He lent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their season. Mt 21:41b

Jesus had various reasons for doing so much of His teaching by way of parables. In some instances, it was to hide the true meaning from those who were immature and undiscerning. He must have had the latter in mind when He told this parable of “The Gracious Master” (also known as “The Wicked Tenants.”) 

It was during His last week upon this earth. The ever- increasing hostility of the religious authorities was about to culminate in His execution. Our Lord, in very picturesque language, levels with His disciples, and there is little doubt that some of them understood full well His meaning.

The parable points up the responsibility of our nation and our church before our Creator and God. Our greatest concern, however, is what He may be saying about us as individuals about our responsibility as His followers. 

As the Master of the parable sent his son into the vineyard, so Christ is in our midst. And His presence demands a response. We are not as neglectful as were the tenants of this parable; we sing hymns, spell out our creeds, make the elaborate motions of worship, and are respectfully aware of altar and cross. 

But what does Jesus find in our hearts? He does not find the hatred of the parable-tenants, but He might find something just as insidious – preoccupation, procrastination, neglect to fully embrace Christ and His life- style, unwillingness to give Him prior devotion or to dedicate our lives to working within His vineyard and living out His purposes in our day-to-day activities because of the discomfort or inconvenience or personal sacrifice this may entail.

May the Lord break through the dominion of sin and self-centeredness in our lives and make us a vineyard that will yield fruit to God’s glory and toward the salvation of others.