The Wicked Vinedressers..

Matthew 21; 33 there was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  Verse 33 to 46 tells us the story of a certain landowner (who represents God), who planted a vineyard (which represents the nation of Israel) in this context the vineyard represents the world we live in. God set a hedge round about the earth and leased this earth to us the vine dressers.

Matthew 21: 34-38 Vantage time drew near, in other words the end of the age drew near, and so the land owner sent his servants to collect the fruits from the vineyard, but the vinedressers beat some of them, killed some and stoned some. God sent his prophets at different times to warn the children of Israel to repent and turn from their wicked ways, but the people of Israel beat some of the prophets, killed some and stoned some. Finally the Landowner sent his son thinking they might take him more seriously, (the son represents Jesus). But when they saw his son they said ‘look here is the heir of the vineyard let us kill him’ and they did.

Jesus then asked them, what the landowner would do after all that the vinedressers have done, they said that he will destroy the wicked vinedressers and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render him the fruits in their seasons Matthew 21:41. They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” What are we doing with the time, resources, talents, knowledge, money that God has given to us? Are we using them to yield fruit for the kingdom of God or are we just using them for our own selfish interest?

Just as the landowner sent servants to the vinedressers, God still sends his servants to us. How many times have we heard the word of God from a servant of God calling us to repentance but we have turned a deaf ear, many times we are in church and the Pastor preaches a word that touches our heart then we feel repentant but don’t really repent because the next day we are back where we were before. How about those who are genuinely saved, God is calling us to a more intimate walk with him, for example by rendering your service in church as a worker, so you can use your gift, time, and talents for the advancement of Gods kingdom.

The landowner sent his servants twice and then finally sent his son. God must really love us because he always gives us many warnings and many chances to make things right with him. Jesus has come to us maybe in the form of people and many times we have killed him, with spoken words or in our actions.

God will destroy the wicked who refuse to yield fruits for the kingdom of God, it means that God will replace the wicked with those who are willing to yield fruit for the kingdom of God. If God has invested and put so much in us and we are not producing fruit with all that he has given to us it means we are wicked. God sends people to us all the time to give us a word, to encourage us to use our talents to serve in Gods kingdom, we have heard it over and over again, but we have buried our talent. When the season to render fruits came the vinedressers refused to render the fruits or maybe they didn’t even have any fruits to render because all the while they should have been working they were probably doing something else, which means that there is a season for everything and so it takes wisdom to know when the season has come so if you are not sensitive to the Holy Spirit you will not know that the season to render fruits has come. There is a season for everything, and a season when the landowner will demand for the fruits, will we have any? If we don’t bear fruits at the right season then the kingdom of God will be taken from us and given to those who will bear fruit and we will be faced with the judgement of God. May this not be our portion in Jesus name? Amen.

For the vines to produce fruits they have to be pruned, pruning is the cutting away of overgrown branches to encourage growth, pruning the vine is a vital part of their overall health. For us to produce fruit then we have to prune the things in our lives that stop us from bearing fruit, what are those things? They are the works of the flesh Galatians 5; 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. The healthiest vine is not the one with the brightest green leaves for show, but the one that bears fruit, the one that bears fruit is the one who walks in the Spirit and is surrendered completely to God. Jesus said in John 15:8 “My Father is glorified by this that you bear much fruit, and [so] prove to be my disciples.”

What will you do with the gifts, talents, money, resources, time, intellect, beauty that God has given to you? Will you be like the wicked vinedressers that didn’t render any fruits to the landowner? God is glorified when we bear fruit. The more fruit we bear, the more glory to God.