1 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:08,140 Well, as I mentioned earlier, today is what is 2 00:00:08,140 --> 00:00:11,220 traditionally recognized as the beginning of Holy Week, 3 00:00:11,580 --> 00:00:14,280 which is essentially the yearly reflection of the 4 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:17,580 final events leading up to the death and resurrection 5 00:00:17,580 --> 00:00:20,220 of the Lord Jesus Christ. And 6 00:00:20,220 --> 00:00:23,080 as you're fully aware, it's usually on this day that 7 00:00:23,080 --> 00:00:27,740 churches visit the story, the scene of Jesus entering 8 00:00:27,740 --> 00:00:31,340 into the city of Jerusalem triumphantly, yet also 9 00:00:31,340 --> 00:00:34,080 humbly. While our church was a little 10 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:36,740 early with that message, as you know, a handful of 11 00:00:36,740 --> 00:00:39,920 weeks ago, we just through the natural study and the 12 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,380 series that we are in and Mark brought us there. And 13 00:00:43,380 --> 00:00:47,280 so I'm sure you can agree that it's not probably 14 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,720 necessary to revisit that this time around. 15 00:00:51,459 --> 00:00:53,840 Nonetheless, what we are going to look 16 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,500 at today together is an event that took place 17 00:00:56,500 --> 00:01:00,380 during Holy Week, a few days after Jesus entered 18 00:01:00,380 --> 00:01:04,200 into Jerusalem, the way that we know that he did. 19 00:01:04,700 --> 00:01:06,140 And I want us to turn our 20 00:01:06,140 --> 00:01:09,320 attention to that scene together in our Bibles to 21 00:01:09,320 --> 00:01:14,280 discover the profound truths in it in Mark chapter 12, 22 00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:21,140 where we'll be looking at a parable, parables are not 23 00:01:21,140 --> 00:01:23,980 common in the book of Mark. Mark 24 00:01:23,980 --> 00:01:26,660 is not too concerned about revealing Jesus as a 25 00:01:26,660 --> 00:01:28,060 teacher. He's more concerned about 26 00:01:28,060 --> 00:01:31,000 revealing Jesus as a servant. And 27 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,780 so with the very little of parables that we have in 28 00:01:33,780 --> 00:01:37,280 this gospel account, it says something for us to 29 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:41,680 see allegorical message from the lips of the Savior in 30 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,420 our study. And here we find the Lord 31 00:01:44,420 --> 00:01:47,600 Jesus in the temple. He has been teaching and 32 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:50,560 preaching the gospel to the masses who have gathered 33 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:53,100 from around the world to observe the Passover feast. 34 00:01:54,140 --> 00:01:56,340 But while Jesus is there, he 35 00:01:56,340 --> 00:02:00,180 was ambushed by the chief elders and the scribes and 36 00:02:00,180 --> 00:02:04,600 the priests who located him because while the people 37 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,199 were preparing to celebrate the Passover, these 38 00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:11,540 religious leaders were consumed and preoccupied 39 00:02:11,540 --> 00:02:14,940 with a plot to get rid of Jesus once and for all. 40 00:02:14,940 --> 00:02:16,300 They have reached now to a 41 00:02:16,300 --> 00:02:20,400 boiling point. Enough is enough. After 42 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,080 that whole spectacle of him coming into the city and 43 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,700 the masses celebrating him, they felt as though things 44 00:02:26,700 --> 00:02:29,680 were changing quickly and they needed to do something 45 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,720 about it just as quickly. And 46 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:35,620 so they were armed with an interrogation and they 47 00:02:35,620 --> 00:02:39,160 attempted to surprise the master with a set of 48 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,660 questions hoping to catch him off guard and to find 49 00:02:42,660 --> 00:02:46,240 some kind of evidence that would be enough grounds to 50 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,060 charge him for blasphemy and to condemn him to 51 00:02:49,060 --> 00:02:51,560 death. And what we learned last week 52 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,100 is that whatever question was brought to him was 53 00:02:55,100 --> 00:02:59,280 countered with his own question and Jesus gives a 54 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,320 question to them to reveal and to test their honesty 55 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:07,600 and their integrity, which they failed and instead 56 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:09,700 were exposed for their hypocrisy. They 57 00:03:09,700 --> 00:03:12,820 were not genuinely asking by what authority do you 58 00:03:12,820 --> 00:03:14,780 do these things or who gave you the authority to 59 00:03:14,780 --> 00:03:17,020 do them. They were again trying to trap 60 00:03:17,020 --> 00:03:19,060 him and the Lord saw through that but he just 61 00:03:19,060 --> 00:03:21,360 wanted to show that he knew it and he wanted to 62 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,580 show that he can expose it. And 63 00:03:24,580 --> 00:03:26,760 so you would think after that interaction, that brief 64 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,080 conversation, both parties would go their separate 65 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:31,120 ways and we would move on in this story but that's 66 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,540 not what we see. We find Jesus still in the 67 00:03:34,540 --> 00:03:37,900 temple courts with the audience of these corrupt 68 00:03:37,900 --> 00:03:40,980 religious leaders before him and this is what we find 69 00:03:40,980 --> 00:03:44,660 in verse one of chapter 12. And 70 00:03:44,660 --> 00:03:47,820 he began to speak to them in parables. A 71 00:03:47,820 --> 00:03:51,600 man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and 72 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,000 dug a pit for the wine press and built a tower 73 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,400 and leased it to tenants and went into another 74 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,700 country. When the season came, he sent a 75 00:04:00,700 --> 00:04:03,020 servant to the tenants to get from them some of the 76 00:04:03,020 --> 00:04:06,080 fruit of the vineyard and they took him and beat him 77 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,200 and sent him away empty handed. Again, 78 00:04:09,300 --> 00:04:11,480 he sent to them another servant and they struck him 79 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:14,240 on the head and treated him shamefully. And 80 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:17,980 he sent another and him they killed and so with 81 00:04:17,980 --> 00:04:22,180 many others, some they beat and some they killed, he 82 00:04:22,180 --> 00:04:27,720 had still one other, a beloved son. Finally, 83 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:31,480 he sent him to them saying, they will respect 84 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,840 my son. But those tenants said to one 85 00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:38,660 another, this is the air come let us kill him and 86 00:04:38,660 --> 00:04:41,460 the inheritance will be ours. And 87 00:04:41,460 --> 00:04:45,440 they took him and killed him and they threw him out 88 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:49,060 of the vineyard. What will the owner of the 89 00:04:49,060 --> 00:04:52,640 vineyard do? He will come and destroy the 90 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:55,920 tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have 91 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,440 you not read this scripture? The 92 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:01,620 stone that the builders rejected has become the 93 00:05:01,620 --> 00:05:04,820 cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing and 94 00:05:04,820 --> 00:05:08,420 it is marvelous in our eyes. And 95 00:05:08,420 --> 00:05:12,280 they were seeking to arrest him, but feared the people 96 00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:14,980 for they perceived that he had told the parable 97 00:05:14,980 --> 00:05:18,440 against them. So they left him and went 98 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:23,580 away. Pray with me. Father, 99 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,740 we do ask, oh Lord, we believe that as we're 100 00:05:26,740 --> 00:05:32,380 praying, you hear us. And that invokes a set of 101 00:05:32,380 --> 00:05:37,200 emotions even. I can't believe you hear us 102 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,900 as we pray to you. So we have this awe of you, 103 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:44,000 but we also feel this liberty in knowing that 104 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,480 when you look at us, you see bloodbath children who 105 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:51,220 have been accepted in the beloved. We 106 00:05:51,220 --> 00:05:54,080 believe you love us. We believe you care for each 107 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:57,000 of us. And we believe that one of the 108 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,060 greatest ways you show your care for us is that you've 109 00:05:59,060 --> 00:06:02,820 given us your word. We realize that this is your 110 00:06:02,820 --> 00:06:06,880 word and we humbly receive it, but help us Lord 111 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:11,960 understand it. Lord, we are but flesh and we're 112 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,340 aware that even now in this holy moment, thoughts 113 00:06:14,340 --> 00:06:15,680 can race through our minds. Even 114 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:17,540 as we're praying, we could be thinking about something 115 00:06:17,540 --> 00:06:19,380 else. So Lord, deliver us from 116 00:06:19,380 --> 00:06:23,300 distraction and deliver us from being flustered or 117 00:06:23,300 --> 00:06:26,040 being caught up in something else that would 118 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,420 rob us of the moment that you have set up for us 119 00:06:28,420 --> 00:06:30,880 today. So Lord, help us experience 120 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,760 you through your word in a transformative manner. This 121 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,480 is our desire and our plea and we ask it with great 122 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,560 humility and eagerness. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. 