5 October 2008
St. Athanasius Lutheran Church
Pentecost 21 Vienna, VA
“Faithful
Vines are Fruitful Vines”
Text:
Matthew 21:33-46; Philippians 3:4b-14
Grace, mercy, and peace
to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Therefore I tell you,
the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing
its fruits.
That is a rather
frightening line. Even moreso coming from the mouth of Jesus. It is a warning
we should take seriously. Our Lord expects fruit from His vineyard. There is no
idea here of once saved, always saved. If you are a vine that does not produce
fruit, you will not long remain in the kingdom of God.
If you are
uncomfortable, good. You’re supposed to be. The preaching of the Law is
supposed to make you squirm, because you don’t measure up.
But the truth is, you
may be uncomfortable for the wrong reason. For in looking at yourself just now,
and the fruits (or lack thereof) that you produce in your life, what did you
look at? If you’re like most people, you thought of and looked at good works. Am I doing all the good
works that God requires? And am I avoiding all the sinful things God prohibits?
Or in other words, am I a good enough
vine to remain in the kingdom of God?
If that’s what you were
thinking, then you know why the Pharisees got so upset with Jesus. Because they
were the good guys! They were the guys who kept the Law. They were the ones who
even went above and beyond the call of duty, and kept the Laws to the nth
degree! And so when they perceived that Jesus was speaking about them
in this parable, well, they got a bit upset. And they probably thought: Why are
you telling us this sermon, Jesus?
Why don’t you tell this sermon to those who really
need to hear it? To all those tax collectors and prostitutes you seem to like
to hang out with?
Many people today have
that same reaction. Maybe also you, if you weren’t uncomfortable before. For
perhaps you are a fine, upstanding citizen, who helps out at the local school,
pays your taxes, doesn’t cheat on your husband or wife, doesn’t gossip, works
hard and loves your family, never killed anyone, and even gives money back to
the cashier when she gives you the wrong change. And so when the Church
preaches that you are a sinner, maybe you get a little upset too, and think:
Preach it to those who really need to hear it, Pastor. We’re here. We’re okay.
It’s all good.
But is it? And are you?
And how do you know? Are you producing the fruits that God requires, or not?
And are you producing enough?
Well, if the fruits
that Jesus is speaking of here are good works, then you will never be able to
answer that question. Not with any certainty. Because there is always more good
that you could be doing, and more sin
that you should be avoiding. And so
you may assume you are good enough, or presume you are, or grade on a curve, or
try to be in the upper half of the goodness scale, but you will never really
know. You will never really know.
And so you will also
never know if God loves you. If He really does. If His love is based on your performance. You may assume He does,
or presume He does, but what about when you really screw up? What then?
But that’s not all. For
if the fruits that Jesus speaks of here are good works, then Christianity is
just like all the other religions in the world. Do good, or enough good, and
you’ll be okay; you’ll be in the kingdom of God. But if you are not good enough
. . .
But Christianity is not
like all the other religions in the world. And today’s parable tells us why.
Because God did what no other religion - which is based upon good works - would
ever even dream of: He sent His Son.
Didn’t that part of the parable today jar you? Sending servants is one thing -
but why would the owner send His Son? An executioner we could understand! Those
tenants had beaten and murdered His servants, time and again. But His Son? Why?
Why did He think they would respect
Him?
If God was just looking
for good works from us, then He could have stayed in heaven and thundered down
more of His Law. But in sending His Son, He showed us this is not what He is
about. He showed us that He is not a demanding God, but a giving God, a loving
God, a serving God. A God who loves us, His vineyard vines, so much, that He
would send His Son to suffer the miserable death that unfruitful
vines deserve. And interestingly, that is how that verse in the parable could
also be translated. Instead of rendering it: They will respect my son,
it could also be translated: They will put my son to shame. Which
is exactly what did happen, when just three days after Jesus told this
parable, the Chief Priests and Pharisees were crying out, We have no king but Caesar,
and watched with satisfaction as the Roman soldiers pounded the nails through
Jesus’ hands and feet, attaching Him to the cross, to hang in shame and
humiliation.
And yes, God knew it
would happen. They will put my Son to shame. That is why Jesus came. Because
Christianity is not first and foremost about our good works, but about this good work - God’s good work,
when on Good Friday God put the sin of the world on the back of His Son to make
a world gone bad good again. That Jesus be shamed instead of us. And that in
His shame be life for us. Life for us who are dead in our trespasses and sins.
And so the fruit that
God is looking for is not good works, but faith. Faith not in our good works,
but in His good work. Faith in His love and goodness and forgiveness. Faith in
His Son, Jesus. Faith that a God who would send His Son for a wretched
wretch like me loves me with a love I cannot begin to comprehend. But a
love which is most certainly true. A love which calls me to faith in Him, to
receive this marvelous work, done for me. For that is the highest and greatest
worship of God: not to do good for Him, but to believe in Him and receive His
good work. To repent and receive his forgiveness.
And so with this
parable today, Jesus is calling us not to first and foremost to good works, but
to faith. That the cornerstone of our lives be not what we do, but what He has
done. That what we do is fall over Him at the foot of the cross, be broken to
pieces in repentance, and be raised with Him to a new life. And raised we are! For still today
Jesus is coming among us and working, calling us to faith, removing our sins,
and raising us. And that work of forgiveness we will again receive here at this
altar today, as the fruit of Jesus’ good work, His cross work, is given to us
here - His true body and blood, placed into our mouths, to raise us and to change
us. That we be fruitful vines, faithful vines, good vines, His vines.
Now it is true, such a
faith will produce good works. How could it not? The love and forgiveness and
resurrection of Jesus that now lives in us will show in our lives. But it is not
on such good works that we rely, but on Jesus and His good work. Faith produces
good works from His good work. Faith receives its life from Him. For faith has
no life of its own, but lives only in the death and resurrection of Jesus. His
death and resurrection given to us here, as we are baptized, as we are
absolved, as we are fed.
This is the faith that
St. Paul spoke about today in Philippians. At one time he was one of those
Pharisees, zealous for the Law, who even considered himself blameless. But all
of his works were nothing compared to the glory of the work of Jesus for him.
And so he calls them all rubbish, trash, garbage, anything that he did before.
For he now has a righteousness that far exceeds that of the law - the
righteousness of Christ, that comes by faith. The righteousness of Christ in
the forgiveness of his sins. And so he is now what he was not before, and could not be before - a good and
fruitful vine in the kingdom of God.
And so it is with you.
And so with Paul we press on. In the good work of Christ. Living in Him and He
in us by grace through faith, until we too receive the upward call to life
eternal. And the voice that issues that call you will know, for it is the same
voice that calls you to faith, that calls you to repentance, and that calls you
to the table. The voice of your Good Shepherd who lived and died and now lives
eternally for you. Who came and died for you, that you may go and live with
Him.
So have no fear,
children of God! We need have no
fear. For your value comes not from what you do, but from what Your Saviour has
done for you. Remain in Him, in His love, in His forgiveness, in His Word, and
in His Sacraments. For faithful vines are fruitful vines, and as you live in
Him and He in you, what is said of Him will be said of you: You
are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased. (Mt
3:17; 17:5) Yes, with you God is well pleased! And pleased
to give you His kingdom, both now, and forevermore.
In the Name of the
Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Now the peace of God
which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in
Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.