living in the Father's vineyard Isaiah 5:1-7, Matthew 21:33-46

God the Father wants the best for his daughters and sons. He does not want what we want or think best; rather God desires to give the best. God's been calling his people to the best way of living. It started with the law and prophets. Isaiah spoke this call and it continued in the words of Jesus. This is a word of law that pulls away a whole lot scar tissue and lays open a hurt soul. It's this opening that can bring the rest that comes from Good News.

Both Isaiah and Jesus explained the relationship between the Father who loves so much and people who turn away with vineyard stories. Why not? Vineyards made sense, people planted and worked in them. They enjoyed the grapes and wine made from grapes. Two parables about vineyards define God's love for his people through the image of a vineyard that had lost God's protection.

Isaiah told of a friend who planted grapevines on a hillside with rich soil Isaiah 5:1. He did everything right hoping good grapes would come Isaiah 5:2-3. Instead the harvest came and there were only bad ones Isaiah 5:4. Isaiah's parable gets me thinking: What should be done with the bad grapes. The response frightens me. All the protection God provided could be taken away Isaiah 5:5-6. Isaiah wasn't speaking about a vineyard. These blunt words from God were for Israel and Judah. He came looking for justice -- but he didn't find it.

Jesus spoke of a vineyard too. It was rented out Matthew 21:33-34. When time came the land owner sent servants to collect his share of the produce. The tenants beat some and killed others Matthew 21:35-36. And last of all the landlord sent his son. The tenants, some commentators think, were scheming to take over the land by squatters rights. After all the landlord's heir was dead. They must have assumed they would now have control.

Jesus left the story unconcluded. He asked the chief priests and the elders of the people what they thought would happen. They responded the renters would be put to death and the land rented again Matthew 21:40-41. That wasn't Jesus answer. And this is the real twist. We don't know what the landlord did. But we do know what God the Father did when His Son was rejected. He raised him up on the 3rd day.
Peace, and thanks for reading.