First Scripture Readings: Exodus 20: 1-4, 7-9, 12-20 (p. 79-80); Philippians 3:4b-14 (p. 1231)

Second Scripture Reading: Matthew 21:33-46 (p. 1032-3)

Sermon: Rejected Stones

In the parable we have before us today, we hear about the tenants of a vineyard. Before we get into the parable, a word about how the lease of the vineyard may have worked in this situation. The owner of the vineyard plants a vineyard, builds a fence around it, and a watchtower. Then, he leases the vineyard to the tenants. It would have taken the tenants a while to get the vineyard up and running so perhaps there was a waiting time for the tenants to get on their feet before they had to pay their rent.

So when the time came, the owner sent some of his servants to the vineyard to collect his produce. Notice that it didn’t say that they came to collect the owner’s portion of the produce. Instead it said that they came to collect his produce – all of it.

Well these tenants had been going on for a few years now in the vineyard. They had come to think of it as their own. Then, here come these servants wanting to take all they have worked so hard to produce. Of course they neglect to remember that without the vineyard they leased, there would be no produce. But nevertheless, the tenants are angered at the thought of having to give up what they have produced. So they run off the servants; killing one and stoning another.

Well when the owner of the vineyard finds out what has happened, he doesn’t call in the sheriff or someone to post an eviction notice. Instead, the owner sends more of his servants. These servants are treated in the same way the first ones were treated.

So the owner of the vineyard decides that instead of sending more of his servants or even deciding that now is the time to call in the sheriff he sends his son, hoping they will respect him and give the produce that the vineyard has yielded. But when the tenants find out that the son has been sent to the vineyard they throw him out and kill him, hoping that by disposing of him, they will be able to claim the vineyard as their own inheritance. They want to be able to work for themselves and to keep anything they produce as their own.

When asked what the owner of the vineyard will do when he finds out what the tenants have done to his son, the chief priests and Pharisees reply, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time."

Many of Jesus’ parables leave a question floating at the end. The question is not explicitly asked most of the time but it is implied. At the end of this parable, the implied question seems to be, "what kind of tenant are you going to be?"

The wicked tenants wanted to keep everything for themselves. Even though the produce of the vineyard did not rightfully belong to them, they nevertheless wanted to hoard it and not share it. In Jesus’ response to the chief priests and Pharisees, we hear what the good tenants will do. They will produce the fruits of the kingdom. What does Jesus mean by that? Well if the wicked tenants hoarded the produce they gathered, then the good tenants would be willing to share the fruits they produce. The produce of the vineyard rightfully belongs to the owner of the vineyard and good tenants would give to the owner what rightfully belongs to him.

Recently the lectionary has taken us to a lot of texts in which Jesus speaks about vineyards. Last week, we read a parable where Jesus spoke about two sons who were asked by their father to go into the vineyard. One said no but later went and the other said yes but never quite got to the vineyard. Through that parable, Jesus followers were told to go out into the world as their vineyard and work for God’s kingdom.

A few weeks ago we read about a vineyard owner who hired workers at different times throughout the day and then paid them all for a day’s work even if they had only worked an hour. Through that parable, we heard about the gift of grace that God extends to all who come to work in the vineyard, regardless of how long they have spent there.

So when we look at the parable today in the context of these other vineyard parables, what might this text be trying to say to us today? We understand that we are to work in the vineyard that is God’s good creation. We understand that what we receive in return for our work is nothing less than God’s amazing grace. From this parable we understand what we are to give.

When the owner of the vineyard sends his servants to collect his produce, he doesn’t send them to just collect his ten percent share. He sends them to collect everything. Jesus tells the chief priests and Pharisees that the kingdom of God will be "given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom." It is the fruits of the kingdom that God, as owner of the vineyard comes to collect.

The challenge issued to us as we listen to the parable is twofold. The first part is what kind of fruit will you produce? Will it be the fruit of the kingdom? The second part is what kind of tenant will you be? Will you be willing to give everything you produce to the one who placed you in a vineyard where you could work?

In the passage that we read from Paul’s letter to the Philippian Christians, Paul talks about all the things that he has gained that are valued by the world. He speaks of his former life as a persecutor of the church. He claims that he can boast of all these things – his righteousness is indisputable in the eyes of others.

However, when he was confronted by Christ, he realized that all he had counted as good and valuable was like garbage in the light of Christ. Once he had encountered Christ, he could no longer value the things he formerly valued. Instead of doing the things that lead him to be viewed as righteous in the eyes of others, he changed his ways and sought to become like Christ. Christ who was willing to give up everything for others, so that God’s glory might be revealed.

Paul sought to produce the fruit of the kingdom. He did not seek to produce that would raise his status in the eyes of other people, instead he sought to produce the fruit that would bring him closer to God and God’s kingdom. Paul continually strived to give everything to God. Can we do the same?

All over the world today, Christians are coming together to celebrate communion. Before the sun even came up here, there were Christians gathered together in the far reaches of this earth, celebrating communion. Throughout this whole circuit of the earth, Christians will be celebrating communion. They will be remembering the life of Christ; his death and resurrection. And we will all be looking forward to his coming return.

Some churches will have a loaf of bread that looks like the one we will break today. Others will have wafers or pita bread. Still others might have bread that is native to their culture. But when the celebrant says the words of institution and gives the bread to the people gathered, the people all remember and give thanks to the God who unites us all.

Because of the great gift we have received through Christ, we can give thanks to God and strive to produce fruit worthy of God’s kingdom. So that in the fullness of time, we can all join together and celebrate with the faithful of every time and place at the table in God’s kingdom.