Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• We cannot escape recent events (the Hurricane in America)
• Is this an act of God or an act of man?
• God is in full control of nature
• In some ways a hurricane is a wake up call to mankind
• There will be a final judgment (v44)
• Daniel 2
• Revelation
• The parable is all about judgment
• Men's rejection of God's word, His servants and His Son
• Why a change from a vineyard to a stone
• The context
• This parable follows on from the previous: scenario, verdict, application
• The pharisees are ignorant that the parable is about them
• Overview:
• Content
• Meaning
• Instructions

Content

• Jesus is using an illustration of an everyday situation - a vineyard
• A hedge
• A tower
• A winepress
• Harvest/vintage time
• The servants are sent to collect the fruit from the vinedressers
• The vinedressers beat, stone and kill the servants (x3 visits)
• He sends His Son (v37) - in Matthew His only Son
• They murder His son

Meaning

• The vineyard represents Israel (Isa 5:7)
• The vinedressers represents the leaders - the chief priests and the pharisees
• God had been caring and kind to Israel
• He had made them promises in Abraham
• He had entrusted Him with His word
• They had rejected Him
• The servants represent the prophets
• The prophets of old were rejected (and killed)
• Heb 11:37, Matt 23:37
• The son represents Jesus Christ

• Jesus explains the parable (v42)
• Jesus starts to talk about a stone
• Psalm 118
• The whole of chapter 21 must hang together
• The triumphal entry (v16)
• All Israel's trust was in the temple (in the stone)
• They thought Jesus had desecrate the temple and they were questioning His authority
• True religion is based on one chief cornerstone (which you are rejecting)
• v42-44
• Jesus is challenging them - 'have you never read in the Scriptures'
• Jesus is saying that He is the capstone (cornerstone)
• The kingdom will be taken away from the Jews because they have not believed in Jesus
• Whoever falls on this cornerstone will be broken
• Broken to eternal life (if you believe) or ground to powder (rejection)
• Two pictures of judgment: a judgment now and a final judgment
• Maybe the judgment of Israel in AD 70
• Daniel 2

Instructions

• Be careful that religion is not just a smokescreen or facade
  • Explanation
• Do not think you are an 'owner'
• Consider yourself as those who are 'leasing'
• You do not own the church
• Do not hide behind a label
• Example - lady, John McArthur
• The wickedness of the human heart
• Murder
• The true capacity of wickedness of the human heart
• These religious people have hating hearts
• Judgment will come
• God will not be mocked
• Jesus can become a rock of strength
• Jesus can become the peaceful eye of the hurricane
• God's warnings are given out of love
• Turn to God