Matthew 21:33-46, The Parable of the Vineyard and Wicked Tenants
http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=160571596
John 3:16 (17-21) http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=160571641
God’s Gift of Love
“This is how much God loved the World: God gave his Son, his one and only Son.”
If we are to begin a conversation about receiving the Gift of Christmas, there’s certainly no better place to start than with love.
Several years ago at Charge Conference our district superintendant, the Rev. Rodney Hamm, introduced this parable from Matthew by saying: “Hear now the story of Christmas.” I will never forget how surprised I was to hear him then read the parable of the Vineyard and the Wicked Tenants. I was even more surprised as he read and spoke that I had never before heard and understood this story to be the “other” Christmas Story.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put everything in the vineyard that would be needed to plant, grow and harvest his crop. He even built a watchtower to make sure the vineyard was kept safe. After completing the vineyard the owner decided to move to another country for a while, so he leased his vineyard to a group of farmers.
When harvest time came, the owner sent his servants to go and collect his payment, his rent on the vineyard. When the owner’s servants arrived, however, instead of paying what was owed, the tenants beat one, killed one and then stoned another. One could only imagine how the owner might react to such unbelievably irresponsible and self-centered behavior from those to whom he had entrusted so much?
Believe it or not, the owner reacted in a most gracious and merciful way. He sent even more his servants to the vineyard to collect what was due. He gave the tenants another opportunity to live up to the agreement they had entered into with him. But, the result was the same as before. The servants were again beaten and mistreated by the tenants.
How would the landowner react now? After having several of his servants mistreated, abused kicked out and even killed? How would you have reacted? Would you have been angry and sought justice through the legal system or maybe even have hired soldiers to go and take out your revenge?
The landowner reacted this way, …he sent his son, his only son. Surely they will respect my son, he thought…
Through the years the Lord God sent a number of folks to try and lead his children back to faithfulness. Abraham, Moses, the prophets…many came, spoke, invited and pleaded. How would the Lord God respond to his children on earth after they (we) continually turned their backs on him, unwilling to listen and repent?
…God loves us so much, that he sent his only Son…
Now that is love, the first gift of Christmas!
I invite you to receive God’s grace-filled, arms outstretched gift of love this Christmas. It is in and through this love that we find our beginning and end. It is in and through this gift of love that we can learn to love and learn to love one another!
Kid’s Challenge
The world in which we live often, I believe, misuses the word, “love.” I think that is especially obvious when we compare what we call love to the love and the examples of God’s love that we find in Scripture. In Jesus, we find God’s love personified—that is: alive and in person. Think of all the stories and all the facts that you know about Jesus. What are some of the ways that Jesus offers God’s love to others? As you say your prayers tonight, ask God to help you open your heart so that you can love God and others in the same way that God loves you!
Receive God Christmas Blessing today!
Rich
The song, Love Came Down at Christmas, speaks directly to our devotional today. I invite you to watch the attached video and then read the words to the song a couple of times. What are some of the ways that you see and experience God's Christmas love in your life?
Love Came Down at Christmas UM Hymnal No. 242
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIr5th0d44Y
Love Came Down at Christmas ,
Love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, love divine;
Worship we our Jesus:
But wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token,
Love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.
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