Luke 20:9-18 "Rejecting or Embracing Jesus"

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We're back in Luke this morning.

Luke 20.

Headed down the homestretch.

Our final semester together in Luke's Gospel.

So let me remind you where we've been as we get back into it here.

Luke is writing this historical account to focus us on the real, true Jesus.

He wants us to know what Jesus is really like.

Who He really is.

What He really says.

Because nothing else could be more important than that.

It's like the words of Vince Lombardi that we've remembered often in this series.

He always started every year with, ladies and gentlemen, this is a football.

If you don't focus on this, nothing else matters.

This is where you've got to focus.

I want to acknowledge it's a little bit of a funny morning for me to bring a football up here.

Especially one with a tiger paw on it.

That's what I had.

And I do plan to watch and enjoy the game tomorrow night.

But I want to say something really serious.

Eternity is not hinging on tomorrow night's game.

Or any other game.

You know, it's really actually not that big of a deal.

It doesn't matter ultimately what happens there.

The battle on that field pales in comparison to the spiritual warfare in which we are all engaged for the souls,

eternal souls of men and women and children that we know and love and are precious to God.

It's for the glory of Jesus, our King.

This week has driven that home for me.

That that's what really matters.

Luke's been telling us that over and over, right?

Jesus has been getting clearer and clearer.

Eternity is at stake.

We must focus on Him.

Knowing Him.

Walking with Him.

Investing in the extension of His kingdom.

Ron said it so helpfully last week, didn't he?

There's one thing.

One thing.

One thing of greatest value that has real substance, that really matters,

and that's knowing God.

If we're together going to know Him more this year and get a fuller glimpse of His glory,

that happens as we look at Jesus.

Jesus, the one where we see the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The one whom to know is life itself, whose glory and grace so overwhelms us and pours into us

that it overflows from us to everyone around us.

The one we so look forward to being with forever,

that we want everyone around us to be with us, with Him forever, right?

There's no football game like that.

He's the main thing.

As always, when we walk into a new year,

we want to keep the main thing the main thing.

And if Jesus is the main thing,

if He's the football that we must focus on,

then we've got a great opportunity before us

because these last five chapters of Luke's Gospel

are the tip, the point of the football.

Luke slows down and spends actually 20% of his whole historical account of Jesus

on one week in Jesus' life.

He's zooming in as Jesus enters Jerusalem,

the place He's been journeying towards this whole time

for the purpose for which He was born in the manger,

to come and suffer and die on a cross

and rise from the dead for His people.

Isn't this what has been on Jesus' heart

as the most important thing of all over and over?

Isn't this what He's been telling us time and again

that we need to focus on for the sake of eternity?

He's about to show us the one we need to know,

our God and all of His authoritative,

humble, sacrificial, self-giving,

upside-down, triumphant glory.

He's going to do that in this next week.

Hasn't Jesus been focusing our attention on who He is

and why He's come,

warning us repeatedly not to miss it?

He's actually going to do that again today.

Remember, Jesus has just arrived in the city of God

to the cheers of many,

wept over the people of God

to the surprise of many,

cleaned out the temple of God

to the shock of many.

That's where we were just before this.

And now it's Tuesday.

Good Friday is three days away.

It's Tuesday in that week

and Jesus will teach us about vital,

eternal matters.

Let's pray

and then we'll read this passage together.

Jesus,

there are so many things

that vie for our attention,

for the affection of our hearts.

None of them

is worthy as you are.

Nothing else even compares.

There is no one like you

and so would you show yourself to us

clearly again this morning

that we might see you.

We might love you.

That we might rejoice

and find life in you.

We ask it in your name.

Amen.

Luke 20

at verse 9.

And Jesus began to tell the people

this parable.

A man planted a vineyard

and led it out to tenants

and went into another country

for a long while.

When the time came,

he sent a servant to the tenants

so that they would give him

some of the fruit of the vineyard.

But the tenants beat him

and sent him away empty-handed.

And he sent another servant,

but they also beat and treated him shamefully

and sent him away empty-handed.

And he sent yet a third,

this one also they wounded

and cast out.

And the owner of the vineyard said,

What shall I do?

I will send my beloved son.

Perhaps they will respect him.

