The Lord of the Vineyard
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Bearing the true fruit of the Kingdom for the Lord of the vineyard.
Text: Luke 20:9-16
Date: 02/23/2025, the Combined service.
Series: "Luke: Thy Kingdom Come" Part 184
Description:
The confrontation between Jesus and the "usurpers of the Temple" continues with a scathing commentary on their illegitimate claim to authority in the Parable of the Wicked Tenants. In this familiar story, the tenants try to arrogate ownership of the vineyard by first mistreating and beating the servants sent to collect the harvest, and ultimately by killing the son. We will discuss the various allegorical elements of the parable, such as the vineyard owner, the vineyard itself, the tenants, the servants and the son. There are four great themes brought out in this parable-- two of which we will focus on in this message: the prophecy of the Crucifixion and the fact that God will ultimately get fruit from His vineyard-- regardless of who the tenants are. As the current "tenants" of this vineyard, a particular focus is placed on the church to produce the true fruit of the Kingdom and not a vineyard of wild grapes-- for the Lord of the vineyard.
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, Luke 20:9-16.
A. Context
1. Luke's flow of thought, Luke 19:27.
2. Isaiah's vineyard, Isa. 5:1-2.
B. The parable of the wicked tenants.
1. Setting the scene, vs. 9a.
a. Noticing the audience, Luke 20:1; Jer. 7:4,8.
b. A parable with allegorical elements.
2. The vineyard, vs. 9b.
a. The vineyard owner, Isa. 5:7.
b. The vineyard.
i. The literal perspective, Mark 12:1.
ii. The prophetic perspective, Isa. 5:4-7.
iii. The symbolic perspective, Luke 3:8.
c. The tenants.
i. The literal perspective.
ii. The symbolic perspective.
3. The rejection of the servants, vs. 10-12.
a. The time for fruit, vs. 10a.
b. The rebellion of the tenants, vs. 10b-12.
i. The first servant, vs. 10b.
1) The servant.
2) An important exchange.
3) The brutal handling.
a) The beating, John 19:1.
b) Returning with no fruit, Luke 19:14.
ii. The second servant, vs. 11, Luke 18:32, 22:63.
iii. The third servant, vs. 12, Isa. 53:5.
c. The rejection of revelation.
i. The hostile handling of the prophets, Neh. 9:6; Heb. 11:37; Jer. 38:9; Ezek. 2:6; Zech. 11:12; 2Kings 22:24; Luke 11:47-51; Acts 7:52.
ii. Noticing something amiss, Matt. 5:38.
4. Sending the Son, vs. 13-15a.
a. The owner's reasoning, vs. 13.
i. Remembering it's a parable.
ii. Probable hyperbole, Luke 18:25.
b. The tenants' reasoning, vs. 14.
c. Killing the Son, vs. 15a.
i. Describing the action.
ii. Pondering the reasoning.
1) The absurdity of their reasoning.
2) The source of their reasoning, John 8:44.
5. The response of the vineyard owner, vs. 15b-16a.
a. The logical question, vs. 15b.
b. The judgment, vs. 16a, Luke 19:24-26.
C. Interpretation
1. The prophecy of Jesus' death, Luke 18:32-33, 9:22,44.
2. The Lord wants fruit from His vineyard.
a. The Kingdom perspective, Heb. 13:15; Luke 10:2; John 1:11, 4:35; Gal. 4:4-5; .
b. Finding other tenants, Luke 19:26, 20:16; Isa. 5:4.
III. Application
IV. Conclusion