123 00:06:42,380 --> 00:06:47,700 You know, as Jesus opened up this this parable, I'm 124 00:06:47,700 --> 00:06:50,540 convinced that right at the introduction of it, the 125 00:06:50,540 --> 00:06:53,440 people here who heard it, namely the Pharisees and 126 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:58,100 the components of the Sanhedrin, understand exactly 127 00:06:58,100 --> 00:07:00,900 what he was getting at. Parables 128 00:07:00,900 --> 00:07:03,280 tend to be complicated and mysterious, and that's on 129 00:07:03,280 --> 00:07:05,120 purpose, but this is one of the clearest and most 130 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:08,500 obvious parables of them all. And 131 00:07:08,500 --> 00:07:10,220 the reason why the religious leaders would have 132 00:07:10,220 --> 00:07:13,840 been so aware of what Christ was saying is 133 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:19,260 because Christ is borrowing certain truths from the Old 134 00:07:19,260 --> 00:07:22,800 Testament that these people especially would have would 135 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:26,860 have been familiar with. In essence, what Jesus is 136 00:07:26,860 --> 00:07:30,160 doing is he's building this teaching upon something that 137 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:34,640 the people of Israel would have been very knowledgeable 138 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,540 of because, again, what Jesus is saying is 139 00:07:38,540 --> 00:07:41,160 strikingly similar, this profile that he is 140 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:44,780 presenting to what Isaiah the prophet said early in 141 00:07:44,780 --> 00:07:47,600 his book. And so turn with me to Isaiah 142 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,260 5 and look at this with me beginning in verse 1, 143 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:53,480 because when you and I look at Isaiah 5, you know 144 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,280 what's going to happen. We too will be able to crack 145 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:58,440 the code of this parable and have zero doubt, zero 146 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:00,920 doubt that what the Lord is speaking about when he 147 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:02,780 is addressing the chief priests, scribes, and 148 00:08:02,780 --> 00:08:09,540 elders. Isaiah 5 verse 1, the prophet 149 00:08:09,540 --> 00:08:14,500 writes, let me sing for my beloved, my love song 150 00:08:14,500 --> 00:08:19,700 concerning his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on 151 00:08:19,700 --> 00:08:23,620 a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of 152 00:08:23,620 --> 00:08:27,060 stones and planted it with choice vines. He 153 00:08:27,060 --> 00:08:30,320 built a watchtower in the midst of it and hewed out 154 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:34,120 a wine vat in it. And he looked for it to yield 155 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:38,700 grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. So 156 00:08:38,700 --> 00:08:41,179 here's the prophet Isaiah expressing his longing and 157 00:08:41,179 --> 00:08:44,760 his desire, yes, moved by the Spirit to sing for his 158 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:47,880 beloved. And the subject of his song 159 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:49,720 was not just the beloved, but something that the 160 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:53,720 beloved owns. He owned this vineyard. And 161 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:57,300 as you can see and compare the beloved and his 162 00:08:57,300 --> 00:09:00,100 handling and his treatment of this property, property 163 00:09:00,100 --> 00:09:03,300 is very similar to how Jesus describes this man 164 00:09:03,300 --> 00:09:06,280 and the investment that he made with his own vineyard. 165 00:09:06,860 --> 00:09:09,540 And that is on purpose because 166 00:09:09,540 --> 00:09:13,420 the Lord Jesus here is again drawing from Isaiah 5 167 00:09:13,420 --> 00:09:16,980 so that he can make a correlation with his 168 00:09:16,980 --> 00:09:20,800 immediate audience. But is there any way that we 169 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:24,320 can know who this beloved is? Is 170 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:26,200 there any way we can know what this vineyard 171 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,220 represents? And the answer is yes, the 172 00:09:28,220 --> 00:09:31,460 answers are actually found in Isaiah 5 itself. So 173 00:09:31,460 --> 00:09:34,520 scroll down to verse 7. For 174 00:09:34,528 --> 00:09:41,000 the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of 175 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,540 Israel. And the men of Judah are his 176 00:09:44,540 --> 00:09:47,420 pleasant planting and he looked for justice, but 177 00:09:47,420 --> 00:09:49,460 behold bloodshed for righteousness, but behold an 178 00:09:49,460 --> 00:09:52,080 outcry. It's his plainest day. The 179 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:55,000 owner of the vineyard, the beloved in Isaiah's words, 180 00:09:55,340 --> 00:09:59,060 that owner is God, the Lord of hosts. And 181 00:09:59,060 --> 00:10:01,880 the vineyard that he purchased and he provided 182 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:06,820 for is the house of Israel. And 183 00:10:06,820 --> 00:10:11,460 Jesus again, by using this familiar language wants us 184 00:10:11,460 --> 00:10:13,900 to see the parable that he presents in Mark 12 with 185 00:10:13,900 --> 00:10:18,420 the same lens. The man in his story is God 186 00:10:18,420 --> 00:10:22,160 and the vineyard is speaking of the people of 187 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:24,460 Israel. And we're going to fill in the 188 00:10:24,460 --> 00:10:27,200 gaps with the other actors in this story. But 189 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,280 essentially what Jesus is doing by giving this 190 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,520 parable is that he is defining the relationship 191 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:38,100 that God has with Israel at the very moment and his 192 00:10:38,100 --> 00:10:42,740 day while also ready to expose even further the 193 00:10:42,740 --> 00:10:46,340 religious leaders that were standing before him. Because 194 00:10:46,340 --> 00:10:48,700 in this parable in Mark 12, Jesus is going to 195 00:10:48,700 --> 00:10:53,660 reinforce, I'm the Son, I'm the Son of God. And 196 00:10:53,660 --> 00:10:56,900 he's also going to show them, and I know that 197 00:10:56,900 --> 00:11:00,240 you're going to try to kill me. And 198 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:04,320 so this is powerful and we might be tempted to 199 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:06,840 appreciate it from a distance and think, well, 200 00:11:06,860 --> 00:11:10,000 this is a parable that's exclusive to the nation of 201 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:11,900 Israel. And that is right in its 202 00:11:11,900 --> 00:11:14,520 context, but God has preserved it for us for 203 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:17,200 our benefit as well. Let me pause here and give you 204 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:20,720 like a discipleship point, if I may. If 205 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:24,520 you are eager to learn anything from any passage 206 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:28,120 in the Bible, including the ones that are not directly 207 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:31,160 instructive to you as a follower of Jesus Christ in 208 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:33,600 the New Covenant, you have to be willing to do 209 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:36,500 something. People often ask me, how is it 210 00:11:36,500 --> 00:11:38,220 that I can dig and find gold? How 211 00:11:38,220 --> 00:11:40,740 can I mine precious jewels in the Bible? How 212 00:11:40,740 --> 00:11:43,520 can I go deeper? And my answer in the beginning 213 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:47,440 is always the same, always the same. You 214 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:49,420 have to be willing to have a conversation with the 215 00:11:49,420 --> 00:11:52,580 Bible. You say, what do you mean 216 00:11:52,580 --> 00:11:54,240 conversation with the Bible? Well, 217 00:11:54,260 --> 00:11:57,100 if you want the Bible to speak to you, you got to 218 00:11:57,100 --> 00:12:00,260 ask the Bible some questions. And 219 00:12:00,260 --> 00:12:02,120 if you're willing to ask the Bible a set of 220 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:04,560 questions, you're going to come out of any reading 221 00:12:04,560 --> 00:12:08,240 with something. And those questions vary. The 222 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:13,520 ones that I am often prone to asking are these, are 223 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:15,820 the repeated words in this passage that the author is 224 00:12:15,820 --> 00:12:19,600 trying to emphasize a point with? Does 225 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:22,500 this passage complete or does it connect with 226 00:12:22,500 --> 00:12:26,940 another passage? Is there a warning in this 227 00:12:26,940 --> 00:12:29,400 passage that I am to take heed of? Is 228 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:32,180 there a promise in this passage that I am to 229 00:12:32,180 --> 00:12:35,340 enjoy? Is there a sin in this 230 00:12:35,340 --> 00:12:38,760 scripture that I am to identify and avoid in my 231 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:43,560 life? Is this an illustration that 232 00:12:43,560 --> 00:12:47,300 helps me know and understand even further a 233 00:12:47,300 --> 00:12:50,800 new covenant principle or reality that's especially 234 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:53,180 helpful in the Old Testament? Does 235 00:12:53,180 --> 00:12:56,140 this point to a gospel truth? Does 236 00:12:56,140 --> 00:12:59,240 this point to something that I need to see in the 237 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:01,320 person of Jesus Christ? And here's my all time 238 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:03,520 favorite. Here's my go -to question that I 239 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:06,400 have a conversation with the Word of God with. This 240 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,780 is my go -to one. What does this tell me about 241 00:13:09,780 --> 00:13:13,400 God? If you ask that question from 242 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:15,760 Genesis to Revelation, you could read through Leviticus 243 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,160 and get a lot out of it. What 244 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:21,060 does this tell me