Creekside Church Sermon of October 6, 1996 "Take It Away?" Matthew 21:33-46	Rev. David Bibbee
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The parable of Jesus before us is a fitting one for the autumn season. It is about a harvest and getting a return on an investment. It takes place in a vineyard and tells what happens when it's owner tries to collect what was his from the tenants. As a rule, parables aren't meant to be allegorized, that is, have the various parts of the parable stand for something else. But this one is an exception.

One of the Old Testament metaphors for Israel, which comes from Isaiah 5, is that of the vineyard. In this parable, the vineyard is the people of Israel, the landowner is God, the hired hands are the priests and rulers of Israel, the servants are the prophets, the sun is God's own son. As such the parable is a judgment on those accountable for God's people, namely, the Jewish leaders. But this parable is not just admirably suited to the failures of others. We will turn it on ourselves this morning. I heard someone say that the church has confused things. We speak consolation to ourselves, and judgment to the world, when we should judge ourselves, and offer grace and consolation to the world. So let's find ourselves in this picture and hear what God wants us to remember.

There was a landowner who had a vineyard that was the envy of everyone. Acres of vines, surrounded by a high, thick hedge for protection. He built a state of the art wine press and erected a surveillance tower for good measure. He then hired tenants to oversee the operation while he went away to Palm Springs. In those days, rent could be collected in the form of money or a large portion of the harvest. All was well in this beautiful vineyard, but when the landowner sent servants to collect the rent, they didn't receive a welcome wagon reception. The tenants acted like they owned the place. They sent the servants back with black eyes and missing teeth. More servants were sent to collect the rent, but they were also beaten and some were murdered. So as a last resort the owner sent his son. Surely they would respect his authority, but it meant nothing. They killed the son as quickly as they had the others. And Jesus asked, "What do you think the owner should do with these tenants?"

Obviously the tenants had lost track of who they were and weren't. They didn't create the vineyard. They made no capital improvements to it. They couldn't take credit for its bounty, but they enjoyed its benefits. They made themselves right at home and acted like the landlord instead of the renters they were. So answer this..."How do you see your relationship to this church?" Hold your answer for a moment and let me share what I've been thinking.

When people sit down to try and tackle the troubles of the world, each discipline tends to see it in terms of its own solutions. Environmental problems need a scientific answer. Poverty needs an economic answer. But none of the problems vexing the world will ever be adequately resolved until we answer THE question, "Who owns the earth?" If the earth is ours, we will do as we please. We will manage our own little sector in terms of our own interests. But if the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, there are other implications.

Years ago an American tourist visited the famous Polish Rabbi Hafez Hayyim. The American was taken back when he saw that the Rabbi's home was a single room filled with books. The only furniture was a single table and bench. "Rabbi," he asked, "Where is your furniture?" "Where is yours?" Hafez replied. "Mine? I'm only a visitor here." "So am I," said the Rabbi. The earth is the Lord's. We are visitors passing through. The church is the Lord's. It's not ours to do with as we please. While we are part of it we are charged with the responsibility of making things happen in it.

God is not some absentee landlord who cares less about his property. God not only owns it, God is bound and determined to produce a harvest, and the rent we owe is the fruit which we produce. As tenants in this church, we are asked to have something to show for it. This is the theme of the parable of the talents we will look in a few weeks. In this parable, God gives away all that he has to his servants with the expectation that they will do something with it; not hold it in safe-keeping, not sit tight and guard what its got, but employ it, risk it, and produce something good for God.

I read about a multi-million dollar church that was being constructed somewhere out East. The dedication date had been set, but not all of the furnishings had arrived. The chancel was empty...no altar, no pulpit, nothing. But when the members gathered for the dedication, they discovered that someone had snuck into the building during the night and had painted a message on the chancel walls in big, black letters. It read, "Feed the poor. Stop the killing. Sincerely yours, Jesus Christ."

We have been placed in this vineyard called the church, and in Christs' absence we are to be about his business, singing songs for him, running errands for him, being faithful to him, looking after others for him, doing what he requires. I often offer a benediction which says what the Lord requires..."To do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God"...to walk humbly knowing who owns the ground beneath our feet; to live humbly, knowing that the gifts we have we didn't create and do not own; to serve humbly, knowing that the gifts we have were given, and can be taken away.

