Sunday Sermon

"Not Even the Son"
[Mark 12:1-12]
August 13, 2006 Second Reformed Church

Jesus had overthrown the tables of the money changers and the chairs of the dove sellers, and He had run all those who were buying and selling out of the temple with a whip. He explained to them that He had done this because the poor were being cheated and there was no concern for the right, pure, and holy worship of God: "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? [But] you have made it a den of thieves."

Then the scribes and the Pharisees and the elders confronted Jesus and demanded to know by what authority He did these things. The scribes and the Pharisees and the elders were the keepers of the temple; they were to make sure that the right, pure, and holy worship of God was occurring. But Jesus turned the question around on them, asking them by what authority John the Baptist had preached. They realized that either way they answered Him, they would be condemning themselves for not receiving Jesus as the prophesied Messiah, the Savior, so they told Him that they didn't know.

Thus it was that Jesus told the parable that we heard this morning. It was a parable that the scribes and the Pharisees and the elders understood was condemning them -- Jesus accused them in this parable. But, again, they did nothing about it.

Jesus told them that a man planted a vineyard, provided all of the equipment necessary to grow and harvest the grapes, and set up various protections to keep them from loss by other men or animals. The man had provided everything. The farmers that he brought to care for the vineyard needed nothing for the care and running of the vineyard. Thus, the man appointed a number of farmers, and the man left the country.

When the time of the harvest came, rather than requiring all of the harvest be given to him, the man sent a slave to the vineyard with instructions to collect a portion of the harvest -- the rest of the harvest would be left to the discretion of the farmers to share and enjoy.

But the farmers hated the man; they were ungrateful, rebellious, and jealous of all he had, so they plotted amongst themselves to keep all of the harvest for themselves. So when the slave arrived to collect on behalf of the man, the farmers tortured him, tearing off his skin, and sent him back to the man empty-handed.

The man sent a second slave, and this one, they beat over the head until he was bloody, and they sent him back to the man empty-handed. And then, the next slave they killed. Slave after slave was sent, some they tortured, beat, and abused, and some they killed. They were not going to give the man a portion of the harvest.

So the man finally sent his son. He thought that perhaps they were unwilling to give a portion back to the slaves of the man, but surely, if the man sent his son, the flesh of his flesh, one of his own being, surely, they would receive him and give him what the man required.

But, instead, they saw the son as the final obstacle to achieving everything that the man had left in their care. If they killed his son, there would be no one left. They would win. The man would back off. He would abandon the vineyard and give it over to them. So they killed his son.

However, they were wrong: the man did not simply give up and give them the vineyard. No, he came after them and slaughtered them for their actions, and he put new farmers in charge of the vineyard.

What was Jesus saying?

Jesus was reminding them, that God created everything that is. God is the owner of the vineyard that is the created order. He has given us everything we need to exist, to care for the creation and each other. They would have remembered this call to dominion -- this call to show loving protective care to all of the creation as God instructed them in the beginning: "And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth'" (Genesis 1:28). And God gave the scribes and the Pharisees and the elders a special call to care for the worship of God.

The keepers of the temple were to receive the tithes and the offerings of the people, leading them in worship, and receiving their sustenance from a set portion of the tithes and offerings of the people. But they grew to be ungrateful, jealous, rebellious, and even hate God, not being satisfied with the exceeding greatness of the blessings and care of God for them, but wanting more and more. After all, they were doing all the work. What had God done for them lately?

But God is patient and long-suffering and usually does not cause people to immediately die for their sin. In another place we're told that Jesus mourned for Jerusalem, because He had given them chance after chance, mercy upon mercy: "'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city the kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! See, your house is left to you desolate'" (Matthew 23:37-38).

God sent prophets and teachers to Israel, and again and again, she rejected the Word of God. She killed the prophets. She thought herself above God and His Law. So God sent His Son.

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke through the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom he also created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs" (Hebrews 1:1-4).

And in an act of ultimate rebellion and hatred for God, they murdered Jesus, the Son. This Jesus was the One Who was rebuking the scribes and the Pharisees and the elders through the parable. He was telling them that in every way, they has been disobedient and in direct opposition to God and His Will and His Holy Worship. And they would receive God's Just Judgment upon them for their sin. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, "For you, brothers, become imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen, as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved -- so as always to fill up the measure of the sins. But God's wrath has come upon them at last!" (I Thessalonians 2:14-16).

What they didn't understand, even though they wanted Jesus put to death and had tried to find a way to find Him guilty so He would be put to death, is that it was always God's Plan that in sending His Son, those who most should have recognized Him, would be the ones who put Him to death. As John said, "He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him" (John 1:11). And as Peter preached, "'Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know -- this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, losing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it'" (Acts 2:22-24).

Yes, they were responsible for their sin in rejecting Jesus and having Him put to death, but God did not fail. His Purpose was accomplished, just as He had planned, by having Jesus die for the sake of His people and the glory of the Father.

Jesus quoted the Psalmist as he praised God for being a God Whose Steadfast Love endures forever. He is a God Who always keeps His Promises and preserves and perseveres His people to the end. He is so great a God, the Psalmist tells us, that God's people should never fear a mere man. And the Psalmist wrote, "Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!" (Psalm 118:19-29).

In the condemnation of the evil religious leaders, Jesus also gave the people hope. Despite their sin, God is faithful and will keep His Promises. The Messiah, Jesus, is the Savior, and He will save His people -- not by the way some had expected -- but by being rejected by those who human wisdom would say would know, but then by becoming the cornerstone of the church -- our strength, our foundation, our hope. As Peter wrote, "As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: 'Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.' So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, 'The stone that the builders have rejected has become the cornerstone' and 'A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.' They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do" (I Peter 2:4-8).

What a wondrous, generous, loving, patient God is this? He gave us all that we have, told us to care for it, and gave us some to lead us in worship. He requires some of the blessings in tribute, but gives most of them to us for our use. And even when those God has appointed to lead us in worship forsake Him and us, and lead the way to sin and destruction, God knew and planned it, that His Son would come, be rejected, and yet, would be the very foundation of our salvation. "This came from the Lord and is wonderful in our eyes!"

But as we understand this wondrous hope we have, let us also take heed not to base that hope on ourselves, on our being religious, on our church membership, or anything that is less that Jesus Alone. For just as Jesus replaced the farmers with other farmers, Paul tells us in Romans, "But if some of the [Jewish] branches were broken off, and you [Gentiles], although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant towards the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, 'Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.' That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity towards those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you will be cut off" (Romans11:17-22).

Let us pray:
Almighty God, we wonder and are amazed that not even Your Son was spared to secure our salvation. Keep us humble and in awe of this great truth. May we worship You and lead our lives in all ways after Your Word and by the leading of the Holy Spirit. Cause us to bear fruit that glorifies You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.