By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly
Focal Passage: Luke 20:9-19
Jesus used parables to both frustrate and to inform. This story does both. The frustration of the religious leaders has now reached a fever pitch and they are almost incessantly confronting Him, trying to find any reason to condemn Him.
In the midst of this, Jesus tells the story of a vineyard owner who leased out His vineyard to others. This man started the vineyard. It was his blood, sweat, and tears that went in to planting the vineyard.
He went away and leased the vineyard to others who would continue his work. Eventually he sends servants to collect the fruit he is owed from the labor. The wicked men refuse to pay. [Read more…]