This is sermon number three in a four part sermon series I have called Judgment Day. We are looking at four judgment parables. These are things Jesus wants you to know as we anticipate the end. To date the Master has made two important points. We are to die in grace but we are to live in faith. Today, Jesus tells us something about our final judge, God. We find ourselves today once again in the twenty-first chapter of Matthew. However, this week we hear verses thirty-three through forty-six. It is the parable of the wicked tenants. Let me call this message Standing Before the Judge. May God give you ears to hear.

Matthew 21:33-46 33"Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. 34When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. 35"The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37Last of all, he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said. 38"But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.' 39So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40"Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" 41"He will bring those wretches to a wretched end," they replied, "and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time." 42Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: " 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? 43"Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

Four stories have grab my attention lately. Each one evoked an emotional reaction. Perhaps, they have grabbed your attention too?

The first is involves Mark Aaron Brown. His last meal was a t-bone steak and some ice cream. He offered no final words when he was executed in Lucasville on Thursday. He was convicted of murdering a Youngstown shop owner in 1994. His last visitors were his brother and his spiritual adviser. A judge sentenced him to die.

The second story involved Marie Poling. She killed her husband, Richard, and dismembered him in 1988. On Wednesday she applied for parole for a second time. That request was denied. A judge originally sentenced her to serve twenty-three years to life.

The third story involved Jamar Houser. In October he had been arrested for firing a gun into a home. His bail was set at $500,00 but was lowered to $20,000. He came up with the required $2,000 and was set free. He was liberated but he didn’t use his freedom wisely. The police arrested the eighteen year old because they believe he shot an 80 year old parishioner in St. Dominic’s parking lot. I think it is safe to say the area is still struggling with this crime. This time the judge set his bail at $3 million. Jamar Houser is spending this Sunday morning behind bars.

Did those stories grab your attention? Did they evoke an emotional reaction? In each story an individual stood before a judge to be judged. Mr. Brown, Ms. Poling and Mr. Houser stood before a judge and had some past activity evaluated. When you stand before a judge you must be painfully aware that your future is in their hands. In the past they had control of their actions but their future will be determined by a judge.

I told you in the opening words, 80% of all Americans, both believers and none believers, believe that judgment day is coming. Do you believe judgment day is coming? On judgment day you will stand before the eternal judge and be held accountable for your life. I believe we will be judged on what we have done and what we should have done. The question that mankind has been asking from the very beginning is what kind of judge will God be? Will he judge us with kindness and compassion? Or will be judge us like one of those election day judges, who is tough in crime? The answer to that question rests in this morning’s judgment parable. Let us look at it together.

We find ourselves today in the twenty-first chapter of Matthew, verses thirty-three through forty-six. There is nothing really usual in the story. It was a common sight in Jesus’ day. According to the story a landowner takes a piece of land and plants a vineyard. Around the plants be places a thick hedge to keep out wild boars and thieves. In the vineyard is places a wind press. The landowner went away and rented his vineyard to others. Palestine was a harsh barren place and those that could leave did. An agreement was always made between the landowner and the tenant farmers. You could pay in cash, you pay in a certain amount of the crop at harvest or you could pay by giving a certain percentage of the harvest. Regardless, the tenant farmers are reluctant to pay when the time came. The landowner sends various individuals to collect. Each one meets his own demise. Look at the text with me. Verse 35 says they beat, killed and stoned three different servants. Verse 36 says he sent other servants but they were treated the same way. Finally, in verse 37 he sends his son, assuming they will respect him. Never assume anything in life. When the son goes to collect, they kill him too. Verses 40 and 41 say, finally, the landowner himself will go to collect the rent. I like the way the scripture says he, “he will give them a dreaded end” and will expel the tenant farmers and rent to some else.

What does the parable mean? To Jesus’ generation the point is crystal clear. They understood the vineyard to be Israel, herself. (Isaiah 5:7) The wicked tenants were the orthodox leaders of the faith. To our generation it tells us something about the very nature or quality of God. You maybe interested in those qualities sense someday you will stand before God, our eternal judge. There are three strong themes that come from this parable. So if you are to begin say, “Amen!”

God’s Generosity

According to the parable God is generous. What does the parable say? The landowner gave the tenant farmers everything they needed to make it work. He has had the plants planted. He placed a hedge around the plants to protect them from man and beast. We even gave them a wine press to extract the juice. If the farm failed, there is no one to blame but the farmer. The landowner was generous, God is generous.

On Wednesday afternoon at met with the Canfield Ministerial Association. It was the usual cast of characters from the community. I ordered a bowl of wedding soup. I looked forward to seeing my friend Father Terry Hazel from St. Michael’s. I wanted to hear what he had to say about Haiti. Like many of us have had a relationship with Russia, St. Michael’s has a relationship with Haiti. They sponsor a school in that country. I was glad to hear the school was only physically damaged. No one died in the earthquake. Terry talked about Haiti. He talked about their past and their challenges. He ended by saying, “They will survive! The news he making a big deal about a lack of clean water and food. There hasn’t been a lack of clean water and food in Haiti for generations. The only difference is the world can‘t ignore their problems now.” When he said those words, I was finishing up my bowl of wedding soup. Can I be honest with you? That wedding soup never tasted better. I thought about people who have nothing and I thought about all I have.

God has been generous to each and every one of us. I don’t know why God gives more to some and less to others. Someday I want to get that question answered. Was it just by chance that we were born here? However, I do know that God has been good to me. And I know that God has been good to you. Can anyone here debate the fact that God is generous? If you are able to recognize God’s generosity in your life in both your possessions and in your relationships say, “Amen!”

God’s Trust

According to the parable God is trusting. What does the parable say? It says the landowner went away. He didn’t stand over the tenant farmers supervising every action, like a police state. He says he went away and gave the farmers the freedom to do their work on their own terms. The landowner trusted them. God gives us the freedom to live as we wish. Trusting that we will live in a way that is pleasing to him. God is trusting.

The George Gallop group has generated some interesting facts through the years. I find these to be eye opening.

1. 76% of all unchurched Americans believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ and that he was resurrected from the dead.

2. 62% of all Americans believe Jesus will return someday.

3. 50% of all Americans believe in creationism

4. 37% of all Americans believe the Bible to be the actual word of God.

5. 67% of American church goers believe homosexuals cannot be a good Christian or Jew.

6. 67% all Americans think their chances of going to heaven are "good."

We spend a great deal of time talking about what we believe. We spend very little time talking about what God’s believes. Never forget this: God believes in you! God is trusting. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

God’s Patience

According to the parable God is patient. What does the parable say? It doesn’t say he came at once and treated the tenant farmers harshly. It says that he first sent servants to collect the rent. As a matter of fact, he sent multiple servants to collect the rent. Giving them one more chance, he finally sent his son but the outcome was the same. Finally, after all the other options are exhausted, he came himself and dealt with the problem. God is patient.

Why is God so patient? The answer is simple. He wants to give everyone the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Because he wants to spend eternity with all of his children. God wants to spend eternity with you. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

The forth story that grabbed my attention involved the Americans, who were charged with kidnapping in Haiti. They thought they were helping orphans by taking them to the Dominican Republic. I believe they were very sincere but they forgot they were visitors in a foreign country. You follow their laws. They were arrested and their futures are in the hands of a Haitian judge. How would you feel if you were in their shoes?