But when the tenants saw him,

they said to themselves,

This is the heir.

Let us kill him

so that the inheritance may be ours.

And they threw him out of the vineyard

and killed him.

What then will the owner

of the vineyard do to them?

He will come and destroy those tenants

and give the vineyard to others.

And when they heard this,

they said,

Surely not!

But he looked directly at them

and said,

What then is this that is written,

The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

Everyone who falls on that stone

will be broken to pieces,

and when it falls on anyone,

it will crush him.

Thus far, God's holy word.

It was a long introduction.

Sermon not quite as long, I promise.

But nonetheless, vitally important

for our hearts.

That's why Jesus tells us this parable.

Here's a simple outline for you,

since what you see on the back of your bulletin

is where the sermon was

when we printed the bulletins.

What?

And so what?

I want us briefly to make sure

we understand what the parable itself means,

and then spend a few minutes asking,

So what?

Applying it to our hearts.

So first, the explanation.

It's not super complicated.

You'll notice right away, in fact,

in the next verse after Jesus finishes,

that the religious leaders in Jerusalem

understand what Jesus is saying,

that he's talking about them.

They don't like it,

but they know what he means.

That's because Jesus uses an image,

perhaps unfamiliar to you,

but very familiar to those

who knew their Old Testaments.

God regularly refers to his people Israel

as a vineyard.

And the tenants that we meet in verse 9

are those leading his people,

stewarding, caring for God's people

on his behalf.

Remember this special relationship

with his people all the way back to Adam,

and Abraham.

God has created and called people

to live in relationship with him.

To reflect his image in his world.

And that as he pours his blessing,

his grace into their lives,

they're transformed

and they share it with others

so that the nations know

the one true God.

And as they do,

his glory fills the earth.

Right?

Israel is to be God's people

for this purpose.

When he brings them out of Egypt,

he plants a vineyard,

so to speak,

from which he hopes to bear fruit.

Justice, righteousness,

grace to the nations.

But Israel repeatedly seems

a lot more interested

in something else.

Interested in itself

rather than God.

Pursuing other gods, right?

Living after its own designs.

Pursuing its own glory

among the nations.

Certainly not often wanting

to bless other nations.

The prophet Isaiah says it this way

in chapter 5.

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts

is the house of Israel

and the men of Judah

are his pleasant planting.

That metaphor that God uses

for that relationship of him

as the owner and his people

as the vineyard.

And he comes,

he looked for justice,

but behold, bloodshed.

For righteousness,

but behold, an outcry.

Israel is God's vineyard,

but the fruits are not

the fruits God desires

over and over.

Not justice in relationships

and care for the poor

and outsider as God does,

but bloodshed.

Not righteousness

and following God's law

and being a blessing

to others through that,

but an outcry.

Over and over,

God finds this from his people,

but he is patient with them.

He sends one prophet

after another, doesn't he?

That's why the Old Testament

gets so long, right?

Prophet after prophet

after prophet.

This is what Jesus describes

in verse 10.

The time came

and the owner sent a servant

to the tenants

so that they would give him

some of the fruit

of the vineyard.

But the tenants beat him

and sent him away empty-handed.

He sent another servant,

but they also beat

and treated him shamefully

and sent him away empty-handed.

And he sent yet a third.

This one also they wounded

and cast out.

God sends prophets

who speak his word.

They call his people

back to relationship,

to their first love,

to Yahweh himself.

Back to his covenant love.

Back to his covenant law.

Part of which we read earlier.

In other words,

prophets come

and they're seeking for God

the fruit he desires

from his people.

But they are repeatedly rejected.

Sent away without that fruit

being realized.

Israel, her judges,

priests, kings,

others,

they ignore one prophet

after another

and they want the fruit

of the vineyard,

so to speak,

all for themselves.

Their prestige

among the nations.

They want to be great.

Their comfortable way

of living.

Their pleasures

and riches

the way they want

to have them

over God's priorities.

They've even turned,

we just read

last passage,

God's temple.

Meant to be,

it says,

a house of prayer

for all people.

A place the nations come

and call on Yahweh

and meet Him

and find Him

to be sufficient.

They've turned it

into a place

where the nations

are kept distant.