about God? Have 245 00:13:21,060 --> 00:13:23,460 a conversation with the Bible and I trust that the 246 00:13:23,460 --> 00:13:25,900 Bible will say something to you? And 247 00:13:25,900 --> 00:13:27,360 that is the exact question. That's 248 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:29,060 usually my first question whenever I read any 249 00:13:29,060 --> 00:13:30,700 passage. And that was the question I 250 00:13:30,700 --> 00:13:32,800 asked this parable in Mark 12. What 251 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:35,940 is this parable? Yes, it's obviously about Jesus 252 00:13:35,940 --> 00:13:38,580 defining the relationship that God has with Israel, 253 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:41,180 the fate of Israel, even the fate of the Son of 254 00:13:41,180 --> 00:13:42,980 God. It's something to study. It's 255 00:13:42,980 --> 00:13:46,060 something to appreciate concerning who Jesus is and 256 00:13:46,060 --> 00:13:48,020 his omniscience and his brilliance. But 257 00:13:48,020 --> 00:13:50,160 what does this say about God? And 258 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:53,100 the answers from that question I present to you 259 00:13:53,100 --> 00:13:58,520 today, that in this parable about God and Israel, you 260 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:00,520 can learn three things about the character of the 261 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,160 Almighty. I want to present those three 262 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,240 things to you. You're going to leave this place 263 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:08,560 out of Mark 12, one to 12, with three things about 264 00:14:08,560 --> 00:14:10,880 God. And the first one is found in 265 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:12,680 verse one of Mark 12. So let's go back there 266 00:14:12,680 --> 00:14:17,340 together. And he began to speak to them 267 00:14:17,340 --> 00:14:21,220 in parables. A man planted a vineyard and 268 00:14:21,220 --> 00:14:26,260 put a fence around it and dug a pit for it and the 269 00:14:26,260 --> 00:14:28,480 wine press and built a tower and leased it to 270 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:32,320 tenants and went into another country. Notice 271 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:35,780 at first the great contribution that this man 272 00:14:35,780 --> 00:14:38,300 makes toward his property. These 273 00:14:38,300 --> 00:14:40,400 are not insignificant details. We 274 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,540 are to send something about the heart of this man for 275 00:14:43,540 --> 00:14:46,780 his vineyard, the attention that he gives to it, the 276 00:14:46,780 --> 00:14:50,020 funding that he puts into it. He 277 00:14:50,020 --> 00:14:52,400 is not a negligent landowner. He 278 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:54,380 is not careless. He is not a thoughtless 279 00:14:54,380 --> 00:14:58,100 manager. No, instead you see someone who 280 00:14:58,100 --> 00:15:02,160 supplies and provides everything necessary for 281 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:06,520 this vineyard to flourish. And 282 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:07,900 the first thing that we learn here from this 283 00:15:07,900 --> 00:15:10,540 parable of this man represents God and vineyard 284 00:15:10,540 --> 00:15:12,700 represents the vineyard represents Israel is that 285 00:15:12,700 --> 00:15:15,280 this shows us the grace of God. This 286 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:18,360 shows us the grace of God because what this represents 287 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,480 is the overwhelming blessings and privileges 288 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:25,600 that the Lord granted to Israel in order for her to 289 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:29,100 bear fruit the way God desired. All 290 00:15:29,100 --> 00:15:31,340 the things that he has deposited, all the things 291 00:15:31,340 --> 00:15:34,240 that he has brought to their disposal is exactly 292 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:36,400 what Jesus is getting at here. In 293 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:39,060 other words, there was no reason for Israel to live 294 00:15:39,060 --> 00:15:42,680 poorly before God. There was no excuse that they 295 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:46,080 could make to reject the Son of God with all the 296 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:49,820 light that they had for thousands of years, with 297 00:15:49,820 --> 00:15:52,960 all the heat that they experienced for centuries. 298 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:55,120 It just doesn't make sense. 299 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:56,440 And that's exactly, that's 300 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,480 precisely the point that even Isaiah makes back in 301 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,480 chapter five. So listen, we read verses one 302 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:03,560 and two of Isaiah five. Look 303 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:06,020 at verses three and four of Isaiah five. I 304 00:16:06,020 --> 00:16:07,060 should have mentioned you should have stayed in 305 00:16:07,060 --> 00:16:10,480 Isaiah five as well. So stay there. In 306 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:12,760 Isaiah five, three and four, look at what Isaiah 307 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,700 says. After describing what Jesus 308 00:16:15,700 --> 00:16:19,240 similarly describes in his day, the things that were 309 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:21,320 dug up, the things that were built, the things that 310 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:26,480 were used, and now, a inhabitants of Jerusalem and 311 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:30,360 men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What 312 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:33,700 more was there to do for my vineyard that I have 313 00:16:33,700 --> 00:16:36,580 not done in it? When I looked for it to yield 314 00:16:36,580 --> 00:16:40,580 grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? Pretty 315 00:16:40,580 --> 00:16:42,800 straightforward, isn't it? So 316 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,080 the Lord in Isaiah five invites a jury and he's 317 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:49,740 asking, hey, can you guys, I'm curious to know your 318 00:16:49,740 --> 00:16:52,060 ideas, maybe you're smarter than I am. Is 319 00:16:52,060 --> 00:16:55,800 there anything else I could have done for my people in 320 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:58,620 order for them to be inspired to live in the 321 00:16:58,620 --> 00:17:02,260 way that I desire? Let me know. And 322 00:17:02,260 --> 00:17:05,680 Paul tells us that even this people were privileged 323 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:09,319 above all other nations for, again, thousands of 324 00:17:09,319 --> 00:17:13,060 years, the covenants that they received, the miracles, 325 00:17:13,220 --> 00:17:17,440 the manifestations of glory, the law, all these things 326 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:19,319 that were brought to them, the connection that they 327 00:17:19,319 --> 00:17:22,460 had with God left them with no excuse to be the 328 00:17:22,460 --> 00:17:26,619 way that they were. And that grace continues that 329 00:17:26,619 --> 00:17:29,300 God showed into the life of Jesus Christ as he 330 00:17:29,300 --> 00:17:33,140 stands before a stubborn crowd, a stubborn clergy 331 00:17:33,140 --> 00:17:35,500 who would not believe and accept him as the Messiah. 332 00:17:35,740 --> 00:17:37,540 What more could have Christ done 333 00:17:37,540 --> 00:17:40,560 to convince them that I am indeed the Messiah that 334 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:42,680 you've been anticipating? What 335 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:44,280 other miracles could Jesus have done? What 336 00:17:44,288 --> 00:17:46,720 other authority could he have performed over nature, 337 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,660 over demons, over sickness? Was 338 00:17:49,660 --> 00:17:52,640 not his sinless life enough? And 339 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:55,300 that is precisely what we see here. Jesus 340 00:17:55,300 --> 00:17:57,740 getting to this crowd the same way Isaiah did. Can 341 00:17:57,740 --> 00:18:02,380 you point out what more I could have done for you to 342 00:18:02,380 --> 00:18:07,200 surrender and to joyfully serve me? Let's 343 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,420 not just apply this Israel because God has made a new 344 00:18:09,420 --> 00:18:13,120 people in Christ. That's you. That's 345 00:18:13,120 --> 00:18:16,660 me. And it's no less true that he 346 00:18:16,660 --> 00:18:18,860 has provided so much for us. I 347 00:18:18,860 --> 00:18:22,300 would say we have less excuses than Israel did 348 00:18:22,300 --> 00:18:25,900 because according to Ephesians one, we have been 349 00:18:25,900 --> 00:18:30,360 enriched with every spiritual blessing because 350 00:18:30,360 --> 00:18:32,760 we are in Christ Jesus. Here's 351 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,840 what that means practically. There's 352 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:41,360 no excuse or blame from a bloodbought Christian to not 353 00:18:41,360 --> 00:18:47,860 be able to overcome lust, to not be able to defeat 354 00:18:47,860 --> 00:18:52,080 rage, to not be able to conquer impatience, to not 355 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:55,920 be able to be delivered from envy, addiction, 356 00:18:57,060 --> 00:19:04,180 profanity, worldliness. We have every divine resource 357 00:19:04,180 --> 00:19:10,080 at our disposal in order to love, forgive, serve, 358 00:19:10,460 --> 00:19:14,460 commit with the standard, even the standard that God 359 00:19:14,460 --> 00:19:18,760 has in mind for us. You know a verse came to mind 360 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:20,420 while I was driving here in light of this thought. 361 00:19:21,900 --> 00:19:23,600 There's much debate about Paul's 362 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:26,500 words and arguments from Romans chapter seven. I 363 00:19:26,500 --> 00:19:27,720 do the things that I don't want to do and the things 364 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:29,200 I don't want to do, I do. Remember 365 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,120 that passage? And here's the debate among 366 00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:34,540 Christians. Is that Paul speaking about 367 00:19:34,540 --> 00:19:38,540 his struggle as a born -again believer? Or 368 00:19:38,540 --> 00:19:42,400 is that Paul describing his struggle as an unregenerate 369 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:44,960 person? Do you understand the debate? 