A changing Kingdom!

Mark 12: 1 – 19


Do you ever wonder about how patient God is with us? Jesus gives us this story as a revealer of God’s patience, love, and justice. God is the one, who created the vineyard, places it in the hands of another and allows them to do whatever they want to give themselves a great blessing. Romans 12 tells us that God has given us all gifts, they are meant to be a blessing to us and others. They are only at their best when our lives are given to God.

God’s gifts will always bring a harvest. We can not look at the harvest and say to ourselves, “Everything is doing great I must have the blessing of God!” God blessing what He gives and everything He gives is good and will bring a harvest, some times despite our selves.

Our hearts reveal whether we are truly in God’s will or not. The vinedressers where happy to be given the land but when they saw the blessing from it they wanted to keep it for themselves. They had forgotten who built the vineyard and who graciously placed it into their hands. Despite their ingratitude, God was gracious. He did not take it from their hands.

God’s love, patience, and justice are revealed. Hundreds of times He sends his workers to the vineyard to remind them who is in charge. The Pharisees knew Jesus was talking about them and their forefathers. God had sent dozens if not hundreds of prophets, priest, and others to the nation of Israel calling the people, especially the leadership, to repentance but they would not follow after His heart, they wanted to do things their own way. When they would not repent, He finally sent His Son, Jesus. The problem is they really never knew the Lord so when they sent the Son, they didn’t recognize the love that was being offer to them because of the Son. Patiently God had called them to Himself. Over and over again they refused to see that it was out of love that they were being sent the messengers. When we are faithful with the little we are given, God blesses us with more. He wanted to bless them even more but they refused. With their murder of the Son, justice must be meted out. The vineyard is taken from them and given to others. Those of Israel who have rejected Jesus have been cut out of the Kingdom but those of Israel and of the Gentiles who have accepted Jesus have been given the entire vineyard. God in His grace gave them hundreds of chances but they want to do things their way. They would not trust God enough for their lives and futures.

God's seeming lack of patience was not on a whim. God spoke to Israel for thousands of years to return to Him. He is still speaking to many Jews today to come to him but because of their rejection of Him, He is speaking to the whole world to come. The Kingdom has become a Kingdom of all people, from everywhere who will simply believe God and believe in His Son!