And when they do

come around,

they're used to line

the pockets

of the powerful

in Jerusalem.

No.

See,

over and over again,

they reject God's Word

and God's priorities

in favor of their own.

And eventually,

that culminates

in rejecting God Himself.

In rejecting the prophets,

they reject God's invitation

to fulfill the purpose

He created

and redeemed them for.

They reject God Himself,

their special relationship

with Him.

And that's always

the way it is, right?

Whether it's a parent,

a teacher,

a leader,

whoever it is,

that's the pattern set

in rejecting

someone's direction,

in rejecting

someone's priorities,

you are rejecting

that person Himself,

aren't you?

If you don't value

their words,

you don't value

their authority,

their values

don't mean anything to you,

you don't value them.

Sure enough,

that's the next step

for the leaders

of God's people.

It's playing out

right before our eyes

in Luke, isn't it?

Verse 13,

Jesus tells them

what's happening.

The owner of the vineyard

says,

what shall I do?

I know,

I will send

my beloved son.

Perhaps they will

respect him.

Long-suffering

Yahweh

sends prophet

after prophet

to no avail,

but rather than

giving up,

he sends his son.

There's no question

Jesus is talking

about himself here.

He uses the same phrase,

my beloved son

that's spoken

from heaven

at his baptism.

He's the one sent.

In fact,

it's interesting,

a good reminder

to us of Jesus'

awareness

of his divine identity,

of the reality

of the Trinity,

even though he never

uses that word,

he knows himself

to be the son

sent by the Father,

the true heir.

But,

when the tenants

saw him,

they said to themselves,

this is the heir,

let us kill him

so that the inheritance

may be ours.

And they threw him

out of the vineyard

and killed him.

In their ultimate act

of self-assertion

and God-rejection,

they will kill

God's son.

In their effort

to solidify

their control,

to bear fruit

for themselves

what they want

rather than for God

what he wants,

an example of them

using people

meant for God's glory

for their own promotion,

they will reject

God's promised

Messiah King.

What then will the owner

of the vineyard

do to them?

He will come

and destroy

those tenants

and give the vineyard

to others.

Jesus warns them

that they do this

at their own peril.

That those who reject him,

God himself

will reject.

That ultimately

the people of God,

the true Israel,

will be led by

and composed

of Gentiles.

All the religious leaders

and those who follow them

in their rejection

of the Messiah

face destruction.

It's not hidden,

is it?

It's a direct challenge

and warning

to align

with the true King

and His God-centered purposes

or face destruction.

See,

it means what you thought.

It's what the parable's about

and the leaders

heard it clearly.

So what?

How about application?

I mean,

this is going to be hard.

We don't ever reject Jesus,

do we?

We're in church.

We don't ever live

for our own glory

other than God's,

do we?

I thought this week,

is there any description

more true of the idolatry

of our own age,

of our own culture,

of even our own church

at times,

than that we live

for ourselves

rather than for God?

oftentimes we're proud of it.

It's often very obvious.

Have it your way

right away.

The consumer mentality,

it's all about you.

The sidelining

of clear biblical teaching

and meaningful involvement

in the church community

of God's people

in favor of self-help,

celebrity advice,

regular Netflix

or blog binging

in order to get

what I need.

Or the fact that

what really grieves

or upsets us,

what really gets

at the core

of who we are

is often not injustice

and unrighteousness

and the unbelief

of our friends

and neighbors

or the nations.

More often than those

grieving our hearts,

our own discomfort

upsets us.

A bad call

in a football game.

A disruption

to my schedule.

Sometimes it's really obvious.

But often

this living for ourselves

rather than

bearing fruit for God

is more subtle

than that.

I'll tell you a little bit

about my own heart

this week.

This week there were

several unplanned,

undesired,

life events

and Southwood staff members,

Southwood congregation members,

all seemed to happen

at the same time

and unravel together.

My head was spinning.

My heart was overwhelmed

in many ways.

And I wish

that what overwhelmed

my heart

was this sense

of what God was doing

and cries of God.

How can you be honored

in the midst

of these things?

And God,

what are you teaching

this family

and what are you teaching me

in even this hard place?

Or God,

please,

please bring fruit

for your glory

in this situation.

Whatever happens

to me,

I'll wait on you.