370 00:19:45,580 --> 00:19:46,480 Is this Paul speaking about 371 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,040 his struggle as a saved individual? Or 372 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:51,960 is this Paul describing his struggle unsaved? And 373 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,120 people bring up different points, you know? People 374 00:19:54,120 --> 00:19:55,980 love to use the words of Paul because Paul is deep 375 00:19:55,980 --> 00:19:59,340 to come up with different conclusions. Here's 376 00:19:59,340 --> 00:20:01,440 my answer and we'll get to Romans, I don't know when, 377 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:03,280 but we'll get to it eventually. But 378 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:05,980 I always tell people to just kind of limit the 379 00:20:05,980 --> 00:20:08,620 back and forth. Whatever you believe about Romans 380 00:20:08,620 --> 00:20:12,600 seven, you got to read Romans eight. Because 381 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:14,220 what happens in Romans eight is that Paul then 382 00:20:14,220 --> 00:20:17,420 describes life in the spirit. So 383 00:20:17,420 --> 00:20:20,840 lend where you will with Romans seven, but you have 384 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:22,440 to keep reading into Romans eight. And 385 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:24,800 here's what he says among other things, the victorious 386 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,740 life in the spirit. Verse 12 of Romans eight. So 387 00:20:28,740 --> 00:20:33,400 then brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh. 388 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:35,880 We're not debtors to the flesh 389 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:38,640 to live according to the flesh. And 390 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:40,980 this is what he says in verse 13. For 391 00:20:40,980 --> 00:20:43,080 if you live according to the flesh, you will die. 392 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:45,460 But if by the spirit you put 393 00:20:45,460 --> 00:20:48,040 the death, the deeds of the body, you will live. 394 00:20:49,820 --> 00:20:51,020 If you put the death, the 395 00:20:51,020 --> 00:20:53,680 deeds of the body, how? If you bang your head on the 396 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,200 wall long enough? If you jump through religious 397 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,920 hoops? If you slavishly try to 398 00:20:59,920 --> 00:21:03,820 observe aesthetic ways of dealing with your body and 399 00:21:03,820 --> 00:21:06,580 its impulses? No. If you put to death the 400 00:21:06,580 --> 00:21:11,000 deeds of the body by the spirit. If 401 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:12,640 you don't know what it means to live in the 402 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:14,120 spirit, if you don't know how to tap into the 403 00:21:14,120 --> 00:21:16,100 resource known as the Holy Spirit, you'll never know 404 00:21:16,100 --> 00:21:19,860 victory over the flesh. And I am promised victory over 405 00:21:19,860 --> 00:21:23,660 the flesh because of the spirit who is mine in 406 00:21:23,660 --> 00:21:27,200 Christ Jesus. So there's just one sliver to 407 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:31,300 show that God has dispensed in our lives everything 408 00:21:31,300 --> 00:21:37,400 that we need to know fruit bearing future. That 409 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:39,700 is not to say that these characteristics will be 410 00:21:39,700 --> 00:21:42,280 developed in one day in the same way that none of 411 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:44,760 us expect natural fruit to be grown in its maturity 412 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:48,160 overnight. But it does mean that we are 413 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:51,080 set on the path for growth and transformation. That 414 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:54,020 is totally possible no matter who you are because 415 00:21:54,020 --> 00:21:59,260 of what God has given you freely and generously, which 416 00:21:59,260 --> 00:22:00,580 brings us to our next point. This 417 00:22:00,580 --> 00:22:03,320 is not just speaking about the grace of God. We 418 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:06,360 also learn in this parable about the patience of God. 419 00:22:07,140 --> 00:22:10,680 So come back to Mark 12 and 420 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:16,240 look at verse two. When the season came, he sent a 421 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:18,680 servant to the tenants to get from them some of the 422 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:21,660 fruit of the vineyard. And they took him and beat him 423 00:22:21,660 --> 00:22:24,400 and sent him away empty handed. Again, 424 00:22:24,540 --> 00:22:26,780 he sent to them another servant and they struck him 425 00:22:26,780 --> 00:22:29,240 on the head and treated him shamefully. And 426 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:32,040 he sent another and him they killed. And 427 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:34,700 so with many others, some they beat and some they 428 00:22:34,700 --> 00:22:37,800 killed. What you see here is the 429 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:42,000 magnificence of God's long suffering. How 430 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:45,360 patient he is and it's manifested in a couple of 431 00:22:45,360 --> 00:22:48,440 ways. The first way is in the timing 432 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:51,820 that the owner seeks to retrieve a harvest. Look 433 00:22:51,820 --> 00:22:53,660 back at verse two again. When 434 00:22:53,660 --> 00:22:58,440 the season came, when what season came, when the 435 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:00,980 expected fruit should arrive, you know what that 436 00:23:00,980 --> 00:23:02,200 tells me about this owner? He's 437 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:06,680 not unrealistic. He's not hurried. He's 438 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:10,340 not impatient. He is someone who fully 439 00:23:10,340 --> 00:23:15,460 understands that fruit takes time. That 440 00:23:15,460 --> 00:23:21,180 development can face some delays. And 441 00:23:21,180 --> 00:23:22,720 that's something that you and I have to understand 442 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:24,840 concerning ourselves, because in the same way this man 443 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:29,100 came at a realistic time, the Lord also graciously 444 00:23:29,100 --> 00:23:33,160 understands your growth in the spirit. He 445 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:36,700 does. We should be glad that this 446 00:23:36,700 --> 00:23:38,980 truth is proclaimed on the heels of learning that God 447 00:23:38,980 --> 00:23:41,600 has made a great investment in us and he is expecting 448 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:45,940 a return. Yes, he has empowered you. 449 00:23:46,140 --> 00:23:47,520 Listen, he has empowered you and 450 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:48,740 I. This is not something to be 451 00:23:48,740 --> 00:23:50,540 condemned about. This is something to leap for 452 00:23:50,540 --> 00:23:54,480 joy about. He has empowered you for a no 453 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:58,920 excuse sanctification. And yet at the same time, he's 454 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:03,440 also aware of the addemic limitations that we face 455 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,560 daily. The things that would cause 456 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,360 setbacks, the things that would cause shortcomings in 457 00:24:09,360 --> 00:24:13,460 the process, our God is aware of those things. He 458 00:24:13,460 --> 00:24:16,320 does always remember that we are but dust. And 459 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:19,740 this is something extremely comforting, not to those 460 00:24:19,740 --> 00:24:22,260 who abuse the idea of God's grace, but to those 461 00:24:22,260 --> 00:24:26,720 who long to live like Jesus, but find themselves 462 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:33,540 tripping along the way. And the truly righteous can 463 00:24:33,540 --> 00:24:35,940 often be tempted to be deeply discouraged, 464 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,160 especially when they find themselves in a trap, 465 00:24:39,300 --> 00:24:41,420 something that they thought they were able to overcome 466 00:24:41,420 --> 00:24:43,860 and dodge, something that they thought that they 467 00:24:43,860 --> 00:24:46,720 dealt with. And here are these flare up of 468 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:48,140 the flesh. Have you not experienced that 469 00:24:48,140 --> 00:24:51,880 ever? You had a good three -day track 470 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:55,500 living like Christ. And all of a sudden you're in 471 00:24:55,500 --> 00:24:57,100 a situation where there's pressure, whatever the case 472 00:24:57,100 --> 00:24:58,620 may be, and something comes out of your mouth and 473 00:24:58,620 --> 00:25:01,180 you're like, why did that come out of my mouth? Or 474 00:25:01,180 --> 00:25:02,540 you act in a certain way. Why 475 00:25:02,540 --> 00:25:05,500 am I acting this way? Why am I reacting this way? 476 00:25:06,420 --> 00:25:07,820 And there you are now convicted 477 00:25:07,820 --> 00:25:10,520 and you feel like you want to just crawl away into 478 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:13,800 some corner and reconsider God's love for you, 479 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:16,220 reconsider God's use of you. There 480 00:25:16,220 --> 00:25:20,220 are righteous people who feel that way. And 481 00:25:20,220 --> 00:25:22,740 this is how they view them. This 482 00:25:22,740 --> 00:25:25,420 is how they view God, rather, that when they do 483 00:25:25,420 --> 00:25:28,280 find themselves there in the flesh for a moment and 484 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:32,000 they slip, here's God now looking over the balcony of 485 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:34,340 heaven, crossing his arms and turning his back on 486 00:25:34,340 --> 00:25:37,740 you, when instead the way you should be seeing God 487 00:25:37,740 --> 00:25:42,920 at all times, even in your sin, is that when you are 488 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:44,300 in a place where you shouldn't be, when you're 489 00:25:44,300 --> 00:25:45,820 doing something that you shouldn't be doing, when 490 00:25:45,820 --> 00:25:47,080 you have been acting the way you should not have 491 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:50,940 been acting, the master is on a stool with a towel 492 00:25:50,940 --> 00:25:57,000 in his hand ready to wash your feet. See, 493 00:25:57,060 --> 00:26:00,020 that sounds almost scandalous. That's 494 00:26:00,020 --> 00:26:04,760 the grace of God. God's grace didn't begin and end 495 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:07,900 at the cross. He told his disciples, I have 496 00:26:07,900 --> 00:26:12,140 washed you, but your feet need still washing. Meaning 497 00:26:12,140 --> 00:26:14,720 you're saved, but as you traverse through this world, 498 00:26:14,820 --> 00:26:17,000 you're going to pick up some dust. And 499 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,600 I'm just as eager to wash those feet as I did when 500 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:23,160 I initially washed you. Do you believe that about 501 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:27,240 Jesus? You should. Here 502 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:32,500 we see this man, patient. God 503 00:26:32,500 --> 00:26:35,840 is patient with us. He's patient with your growth. 