The good news is that the rent has been paid in full by Jesus' death. He calls us to follow and puts us in the church and says we must have fruits to show for it. He wants us to have a heart for others, he wants us to have a vision to pursue, and a mission to be acted upon. A mission...remember? To seek God's love, to celebrate God's love, to share God's love. We can say it easy enough. But are we doing it? This past week a group of us met to plan for the needs that require attention between now and when we have a second staff. I asked the committee what they have heard from the congregation concerning what needs attention. Someone said something that stopped us cold. They said, "I have heard more comments about how the cleaning service is doing the floors and restrooms than the program of the church." What does this say?

What does the Lord require of us...shiny floors, or a steadfast commitment to spiritual growth, a commitment to quality vital worship, sharing God's love and growing his church? When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do with the tenants?

I'm thinking of a story from a book by Runa Ware. I don't remember if I've shared it with you before, but a repeat is ok because it is very descriptive. She had given a detailed recipe for making crab meat casserole to a friend who loved the dish. Awhile later she was invited to the woman's house for a luncheon. She was greeted at the door, "Runa! Guess what? We're having your delicious casserole today." As they entered the dining room the hostess confided to making a few changes. Crab meat wasn't available, so she used a can of tuna. She didn't have time to make the delicate white sauce, so she used a can of cream of mushroom soup instead. The sherry and blanched almonds were omitted. Forgot to put them on the shopping list. Then as the hostess plunged the serving spoon into the steaming casserole, she said to her guests, "If this casserole isn't any good, don't blame me. It's Runa Wares's recipe."

The church is not ours. We can't do with it as we please and think that we are fulfilling our calling. We can't substitute lethargy for enthusiasm. We can't omit our responsibility and expect someone else to carry it. We can't neglect commitment to what is essential like teaching, worshiping, studying, and evangelizing, and still be a church. Jesus tells us that what we have, and what has been entrusted to us, can be taken from us. "I tell you," Jesus said, "the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to people who will produce the proper fruits."

I periodically do a reality check to see if I'm living too much in yesterday or tomorrow and not enough in today. Part of the check involves reminding myself that I am not indispensable. The truth is, God doesn't NEED you, either. God doesn't need us...but God does WANT us. He can use us to produce fruits that are fit for the Kingdom.

If I had lots of money, I would take you out to eat at a restaurant over on Brick Road in South Bend. It's called The Carriage House. It caters to clientele with very expensive taste, but it wasn't always a restaurant. Years ago it contained pews. The people didn't consume pate, but the bread and cup. It used to be a Dunkard Brethren Church. The church that met there no longer exists. It left and God carried on the ministry with another group of people.

Garrison Keillor tells the story of a Lutheran Church in the city that was very set in its ways. With the march of years came a steady decline in numbers, but a dogged determination to keep things as they were. In time, the church closed its doors and the stone gothic structure sat vacant. One day, an entrepreneur studied the vacant church and decided to convert it to a nightclub. The building was gutted, and elaborate high tech lighting was installed to illumine the large dance floor. The venture turned into a huge success. The place was packed every night.

Then one night an old couple walked in the door. They had attended the church years ago. From outside they heard the loud music and laughter. When they stepped in it didn't seem like a church service at all, at least not a Lutheran service. The man was blind, and the wife led her husband by the arm to a table. They were taking it all in when suddenly the old man jumped up and started jumping all around the dance floor. "What is it, honey? What's wrong?" "I can see! I can see!" There was something about the flashing strobe lights that had done something to him. When the manager was informed of it he suggested that no one say anything about it. He didn't want talk about a miracle taking place in his club. If it got out business might be hurt. But that same week a man who was deaf was there, and somehow the loud music did something to his inner ear and now he could hear. "I am healed! I am healed!" He cried, "I can hear!"

Well, as you would expect, word spread about this nightclub church, and over the protests of the manager, every night people with infirmities and maladies came to receive the healing power that was present in that place.

In this parable of the parable, the God who is determined to accomplish His purposes, took his portion away from a church and received a harvest in a most unlikely setting. The church that is not ours, this ministry which is upheld by God's spirit, but also necessarily by our commitment, our responsibility, our desire, and our devotion...this ministry has been entrusted to us. Can it be taken from us and given to people who will produce the proper fruits? By our actions we hold the answer.

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