I wish that's what was

overwhelming my heart.

I wish that was

all I felt.

Instead,

right there in my heart

were other desires,

other questions.

Questions like,

how am I going to come out

looking to them

in this?

Impressive,

I hope?

Pastoral?

How can I restore order

to my life today?

It wasn't supposed

to be like this.

How does all this

reflect on my leadership?

I wonder if I'm

handling it right.

Selfish,

ugly,

but true.

I'm really thankful

for godly pastors

and staff members

and elders

who helped me.

They helped me repent,

see things through

the lens of God's glory.

Say,

hey,

he's at work.

More than once,

help me stop fighting

for myself

and sit down

and pray

for God's direction.

See,

we can make anything

about ourselves,

can't we?

We're really good at that.

The applications here

are for all of us,

but they are

especially poignant

for those of us

called to lead

God's people

in any capacity.

Do we use our calling

among God's people

to pursue our own comfort,

power,

or prestige?

Do we pursue ideas

that we want to see happen

because it's my family's preference?

Or are we passionately pursuing

God's glory,

focusing on His word

and His priorities,

pushing ourselves and others

to exalt and embrace Jesus

because that's what really matters?

Elders,

deacons,

ministry teams,

leadership teams,

small group leaders,

church.

This church

is God's vineyard.

He's the owner.

Are you bearing fruit

for yourself

or for Him?

If you're not sure,

I found it to be

a pretty good barometer

of how you're doing

with that,

how often you're crying

out to God

on behalf

of your people.

His people.

How often you're coming

to Him

in deep concern

for their souls,

desperate for them

to embrace Jesus,

not just you.

If we ever find ourselves

avoiding His word

and His priorities,

we will find ourselves

and our people

ultimately

rejecting Him.

and that's true

not just for

church leaders.

See,

those same issues

apply to all of us

in every relationship

God gives us

and in some ways

all of us

who know Jesus

are leaders

in His church

and in other relationships.

What are the vineyards

where God has placed

you?

Are you using

someone else

for yourself

or seeking fruit

for God?

Particularly,

think of relationships

where God has

given you

some spiritual stewardship

of others.

This brings us

to the vineyard

of kids.

Hmm.

One where it is

so easy

to reject

God's priorities.

To be seeking

honor for yourself.

What a smart kid.

What an athletic

kid you have.

The respect

of others.

Oh,

you're such

a good parent.

Doesn't that feel

good to hear

every once in a while?

When actually

the fruit

God seeks

is children

with a love

for Jesus,

with hearts

that love

God's word

and lives

shaped by

His priorities,

that's the fruit

God's looking for

in that vineyard.

Now parents,

hear me,

it's not all

up to you.

That's not

what I'm saying.

But is that

fruit what you

long for?

Is that

the fruit

you invest in?

Is that

the fruit

you're praying

for?

How about

at the office?

A great place

to seek

your own

success

and comfort

and not have

to worry

about anybody

else?

To overlook

the hurting

employee?

To overlook

the unbelieving

co-worker?

The kingdom

opportunity

in your office?

I hesitate

even to say

how about

your marriage?

A vineyard

where we often

approach our

spouses primarily

there for our

pleasure?

For our

fulfillment?

For our

benefit?

When God

has designed

us to seek

each other's

spiritual good,

not our own,

at great cost

to ourselves

and our own

comfort even.

Husbands,

I'm talking

to us

in particular

in case you

didn't notice.

In case that

was unclear.

Do you pray

for your

spouse?

You push

them to

embrace

Jesus in

every situation?

Do you

talk together?

Do you

initiate those

conversations

about a

marriage that's

for the glory

of the king

rather than

merely what

are some

of the

things we

want

together?

You begin

to see how

easy it can

be to

reject

Jesus

and

sit in

pews

and stand

behind

pulpits?

when we

neglect

his

word,

when we

ignore

his

priorities,

we

ultimately

reject

him.

We all

heard the

reading of

God's law

this morning.

It's not a

list of

do's and

don'ts as

Ron said.

It's a

reflection of

his heart,

of his

glorious

character

that he

calls us

to in

relationship

with him.

Does it

shape your

life?

Does it

energize your

heart?

Is it

what you're

about?

