We Are Workers In The Vineyard
By
John Collins
Speaking to the high priests and elders in
Matthew 21, Jesus gave another parable of a vineyard.
Jesus said there was a master of a house who built a vineyard and all its surroundings, leased it to tenants, and then went into another country. When the season for its fruit came, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit.
The tenants beat one servant, killed one, and stoned another. Again, the owner sent more servants, but with the same result.
Finally, he sent his son, saying "They will respect my son."
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, "This is the heir. Let's kill him and have his inheritance." They took him out of the vineyard and killed him.
Jesus asked the high priests and elders, "When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"
They responded, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death and lend the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons."
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read the scriptures that say, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?"
He said the kingdom of God would be taken away from them and given to a people producing its fruits.
As Christians, we should ask ourselves: Are we doing the work Jesus intended for us to do? Are we reaching out to others and trying to produce fruit, or are we struggling to keep alive the few fruit we have left? When Jesus sends others to help us produce fruit, do we accept them, or do we condemn them and turn them away? Do our pastors preach to the lost, or only to the saved? If Jesus came today, would he be amazed at the fruit we have produced, or would he replace us with a people who will produce more fruit?
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