Season 3 - The Storyteller
Episode 06 - “The Parable of the Tenant Farmers”
Pastor Kyle McMullen, November 3, 2019
Text: Luke 20:1-19
Intro: The Backstory (Luke 19)… Jesus entering Jerusalem
- Jerusalem held major significance… the “spiritual capital” of the people of God (Psalm 122)
- This was not Jesus’ first time coming to Jerusalem (came as a 12 year old boy), but this would be his last.
- Triumphal Entry…the crowds shout/quote Psalm 118 - “Blessed is he (the King) who comes in the name of the Lord!” A week later…they shout… “Crucify Him!”
- Do you have eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart surrendered to Jesus as King?
Luke 20:1-8
What Jesus Wants You To KNOW:
1) Fear is a crisis of authority.
The religious leaders were afraid of Jesus and afraid of the people…they questioned His authority because they wanted to BE the authority… they refused to answer His question because they were afraid.
Truth gets lost in fear. There WERE answers to the questions, but none were given because of fear. When you’re living in fear, you’ve taken your eyes off the Truth.
Not living under Jesus’ authority is to put yourself as the ultimate authority, which actually puts yourself under Satan’s authority… and fear is the result.
If you’re living in fear, it might be a sign you’re not living under Jesus’ authority.
Luke 20:9-19 - The Parable = An Allegory
Vineyard Owner = God
Tenant Farmers = Israel
Servants = Prophets
Son = Jesus
It’s not hard to understand, it’s hard to receive.
They understand what Jesus is saying…they just don’t like it… “God forbid!”
The Brilliance of Jesus… In verse 17 he quotes from Psalm 118 (“the stone the builders rejected…”) The crowds quoted Psalm 118, Jesus quoted Psalm 118… but Jesus’ section comes first in the Psalm.
What’s the point? The King is “rejected” BEFORE he’s “blessed”.
“Jesus didn’t come to meet our demands, He came to die for our sins.” - Pastor Kyle
What Jesus Wants You To KNOW:
2) Jesus is the KING who came to DIE for His enemies.
3) Jesus is the KING who is coming again to CONQUER His enemies.
Vineyard imagery (grapes, wine)… is a poetic Old Testament symbol for Judgment.
Now is the age where people are “tripping over Jesus”… Now is the age of invitation.
Falling on the stone vs. Being crushed by the cornerstone
What Jesus Wants You To FEEL:
The warmth of His invitation.
“The Kingdom of God is right now both a declaration and an invitation. The declaration is “JESUS IS KING.” The invitation is, “REPENT AND BELIEVE.” One day it will no longer be declaration AND invitation, it will only be declaration.”
What Jesus Wants You To DO:
Surrender to King Jesus.
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. Whoever trusts in Him will never be put to shame.” —Isaiah 28:16
Freedom is found in surrendering to Jesus as King.
Tripping over Jesus…any area of your life not surrendered to the Kingship of Jesus. You’re trying to keep one foot on cornerstone and one foot on the shaky ground of your own authority and you’re falling. And you wonder, “Why do I feel shame? Why do I feel depressed? Why do I feel exhausted? Why do I feel beat up all the time? Why am I not thriving?” Because you’re tripping over Jesus’s rightful place as King. You’re trying to set up your own kingdom and it’s crumbling and you’re stumbling. And you are being spiritually beat up.
The motivation of the tenant farmers in killing the son was to steal the son’s inheritance. Jesus turns the tables…In dying on the cross, Jesus purchased his inheritance that then invites his enemies, the very people whose sins he died for, to share his inheritance. What must they do? Surrender to him as King.
Testimony: Keith Matsumura
Discussion Questions:
How have you responded to “authority” throughout your life? Resist/Reject? Surrender/Respect?
Has there been a time in your life where you felt like you had one foot in the Kingdom of God and one foot in the world? What was that like?
Into the Bible
What did the leaders of the Jews want Jesus to do that he wasn’t doing?
In v5-7, what does the response of the Jewish leaders tell us about them?
What was their motivation? How did their fear affect their handling of the truth?
In v17-18, what is the chief corner stone and who does it represent?
Who are “the builders” and what are they supposed to be building?
What does v19 mean when it says that Jesus spoke the parable against the Jewish leaders, and that they knew it? Why would that make them afraid? What alternative did they have?
Application
What was your main takeaway from Pastor Kyle’s sermon? How were you impacted/encouraged? Did you have an “ah-ha” moment or realize something new?
What do you think of the idea that “fear is a crisis of authority”?
What about the idea that living in fear implies that we aren’t living subject to Jesus’ authority?
What’s going on when we are tempted to “fear men” – to value the approval of men above the truth or above God’s approval?
What leads us to fail to give God his due or to honor him as “the owner”?
When do you find yourself wanting to be the owner (the King) over parts of your life?
How does it work out when we get caught up in working or living based on something besides God’s “cornerstone” (King Jesus)?
What do we need to do about it?
What was your takeaway from Keith’s testimony?
What is one thing God is asking you, one prayer God is calling you to pray or one action step God is inviting you to make as result of listening to this sermon?