Do you

long to

live in

fruitful

relationship

with him

more and

more?

Jesus is

warning us

here.

It's what

this parable

is.

It's a

warning,

not just

to get

us,

but so

that we

will see

the danger

in rejecting

him and

turn back

instead to

embrace him

more fully.

It ultimately

comes down to

that,

doesn't it?

when the

vineyard owner

finally sends

his beloved

son.

Jesus the

son warns

us that if

we don't

receive him,

prophet after

prophet came,

but God

again sent

his son,

and if we

don't receive

him,

we will be

destroyed.

And the

religious people

say to that

message,

what?

Surely not!

No way!

I will hear

it, but I

won't believe

it.

They could

not imagine

that they

were in

church,

that they

were pretty

good people,

and that God

would reject

them in favor

of some

Gentiles.

Verse 17,

he looked

directly at

them and

said,

what then is

this that is

written,

the stone

that the

builders rejected

has become

the cornerstone?

Everyone who

falls on that

stone will be

broken to

pieces,

and when it

falls on

anyone,

it will

crush him.

Jesus quotes

from the

psalm that

many just

sang to

him a

couple days

ago,

blessed is

the king

who comes

in the

name of

the Lord.

Do you

remember that?

Psalm 118?

They're saying,

you're the

Messiah,

and Jesus

quotes and

says,

you're right

I am.

Let's be

clear on

that.

The picture

he gives

with the

stone is

of builders

gathering

stones for

a building

they're about

to start,

and they

find one

that's oddly

shaped and

doesn't appeal

to them,

and they

discard it

into the

rubble

pile,

only to

work long

and hard

on this

building and

get to the

end and

find they're

missing one

key piece

that has this

unique shape

and it looks

just like

the,

but they

already rejected

that one,

threw it

out,

and he

looked them

in the

eye and

made the

warning so

clear,

don't miss

the Messiah,

the corner

stone.

He's a

stone that

will crush

you if you

reject him,

whatever you

think you're

building in

your life

will ultimately

crumble without

him.

You can't

just ignore

him and do

your best to

live a pretty

good life and

be a decent

guy and expect

things to work

out okay.

No, he says,

it's not how

it works.

Destruction

comes.

We must

hear that

warning.

It's a

warning that

is laced

with glorious

hope.

The one

speaking,

the warning,

is the stone

rejected that

is also the

cornerstone.

The one who

although rejected

and killed

will even

through that

be vindicated

for those

who embrace

him.

Isn't that

incredible?

Isn't the

love of Jesus

amazing?

He's the

ultimate

example of

God's

patience with

failing people.

He's about

to go to

the cross

for those

who reject

him already.

For those

who will

send him

there.

Who have

already said

we don't want

anything to do

with you.

And he goes

to the cross

so there can

be forgiveness

for that

rejection.

An invitation

even in

your rejection

of him

to embrace

him afresh

today.

He comes

and goes to

the cross

for that

so that there's

an offer of

hope to you

this morning.

Great British

preacher Charles

Spurgeon

describes this

amazing love

of Jesus

beautifully.

If you

reject him

he answers

you with

tears.

If you

wound him

he bleeds

out

cleansing.

If you

kill him

he dies

to redeem.

If you

bury him

he rises

again to

bring

resurrection.

Jesus

is love

made

manifest.

Love

made

manifest

to us.

How could

we ignore

this

Jesus?

Why would

we reject

him and

think it's

actually better

for us to

build something

for ourselves

that is

apart from

his gracious

heart?

How could

we think

we'd build

something better?

What could

this community

be like

if we

together

pushed each

other to

embrace him

and exalt

him in

every relationship

we have

in every

conversation

every day?

Let's pray

and ask him

to do that.

Father, by

the Holy

Spirit, would

you create

that in

this place?

Would you

take self-centered

pastors

and leaders

and congregation

members

and make

them those

who long

for your

glory?

Who long

to embrace

Jesus no matter

what else

comes?

And we

find great

joy and

life in

worshiping him

themselves and

sharing of his

glory with

others.

Father, you

made us for

that.

Now would you

remake us,

cleanse our

hearts, renew

us, even this

year in our

love for our

Savior.

We ask it in

his name.

Amen.

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