Word@Work 135 - Mark 12:1
Published: Mon, 06/02/08
Word@Work from BeaconLight
Read Mark 12:1 He then began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. (NIV)
Everybody loves a story. This agricultural parable, in wine growing country presented a familiar picture: a new vineyard, a stone lined pit for treading the grapes, and a tower for shelter, storage and security. It was well designed to be a business success. According to Leviticus 19:23-25 (click the link!), the vines should not be harvested (but pruned, so that all the energy of the plants went into making good vine stock) until the fourth year - when all the produced should be offered to the Lord. The commercial harvest was to come in the fifth year. So for three years, the farmer accepted a loss; and the following year he made a sacrifice. Tenant farmers were employed to do the work - at the owner's expense.
Much more than three years of Israel's history had been unproductive. The Old Testament period was designed to prepare the vine of Israel to be ready for Jesus - with His salvation, forgiveness, and promise of rebirth by the Holy Spirit. The religious leaders were the tenants in this story. They had the responsibility of looking after the spiritual life of the nation in God's physical absence. Instead, they allowed the temple to be a commercial market, and they behaved as though they were the owners (instead of being guardians).
This story is intended to focus on the role of Jesus in His Father's vineyard. But for today, there is a principle to examine. What have we been given as guardians or stewards - to look after for God? Families, wealth, our bodies and businesses ... have we stopped thinking of them as belonging to God? 1 Corinthians 6:20 (click the link!) reminds us that all we have is God's - not only because he made us, but because we have been bought back (redeemed) at a great price. If all we have and are belongs to God, is He honoured by our stewardship of them?
Prayer: Father God. I have been entrusted with so much, and yet I have failed to honour You as I should. Please forgive me, and set my attitude right so that You will reap a harvest from my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
You can read more of this Bible passage online - in English and other languages - share the Bible with your friends!
Everybody loves a story. This agricultural parable, in wine growing country presented a familiar picture: a new vineyard, a stone lined pit for treading the grapes, and a tower for shelter, storage and security. It was well designed to be a business success. According to Leviticus 19:23-25 (click the link!), the vines should not be harvested (but pruned, so that all the energy of the plants went into making good vine stock) until the fourth year - when all the produced should be offered to the Lord. The commercial harvest was to come in the fifth year. So for three years, the farmer accepted a loss; and the following year he made a sacrifice. Tenant farmers were employed to do the work - at the owner's expense.
Much more than three years of Israel's history had been unproductive. The Old Testament period was designed to prepare the vine of Israel to be ready for Jesus - with His salvation, forgiveness, and promise of rebirth by the Holy Spirit. The religious leaders were the tenants in this story. They had the responsibility of looking after the spiritual life of the nation in God's physical absence. Instead, they allowed the temple to be a commercial market, and they behaved as though they were the owners (instead of being guardians).
This story is intended to focus on the role of Jesus in His Father's vineyard. But for today, there is a principle to examine. What have we been given as guardians or stewards - to look after for God? Families, wealth, our bodies and businesses ... have we stopped thinking of them as belonging to God? 1 Corinthians 6:20 (click the link!) reminds us that all we have is God's - not only because he made us, but because we have been bought back (redeemed) at a great price. If all we have and are belongs to God, is He honoured by our stewardship of them?
Prayer: Father God. I have been entrusted with so much, and yet I have failed to honour You as I should. Please forgive me, and set my attitude right so that You will reap a harvest from my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
You can read more of this Bible passage online - in English and other languages - share the Bible with your friends!
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