The Landowner

³³ “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. ³⁴ Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.

Matthew 21:33-34

The parable of the landowner is probably one of the most violent and least masked parables of Jesus. It is a shocking truth of God’s people throughout history and how they violently mistreated God’s workers and his institution. In contrast, the landowner is seem as loving, meticulous and pure. The way he prepared the vineyard with everything it would need to prosper shows us how much God wants to improve and grow his church. His only apparent mistake is hiring others to take care. Those unfortunately represent us. He put the importance of his church in human hands and what was the result?

³⁵ And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. ³⁶ Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.

Matthew 21:35-36

The servants represent the prophets who went to God’s people to try and steer them to God, only to have them be killed and beaten. Prophets rarely are accepted even to this day. But the story gets worse when the landlord comes up with a new idea.

³⁷ Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ ³⁹ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Matthew 21:37-39

Here we have Jesus talking about himself. He knew what was in store for himself. He knew the evil that rested in men’s hearts, even those claiming to be sons of God. The son is killed outside of the vineyard just as Jesus is killed just outside of the city of Jerusalem. How painful must it have been for Jesus to tell this parable?

⁴⁰ “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” ⁴¹ They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

Matthew 21:40-41

And the story ends with the Jews condemning themselves. May we be different in our days…

God bless,

Pr. Steven Couto

The Fig Tree

¹⁸ Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. ¹⁹ And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.

Matthew 21:18-19

I love figs. It looks like Jesus liked them too. On one of his travels between towns he saw a fig tree in the distance and, being hungry, you can imagine a smile on his face as he walked towards it to eat. That smile quickly disappeared when he realized that while it had big beautiful leaves, it was void of any fruit.

Out of nowhere, that stricture angrier face of Jesus was shown. Not seeing any fruit, Jesus cursed the tree to never bear fruit again and it instantly withered away.

Jesus often used plants and farming in his parables. Often we are the plants in the story and the fruit is the fruit of the Spirit. In another parable, the farmer gave the fruit tree one more season to bear fruit. If it didn’t, he would cut it down. In this event however, Jesus makes the tree wither right away.

In this event, Jesus makes a different illustration however, possibly because of the questioning disciples.

²⁰ And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?” ²¹ So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. ²² And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Matthew 21:20

Instead of putting humanity as the plant, Jesus puts us in his shoes. If you have what I have, you will be able to do the same and even more than this. What an amazing promise from Jesus! And what is it that Jesus had that we too can have? Faith!

Whatever we ask in prayer with the condition of faith and believing can be a life changing part of your life. Throughout our lives we try and develop who we are, growing in knowledge, strength and character. Don’t forget faith. With faith in our God, all things are possible.

God bless,

Pr. Steven Couto

The Triumphal Entry

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. ³ And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

Matthew 21:1-3

The triumphal entry of Jesus is a very interesting part of Jesus’ ministry. It was prophesied in the Old Testament and so had to happen.

⁴ All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: ⁵ “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” ⁶ So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.

Matthew 21-4-7

What is strange about this story is the ending. People were excited. Everyone was ready for a new king but Jesus had very different plans.

⁸ And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!” ¹⁰ And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” ¹¹ So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Matthew 21:8-11

Just when everything seemed to be going right Jesus does something that no one expected. He created a whip with cords and began to drive out the animals from the Temple.

What was the purpose then of the entrance? It must be more than simply fulfilling a prophecy?

When I read it, I see God making it very clear what was in the hearts of his people. They were more than ready to get a new king and defeat Rome and take their place as rulers of the world. They were anxious for power and authority and to escape bondage. What they weren’t ready for was to clean up their spiritual lives. They wanted to continue in their halfhearted worship of God, worshiping in their own way and not His. Can we sometimes be thinking the same way?

God bless,

Pr. Steven Couto

Not One Lost

¹⁴ Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Matthew 18:10

At the end of the parable of the lost sheep we have this verse. God’s will is that not even one human should be lost. Unfortunately we know that will not be the case as many will purposely give up their salvation but it’s a loving message none the less. And it is with this contextual verse that we enter into a famous part about dealing with sinful members. Unfortunately most Bibles separate verse 10 from the next part with a title and people don’t read them together but they should. You see, it’s in the context that God wants to save everyone that he speaks about dealing with sinners or in other words, dealing with sinners should be done in a way that everyone should be saved. Dealing with sinners is not about cutting out the bad but saving the bad.

¹⁵ “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

Matthew 18:15

This verse makes it very clear that the goal is to save your brother. We should always remember that when dealing with these situations. This work is not about simply keeping the church ‘pure’ and ‘holy’ as is the case many times. That member makes us look bad so we should get rid of him. I’ve heard this many times even if not with these exact words. No, it is about helping someone who’s fallen from finding his footing with Christ again.

¹⁶ But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ ¹⁷ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

Matthew 18:16-17

Two important things can be learned from these verses. The first is that you should only elevate or grow the situation if nothing else can be done. Not every issue in a church should be spoken of in the front like a sermon. Private situations should remain just that and hopefully resolved in like manner.

The other thing is that separating someone from the church is an extreme and final solution only done if the person truly doesn’t repent or even acknowledge their problem. It should never be the first, second or even third choice but always the final extreme. With that said, sometimes it is needed to be done. When done however it is still with the hope and love of trying to bring the person back to God. We should never close a door for good. Remember, God wants that not even one should be lost.

God bless,

Pr. Steven Couto

Temple Tax

²⁴ When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?”

Matthew 17:24

There are a few stories in the Bible that are rarely used. Others are almost always told as a children’s story. This is one of those stories. The temple tax collectors asked Peter if Jesus paid his temple tax. Just so you know, this was neither tithe nor an offering that was being mentioned here. This was a tax that was created, and of which the Jewish priests were exempt from, which had to be given once a year. It was created during the rebuilding of Nehemiah and was probably supposed to be temporary as Israel was being rebuilt, the people were still enslaved and so regular tithes and offerings were probably not enough. By the time of Jesus, the Temple was flush with funds and there was no need for this tax but obviously the Jewish leaders would not pass up extra funds.

In verse 25, Peter answered, “Yes.” He did this of course without actually knowing or asking Jesus. He assumed or simply didn’t want his master to look bad and so answered with his own idea.

²⁵ And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?” ²⁶ Peter said to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free.

Matthew 17:25-26

As always, even though he wasn’t there to hear, Jesus knew what had transpired and he confronted Peter. The problem was obvious. If the Jewish priests and leaders didn’t have to pay the tax, why would the Son of God? What I love about this story is that, although he corrects Peter, he doesn’t blame or punish him. Instead he uses Peter to a miracle which also saved face for the entire ordeal.

²⁷ Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”

Matthew 17:27

I love how Jesus didn’t want to offend the tax collectors even though they obviously asked to offend Jesus. I also love how the coin was to pay for Jesus and Peter. Peter received a blessing even though he made a rash mistake. That is love and grace at work.

God bless,

Pr. Steven Couto