504 00:26:37,260 --> 00:26:39,200 Yes, he expects something. Yes, 505 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:43,560 periodically, we should be able to see advancement, 506 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:46,440 but oh, everything in between. And 507 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:49,100 even when there are seasons where there is great 508 00:26:49,100 --> 00:26:55,080 stalling, the one who saved you is waiting for you and 509 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:58,980 ready to wash you and empower you again. That 510 00:26:58,980 --> 00:27:02,400 is the grace of God shown through his patience, but 511 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:05,180 it's not just through coming at the right season, 512 00:27:05,300 --> 00:27:08,020 so to speak. It's also in the repetitive 513 00:27:08,020 --> 00:27:10,020 sending of his messengers. You 514 00:27:10,020 --> 00:27:12,940 saw it, right? Verse three, he sends one of his 515 00:27:12,940 --> 00:27:15,080 servants. Verse four, he sends another of 516 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:17,440 his servants. Verse five, he sends another, and 517 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:19,480 then it summarizes that he sent many. And 518 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:20,740 do you notice the progression of the 519 00:27:20,740 --> 00:27:23,460 aggression of the tenants? The 520 00:27:23,460 --> 00:27:26,740 tenants who were given the land are getting more 521 00:27:26,740 --> 00:27:30,420 hostile and aggressive as the man sends more of his 522 00:27:30,420 --> 00:27:34,000 representatives. So they strike one, and then 523 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,260 the next one, they strike him on the head, and then 524 00:27:36,260 --> 00:27:40,460 finally they start killing some of them. Look, 525 00:27:40,460 --> 00:27:44,160 if I was an owner trying to collect rent and I send 526 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:46,080 one person to go and collect that rent for the 527 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:49,740 month, it wouldn't take more than one case of 528 00:27:49,740 --> 00:27:52,400 abuse for me not to send another one, but to send 529 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:57,360 the police, to send legal authorities, to arrest such 530 00:27:57,360 --> 00:27:59,100 people. And what you see here instead 531 00:27:59,100 --> 00:28:04,080 is that the man is sending another empty -handed, pure 532 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:09,740 -hearted, submissive servant to get what is the owner's 533 00:28:09,740 --> 00:28:15,660 rightful due. And it's not difficult to see 534 00:28:15,660 --> 00:28:18,240 who these servants represent. All 535 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:20,180 you have to do is look at Israel's history, and 536 00:28:20,180 --> 00:28:24,240 Jeremiah summarizes it so well in Jeremiah 7, verse 537 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:26,780 25 -26. You don't have to turn there, 538 00:28:26,860 --> 00:28:29,580 just listen to these words. From 539 00:28:29,580 --> 00:28:31,920 the day that your fathers came out of the land of 540 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:36,700 Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my 541 00:28:36,700 --> 00:28:42,220 servants, the prophets, to them day after day. Yet 542 00:28:42,220 --> 00:28:44,980 they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but 543 00:28:44,980 --> 00:28:48,740 stiffened their neck. They did worse than their 544 00:28:48,740 --> 00:28:51,000 fathers. Show that to somebody who says 545 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:55,420 that God is not gracious in the way that he is to 546 00:28:55,420 --> 00:28:59,280 be even more informed about how God is extremely 547 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:02,060 merciful, even under the old covenant. I've 548 00:29:02,060 --> 00:29:04,780 sent prophets to you day after day for hundreds of 549 00:29:04,780 --> 00:29:07,060 years. And what were these people 550 00:29:07,060 --> 00:29:10,040 doing in the meantime, sacrificing babies to false 551 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:13,080 gods, among other things. And 552 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:15,900 instead of sending judgment after 10 years, after 100 553 00:29:15,900 --> 00:29:17,860 years, no, I'm just, I'm going to send more of my 554 00:29:17,860 --> 00:29:20,100 messengers to get your attention and to hopefully 555 00:29:20,100 --> 00:29:23,300 get you to come to repentance. You 556 00:29:23,300 --> 00:29:24,560 know what this parable shows us? It 557 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:27,340 shows us that humanity's response to God's patience 558 00:29:27,340 --> 00:29:31,960 is one of two ways. His undeserved kindness will 559 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:35,780 either move you to surrender to it, or it 560 00:29:35,780 --> 00:29:38,980 will encourage you to remain an even worse sin 561 00:29:38,980 --> 00:29:43,160 in your sin because you translate God's patience as 562 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:47,780 his permission to sin. One of two ways. Either 563 00:29:47,780 --> 00:29:51,660 it dawns on you that I've been a rebel against God 564 00:29:51,660 --> 00:29:55,480 since I could remember, and now I will fully surrender 565 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:58,420 to him because all he's done is given me grace 566 00:29:58,420 --> 00:30:02,220 upon grace upon grace. It's so undeserving, but here I 567 00:30:02,220 --> 00:30:04,960 am willing to receive this cup of friendship. Either 568 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:09,400 that or it's, it seems like God is okay with 569 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:12,540 this. It seems like God is fine 570 00:30:12,540 --> 00:30:14,600 with this. There's no divine interruption in 571 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:17,780 my life. And as Ecclesiastes eight says 572 00:30:17,780 --> 00:30:21,120 that sinners plunge into deeper darkness and run 573 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:23,320 even harder after sin because there is delayed 574 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:28,660 judgment. Where are you? Which 575 00:30:28,660 --> 00:30:33,520 one are you? Ask yourself that question. How 576 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:36,740 many promises have you made to God while being away 577 00:30:36,740 --> 00:30:38,960 from him? Oh Lord, if you just get me 578 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:42,800 out of this mess, I'll come back to you. I'll 579 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:44,860 give my life to you. Do you know how I know people 580 00:30:44,860 --> 00:30:48,600 ask that? Because I used to. I 581 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:51,780 used to as a kid who knew enough about Christianity, 582 00:30:52,420 --> 00:30:56,880 but who also loved the world and knew that living 583 00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:58,560 in the world would get you in trouble from time to 584 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:00,220 time. But there's Jesus ready to get 585 00:31:00,220 --> 00:31:02,560 you out of the mess whenever you call upon his 586 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:06,760 name. It's so cute. So 587 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:10,920 which one are you? How many loosed vows have you 588 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:16,740 made to God? Young men, young lady, where are 589 00:31:16,740 --> 00:31:18,560 you at? How are you interpreting God's 590 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:20,320 patience? Because here you are coasting 591 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:22,360 through your life with all your plans and desires and 592 00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:26,180 dreams and there's something in your peripheral, in your 593 00:31:26,180 --> 00:31:30,140 conscience there and the corridor on the side about 594 00:31:30,140 --> 00:31:33,220 God wanting to save you and redeem you and use 595 00:31:33,220 --> 00:31:35,820 you. But you ignore and you visit 596 00:31:35,820 --> 00:31:37,520 it from time to time, especially when you're in 597 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:41,960 trouble. But are you not baffled yet by 598 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:46,200 how through your prolonged delay of surrendering to 599 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:50,100 him, God has not struck you, that God has not 600 00:31:50,100 --> 00:31:53,620 wounded you, that instead he showers blessing upon 601 00:31:53,620 --> 00:31:58,320 blessing on you? Maybe today can be the day where 602 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:02,600 the script changes for your life, where this is yet 603 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:09,120 another thunder clap of God saying, hey, I'm trying to 604 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,560 get you to understand that I want to forgive you and 605 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:14,320 cleanse you and fill you with my spirit and name 606 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:16,020 you among the redeemed. Enough 607 00:32:16,020 --> 00:32:20,040 is enough. Here's another message. Here's 608 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:22,920 another Bible study. Here's another friend, a coworker 609 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:25,840 coming into your life and is reminding you of the 610 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:31,280 gospel. Can you pause and think about 611 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:33,500 all the messages that you've heard, all the 612 00:32:33,500 --> 