. Faith and love prompts you to obey, no matter what. Heb:11:10. For He waited . Abraham waited in the land of promise as in a foreign country as a pilgrim. He waited for a city whose maker is God. He had his eyes on heaven, not on his wealth in this world. Not on what this world can offer. He also waited for approximately 24 years for the promised child. Heavenward was his eyes always. Godward was his heart always. Heb:11:1...

Well done. #faith3

'Come Enoch let's walk'. Enoch thought that would be just like any other day. Walking with God. But that day was different somehow. He didn't know why. Everything around him was joyous. The smile was even more radiant in God's face. He couldn't understand when the wind whispered in his ear, you're going home. But joy was definitely bubbling in his heart too. He didn't know why. Yards turned to miles. Sand became rocks. But the talking and fun wouldn't cease. Then at the top of some mountain they reached. He said, come lets go home with a radiant smile. Enoch turned to walk back alone. He thought Oh! I have to wait till tomorrow again to meet my Love yet again. But he could see the ground dropping low, and the air getting thinner. And when He realised he is in the arms of his husband, oh! What joy. God is taking him to his heavenly home for eternity. No more time constraints. Enoch's heart was now jumping with joy. Kissing frantically ...

Faith

Heb:11:1 Now faith is a substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The definition of faith. Faith is hoping. Not of an idea which is beyond logic. It is evidence based. Even when you have not seen it. Faith is not based on a written code which you decipher out or construe for your comfort. But faith is based on the character that is behind the promise. The person who made the promise. Him whom I call my Father. My Appa. That is the base of my faith. On this Appa, I have put my faith in my redemption, my salvation, for my eternal life. On Him I will place my faith for my everyday walk. He is good and He will do all things for my good. That is enough for me to trust in Him. So when something overwhelming comes my way, I will still choose to trust Him. I will still choose to cling close to Him. For He holds me. Doubt or fear or worry is an antonym to faith. Faith hopes. Faith ensures. Faith relieves. Faith brings joy. Faith is the sum and substance of my l...

Weak. #faith12

Heb:11:34 Whose weakness was turned to strength. Do not be anxious dear one. Do not worry. Are you inherently weak in some areas? In faith that weak point will turn to your strength, the Bible promises. There has been circumstances when the most difficult and discouraging times of your life, you will experience as the most blessed time when you look retrospectively because He was present in those times of trouble. You will learn something worthwhile. You will see the very thing which you were weak at, will turn out to be a blessing for you in the spiritual realm. You will realise that, when you are weak you are strong because you trust in a strong God. You trust in His guiding delivering hand rather than your own instincts. You grow in faith. You gain strength to trust in Him more. He will strengthen and He will guide. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. You will realise that the very things that you are weak at, turn out to be your strong stories of test...

Illusory. #faith6

Heb:11:13. All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised. How foolish? Believing in an illusory unreal belief which was never true. They did not receive the things promised. So whatever they believed was a falsehood that they chased uselessly. Is it? But it continues to read - people who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own - they are longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Their eyes were set not on things down here. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God. For He has prepared a city for them. Jesus said, I am going to prepare a place for you. The things which they believed, they actually got. This life is futile and insignificant. The world above is real. The world coming is eternal. Store up your treasures there. Image credit: https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/scientists-discover-a-mysterious-third-state-beyond-life-and-death-in-new-study/amp_articleshow/...

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