St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verses: 39; They killed the Son.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The vine-dressers kill the master's son) Part 2. 

This is a special time of year when Christians come together to celebrate the three days of the passion of Christ.  He came to Jerusalem knowing full well the outcome.  Yet he completed the Father's will, not his own, even to the point of death.  He died on the cross sacrificing his life for the life of many throughout the world and throughout all time.  He conquered death and gave life anew to all who would believe.

This parable is about that death.  It is about the opportunity that Christ Jesus extends to all.  The vine-dressers were given that opportunity to change from their greed, to change from their passion, to turn away from temptation.  Yet they could not see.  They could not understand what was being offered.  They did not accept it.  They could only see the greed and passion of their wants and desires.  "So they seized him, cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him."

They were vine-dressers.  They were workers in the vineyard.  They did not own it, but they laid claim to it.  The owner sent messengers.  He sent servants to them.  He sent his own son thinking that they would respect him as the official representative of the owner.  They did not.  They cast him out and killed him, thinking that his death would end the claim on the vineyard.  The opportunity was theirs to take.  The reward was theirs to receive.  But greed had consumed them and they could not see beyond their false claim.

Christ came into this world to bring the word to all who would listen.  He came so that we could know and believe in the Father.  He cast out demons.  He healed the sick, cured the lame, opened the eyes of the blind, made the lepers whole, even raised the dead to give signs of the power given him from the Father.  Yet even this was not enough to convince that he was the Messiah, the chosen one.  Evil had taken hold of Israel.  Power and influence were challenged.  He came to break those bonds to set the people free and give them new life.

We celebrate Easter on this day, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We celebrate with joy and gladness the gift that he has given to all, the gift of life.  Though he paid a horrific price for our freedom, he accomplished the will of God our Father through the passion of love.  His love is fulfilling.  His love is all encompassing.  His love is for all peoples throughout the entire
world.  His love is eternal throughout all time.  We are his people, his creation; he is our Father.  Let us be glad this day that it is finished. 

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in. 

St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verses: 38; The Inheritance.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The vine-dressers kill the master's son) Part 1. 

They were greedy and full of themselves.  They had beaten the messengers, killed several of the servants, and injured several more.  They were serious about keeping that which did not belong to them.  They were joyous in thinking that the householder would not come and claim his property.  They believed that they had taken what was not theirs and made it there own.

The householder knew that something was wrong.  He offered an opportunity for the vine-dressers to change.  He sent them several messengers to warn them of what they were doing.  He finally sent his son, his heir to be, to claim his rights.  But the vine-dressers had a different plan.  They figured that they could take the vineyard from both the householder and the heir apparent.    "But the vine-dressers, on seeing the son, said among themselves, ' This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and we shall have his inheritance.' " 

So here they were, vine-dressers, filled with greed, thinking that what was not theirs was theirs and willing to go to any means to enforce their claim.  They had killed others before, the servants sent to claim the fruit.  Why not kill the heir since the householder had not come himself?  Maybe he was dead.  Maybe he was ill.  Maybe he was in prison and could not claim his rights.  Or maybe his son was the only other person to have a viable claim to the vineyard.  With him gone there would be no other challenge. 

Greed had taken over.  Lost were they to their passions.  Dead they were to the opportunity to turn around.  Yet they were too far down the road to destruction to turn back.  They were lost.  They were dead.

Today we can think about those who take the same road as the vine-dressers.  Take what is not theirs and die with the consequences.  This is the society that we live in.  Murder, theft, deception, lies, beatings, mutilations, all in the name of greed.  Some may even justify their actions in the name of need.  But what it all boils down to is a turning away from the boundaries given to us by our Father to keep us from harm.

We could say that those laws, those rules favor the privileged people and not the poor.  And yet it is not the laws that we live by in whatever locale we live.  It is the commandments given to us by our God and Father that protect us.  For beyond those commandments lie the influence of the world and the world would turn us away from our Father and toward evil.  The world would have us loose that which was freely given and replace it with eternal damnation.

The Father is patient.  The Father is loving.  The Father is forgiving.  The Father is merciful.  For we do not know what is hidden from us that will influence us to evil.  But the day will come when what is hidden in the darkness will come to light and all will see.  The time is now.  The time is here to know that you are saved, that you are blessed, that you are rich beyond all that earthly desires can fulfill.  For what thing of value could a man give that is more valuable to save his own soul?

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in. 

St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verses: 37; The Vine-dresser's respect.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the vine-dressers) Part 4. 

The householder of the vineyard continues to send messengers to the vine-dressers requesting samples of wine from his vineyard.  He sent one set of servants to the vine-dressers and they beat one, killed another and stoned another.  When he did not hear from them he sent another group of messengers.  But the same thing happened to them, they did not return.  So now he is wondering what has happened to his property and why he has not heard from the vine-dressers about his wine.

Maybe they were detained.  Maybe they were robbed on the way and killed.  Maybe there was a bad storm that killed them and they could not reach the vine-dressers.  Maybe a number of things could have happened that the householder did not know.  So as a last effort he decides to send someone with honor and respect that they, the vine-dressers, would see and yield to the householders requests.  Finally he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 

His son was his replacement as spokesperson.  His son was a key figurehead for the Father.  His son was the future for the Father and brought respect and obedience the same as the Father.  The pride of who we are as fathers goes forth with our sons.  We have raised our children to the best of our ability.  We have given them the wisdom and knowledge that was passed down to us from our fathers as well as the life's lessons that we have learned throughout our years.  We give them all that we can and all that we know.

Yet we are not they and they are not us.  They grow up in a time and place different from what we have known as parents.  They have opportunities that we did not have as children.  They come to know much more than we can know about the future.  Yet the knowledge and wisdom from the past is their guiding lessons to lead them in the future.  Some things about life are changing and some things are constant.

This parable is about opportunity.  It is about redemption.  It is about mercy and forgiveness and love.  The householder gave ample opportunity to the vine-dressers to do what was right with respect to his property, his vineyard.  Twice they refused.  And twice the householder was patient and merciful and not sending an army to retake what was rightfully his.  The fruit was so good and the wine so precious that the vine-dressers decided to take what was not theirs.

And the Father sent his son to allow for redemption assuming that the vine-dressers would respect him.  He assumed that they would recognize the authority of the son and do what was right.  He assumed that the vine-dressers were honorable men; they would understand the consequences of the appearance of the son and would relinquish and return to the householder his fruit.  But they were not respectful.  They were not honorable.  They were not men who could see the opportunity that was being offered to them.  They could only see the greed in taking possession of the vineyard.

We steal, we lie, we cheat, we murder, we deceive to get that which we believe is ours to have.  Our passions drive us to see only that which is given us by this world, where it is common and expected to be this way.  Yet we miss the opportunity given us by what has been freely given.  We came with nothing, for we were dust.  We leave with everything for we are spirit, eternal life given us freely by the passion of Christ.  His love, his compassion, his mercy, his blessings, his forgiveness is all that we need.  He has given us the riches of the world and more, if we believe in him.  Yet we do not.  We believe in the dirt that the world offers that does not fulfill.  Be not the vine-dressers taking what is not yours.  Be not the disrespectful not knowing who you are.  Be not the lawless, not seeing the truth of the boundaries set for your protection.  For God your Father has given every opportunity to change, every opportunity to accept, every opportunity to believe.  Opportunity knocks at your door.  Open and receive the riches of heaven.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.