2 the vineyard of the lord jesus the master teacher used various figures involving vineyards: the...

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THE VINEYARD OF THE LORD

Jesus the Master teacher used various figures involving vineyards: the parable of the laborers, a tale of two sons, a parable of wicked vinedressers and the metaphor of the vine and the branches.

Before we briefly analyze those figures, let us consider some basic principles.

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THE LAWS OF PROPAGATIONTHE LAWS OF PROPAGATION

First, there are the laws of propagation, which were established on the third day of creation week.

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Genesis 1:11-12Genesis 1:11-12

Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

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First, there are the laws of propagation, which were established on the third day of creation week.

Each original plant created by God contained its own seed, and each plant reproduced after its own kind.

Farmers and gardeners apply this science by sowing the seed of the plant they wish to reap.

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Vegetable life has only a passive role in its reproduction.

Meteorological and geologic forces [rain, wind, gravity] must be brought to bear for vegetation to reproduce after its own kind.

In some cases, animal intervention is also necessary [“the birds & the bees”].

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Second, we reap what we sow, both in the physical and spiritual realms.

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Galatians 6:7Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

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In the parable of the tares, Jesus pointed out that a man who sowed good seed in his field had an enemy who sowed tares, which appeared together with the wheat.

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Matthew 13:24-26Matthew 13:24-26

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared."

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Matthew 13:27Matthew 13:27

"So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'"

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"He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them."

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"Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."

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In the parable of the tares, Jesus pointed out that a man who sowed good seed in his field had an enemy who sowed tares, which appeared together with the wheat.

Tares were reaped because tares were sown.

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A third law that applies equally to physical and spiritual vineyards is that reaping is proportionate to sowing; the more you sow the more you reap.

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2 Corinthians 9:62 Corinthians 9:6

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

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SOWING FOR THE MASTERSOWING FOR THE MASTER

That which is sown in the spiritual realm is the word of God.

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Luke 8:11Luke 8:11

"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God."

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The soil in which the word of God is planted is human hearts.

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Luke 8:12Luke 8:12

"Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved."

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The soil in which the word of God is planted is human hearts.

This is not the physical heart, but the spiritual heart, consisting of the mind, the emotions, the conscience and the will.

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The word must be planted in the heart because obedience is “from the heart.”

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Romans 6:15-16Romans 6:15-16

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

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But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

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The word must be planted in the heart because obedience is “from the heart.”

Just as some soil is unsuitable for producing physical fruit, some hearts are unfit for producing spiritual fruit.

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"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside."

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Luke 8:12Luke 8:12

"Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved."

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The heart represented by the “way side” soil is slow to understand, giving Satan time to remove the word before he or she can “believe and be saved.”

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"But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles."

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Luke 8:13Luke 8:13

"But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away."

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"Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful."

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Luke 8:14Luke 8:14

"Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity."

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Those whose hearts were signified by “stony places” and “thorns” initially believe the gospel but do not endure unto the end, apparently because each fails to count the cost.

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Luke 14:25-27Luke 14:25-27

Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."

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Luke 14:28-30Luke 14:28-30

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it-- lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'"

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Luke 14:31Luke 14:31

"Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?"

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Luke 14:32-33Luke 14:32-33

"Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."

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One who has a good and honest heart, however, not only receives the gospel, initially, but also bears fruit with patience.

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"But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

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Luke 8:15Luke 8:15

"But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

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Having counted the cost of discipleship he is ready for the challenge presented by the various tribulations, persecutions, temptations, cares, riches and pleasures of life, rises to the challenge and overcomes.

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Revelation 2:7Revelation 2:7

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."

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"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."

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"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."

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"He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels."

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"He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name."

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"To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."

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The word of God, sown in the human heart, will produce only Christians.

Likewise, denominational doctrine will produce only a member of that particular denomination.

Methodist doctrine, for example, will never produce a Baptist, a Presbyterian, a Catholic or a Christian.

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Similarly, the word of God will never produce a member of a denomination.

The doctrines and commandments of men are necessary for that, but they will always and only result in vain worship.

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"And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."

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Similarly, the word of God will never produce a member of a denomination.

The doctrines and commandments of men are necessary for that, but they will always and only result in vain worship.

Religious groups planted by men will be destroyed by God.

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But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted."

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The child of God must be careful what he “sows to” in life.

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Galatians 6:8Galatians 6:8

"For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life."

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One sows to the Spirit by seeking “those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God” and by setting his “mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

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Colossians 3:1-2Colossians 3:1-2

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

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There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

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For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

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For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

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One sows to the Spirit by seeking “those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God” and by setting his “mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

In contrast, one sows to his flesh by nurturing a love of the world.

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1 John 2:15-171 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

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2 Timothy 4:9-102 Timothy 4:9-10

Be diligent to come to me quickly; for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica--Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.

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If we diligently sow the word of God in our own hearts, we will reap, not only an increase in our faith, but also the seven “Christian graces.”

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2 Peter 1:5-72 Peter 1:5-7

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

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2 Peter 1:8-92 Peter 1:8-9

For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

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If we diligently sow the word of God in our own hearts, we will reap, not only an increase in our faith, but also the seven “Christian graces.”

If these things abound in us we will receive an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom.

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2 Peter 1:10-112 Peter 1:10-11

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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FIGURES FROM THE VINEYARDFIGURES FROM THE VINEYARD

The parable of the laborers.

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"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard."

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"And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went."

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"Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'"

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In the parable of the laborers, Jesus is pointing out that it does not matter at what point in time one becomes a laborer; he will receive the same pay, which is illustrative of eternal life.

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The parable of the laborers. The tale of two sons.

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"But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.' He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went.

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"Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go.Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said to Him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you."

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"For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him"

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In the tale of two sons, Jesus shows that eventual actions are more important that initial intentions.

Though one might refuse to “go work” at first, he might afterward go.

And one who might have, at the outset, given lip service (“I go, sir”) might never begin to labor.

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The parable of the laborers. The tale of two sons.The parable of wicked vinedressers.

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"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."

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"Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another."

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"Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'

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"But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him."

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"Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?" 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."

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Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

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"Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it."

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FIGURES FROM THE VINEYARD

In the parable of wicked vinedressers, Jesus is warning the Jews who had rejected Him that the privilege of being the people of God was soon to be taken from them and given to others.

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The parable of the laborers. The tale of two sons.The parable of wicked vinedressers.The metaphor of the vine and the branches.

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John 15:1-3John 15:1-3

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you."

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John 15:4-5John 15:4-5

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

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John 15:6-8John 15:6-8

"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."

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FIGURES FROM THE VINEYARD

In the metaphor of “the vine and the branches,” Jesus points out that His disciples cannot accomplish anything of a spiritual nature apart from association with Him, and that those who try will be eternally separated from Him.

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SELF-EVALUATIONSELF-EVALUATION

Are you a branch on the true vine? As such, are you bringing forth fruit? Are you a laborer in the vineyard? Do you respect the Son of the landowner?

2 the vineyard of the lord jesus the master teacher used various figures involving vineyards: the...

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