Luke 20:13–16

Luke 20:13-16

English Standard Version 

  If you knew that someone was going to turn you away, how much effort would you put into the outreach?  Most of us would limit our effort.  It's the rational thing to do -- direct that energy towards someone more receptive, right?

  Here, the vineyard owner has sent multiple messengers, and they've all been rejected.  The owner hopes that his own son won't be rejected, but he has to expect that, right?  The tenants have shown no interest in receiving messages from the owner.

  God comes anyway.  Despite our hardened hearts, God persists, such is the love that God has for you.  It's easy to underappreciate this love -- we grow accustomed to hearing about the unconditional love, so it's important to take a few minutes and truly appreciate how amazing it is that God persists in pursuing us.  God loves you, and God continues to send the Holy Spirit to awaken our hearts to hear the message of grace once more.

Luke 20:9-12

Luke 20:9-12 

English Standard Version 

  If you owned the vineyard, how would you react?  Would you keep sending servants?  Your patience would certainly be thin after the first was rejected, and you might well blow your top after the second.  When the second one was rejected, you might simply send in the troops.  Would you exercise patience and continue sending servants?  

  One of the lessons that Jesus is teaching us about God is that God has tremendous patience for us.  God continued to send prophets, even when they were rejected and ignored.  God didn't give up on us.  God loves us too much to leave us, which is what leads God to come in Jesus Christ so that we might find healing and wholeness and hope.  

  Thanks be to God for the tremendous patience God shows -- Paul tells us in Romans 2 that 'God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?'

Luke 20:1-8

Luke 20:1-8 

English Standard Version 

  Here we see the chief priests and scribes trying to trick Jesus.  They aren't genuinely interested in the answer... they simply want to make Jesus look bad.  

  Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus engaging with all sorts of people.  Some of them know religion, some do not.  Look at Zaccheaus -- he is honestly seeking Jesus, and Jesus goes in to his house and eats with him.  The same is true of Nicodemus -- he comes with honest inquiry, uncertain of what it means when Jesus is teaching.

  These individuals are not coming honestly.  They have an agenda.  

  So when you have big questions, do not be afraid to ask them.  Seek with an open and honest heart.  Ask tough questions.  Christianity has the intellectual depth to engage with your questions as you seek the Truth.

Luke 19:45-48

Luke 19:45-48

English Standard Version 

  There's only 1,000 different conclusions as to what it means for Jesus to drive the traders out of the temple.  The temple economy and the trading that took place was important to the activity of the temple, but things clearly weren't serving the purpose that the temple was built for -- it wasn't serving as a meeting place for the people and God.  Something was getting in the way, so Jesus clears it out, and then he remains, teaching daily.  He is filling the space with his Word, so that the people can hear the teachings of God.  

  There's things in all of our lives that interfere with our connection with God.  Are we willing to be honest and admit the places where we fall short, and find a way to let God's Word fill that space in our lives?