Meditations in the Parables of Jesus
THE VINEYARD AND THE HUSBANDMEN
“And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.” Mark 12:1-12
This parable of Jesus was spoken as a warning to the religious leaders of the Jews. The people of Israel were God’s planting, His vineyard. God had redeemed them and made them His own people. The chief priests, scribes and elders were like the wicked husbandmen in this parable. They were entrusted with the task of caring for God’s people by teaching them from the Word of God and leading them in worship. But when God sent His servants, the prophets, to call the people to repentance, the prophets and their message were rejected. Some were even mistreated and killed. God sent John the Baptist to prepare His people for the coming of their Messiah. John called upon all to repent and be baptized that they might receive forgiveness from the Lord, but the religious leaders of the Jews rejected John and his baptism (cf. Luke 7:29-30).
Finally, God sent His own beloved Son; but He and His Word were rejected of them too. Their Christ they handed over to Pontius Pilate to be crucified. The religious leaders of the Jews were to be building the kingdom of God by rightly teaching the Word of God and preparing the people for the coming of their Messiah and Savior; but they laid aside and rejected the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ (cf. Psalm 118:22). Instead of pointing people to their Savior, they rejected and killed the very Son of God! Unless they repented, they faced eternal destruction and torment in hell for their rejection of Christ Jesus (cf. John 3:18,36; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). Because these leaders of God’s people rejected Christ, God put others in charge of His flock, faithful shepherds who would feed God’s flock with the pure Word of God (cf. Jeremiah 23:1-4).
Pastors today can take admonition from this parable of Jesus too! They are to faithfully proclaim the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets – the true Word of God – and they are to faithfully hold up Christ and His redemptive work as the central teaching and cornerstone of the Christian faith. There is salvation in no other (cf. John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
As the Scripture says, Christian pastors are “ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:1, 2).
Christian congregations, too, must take great care to build upon Christ and His Word, lest they forsake the only true foundation and set aside the Chief Cornerstone, which is Christ Jesus their Savior. And yet, many churches do just that. They proclaim themselves instead of Christ and their own man-made doctrines rather than the Bible’s doctrine. Instead of listening to those who would call them back to Christ and His Word, they silence them and cast them out.
If Christ and His Word are rejected, God will turn over the care of His Church – His true believers – to others who will be faithful to Him. And God will judge those wicked and unfaithful servants.
This parable of Jesus is a warning and admonition for us to repent and return to Christ and His life-giving Word, to hold fast to Jesus as our Savior and to believe and teach all that God teaches in His Word. It is only in Christ that we have forgiveness for all our sins. It is only in Christ that we have a place in God’s everlasting kingdom. And, it is only in God’s Word that we can hear of and come to know the true Christ.
Bring those into Thy fold who still to Thee are strangers; guard those who are within against offense and dangers. Press onward with Thy Word till pastor and his fold through faith in Thee, O Christ, Thy glory shall behold. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #485, Verse 7)
Pastor Randy Moll
Lenten Devotions from Isaiah 53
“Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4-5
As Isaiah prophesied, some 700 years before the birth of Messiah Jesus, He bore and carried in His sinless body the curse of our sin against the LORD God. He bore our griefs and sicknesses. He carried our pains and sorrows.
Yet the people of His day, and especially the religious leaders of Israel, viewed the sufferings and death He endured as the just punishment of God upon Him for His claims to be the promised “Son of man” (Daniel 7:13-14), the Christ, the very Son of God and Savior of the world (cf. Matthew 26:63ff.). And today, too, many still view His execution as just because of His messianic claims.
But the real reason for His wounding (literally, his piercing) was our transgression of God’s holy commandments. We have not kept God’s holy and perfect will. We have transgressed in our thoughts, desires, words and deeds. He was bruised and crushed – even forsaken by God the Father – upon the cross because He was bearing in His sinless body the just punishment for your sins, my sins and the sins of the whole world (cf. Matthew 27:46).
It is as the old hymn states: “The sinless Son of God must die in sadness; the sinful child of man may live in gladness; man forfeited his life and is acquitted – God is committed” (Herzliebster Jesu, Johann Heermann, Tr. Catherine Winkworth).
