Wine Tax

Most people don't like taxes. People don't like someone coming along to take what they think is rightfully theirs. It must have seemed like Jesus was doing this. He was possibly continuing his answer about where his authority comes from by reminding them, that their authority is from God, and that they haven't been acting that way.

He then began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.

"He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, 'They will respect my son.'

"But the tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

"What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Haven't you read this scripture: " 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

Then they looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away. -Mark 12:1-12

What a loud voice it would take to teach ourselves this lesson! I feel surrounded by voices shouting the message my sinful nature wants to hear. We live in a culture ( I can't personally speak for the rest of the world) that thinks of taking care of number one. The money we have is ours. The things we possess are ours. Extra money should be spent to make us extra happy. Even for someone who gives God a percent of his income, it is easy to fall into the trap of viewing everything else as mine. I like to be comfortable, and collect, and be entertained.

It feels revolutionary to consider making myself uncomfortable for the sake of giving back. Putting God's money to work for his will not mine feels scary and dangerous. It should not. I want to feel more at peace with it in his hands than mine.

And this section is not really even talking about money. I think we are the branches. We have been created and cultivated to grow fruit. It is part of the Father's plan that we should bear fruit for his kingdom--that we would grow to proclaim his righteousness (and all these things will be added unto us).

Thanks Jesus for being willing to suffer in the face of the teacher's sinfulness. It is reassuring to know that you came for their redemption. Help us to be better tenants as you have left us the vineyard. Let us bear fruit that will last.

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