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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
February, 1941
MARCH 9, 1941 CHRIST REJECTED L uke 20:9 to 21:38
whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” The settled rebellion against and fi nal rejection of Christ is seen in that, even after hearing and understanding this parable, they "sought to lay hands on him . . that . . they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.” They would join the number of those who would fulfill the parable which they had just heard, and become the subjects of righteous judg ment. We need only to look around us to find evidence of this same sin of re jecting Christ, manifested in our own day. We should take warning from this lesson concerning the judgment that is sure to come to all who refuse to accept Christ as Saviour and Lord. Points and Problems 1. “Planted a vineyard” (Lk. 20:9). The figure of this parable must have been well known to the Lord’s Jewish hearers. See Isaiah 5:1-7 for what is apparently the Old Testament source of the parable. “The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel” (v. 7). 2. “And at the season” (v. 10). Even in spiritual matters there is a time for growth, and a time for the harvest. If God recognizes this fact, it should also be taken into account by His ministers. We often lose our patience because the harvest does not appear a few days af ter the planting of the Word. Even God waits for “ the season” before ex pecting fruit. 3. “And again . . . And again” (vs. 11, 12). The repetition of this expres sion should be very precious to us, re vealing as it does the blessed patience of God. He is indeed long-suffering, not willing that any should perish. “And again” — what a sermon might be preached from this text! 4. “He shall come and destroy these husbandmen” (v. 16). It should be noted that in Luke’s account .these words are spoken by Christ, as also in Mark (12:9). But in Matthew the saying comes from those who hear the parable: “They say unto him” (21:41). There is no contradiction. Doubtless, when our Lord asked His searching question, “What will he do unto those husband men?” there were some in the audience who had sufficient discernment to re ply, “He will miserably destroy those wicked men” (Matt. 21:41). And the Lord placed the stamp of approval on this reply by adding, “He shall come and destroy these husbandmen” (Lk. 20:16). This explanation of the seeming contradiction is supported by the fact that the two sayings are somewhat dif ferent verbally. Golden Text Illustration M a t t h e w 5:11 A Christian in Central Russia wrote the following: “After our commune was closed, I spent some time in the
vant, misused the second, and so on, until the owner sent his beloved son, saying that they might reverence him. But these husbandmen, when they saw the son, said, “Let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.” In this parable, we have the mani-- festation of the tender mercy, the pa tience, and the long-suffering of the Lord. We might have expected judg ment to fall when the first servant was shamefully treated. To us it is surpris ing Ihat judgment did not fall when the second man was beaten and sent away empty. It is astonishing that no rebuke was given when the third ser vant was misused. And at last we are speechless in amazement at the long- suffering of the owner that would send his own beloved son. / In like manner, God continued to send to Israel His prophets and seers, de spite the evil treatment that they often received. The crowning betrayal of the trust reposed in them was seen when , they killed the Son of His love. Today God continues to send His ministers and witnesses, but they are usually despised and rejected by the world. However, the death of the prophet does not alter the truth of the prophet’s utterance; and whatever treatment the message of God receives today does not change the righteousness of that message; it re mains true. The refusal to accept God’s word only makes more certain the con demnation of those who reject it. III. T h e T r u s t R e j e c t e d (16-20) The fojly of these husbandmen was that they thought they could retain the advantages offered by the vineyard, while rejecting the trust. Today men think they can ignore or shamefully treat Christ, the Heir, and yet retain the gifts which His grace bestows. But a time of accounting is certain, and “what therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them ? He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others.” In applying this parable, our Lord referred those to whom He spoke to their Scriptures concerning the Stone which the builders rejected, and re minded them that “whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on BLACKBOARD LESSON
Luke 20:9 Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let It forth to husbandmen» and went into a far country for a long time. 10 And at the season he sent a servant husbandmen beat him, and sent him away him ,of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. 11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and .entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also» and cast him out. 13 Then said the Lord of the vineyard, W h at shall I dot I will send my beloved son: It m ay be they will reverence him when they see him. 14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they . reasoned among themselves, saying, This Is the heir; come, let us kill him, that the inheritance m ay be ours.' 13 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. W h at therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them ! 13 H e shall come and destroy these hus bandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. 17 A n d he beheld them, and said, W hat is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become tlfe head of the corner! 18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, It will grind him to powder. 19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him ; and thev feared the people: for they per ceived ihat he had spoken this parable against them. 20 And they watched him, and sent fo*th spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. L E SSO R T E X T : Lk. 20:9-26. G OLDER T E X T : “ Blessed are- ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (M att. 9:11). D E V O T IO R A L B E A D IR G : 2 Tim . 2:5-13. Outline and Exposition I. T he T rust B estowed (9) T HE VINEYARD was provided by bring forth fruit in kind. Likewise was the “kingdom of heaven” committed to Israel under priests and Levites, and God’s holiness, purity, goodness, and truth were to be produced for the sake of other nations as well as for Israel. The latter nation was intended to be God’s channel' or instrument for bring ing blessing to all peoples of earth. This was God’s purpose when He chose Is rael, which purpose will yet be fulfilled. II. T he T rust B etrayed (10-16) . The reasonable expectation of the owner of the vineyard was that he should receive of the fruits. Therefore, at the time of harvest, he sent his ser vants to collect what was rightfully his own. Whenever God gives gifts-—wheth er health of body, strength of mind, material wealth, or anything else—He looks for returns. In this instance, the vineyard brought forth fruit, but thv priests proposed to retain the harvetf as their own. They beat the first ser
the Lord, fully equipped by Him, and given, in trust, to the lead ers of the people. It was meant to
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