00:32:35,720 messengers that you've encountered throughout your 613 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:39,180 lifetime, has it not yet convinced you that God is 614 00:32:39,180 --> 00:32:41,960 trying to allure you to himself? I 615 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:43,880 pray today that's you, that today would be the last 616 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:47,200 day where you translate his patience as false permission 617 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:49,740 and that you would fall in love with the Prince of 618 00:32:49,740 --> 00:32:56,800 Peace and give God, if you thought that the patience 619 00:32:56,800 --> 00:33:00,940 of God has reached the limit here and if you 620 00:33:00,940 --> 00:33:04,960 haven't been pulled in your affections yet, look what 621 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:09,200 was says here in verse six. He 622 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:15,760 had still one other, a beloved son. Finally 623 00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:18,820 he sent him to them saying, they will respect 624 00:33:18,820 --> 00:33:24,720 my son. So after all his employees 625 00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:28,960 either came back bruised or never came back again, what 626 00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:32,760 is the solution of this man at this point where 627 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:34,540 the rebellion of these tenets are only getting, 628 00:33:34,740 --> 00:33:38,680 it's only getting worse and worse, defying this man's 629 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:43,960 kindness, defying his mercy, defying his patience, I'm 630 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:48,700 going to send my son and notice the great tribute 631 00:33:48,700 --> 00:33:52,020 that the Father makes for his son, regardless of how 632 00:33:52,020 --> 00:33:55,540 great those other servants were, how faithful they 633 00:33:55,540 --> 00:33:59,000 were, they do not compare to the loveliness of the 634 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:03,760 son and so great is the loveliness of the son in 635 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:07,400 the eyes of the Father, that he even expresses how 636 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:10,580 he is such a treasure that perhaps even the wicked 637 00:34:10,580 --> 00:34:13,100 will be able to perceive the treasure that he really 638 00:34:13,100 --> 00:34:17,659 is. They will respect my son surely? 639 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:23,000 And so instead of sending 640 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:26,679 servants of God, God arrives on the scene 641 00:34:26,679 --> 00:34:31,239 himself. The son now comes and how did 642 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:33,739 these tenets receive the son? Look 643 00:34:33,739 --> 00:34:37,040 at the justification for their premeditated murder in 644 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:41,480 verse seven. But those tenets said to one 645 00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:47,679 another, this is the air, come, let us kill him and 646 00:34:47,679 --> 00:34:51,139 the inheritance will be ours. So 647 00:34:51,139 --> 00:34:54,540 here's what these men foolishly believed. If 648 00:34:54,540 --> 00:34:59,560 we get rid of the air, then perhaps the man, the 649 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:04,500 owner would just surrender and give up and give up 650 00:35:04,500 --> 00:35:07,960 even the land to these tenets. That's 651 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:12,300 how foolish these men really were in thinking 652 00:35:12,300 --> 00:35:15,160 that by removing the son from the scene, we can 653 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:20,100 actually keep what it is that we want to keep. And 654 00:35:20,100 --> 00:35:23,620 what Jesus is getting at is he is exposing not just 655 00:35:23,620 --> 00:35:26,460 the plot of these Jews that are ready to kill 656 00:35:26,460 --> 00:35:30,340 them in a few days, but the reason why. These 657 00:35:30,340 --> 00:35:32,920 tenets wanted to secure what they believed, 658 00:35:33,220 --> 00:35:37,120 prospered them, empowered them, benefited them, and 659 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:40,580 they saw the son as a threat. Is 660 00:35:40,580 --> 00:35:43,760 that any different with the religious leaders? They 661 00:35:43,760 --> 00:35:47,060 have known the religious respect of the masses, of 662 00:35:47,060 --> 00:35:49,780 the general population of Israel. And 663 00:35:49,780 --> 00:35:53,380 here comes this rabbi from Nazareth now, and he is 664 00:35:53,380 --> 00:35:56,100 sweeping everybody off their feet. And 665 00:35:56,100 --> 00:35:58,500 now it's only getting more intense where you're having 666 00:35:58,500 --> 00:36:01,120 on this great holiday known as the Passover people 667 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:05,020 celebrating his name while we're being pushed back in 668 00:36:05,020 --> 00:36:09,900 the crowd. We rather gruesomely murder 669 00:36:09,900 --> 00:36:13,360 this man than surrender what we believe to be our 670 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:16,780 right. We want to secure our 671 00:36:16,780 --> 00:36:19,660 positions. We, yes, want a political 672 00:36:19,660 --> 00:36:24,000 Messiah, but not a spiritual king. We 673 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:27,460 occupy the office of spiritual authority. Who's 674 00:36:27,460 --> 00:36:30,480 this man think that he is? So 675 00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:32,420 in the same way as described in the parable, 676 00:36:32,600 --> 00:36:34,880 let's get rid of the son and we can keep this for 677 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:39,060 ourselves. And what about people today? 678 00:36:41,700 --> 00:36:44,820 Why do people metaphorically 679 00:36:44,820 --> 00:36:49,920 kill God in their unbelief? Or 680 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:54,040 as many, many years ago, not too far back, the 681 00:36:54,040 --> 00:36:58,900 culture declaring that God is dead. Why 682 00:36:58,900 --> 00:37:01,060 do you think that is? Because 683 00:37:01,060 --> 00:37:04,580 they want to protect their ridiculous right to be 684 00:37:04,580 --> 00:37:08,320 their own God. That's why. If 685 00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:11,580 we get rid of the author of life from our worldview, 686 00:37:12,140 --> 00:37:15,360 then we can be the owners of our own lives. Isn't 687 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:17,460 it the same train of thought? Get 688 00:37:17,460 --> 00:37:19,200 rid of the son and we get to keep this. Get 689 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:21,700 rid of Jesus Christ. Get rid of the exclusive claims 690 00:37:21,700 --> 00:37:23,860 of the gospel. Get rid of the infallibility of 691 00:37:23,860 --> 00:37:26,540 the word of God. And we get to be our own 692 00:37:26,540 --> 00:37:32,880 owners. Foolish, foolish in the same way 693 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:36,700 that the owner of this vineyard is so clear and 694 00:37:36,700 --> 00:37:40,600 obvious. You are not the owner of your 695 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:45,560 own life. Someone made you, someone created 696 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:49,260 you in his image. And as we're about to find out 697 00:37:49,260 --> 00:37:51,740 with that whole argument about paying taxes to 698 00:37:51,740 --> 00:37:56,100 Caesar, because his image is on you, you belong to 699 00:37:56,100 --> 00:38:01,300 him. You do. Do 700 00:38:01,300 --> 00:38:04,820 you believe that? Or do you believe that Jesus 701 00:38:04,820 --> 00:38:07,120 is helping you be the king of your own life? That's 702 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:09,040 not what Jesus is all about. Jesus 703 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:12,080 is king of your life and you serve him. He 704 00:38:12,080 --> 00:38:16,140 doesn't serve you. He doesn't serve you in how 705 00:38:16,140 --> 00:38:18,000 you want to do this thing called life. No, 706 00:38:18,040 --> 00:38:20,460 you realize he gave me life. He 707 00:38:20,460 --> 00:38:23,900 died for my life, not just in this life, but in the 708 00:38:23,900 --> 00:38:27,580 life to come. I throw myself at his feet. 709 00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:32,200 So you either receive Christ 710 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:37,060 and acknowledge him as the rightful owner, or you kill 711 00:38:37,060 --> 00:38:43,100 him in your rejection and denying him. And 712 00:38:43,100 --> 00:38:45,220 that's what lead us to our third and final point of 713 00:38:45,220 --> 00:38:46,840 what this reveals about God. This 714 00:38:46,840 --> 00:38:48,640 parable doesn't just teach us about the grace of God. 715 00:38:48,780 --> 00:38:49,560 It doesn't just teach us about 716 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:51,600 the patience of God. It shows us the justice of 717 00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:54,880 God. Look at verse nine with me. 718 00:38:59,820 --> 00:39:01,020 What will the owner of the 719 00:39:01,020 --> 00:39:04,960 vineyard do? He will come and destroy the 720 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:08,820 tenants and give the vineyard to others. He 721 00:39:08,820 --> 00:39:14,660 will come and destroy the tenants. That 722 00:39:14,660 --> 00:39:21,780 is the fate of those who also reject the Son. You 723 00:39:21,780 --> 00:39:24,540 say, well, this is intense. Well, 724 00:39:24,560 --> 00:39:29,160 don't forget the intensity of his patience. That 725 00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:33,520 day after day and providential moment after 726 00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:37,340 providential moment and sermon after sermon. An 727 00:39:37,340 --> 00:39:40,660 invasion of his grace after invasion of his grace. When 728 00:39:40,660 --> 00:39:43,040 a person keeps resisting and hardening their hearts, 729 00:39:43,200 --> 00:39:45,640 their fate is set in the same way that these men's 730 00:39:45,640 --> 00:39:50,940 faith were set. Destruction is on its way. Destruction 731 00:39:50,940 --> 00:39:53,760 is on its way for all those who do not receive 732 00:39:53,760 --> 00:39:57,680 the Son. That's part of the gospel, by the 733 00:39:57,680 --> 00:40:01,040 way. Holy week as we come to Good 734 00:40:01,040 --> 00:40:04,680 Friday, as we come to resurrection Sunday. What 735 00:40:04,680 --> 00:40:06,380 do you think? Jesus just came to die for what? 736 00:40:07,180 --> 00:40:08,200 He came to save you from 737 00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:11,820 what? From the wrath of God. That's 738 00:40:11,820 --> 00:40:14,640 from what? I know you don't hear it 739 00:40:14,640 --> 00:40:17,860 that much these days. I don't care. It's 740 00:40:17,860 --> 00:40:20,640 what the Bible says. It's what God has revealed. It 741 00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:23,920 makes the gospel that much more glorious than instead 742 00:40:23,920 --> 00:40:28,000 of the right, righteous wrath of God being poured 743 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:30,320 out on us. It's the love of God that's 744 00:40:30,320 --> 00:40:32,780 poured out on us through his Son Jesus Christ. 