The chastisement – the punishment – that we deserved on account of our sins was laid upon Him that we might be pardoned of God and forgiven. In Jesus and through His innocent sufferings and death in our stead we have forgiveness for all our sins and peace with God our Father. The stripes we deserved were laid upon His back; and because He suffered the punishment we deserved on account of our sins, we are healed and made whole, forgiven and cleansed!
As the Apostle John writes: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin … Jesus Christ the righteous … is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 1:7; 2:1, 2).
While the world passed by the cross of Jesus seeing only the judgment of God, or that of a cruel Roman empire, upon a Jewish Rabbi who dared to challenge the existing religious system of the day, Jesus, the very Son of God and promised Messiah and Savior, was suffering and dying to make atonement for the sins of the world. He was paying the price of your sins and mine that we might have pardon and peace and live forever with God our Maker!
Jesus, Son of God and Savior of the world, thank You for bearing in Your sinless body the sufferings and death that I truly deserve on account of my sins and transgressions. Grant to me pardon and forgiveness and a place in Your everlasting kingdom. Amen.
Pastor Randy Moll
The Brief Statement
of the
Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod as adopted in 1932
(Editor’s Note: This remains the official position of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod yet today, though in practice, many have departed from it.)
Of Creation
5. We teach that God has created heaven and earth, and that in the manner and in the space of time recorded in the Holy Scriptures, especially Gen 1 and 2, namely, by His almighty creative word, and in six days. We reject every doctrine which denies or limits the work of creation as taught in Scripture. In our days it is denied or limited by those who assert, ostensibly in deference to science, that the world came into existence through a process of evolution; that is, that it has, in immense periods of time, developed more or less out of itself. Since no man was present when it pleased God to create the world, we must look for a reliable account of creation to God’s own record, found in God’s own book, the Bible. We accept God’s own record with full confidence and confess with Luther’s Catechism: “I believe that God has made me and all creatures.”
Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday
The Adult Bible Class continues its study of the Gospel of John. To prepare, read John 4:43-54. What did Jesus mean by His saying that a prophet has no honor in his own country? How was this true of Jesus? How might it have application today? Why did the people of Galilee receive Jesus? Who came to Jesus in Cana of Galilee? Why? What is a nobleman (basilikos)? What did he ask of Jesus? How far was it from Cana to Capernaum? How did Jesus respond? Why? What was the nobleman’s plea? What did the nobleman fear might happen before Jesus would arrive? How are our prayers like the prayer of the nobleman? What did Jesus say to the nobleman? Why did Jesus say this rather than going down to Capernaum? Did the nobleman believe Jesus’ words even though, at the time, he had no other way to know or see that they were true? Do we believe Jesus’ words to us when He tells us our sins are forgiven, He is preparing a place for us in heaven, He is with us always or He will care for all our needs? Did the nobleman live and act by faith? How? How do we live and act by faith (cf. Habakkuk 2:4; Hebrews 11)? What happened as the nobleman was on the long walk (or ride) back to Capernaum? What was he told by his servants? What did he ask the servants? What did their answer prove? What was the result of this miracle? What other miracle had Jesus performed in Galilee?
The Catechism Class continues studying the Lord’s Prayer and the Sacraments and learning of Jesus and what He has done to redeem all mankind.
The Sunday Readings are Psalm 85; Ezekiel 33:7-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; and Luke 13:1-9. Please take the time to read them and their context in preparation for Sunday. What does God require of watchmen? Who has God placed over us to watch over our souls (cf. Hebrews 13:17)? What does God desire us to do? What are we to learn from the sins and failings of the children of Israel in the wilderness? How do these words apply to you and me? Who is at fault when people’s lives are suddenly cut off by tragedy or disaster? What does Jesus say? What would He have us do?What warning is contained in Jesus’ parable of the fig tree?
Remember to Pray
Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – especially for the brother of Bonnie Hawes, who has been ill; and for Lillian Pingel, who is recovering from heart issues – for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families, for Christians who are alone and have no congregation, and for our adopted soldiers. Pray for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. Continue to pray for the Lutheran Churches in the Philippines, for Christians in Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering.
Events and Announcements
The Choir is practicing for upcoming services. More voices are always welcome.
Wednesday Evening Lenten Worship continues tonight. Worship will be at 7 p.m. A light supper will precede the service at 6:20 p.m.
The Church Council will hold its March meeting following Lenten Worship on March 10.
Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at mollfoto@yahoo.com.
“The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.” Psalm 128:5-6
[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible]