7/12/15 am Gilead

This is the Day that the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it
(Matthew 21:33~46)

I want to speak to you this morning, on what is commonly referred to as The Parable of the Vineyard. I
love the parables, to me, there is no greater form of teaching, than the use of parables. A parable is merely
a story, or analogy, that is used to declare a truth. The actual word means to be liketo lay along
side. Its where you use something that easily understood, to teach something hard to understand. Jesus
often used parables, in Matthew 13, He used a bunch of them to describe the Kingdom of God. (Mt 13)
Vs 24, Vs 31, Vs 33, Vs 44, Vs 47and so on. Jesus was constantly speaking in parables, with good
reason. According to Psalms 78, one of the Messianic Psalms, it declares that the Messiah would come
speaking in Parables. (Read Ps 78:2~4) There He states that He will speak parables, to reveal the dark
sayings of old. A reference to wisdom previously hidden. In Matthew 13:10-17, while speaking in
parables, one of the disciples asked Jesus, why He spoke in parables, and Jesus declares that there was a
two-fold purpose of His speaking in parables, one was to reveal the dark sayings of old, the mysteries of
the kingdomto those who believed on Him, while on the other hand, to Keep those truths HIDDEN,
from those who opposed Him. In short, Jesus would used these parables to teach the publicans and
sinners the deep, mysteries of the kingdom, while hiding them from the self-righteous, selfproclaimed religious scholars of the day!
Which is exactly what we see happening here in this parable I want to look at this morning, commonly
referred to as The Parable of the Vineyard. Here Jesus uses the story about some farmers and a
landowner and His vineyard, to reveal one of those, dark sayings of olda truth that had been
Hidden for thousands of years. Here He reveals His impending rejection and crucifixion by Israel, and
how that the Kingdom will be taken away from them and given to the Gentiles. Its an amazing
prophetic truth that Jesus speaks here. Detailing down to the smallest detail, what would happen,
concerning His rejection, and crucifixion by Israeland how we the church, came to be.
You know, what I read in Psalms 78 there, how He would use parables to utter dark sayings of old
Those hearing this at the time, had no idea, just how old this truth was that He was revealing to them.
This truth He is revealing to them here, is one that was established, before the foundation of the world.
According to the scripture, this day was set in place before the foundation of the world(Read Ephesians
1:3~71Peter 1:18~20) Think about thatbefore the foundation of the world In Genesis 1:1 we
read, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth But read in light of what Paul and Peter
tell us, even before He created the heaven and the earth, before He made the First Day as it states it
there in Genesis 1, He already had the Day of the Cross in place! This is vital that we understand this
because, it reveals that all of creation, everything God did in creating the world, all of historyrevolves
around this ONE DAYthe day when Jesus Christ would be suspended between heaven and earth,
nailed to a treeoffering up His life, for our sin!
Its important that we understand this, simply because of the impact that this great truth has on the rest of
scripture. Everything that was written, was written concerning this one day, the Cross. We see the
Shadow of this day throughout the writings of the O.T. Beginning from the very creation of the world,
all the way up to He was crucified that day, we see the Shadow of the Cross
- (Genesis 3:15) The promised seedHe shall bruise his heal, and he shall crush his head
- In Abrahams offering up of Isaac
- In the Passover lamb
- In the story of Joseph, betrayed by his brothers
- We see it, in every one the Sacrificial offering prescribed in Levitical law
- He is the Suffering servant of Isaiah 53
Thats just a few, the list goes on and on All of Israels history, pointed towards this one event, this one
day when Jesus Christ would be nailed to a tree, for our sin!
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Well, here in this parable I want us to look at this morning, the Lord Jesus Himself, reveals part of the
mystery of that day, by explaining just how it is that He will end up on the cross, and that is, by being
rejected by His own people, the Jewish leaders. The image of Jesus Christ hanging on the cross, is a
picture of Rejection! He ended up on that cross, as a result of being rejected by his own people! He
came unto his own, but his own received him not(John 1:11) His own brethren had rejected Himjust
as God had foretold us, through the story of Joseph!
Lets look at this parable He begins by telling a story of some dealings that a certain landowner had
with some unjust farmers, that he had leased his vineyard out to The agreement was, that the farmers
would work the ground, harvest the fruit, and share the proceeds with the landowner. But story has it, at
harvest time, the landowner sent some men to collect his part, the farmers attacked the men, even killing
one of them. In response, the landowner sent more men, and they did the same to them. Finally, he sends
his son, thinking they would reverence him. But that was not the case, they took council and rose up and
killed him as well
Having painted such an obvious, gross of injustice (as often was the style of Rabbinic teaching), he asked
those listening, what they thought of the situation, and how they thought it should be handled.
(Vs 40) 40When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
(Vs 41) To which they answered 41He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his
vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
Their suggestion was, that He should miserably destroy those wicked men, with the land being given to
someone else, someone who will do the landowner right!
(Vs 42~44) Upon hearing their answerJesus reveals the point of the parable
42
Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the
same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lords doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?
42

Did ye never read in the scripturesIts like, You guys pride yourselves as authorities on spiritual
matters, scholars of the scripturehave you not read what it so clearly says?
He is quoting from Psalms 118the writings of King Davidas if to say, Have you never read this?
Have you never read that, according to the Holy Scriptures, that the one, whom God would send,
would first be rejected by the people, and how God would take this same man, that the people rejected,
and set Him in a position of authority and honor? Have you never read that?
Here in Matthew, though Jesus uses a completely different analogy than David did, but the point was the
same. Jesus uses this parable of the vineyard, to reveal a great mystery of Gods plan of redemption,
before it took place.
- Certain householderLandownerrefers to God the Father
- Vineyardspeaks of the nation Israel(Jerusalem being the winepress- Temple)
HusbandmenFarmer refers to the religious leaders Chief Priest, the Scribes & Pharisees
It serves as a picture of how God entrusted the nation Israel with His kingdom God had brought them
into this blessed land that He had prepared for them, to watch over and take care of for Him. Israel had
been entrusted with the Holy Scripture, and the things of God. But as history reveals, they became poor
and unjust stewards
(Vs 34~36) The Servants of the Landowner refers to the prophets that God sent to Israel, and how the
nation mistreated them, and rejected them, and killed some of them John the Baptist being the latest.
(Vs 37~39) Lastly, the landowners sonis a reference to the Lord Jesus Notice, how the parable states
that they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew hima prophetic image of the cross!
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Jesus looks to the chief priest and Pharisees and says, You are the Wicked husbandmenIt was your
fathers who beat and killed the prophetsit was you who rejected and killed the greatest prophet born
among women...John the Baptist! And it is you, who are plotting to Kill the Son of the landowner
(Vs 43) Jesus reveals, that THEY are the wicked men...and that it will be done unto them, just as they said it
should be You wicked men will be miserably destroyed and the kingdom will be taken from you, and given to
the Gentiles!
43

The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Jesus reveals, that as a result of Israel rejection of Him, the kingdom will be taken from them and given to
the Gentiles. Thats us beloved, the Church! And thats exactly what happenedto the letter! Praise God!
Now something I dont want us to miss here, is the basis of this parable Jesus gives, concerning the
vineyard. And that being, the prophetic words of David, recorded in Psalms 118that Jesus quotes here.
The parable of the vineyard served as an illustration to declare the truth of what David was saying.
Here, Jesus used the analogy of a vineyard, to express the truth of His impending rejection, while in
Psalms 118, King David used the analogy of the construction of a building, to express the same truth. In
Davids analogy, the religious leaders were responsible for the oversight and construction of the
Temple of God. And here, David says that they will reject a certain stone, deeming it unfit and
unworthy to be used in the kingdom, yet, as David explains, it is the Chief Cornerstone of the Kingdom!
(Psalms 118) 22The stone, which the builders refused, is become the head stone of the corner.
Here in Psalms 118, God reveals that part of His plan included the rejection of His Son!
The Rejected Stone is a picture of a Crucified Christ. And the reference to the rejected
stone becoming the Head stone or Cornerstoneis a reference to the exaltation of Christ, to the
position of supreme authority, even though He was rejected! Theres a great message in that, in that even
though there are many who deny and reject Christ authority in their lives, it does not change the fact that
He is still Lord, and that one day every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess, that He is Lord.
Having said that, I dont want us to miss, a very crucial part of what David says here Read that passage
again with me, reading verse 24 along with it
22

The stone, which the builders refused, is become the head stone of the corner.
This is the LORDS doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

23

24

This is the day, which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Close Now listen, I dont want you to miss this Im sure many of you are familiar with the Hymn we
sometimes sing, This is day, that the Lord has made Well, chances are, we may have misapplied it in
the past, singing about each day weve be given Though its true, that the Lord makes every day,
Hes given us this day, and we should be grateful for it, but thats not what that hymn was written about.
To honor the Holy Scripture of God, its important that we Sing the Psalm in the manner it was
intended. It was written, hundreds of years prior to the cross, a song about the Day of the Cross! David
made this statement, looking hundreds of years into the future, to the day when Jesus Christ would be
suspended between heaven and earthon the Cross, as a result of being rejected by His own people. Here
we see the Landowners Son, cast outside the vineyard, and slew Here hangs Davids Rejected
Stone, the one that God would later establish as the Chief Cornerstone of the entire kingdom!
As I said in the opening commentsall of history revolves around this one day, this one event that God
had established, before the foundation of the world! Beginning with the promise to Adam and Eve in the
garden, throughout the ages, they continued to look for this day! And this morning, we here, thousands of
years after the fact, look back to that day, and praise God for it!

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22

(Psalms 118) Lets read that again The stone, which the builders refused, is become the head stone
of the corner. 23This is the LORDS doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24This is the day, which the
LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
As they stood there that day on Calvarys hill, gazing upon the beaten, despised, blood soaked body of the
rejected son of God(though many may have thought it unfitting), they could have sang This is the
day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made. And we will rejoice, we will rejoice
and be glad in it, and be glad in it
In closing, I want to remind us, that as Gentiles, as those who have now been entrusted with the
kingdomit is vital that we be found faithful! God has entrusted us, the church, with His Kingdom,
His Vineyard as it were And one day, His Son will return to reap the harvestthe question will be,
whether He finds us faithful or unfaithful

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