10/4/2020 - ROI
GOD PATIENTLY SEEKS FRUITS OF FAITH: October 4, 2020
Sometimes you just can't win. A politician says "yes," and people complain he didn't say "no,“ or that he took too long to say "yes." Of course if he said "no," the reverse would happen.
God wrestles with the same issue, doesn’t he? When he is patient with people, the complaints that he's being too lenient are deafening. When he steps in with his justice, the accusations of "vindictive" rain down.
Jesus teaches a parable in which God balances his love and patient care with his justice. He plants a vineyard, and leases it to tenants. Doesn’t the owner of a vineyard have a right to the fruit? But when he sends his servants to collect, they’re treated shamefully. They even kill the master’s own son! When the master returns he reclaims his vineyard, relieves the wicked tenants of their oversight, and rents the vineyard to new tenants who will share its fruit.
In the parable, God is the master, the vineyard is the Church, and the Jews are the tenants. Since the Jews killed the prophets and murdered the Messiah, God would take the Church away from them and give it to the Gentiles. To this day, Jews live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Now the Gentiles are the caretaker of the Church. We are God's planting. We are the gracious objects of his love and care. Should we expect different treatment? No. Like the Jews, God now expects the Gentiles to bring forth the fruit of faith. Will we test God’s patience like the Jews? Will we ignore his word and deny Christ? Will we fail to offer God the fruit of faith? How long should God be patient with us before he takes the Gospel away, uproots us, and gives the Gospel to
somebody else?
You're planted in faith. Be fruitful! God's looking for it, and he loves it when you’re fruitful.
► Readings:
• Isaiah 5:1-7: God will take the Gospel away from the Jews
• Philippians 3:12-21: Strive daily for greater Christian maturity
• Matthew 21:33-43: The parable of the tenant farmers
• Psalm 80
► Sermon theme on Isaiah 5:1-7: “ROI”
8am & 10:45am services with accommodations are held on campus.
10:45am service live-streamed on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/RedeemerTucson