(MATT. 21:33-4133Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. (Matthew 21:33‑41).)
JESUS had spoken to them the garble of the two sons, showing how the publicans and harlots entered the Kingdom of God, while they in their self-righteousness remained outside in unbelief, not only having rejected John the Baptist, but rejecting Jesus also. In the parable of the vineyard Jesus goes further, and shows how they would not only reject the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, but in their self-seeking and pride of heart would also put Him to death.
God had established Israel in a goodly land. Here was His vineyard; and those whom He had placed there to take care of His vineyard were responsible to render the fruits of the vineyard in their season. But they did not. God sent prophets to Israel, calling for the fruits, but they beat, and stoned, and killed the prophets. Last of all God sent His Son to Israel. And you know what they did with Him. They cast Himont of the vineyard and slew Him. They said, “This is the heir; come, let us kill Him and let us seize on His inheritance.” This gives the awful state in which the Jews were. They wanted to have their own, and to use God’s vineyard for their own self-interest and glory. They wanted to possess the inheritance for themselves and refuse all the claims of God. Oh! it was a terrible state. What would become of such wicked men? Those to whom Jesus spoke the parable said, “He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husband-men, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.” And this is just what was done. The Romans came and destroyed that guilty nation and the vineyard was let to the Gentiles.
Let me ask, Have you submitted to the claims of God? Are you rendering seasonable fruits to Him? If not, what better are you than the wicked people who cast the Son of God out of the vineyard?
Now, let me tell you, you cannot render acceptable fruits to God unless in your heart you have submitted to Him, and owned Jesus Christ His Son. The Jews showed their rebellion against God by rejecting and slaying His Son. You must show your submission to God by accepting His Son. And this is your responsibility at this very moment, as you read these lines, if you have not already done so. Oh! why God give you to submit. Why should you not? Is not God a God of love? Is not Jesus Christ a loving Saviour? Has not God given His Son? Has not Jesus given Himself? Has He not died for you that you might be forever blest? Oh! then why not submit to Him just now, and let Him save you? And then you can render the fruits to God.
ML 05/03/1903