Matt’s Musings

Dear St. Paul’s Friends and Family,

“Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.” (Matt. 21:43)

I have come to appreciate the opportunity to read, study, and interpret scripture.  It’s a rare privilege to join countless others who have engaged in studying these ancient texts over the years.  There are few other ancient literary works that are so widely disseminated and read by so many people.  Lest we take for granted this opportunity, we would do well to gently remind ourselves of this privilege, but also acknowledge the complexities of Biblical texts and the challenges that come with understanding them.  

This week’s gospel lesson presents us with some of those challenges.  Jesus is rushing headlong into a conflict with the religious leaders of his day.  Over the course of his brief 3-year ministry they have questioned his actions, teachings, and authority.  Even great acts of compassion like healings, feeding the hungry, and including others in God’s realm have drawn the ire of the religious leaders.

Jesus calls them out when he tells the parable of the vineyard and the wicked tenants (you can read the entire text below).  The gist of it is that the tenants who have been hired to care for the vineyard were hoarding the harvest for themselves and not sharing the proceeds with the vineyard owner.  To make matters worse, they abused the slaves that the master sent to collect his portion and eventually, they even killed the master’s son who had been sent to reason with them.  

Jesus compared the lawless tenants with the Jewish religious leaders.  They had been charged with managing God’s vineyard, the Jewish faith, and instead misused their power to enrich themselves while also marginalizing the poor and attacking critics.  They had targeted the prophets and would successfully plot to kill Jesus.  Through the parable, Jesus condemned them and predicted a day when their authority would be stripped away and they be banished from the vineyard, God’s realm.

We could be pardoned for wondering, so what does this have to do with any of us today?  Most of us aren’t religious leaders.  And for people like me, who are, it’s a cautionary parable.  Ancient stories like this one do speak profoundly to us in our own time.  The all-inclusive love of God that we experience through Jesus’ life not only includes us in God’s vineyard, but also empowers us to welcome others into God’s realm.  Although you may not hold an official religious title, if you are a follower of Christ, you also are one of his representatives.  

This is a responsibility that we shouldn’t take for granted.  The Christian church, much like any other religions, can be a pretty exclusive place, especially for those who don’t fit into the readily accepted pigeonholes of society, culture, and polite religious company.  Over the past few decades countless surveys that have measured how the church is viewed in society have backed up these anecdotes with statistics. The spiritual and psychological harm that can come from a congregation not modeling Christ’s love and acceptance can really diminish a person’s self-worth, not to mention drive them away from God.

It is up to us as workers in God’s vineyard to carry Christ’s love and compassion into the world.  In so doing, we help to transform the world into a healing place where all of God’s children can grow into their fullest self as they love God and their neighbor.  May the Holy Spirit guide us in the important life-saving work as we do our best of model Christ’s love and acceptance in our lives.  

Blessings on your journey!

Pastor Matt