Narrabri Anglican Church Narrabri Anglican Church

This is the third of three parables that Jesus teaches on His second day in Jerusalem.

The first two very clearly confront the religious leaders of Israel (God’s mob) with this question:

‘What have you done with the beautiful thing
that the Lord has done?’ (Matt.21:42).

And the religious leaders are condemned by Jesus’ words – they have rejected Jesus, and they are judged.

This third parable makes the same point – but then turns to God’s mob (the disciples and those they will bring in), and warns them from the example of the religious leadership: to be in the kingdom of God, to be dependent, is to live as someone in the kingdom of God, dependent upon Jesus. To be in the kingdom is to live in the kingdom!

This is a very serious, but encouraging, warning to God’s mob. Anyone can be welcomed into the kingdom of God, through Jesus – but this will not, and should not, leave you unchanged!

Jesus is still in the temple following on from last week’s authority question from the chief priests and elders. In response to the weak non-answer, Jesus tells them two parables about vineyards to expose their lack of dependence on God, the vineyard owner. Unlike other parables which Jesus had to explain, there is no need for explanation here. Everyone knew what He meant.

In the first parable the insiders (2nd son) were not being obedient and so were judged. The judgement was that the outsiders (1st son) who repented and obeyed, were entering the kingdom before them.

In the second parable we see Israel’s history in a few sentences. God planted a vineyart (Israel), and it, or its tenants, didn’t live how they should have. Servants (prophets) were sent but were ignored at best, but mostly killed. He sent his beloved sone and they killed him as well. In judgement, the vineyard owner will remove the insider tenants and bring the outsiders in to do the job that the leaders of Israel weren’t doing.

Jesus is the stone thrown to the discard pile by Israel, but God has made Him the cornerstone. We reject Him at our peril.

Jesus is returning to Jerusalem for the second day. Jesus is hungry – he is human. Jesus sees fig tree – but, despite its leaves, it has no fruit. Jesus curses the fig tree. Jesus is God, taking on the divine role of pronouncing judgement.

This brief episode is a living example of the judgement brought by the king of God’s people returning to his mob: they have become independent, insiders not aligned with the desire of God for the outsider. They are unfruitful, and they are judged.

God’s mob, however, have true fruitfulness when they recognise the authority of the king, and completely and totally depend upon him. Such dependency will change the world, because of the one they depend upon!

Jesus has finally made it to Jerusalem. As Matthew prepares us for His entry into Jerusalem, he helps us confront Jesus’ authority, and the way in which it restores the concern of God for the outsider, and confronts the insider.

This is the start of the Passover week. Jerusalem is a roiling maelstrom of religious and political fervour. And Matthew organises the narrative of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem around displays of His authority, rooted in recognition of His ‘old power’ – four Old Testament quotations structure the passage.

As we come face-to-face with Jesus’ authority, three truths stand out. First, Jesus’ authority is extensive and all-encompassing. Second, Jesus’ authority is for the outsider, and rooted in God’s deep commitment to bring the outsider inside His kingdom. And, third, Jesus authority confronts the insider, and urges them to repentance.

Come and meet Jesus, the King, in all His authority, as He enters Jerusalem!

What is greatness? In particular, what is greatness in the kingdom of God?

That is the question addressed in the passage from Matthew today.

Jesus is approached by two different groups. First, the family of Zebedee: James and John and their mother. Second, two blind men. Jesus asks both groups the same question “What do you want me to do for you?” What they request is quite revealing. And so is Jesus’ response to their requests.

The Zebedees request position, status, reward for effort. The blind men request mercy, for their eyes to be open.

Which request lines up with Jesus’ teaching previously? Which request do we tend to go to ourselves?

The Department of Home Affairs has an Australian Values Statement on its website. Visa applicants for residency/citizenship must sign this. And one of its key principles is that we are a ‘fair-go’ country.

We would all agree with that. I suspect, too, that we would summarise our ‘fair go’ culture by stating that ‘you get what you deserve/what you work for’. In fact, many of us have established our relational, social and work ethics on this very principle.

But is that what the ‘kingdom of heaven is like’? What is its value statement? What is the hallmark of such a kingdom, and its ruler, even its citizenship?

Today, after Jesus has assured his disciples that the dependent will be provided for by their king, he now uses the same ideas to issue with them a warning not to abuse, misuse, ignore or become entitled in the face of the kingdom of heaven hallmark—which is grace.