The Phil Files

[This devotional thought and the previous one both deal with Luke 20. They were written about 18 hours apart. Both are true and applicable, but this second one doesn't let me off the hook. I make myself face some hard issues in the ministry of Jesus. I invite you along to take a look at yourself, too!]

Years have practice have made it easy for me to see myself in the role of those Jesus heals, helps, and makes whole. I even can sometimes admit that I am like the Lord’s dim-witted disciples – those closest followers who often say and do the dumbest things when trying to jockey for the best position among the twelve apostles. But, I don’t often see myself as one of those evil enemies of Jesus in the religious establishment. These snakes of hell slither all around Jesus’ ministry seeking to trap and trick Him so they can have “legal grounds” on which to arrest him. These hypocrites and abusers of all that is precious and holy are loathsome and reprehensible to me. So to even remotely entertain the idea that I could be one of them makes me nauseous. But the Lord’s confrontation of these snakes have a bite to them that I must hear. In Luke 20, my reading today, Jesus is in direct battle with these brutal opponents. He is trying to help His closest followers to see the truth. They are doing their best to trap Him and battle with Jesus over the basis of His authority. In the middle of the battles, Jesus tells a frightening parable about the Owner (God) of the Vineyard (God’s People) and the farmers (the religious leaders of Jesus day) who long to take control of the vineyard. These farmers abuse and mistreat all of the Owner’s messengers (the prophets), but when the Son comes, their motives are ultimately revealed!

//Inspiration: Luke 20:13-15a (ERV)
“The Owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do now? I will send my son. I love my son very much. Maybe the farmers will respect my son.’ When the farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the owner’s son. This vineyard be his. If we kill him, it will be ours.’ So the farmers threw the son out of the vineyard and killed him.”

//Incarnation:
How do I try to take possession of God’s vineyard? To put it in cornbread English, how do I try to throw out Jesus and make what he has taught into another religion I can manage and control for my own benefits? I know there are times when I want to re-label the truth of the Christ to make it easier for me and more beneficial for me. But the ugly truth is that I am like every other human: I don’t want to have to walk the way of the Cross and give my life to follow Jesus. Instead, I want to bend his truth to make me look good and to protect my position in the religious elite. This is what receiving grace is all about: honesty about where my heart will lead me if I don’t honestly confront my fears and selfishness and choose to follow the way of Christ! Instead of throwing Jesus out, I choose to go out to Him and share with Him in His shame so that I can also share with Him in a life that matters now … and for the ages to come (Hebrews 12:10-13)!

//Invitation:
O LORD God, Yahweh, the Keeper, Sustainer, and Owner of the Vineyard, your people, please help me see the vulnerabilities I have to try to co-opt the call of Jesus into something for my benefit and my religious position. Use your Holy Spirit to enlighten me and please give me the strength to lay these at the feet of Jesus and follow Him as Lord. It is in His name that I pray. Amen.