Pentecost 18 Year A
Donna Joy

Psalm 19, Matthew 21:33-46

In our readings this morning we discover a God whose love knows no bounds. A God who creates this glorious universe in which we live – literally – gives us the moon, then puts everything in place to help us partner with him in taking care of this extraordinary gift of creation.

Our psalm points out that God is revealed through the sheer magnitude of creation; capable of abundant creative and life-giving power. (Magnificent sun sets, sun rises; deep blue oceans with sea life dwelling beneath; rich gardens producing food to nurture our bodies)… all this, and so much more, serve as reminders of God’s creative and life-giving power, pointing to a God who cares deeply for both creature and creation. From the rich variety of life forms, and the ingenious way the whole created order supports this life (with our help), we realize that God is a great nurturing presence.

Now that said, as we accept and enjoy this, we are called to partner with God in caring for this extraordinary gift of creation. The keynote of Israel’s relationship with God is to live faithfully according to his expectations… laid out clearly in the Ten Commandments, and fulfilled in Jesus. (Since brevity works best with a Zoom format, we have been eliminating our first O.T. reading since March. But IF we had been including this today, we would have heard a reading from Exodus 20, where Moses receives the Ten Commandments.) Throughout their journey through the wilderness the Israelite people had been behaving in ways that were harmful to God, to Moses their leader, and to each other. Through their hardships in the wilderness they complained bitterly; they became so focused on their discontent that they lost sight of God’s bigger plan, which was to lead them into the Promised land. During this time of hardship they were self-absorbed, petty, and mean spirited. So this is the context in which the law is revealed to Moses and given to the people; the law was given as a way of creating order in the midst of the chaos.

In the midst of the chaos of this world in which we live (through such hardships as we’re currently experiencing with COVID-19) God's character is one of order, mercy, care and concern; abundant and generous love made known to us through the giving of this law. The commandments revealed to Moses are firm, clear and concise. Although several begin with the words 'You shall not . . .' their effect is actually quite positive and liberating. God wants us to live in relationship with Him; to live well and faithfully with each other and the world in which we live.

But the next reasonable question is, how does God respond when we fail to live according to the laws revealed to Moses and given to the people. Human sin is inevitable. Our baptismal covenant asks what we plan to do 'when' we sin, not 'if' we sin; and the assumption here, of course, is that it is inevitable. This is where our Gospel enters into the equation, because in and through Jesus, we discover a God who responds to our sin through both judgment AND mercy all rolled into one package. This is what we discover in our parable this morning, which points out how Jesus has revealed the character of God in an even more profound way. This parable raises the terrifying notion of judgement; God’s judgement on humankind – what is God's response when we fail to live faithfully according to the law? But as the story unfolds it becomes clear that in Jesus judgement and mercy are seen as one unified whole.

This is a story that conveys the character of God as it is fulfilled/embodied in Jesus. It is the story of a man who planted a vineyard and leased it to tenants. When the harvest was ready he sent his slaves to collect it, but the tenants, “seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.” The second time he sent a few more slaves, but the tenants treated them in the same way. The third refusal was particularly serious because the messenger was his son and the tenants, “…they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.” So, when Jesus asked his disciples what the land owner will do to these badly behaved tenants, they respond, “he will come, destroy the tenants, & give the vineyard to others.

Now, if we were to retell this parable theologically, it would sound something like this: (1) God carefully prepared the earth and all its beauty as described in this morning's psalm, (the ultimate vineyard) and entrusted it to human beings; (2) God stayed in relationship with humanity, though they consistently refused to live faithfully according to the laws set out for them. But God never gives up on humanity; God continued to send authorized representatives, the Prophets, despite extraordinary hostility and opposition. Finally, God sent his son with the expectation that humankind would recognize his rightful authority. But now humankind acted even more disrespectfully toward God by rejecting and killing God’s own son.

From a human point of view we might expect God to respond according to the expectations of the disciples: to kill rebellious humanity and make a brand new start. Yet listen to the strange words of Jesus, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes.” In other words, God has used the rejection of Jesus to become the cornerstone for a whole new humanity. God does not resort to simple, reasonable revenge; God’s ways are not our ways. God took the very one rejected by humankind and through the power of the resurrection exalted him in a most amazing way.

And here’s the clincher: As God judges the rejection of the son unacceptable, God acts to both vindicate the son and offer a new beginning to all humanity, even those who killed his son. This is the purpose of the resurrection. We are told in this parable that the kingdom will be given to all those who produce the fruits of the kingdom. What is not explicitly stated here is that the invitation is open to everyone, even those who killed the son. Karl Barth said that we are judged by Christ’s resurrection as much as by his cross. The resurrection (new abundant life) is God’s final “verdict” upon our sin. God “judges the world with the aim of saving it.”

On Easter evening the Risen Christ returns to his disciples where they huddle behind locked doors, filled with fear. They have every reason to be afraid after the way they denied and deserted Jesus when the soldiers came to take him away. Yet the Risen Christ, rather than condemning them for betraying and deserting him, breathes on them, filling them with the Holy Spirit, commissioning and empowering them to continue his work. Christ’s death on the cross, in and of itself, is a judgement on all who aggressively put him there as well as those who passively did nothing to stop it. But it is important to focus on Barth’s teaching here, “… we are judged by Christ’s resurrection as much as by his cross.” Rather than sentencing us to death, this judgement offers new hope and new life.

Christ’s judgement is not about writing people off; it is about drawing people in, giving people new hope and new beginnings over and over again. This judgement translates into good news. Very good news. Christ sees each and every one of us in our sinfulness and our weakness, passes judgement on each of us, but sentences us to a new and better tomorrow. Each and every one of us knows what it is to sin.... (selfishness; greed; gossip; animosity toward others…) As we look and recognize this sinfulness within ourselves, we stand before God our judge. We stand before God who has sent his son, Jesus, to judge us with mercy. Christ sees each and every one of us in our sinfulness and our weakness, passes judgement on each of us, but sentences us to a new and better tomorrow.

We must never forget that this gift comes with tremendous responsibility: Certainly a responsibility to turn our lives around and live more faithfully, AND, as we receive this astonishing gift of unconditional love and mercy, we are called to become channels through which this brand of love is made known to others. As we have been judged with mercy, so must we share that gift generously with others. Amen.