745 00:40:33,200 --> 00:40:34,760 That's the truth of the gospel 746 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:39,680 and you have a choice to make. And 747 00:40:39,680 --> 00:40:43,060 these men clearly decided the wrath of the owner. 748 00:40:44,040 --> 00:40:47,300 And so wrath shall be. But 749 00:40:47,300 --> 00:40:50,900 what's unique about this particular verdict about 750 00:40:50,900 --> 00:40:55,080 these people, these tenets, is not the destruction 751 00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:57,220 that's coming. It's not the eventual 752 00:40:57,220 --> 00:41:00,820 retribution. It's the transfer of ownership 753 00:41:00,820 --> 00:41:04,340 for the tenants. The lease is going to change. 754 00:41:04,540 --> 00:41:05,680 Look at verse nine again. What 755 00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:07,040 will the owner of the vineyard do? He 756 00:41:07,040 --> 00:41:08,800 will come and destroy the tenants. Okay, 757 00:41:08,820 --> 00:41:11,500 we understand that, but notice this and give the 758 00:41:11,500 --> 00:41:16,860 vineyard to others. This is unique to Israel. And 759 00:41:16,860 --> 00:41:18,520 this is the immediate context. So 760 00:41:18,520 --> 00:41:21,440 the vineyard is going to be now given. It's 761 00:41:21,440 --> 00:41:23,860 going to be now given over to a different group of 762 00:41:23,860 --> 00:41:26,240 people. And we know that to be what? 763 00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:28,840 The Gentiles. So 764 00:41:28,840 --> 00:41:31,120 this is a prophetic forecast that Jesus is 765 00:41:31,120 --> 00:41:33,580 making about the faith of the Jewish people, that in 766 00:41:33,580 --> 00:41:36,820 light of their denial of the Messiah, this is going 767 00:41:36,820 --> 00:41:39,220 to now make way for the Gentiles to enter in and 768 00:41:39,220 --> 00:41:42,440 enjoy the spiritual blessings and treasures that 769 00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:45,520 the nation of Israel forfeited. That 770 00:41:45,520 --> 00:41:48,680 is why the church today is the light of the world. 771 00:41:49,120 --> 00:41:50,780 That is why the church today is 772 00:41:50,780 --> 00:41:53,580 a royal priesthood. That is why the church today 773 00:41:53,580 --> 00:41:55,900 are the ambassadors of Christ. That 774 00:41:55,900 --> 00:41:58,000 is why the church today is the pillar and buttress of 775 00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:01,320 the truth. That is not to say that God 776 00:42:01,320 --> 00:42:04,620 has now forsaken completely the people of Israel. Read 777 00:42:04,620 --> 00:42:07,180 Romans 11 and you'll come to that clear conclusion. 778 00:42:08,100 --> 00:42:09,320 But what it does mean is that 779 00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:11,900 the people of Israel, even up to this day, have 780 00:42:11,900 --> 00:42:16,380 forfeited so much in the meantime. They 781 00:42:16,380 --> 00:42:18,180 were originally called to be the light of the world 782 00:42:18,180 --> 00:42:21,140 under the old covenant. And ultimately through the 783 00:42:21,140 --> 00:42:23,460 rejection of the Son of God. Now 784 00:42:23,460 --> 00:42:25,680 that responsibility and that privilege has been given to 785 00:42:25,680 --> 00:42:28,560 you and to me. We now shine the light of the 786 00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:31,440 truth of God's Word and truth. And 787 00:42:31,440 --> 00:42:32,600 so this is what he's saying. You 788 00:42:32,600 --> 00:42:36,140 gave it up. This is it. There 789 00:42:36,140 --> 00:42:39,580 is nothing left after what you did with the Son. What 790 00:42:39,580 --> 00:42:42,100 you do with the Son will determine your faith. True 791 00:42:42,100 --> 00:42:44,060 for this moment and true for you and I. We 792 00:42:44,060 --> 00:42:47,200 are not waiting for any other messenger. We're 793 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:49,400 not. Sorry to disappoint those who 794 00:42:49,400 --> 00:42:51,120 believe in Joseph Smith. We're 795 00:42:51,120 --> 00:42:53,080 not waiting for anybody to complete this revelation. 796 00:42:53,620 --> 00:42:55,240 There is no other final 797 00:42:55,240 --> 00:42:58,960 messenger, including Muhammad. Jesus 798 00:42:58,960 --> 00:43:03,280 Christ has come and Jesus Christ is the final 799 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:05,980 revelation of who God is and the complete one at 800 00:43:05,980 --> 00:43:09,460 that. And so we see here that he 801 00:43:09,460 --> 00:43:13,320 says the tenants will be destroyed and the vineyard 802 00:43:13,320 --> 00:43:15,440 will be given over to others. And 803 00:43:16,220 --> 00:43:19,980 as the Lord is ready to now close this parable, he 804 00:43:19,980 --> 00:43:23,500 assures his audience then and now that the death of 805 00:43:23,500 --> 00:43:26,640 the Son is not the punctuation mark to the 806 00:43:26,640 --> 00:43:28,520 story. Because that's what you heard, 807 00:43:28,620 --> 00:43:29,680 right? That's what you saw. That 808 00:43:29,680 --> 00:43:31,820 they killed the Son and in verse eight they threw him 809 00:43:31,820 --> 00:43:34,460 out of the vineyard. So this is even a degrading 810 00:43:34,460 --> 00:43:37,120 death. It was an honorable in any 811 00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:39,220 way. They left them out to the field 812 00:43:39,220 --> 00:43:43,260 to be open to the elements and animals. That's 813 00:43:43,260 --> 00:43:44,760 ultimately a picture of what they would do to 814 00:43:44,760 --> 00:43:47,680 Christ, the brutality of his death. But 815 00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:52,760 Christ wants to end this by assuring that again, the 816 00:43:52,760 --> 00:43:56,580 death of the Son is not where it ends. Notice 817 00:43:56,580 --> 00:43:58,380 what he says here in verse 10. Have 818 00:43:58,380 --> 00:43:59,920 you not read this scripture? Isn't 819 00:43:59,920 --> 00:44:04,140 that like offensive to guys who teach the Bible? These 820 00:44:04,140 --> 00:44:06,500 guys memorize the scriptures, like books of 821 00:44:06,500 --> 00:44:08,840 the Bible. These guys apparently teach and 822 00:44:08,840 --> 00:44:11,360 he goes, have you not read this scripture? I 823 00:44:11,360 --> 00:44:13,180 wish I could have seen some of those faces squirm. 824 00:44:14,600 --> 00:44:16,120 Have you not read this 825 00:44:16,120 --> 00:44:18,660 scripture? And then he quotes Psalm 118, 826 00:44:18,760 --> 00:44:21,620 verse 22 and 23. The stone that the builders 827 00:44:21,620 --> 00:44:25,460 rejected has become the cornerstone. This 828 00:44:25,460 --> 00:44:28,760 was the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our 829 00:44:28,760 --> 00:44:32,480 eyes. So now Christ goes back to 830 00:44:32,480 --> 00:44:35,160 the book of Psalms and he pulls out a messianic 831 00:44:35,160 --> 00:44:37,500 Psalm, a Psalm that predicts the Messiah to 832 00:44:37,500 --> 00:44:40,020 come. But he still stays within the 833 00:44:40,020 --> 00:44:42,900 lane of the theme of rejection. So 834 00:44:42,900 --> 00:44:45,480 in the parable here of the tenants, they rejected the 835 00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:47,340 Son. So he's still there because in 836 00:44:47,340 --> 00:44:50,380 this, in the Psalm, there is a rejection of the 837 00:44:50,380 --> 00:44:54,860 stone. And why he's coming to this 838 00:44:54,860 --> 00:44:58,440 text is because in this promise, the people who 839 00:44:58,440 --> 00:45:00,960 rejected the stone should now expect a great 840 00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:04,600 reversal. Because what you have rejected, 841 00:45:04,680 --> 00:45:08,240 according to the Psalm, is going to return. The 842 00:45:08,240 --> 00:45:10,360 stone that you've rejected is going to come back and 843 00:45:10,360 --> 00:45:12,600 it's actually going to become a cornerstone, the 844 00:45:12,600 --> 00:45:15,480 most important piece of the foundation of a building 845 00:45:15,480 --> 00:45:18,900 that would set the alignment and the strength 846 00:45:18,900 --> 00:45:20,540 of the rest of that structure. You 847 00:45:20,540 --> 00:45:23,880 rejected the stone, but the stone is going to come 848 00:45:23,880 --> 00:45:29,540 back and build something new. In 849 00:45:29,540 --> 00:45:32,800 other words, Jesus is telling these leaders of 850 00:45:32,800 --> 00:45:35,380 Israel by using this scripture that though they 851 00:45:35,380 --> 00:45:36,460 will kill him, he knows it. He's 852 00:45:36,468 --> 00:45:38,420 like, I know you're going to kill me. You're 853 00:45:38,420 --> 00:45:40,880 going to kill me, but you will not be able to thwart 854 00:45:40,880 --> 00:45:43,440 the eternal purposes of God. Do 855 00:45:43,440 --> 00:45:45,400 you know how Jesus ends this parable? This 856 00:45:45,400 --> 00:45:48,340 is how he's doing. If I can translate it in a 857 00:45:48,340 --> 00:45:54,380 way that will be memorable, providence will prevail. 858 00:45:55,520 --> 00:45:58,960 God's providence will prevail. And 859 00:45:58,960 --> 00:46:01,320 that's why he goes into verse 11, which is also 860 00:46:01,320 --> 00:46:04,200 part of Psalm 118. Look at Mark 12, 11 again. This 861 00:46:04,200 --> 00:46:10,140 was the Lord's doing. This was the Lord's doing. And 862 00:46:10,140 --> 00:46:12,380 look at this. And it is marvelous in our 863 00:46:12,380 --> 00:46:17,420 eyes. How can you interpret a 864 00:46:17,420 --> 00:46:22,140 murderous rejection as being marvelous? Only 865 00:46:22,140 --> 00:46:25,640 if you understand God's providence that your 866 00:46:25,640 --> 00:46:30,220 rejection will ultimately lead to resurrection and 867 00:46:30,220 --> 00:46:34,280 will lead to redemption. So the truth here is that 868 00:46:34,280 --> 00:46:36,880 this is God declaring that no matter what you're 869 00:46:36,880 --> 00:46:40,100 coming up with, you Pharisees, God's going to 870 00:46:40,100 --> 00:46:45,240 come out victorious. And this is a declaration of 871 00:46:45,240 --> 00:46:47,700 God's sovereignty. And the brilliance of God's 872 00:46:47,700 --> 00:46:50,420 sovereignty is not that he makes robots in his 873 00:46:50,420 --> 00:46:53,640 creation to do his bidding without a choice of their 874 00:46:53,640 --> 00:46:57,200 own. The splendor of his sovereignty 875 00:46:57,200 --> 00:47:00,760 is that even through man's autonomy, even in their 876 00:47:00,760 --> 00:47:03,960 horrific sinful defiance against the will of God, 877 00:47:04,360 --> 00:47:09,300 God's still going to get his will done. So 878 00:47:09,300 --> 00:47:12,860 plot what you want, do what you want, fret all 879 00:47:12,860 --> 00:47:16,740 you want, plan all you