Jesus uses three parables in the Bible to warn His people against presumption. It is a warning against presuming on a relationship with God that they don't actually have. His warning raises two questions - one, what kind of people receives God's provision, and two, what kind of people misses God's provision? You may find the answers in these parables.
1. The Parable of the Vineyard (Matthew 21:33 - 46)
A landowner (God) rented out a vineyard to his workers (vinedressers - Jewish workers). He expected them to bring some fruit as payment of the vineyard. They refused to do that and even killed the landowner's servants who came to collect the fruit. Eventually they killed his son (Jesus) as well.
The following verses describe how the landowner dealt with the vinedressers:
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scripture: The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder" (Matt. 21:42 - 44, NKJV, emphasis added).
The vinedressers made a mistake, they assumed that they could take over the ownership of the vineyard for themselves. They didn't realize that they were only stewards appointed by the owner and they had an obligation to the owner. In New Testament Scripture, the word "vineyard" speaks of the "Kingdom of God".
The Jews' presumption
The real issue which was raised in this parable was the issue of fruit. God wanted His people (the Jews) to bring forth fruit. Jesus Himself was telling His own Jewish people that if they fail to bring forth fruit He would take the vineyard from them and give it to another nation. To the Jews another nation means a Gentile nation. These were terrible words to the Jewish ears. Because of their special background (being God's chosen poeple) and all the privileges that God had bestowed upon them they couldn't conceive the idea that they would lose their privilege positon and these privileges would be given to another nation.
A new holy nation
The other nation in Jesus' mind was not a specific nation such as the UK, the USA, Australia or Germany. I believe it is a "nation with a new nature" that God has brought forth through Jesus Christ.
Peter wrote to the Jewish believers who were pilgrims under persecution:
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:9, 10, NKJV, emphasis added).
That is the nation that Jesus had in mind - it is made up of both believing Jews and believing Gentiles. The problem with these unbelieving and presumptuous Jews was that they presumed they had a relationship with God, which actually by their misconduct, they had forfeited. They presumed because of their background. God did exactly what Jesus had warned them He would do. He took the privilege position away from them and gave the Kingdom of God (His vineyard) through the Message of the Kingdom, the Gospel, to what we called today - the Church.
The Church (the new holy nation) is formed out of many different nations (Jews and Gentiles) and Jesus reminded them this had been predicted by the psalmist:
"The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone" (Ps. 118:22).
There are only two ways (Matt. 21:44) by which a person may respond to the Stone:
1. You may fall on the stone in repentance, "broken" and be saved.
2. But if you refuse to bow before the Stone and humble yourself and acknowledge your need of God's mercy, the Stone will fall on you and destroy you - grind you to powder!
2. The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1 - 14)
The gospel writers mentioned two banquets; one at the beginning of the day (morning) which is called the Wedding Banquet (NIV) or the Wedding Feast (NKJV) an the other at the end of the which is called the Great Banquet (NIV) or the Great Supper (NKJV).
A certain king (God) invited His people, the Jews, to attend His Son's wedding but they refused to come. They even killed some of His servants who were sent to invite them.
"But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city" (Matt. 22:7).
This was historically fulfilled when God released the Roman's army against Jerusalem and against the Jewish people. Jerusalem was burnt and the temple destroyed - all because they refused God's invitation. The wedding which was scheduled had to be postponed because the guests didn't come. It is a terrible thing to refuse God's invitation; it is the greatest insult.
Salvation comes to the Gentiles
God then commanded His servant to invite othe guests - "So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests" (Matt. 22:10, NKJV, emphasis added).
When the Jewish people refused, Jesus commanded His disciples to go to all the world and make disciples (both bad and good) of the Gentile world. Notice Jesus put the "bad" before the "good". Generally speaking, it is the bad people that respond to the gospel first.
Jesus said to the religious people, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you" (Matt. 21:31).
Religious people think they are good enough already and so they do not need God.
The wedding garment
In those days wedding garments were provided by the generous host of the wedding. Some of the guests that came to the wedding banquet presumed that they could get in without the appropriate garment. It is dangerous to presume that you have a close relationship with God that you actually don't have.
Many are invited but few are chosen - few met the condition of wearing the wedding garment. The wedding garment represents salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and being clothed with His righteousness and not your own (2 Cor. 5:21).
"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the rob of righteousness, ..." (Isaiah 61:10).
3. The Parable of the Great Supper (Luke 14:15 - 24)
This is not just a great banquet as the NIV says; it is a supper, a meal at the end of the day. It speaks of the end of the Age. Jesus was not referring to the Jewish people - they were not in focus. The privilege of invitation was given to believers in Christ, both Jews and Gentiles. This privilege has been offered to the professing Christians for more than 20 centuries.
The Christians' presumption
We are Christians, followers of Christ; we have the Church and the gospel has been proclaimed. None of us deserves any thing, but by grace we received all the privileges from God for being children of God. But we are in danger of making the same kind of mistakes that the Jews made - presuming that we have a relationship with God because of the privilege we enjoyed. It looks like the roles have been reversed. Now we are the people who think "we have got it all"! We are born again, baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak in other tongues. Everything we say is true, but the fact is that none of us has more than we had received from God. We are at the beginning of our pilgrimage journey with the Lord. We need to keep on receiving God's invitations - whatever He has for us.
These are the excuses believers made to the host of the Great Supper:
"But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.' Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'" (Luke 14:18, 19, 20, NKJV).
These are mere excuses because: Who would ever buy a piece of land without seeing it first? Who would buy five yoke of oxen without testing them first? Why a newly married man would refuse an invitation?
Obviously some Christians are too busy to respond to the call of God. They were busy with other things: Real estates, business venture and social relationship.
Jesus said Christians are just like those in the days of Noah and the days of Lot (Luke 17:26, 27, 28). What they did was all legitimate (eating, drinking, buying and selling, planting and building) but they were so engrossed and preoccupied in their materialistic pursuits that they had no time to respond to God's invitations.
True guests for the Great Supper
A lot of professing Christians today are not prepared to come to the Great Supper. They were so busy making money that when they do come and sit and listen to 45 minutes of sermon they assumed they have done God a favor!
"Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the mained and the lame and the blind.'" (Luke 14:21).
Then the second invitation went out, "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled" (V. 23).
The lesson learnt? Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Matt. 5:3, 5, 6).
The Kingdom of Heaven is meant for many of those who are not invited the first time. The later invitations include those who are not so sophisticated and materialistic that they don't need any more. They are poor, humble and meek people who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Paul said, "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17).
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
This parable of Jesus is not like any of His other parables; it is also prophetic. It speaks of the future event when the Bride of Christ (the true Church) is taken to heaven (the rapture) to attend the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Please refer to my earlier postings - "The Bride of Christ" and "The Marriage Supper of the Lamb".
"Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints" (Rev. 19:7, 8, NKJV, emphasis added).
Here are some statements of truth:
1. This Marriage Banquet is a supper, unlike the Wedding Banquet which was a breakfast referred to by the parable of the wedding banquet (Matt. 22:1 - 14). This happens in heaven, a future event; whereas the parable of the wedding banquet refers to the calling of the Jewish people befor Jesus built His Church.
2. Jesus Himself clothes His Bride with fine linen which is the righteous acts of the saints. Fine linen has great significance all through Scriptures.
Jesus was wrapped in fine linen before Joseph laid Him in the tomb (Mark 15:46).
The priestly garment was made with fine linen (Ex. 28:39).
The Lord Himself clothed His people with fine linen (Ezek. 16:10 - 13).
No comments:
Post a Comment