want. God's 880 00:47:16,740 --> 00:47:22,380 will will be done, even if you kill the Son. And 881 00:47:22,380 --> 00:47:25,120 in this case, Israel's rejection is going to 882 00:47:25,120 --> 00:47:29,760 become the world's redemption. How 883 00:47:29,760 --> 00:47:30,760 do they respond to this? This 884 00:47:30,760 --> 00:47:35,880 is brilliant. This is amazing. The 885 00:47:35,880 --> 00:47:39,780 parable is so plain. And he made it plain on 886 00:47:39,780 --> 00:47:43,620 purpose so that they can understand by being sucked 887 00:47:43,620 --> 00:47:45,840 into this story, because Jesus was such a profound 888 00:47:45,840 --> 00:47:47,620 storyteller. And if you read in the other 889 00:47:47,620 --> 00:47:49,700 gospel accounts in Matthew and Luke, they get so 890 00:47:49,700 --> 00:47:52,340 sucked into it, Jesus asks, what should be done about 891 00:47:52,340 --> 00:47:54,140 these tenets? The Pharisees themselves says, 892 00:47:54,260 --> 00:47:58,600 kill them. And then at some point, they 893 00:47:58,600 --> 00:48:01,340 donned on them. Uh -oh. He's 894 00:48:01,340 --> 00:48:05,280 talking about us. And that's why you read in 895 00:48:05,280 --> 00:48:07,060 Luke's version where he asked the question. They 896 00:48:07,067 --> 00:48:11,380 go, surely not. So when you marry all these 897 00:48:11,380 --> 00:48:13,860 texts together, they did admit their own guilt. But 898 00:48:13,860 --> 00:48:15,460 at some point, they're like, no, no, no, no, no, 899 00:48:15,460 --> 00:48:18,780 actually, we change our mind. And 900 00:48:18,780 --> 00:48:21,040 this is what we see in verse 12, how they truly 901 00:48:21,040 --> 00:48:23,600 responded. And they were seeking to arrest 902 00:48:23,600 --> 00:48:26,860 him, but feared the people. For 903 00:48:26,860 --> 00:48:29,960 they perceived that he had told the parable against 904 00:48:29,960 --> 00:48:37,620 them, so they left him and went away. Human 905 00:48:37,620 --> 00:48:43,120 depravity is an awful thing. You 906 00:48:43,120 --> 00:48:45,340 know what you take away from this is that man can 907 00:48:45,340 --> 00:48:48,440 be confronted with God's truth about themselves. Man 908 00:48:48,440 --> 00:48:52,600 can be left undone and unable to deny that what 909 00:48:52,600 --> 00:48:55,280 they just heard from God's word applies to them 910 00:48:55,280 --> 00:48:58,760 personally, and they are still capable of hardening 911 00:48:58,760 --> 00:49:04,000 their hearts. When just a second ago, before 912 00:49:04,000 --> 00:49:14,280 the and you felt in that wooden pew, I think the 913 00:49:14,280 --> 00:49:17,420 sky and it's not this guy is speaking right to me. 914 00:49:21,400 --> 00:49:22,940 You can be given a perfect 915 00:49:22,940 --> 00:49:26,180 diagnosis of your sinful condition and be moved by 916 00:49:26,180 --> 00:49:28,260 the Holy Spirit to realize that you were guilty before 917 00:49:28,260 --> 00:49:30,300 God. And at the end still say, 918 00:49:30,660 --> 00:49:34,500 we're nothing to do with this. That's 919 00:49:34,500 --> 00:49:37,340 what they're doing. They perceived that they were 920 00:49:37,340 --> 00:49:41,020 being addressed. They even made an honest verdict 921 00:49:41,020 --> 00:49:43,880 according to Matthew's account. And 922 00:49:43,880 --> 00:49:47,920 what happens? They still say, we'll come back 923 00:49:47,920 --> 00:49:54,320 for you. We're coming back for you. And 924 00:49:54,320 --> 00:49:56,160 so in the same way that you and I can interpret 925 00:49:56,160 --> 00:50:00,860 God's patience of one or two ways, it's the truth 926 00:50:00,860 --> 00:50:06,800 about the conviction of God as well. And 927 00:50:06,800 --> 00:50:09,500 so if your heart is convicted today, even now 928 00:50:09,500 --> 00:50:11,360 in this reading of the word and this proclamation 929 00:50:11,360 --> 00:50:17,040 of the word, here's my final exhortation. Let 930 00:50:17,040 --> 00:50:22,040 your heart not be hearted. If 931 00:50:22,040 --> 00:50:24,340 it's sensitive right now, if it's been touched, if 932 00:50:24,340 --> 00:50:27,400 you're moved in an unusual manner, even if you've been 933 00:50:27,400 --> 00:50:30,080 through so many services, so many holy weeks, so 934 00:50:30,080 --> 00:50:32,840 many Good Friday, so many resurrection Sundays, but 935 00:50:32,840 --> 00:50:36,420 some for some reason now you're here and you're 936 00:50:36,420 --> 00:50:40,300 thinking and you're feeling to yourself, I feel drawn 937 00:50:40,300 --> 00:50:44,780 to this. You have the power to walk 938 00:50:44,780 --> 00:50:47,500 further into that and to know the glories of it or 939 00:50:47,500 --> 00:50:54,320 to cut it off and perhaps never feel it again. And 940 00:50:54,320 --> 00:50:56,860 so I beckon you today. If you're a visitor here, we 941 00:50:56,860 --> 00:51:00,220 welcome you, we rejoice in that, but we really believe 942 00:51:00,220 --> 00:51:02,880 what we preach here. And we really believe that this 943 00:51:02,880 --> 00:51:05,280 story that Jesus has given us that God has preserved 944 00:51:05,280 --> 00:51:08,880 for us for the ages applies to man today, and 945 00:51:08,880 --> 00:51:11,140 that you can know this Christ that has been 946 00:51:11,140 --> 00:51:14,580 proclaimed. And believers, because this is 947 00:51:14,580 --> 00:51:16,620 not an evangelistic meeting, so I'm speaking to also 948 00:51:16,620 --> 00:51:18,560 the family of God, you've been redeemed, you're 949 00:51:18,560 --> 00:51:21,420 secured in the hand of the Father. Let 950 00:51:21,420 --> 00:51:23,240 me remind you today through this parable of the grace 951 00:51:23,240 --> 00:51:25,920 of God, he has made every investment he could make 952 00:51:25,920 --> 00:51:31,220 for you to flourish in Christ, to be the husband 953 00:51:31,220 --> 00:51:33,080 that God has called you to be. I 954 00:51:33,080 --> 00:51:35,560 know it's hard, I know it's hard. I 955 00:51:35,560 --> 00:51:36,860 know it's hard. It was probably hard this 956 00:51:36,860 --> 00:51:37,860 morning on your way to church. I 957 00:51:37,860 --> 00:51:41,680 know. Wives, I know. Mothers, 958 00:51:41,900 --> 00:51:44,160 I get it. In this crazy age, I get it. 959 00:51:44,600 --> 00:51:46,620 But remember now, God has given 960 00:51:46,620 --> 00:51:50,820 you everything to be victorious and to know 961 00:51:50,820 --> 00:51:56,500 steady success in this. And even as you stumble and 962 00:51:56,500 --> 00:51:59,200 fall, even as you maybe even backtrack a little 963 00:51:59,200 --> 00:52:02,220 bit, understand the patience of God, for centuries he 964 00:52:02,220 --> 00:52:05,280 was patient with the people who killed the very 965 00:52:05,280 --> 00:52:08,020 messenger of God. Holy man, he was still willing 966 00:52:08,020 --> 00:52:10,780 to work with them. How much more you, after you 967 00:52:10,780 --> 00:52:14,040 accepted his Son Jesus Christ, why do you doubt 968 00:52:14,040 --> 00:52:18,000 his love for you? Why? Why do you question if 969 00:52:18,000 --> 00:52:21,600 he's going to use you? Why do you think that he puts 970 00:52:21,600 --> 00:52:24,320 you in a penalty box even after you repented and 971 00:52:24,320 --> 00:52:30,240 asked for forgiveness? He's patient toward you. He 972 00:52:30,240 --> 00:52:34,000 cares for you. He's aware of the limitations 973 00:52:34,000 --> 00:52:38,740 that you face. And he's day by day, second by 974 00:52:38,740 --> 00:52:40,760 second, ready to work with you. Be 975 00:52:40,760 --> 00:52:44,340 patient with your own growth as long as you're 976 00:52:44,340 --> 00:52:48,000 set on growing. And lastly, the justice of God, 977 00:52:48,880 --> 00:52:51,900 the justice of God. Here's how you, family of God, 978 00:52:52,040 --> 00:52:54,840 can be comforted even by that truth. The 979 00:52:54,840 --> 00:52:57,240 justice of God has been dealt with 2000 years ago. 980 00:52:58,780 --> 00:53:00,340 You never have to question or 981 00:53:00,340 --> 00:53:04,500 fear destruction from God because Jesus drank your 982 00:53:04,500 --> 00:53:08,040 destruction. It's done. And 983 00:53:08,040 --> 00:53:11,540 he will never, ever, ever transfer you into the place 984 00:53:11,540 --> 00:53:16,200 of the condemned. Never. He will keep you until the 985 00:53:16,200 --> 00:53:20,700 end. You're hearing this today and 986 00:53:20,700 --> 00:53:21,420 you're not a Christian. You're 987 00:53:21,420 --> 00:53:24,040 wondering, this is too good to be true. This 988 00:53:24,040 --> 00:53:27,060 is the gospel. It's called the gospel because 989 00:53:27,060 --> 00:53:30,440 it means good news. And you're invited to share in 990 00:53:30,440 --> 00:53:33,560 that destiny today. Do you see how I'm like 991 00:53:33,560 --> 00:53:35,960 leaning over the pulpit? Do you see this? Because 992 00:53:35,960 --> 00:53:38,720 I'm trying to, trying to compel you and convince you 993 00:53:38,720 --> 00:53:41,840 that you can actually today know new life in Christ. 994 00:53:42,560 --> 00:53:44,100 You can't today. Today. 995 00:53:44,420 --> 00:53:46,340 I would cancel my lunch plans to make that right. 996 00:53:46,840 --> 00:53:48,380 I would. I 997 00:53:48,380 --> 00:53:50,820 know you probably have a nice lovely dinner waiting 998 00:53:50,820 --> 00:53:54,660 for you, but I would, I would cancel everything to 999 00:53:54,660 --> 00:53:58,220 make sure that you know for certain that you have 1000 00:53:58,220 --> 00:54:03,260 Christ, Christ's favor over your life. If 1001 00:54:03,260 --> 00:54:06,860 you repent and believe, it can all change. It 1002 00:54:06,860 --> 00:54:09,880 can all change. What we thank you for the 1003 00:54:09,880 --> 00:54:15,120 service today. Thank you for helping us 1004 00:54:15,120 --> 00:54:19,320 understand this parable and how it reveals something 1005 00:54:19,320 --> 00:54:23,760 about your heart. Thank you for Lord, these 1006 00:54:23,760 --> 00:54:26,260 precious people who have gathered here on a Sunday 1007 00:54:26,260 --> 00:54:29,440 afternoon to hear the word of God and to give you 1008 00:54:29,440 --> 00:54:32,980 praises Lord, even with a word like this, as sobering 1009 00:54:32,980 --> 00:54:35,340 as it is, we ask and pray that there would be joy 1010 00:54:35,340 --> 00:54:37,680 because there's joy in the truth. Because 1011 00:54:37,680 --> 00:54:41,500 your word says my truth shall set you free. And 1012 00:54:41,500 --> 00:54:43,540 so Lord, even now, God, if there has been any 1013 00:54:43,540 --> 00:54:46,620 interference with the truth being deposited in us, 1014 00:54:46,780 --> 00:54:50,940 Lord, give us mercy and help us leave here with 1015 00:54:50,940 --> 00:54:55,820 something. Let us not be forgetful. Let 1016 00:54:55,820 --> 00:54:57,420 us not be stubborn and believing and Lord, for the 1017 00:54:57,420 --> 00:54:59,820 person that doesn't know you, we ask with great 1018 00:54:59,820 --> 00:55:03,280 intense desire that there would be a testimony for 1019 00:55:03,280 --> 00:55:05,520 them leaving this place. Thank 1020 00:55:05,520 --> 00:55:08,420 you for your grace. Thank you for your patience. And 1021 00:55:08,420 --> 00:55:11,400 yes, even thank you for your justice in Jesus name 1022 00:55:11,400 --> 00:55:15,120 we pray. Amen. Church to stand and worship 1023 00:55:15,120 --> 00:55:15,720 the Lord together.