Christmas 2007Christmas 2007

He went on to tell the people this He went on to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a parable: "A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long farmers and went away for a long time. time.

At harvest time he sent a servant to At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed…him away empty-handed…

He sent another servant, but that He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and third, and they wounded him and threw him out. Then the owner of threw him out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect love; perhaps they will respect him…’him…’

But when the tenants saw But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter him, they talked the matter over. 'This is the heir,' they over. 'This is the heir,' they said. 'Let's kill him, and the said. 'Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So inheritance will be ours.' So they threw him out of the they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him…vineyard and killed him…

What then will the owner of What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those will come and kill those tenants and give the tenants and give the vineyard to others.vineyard to others.

When the people heard this, When the people heard this, they said, ‘May this never they said, ‘May this never be!’be!’

Jesus looked directly at them Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is meaning of that which is written: “The stone the written: “The stone the builders rejected has become builders rejected has become the capstone”? Everyone who the capstone”? Everyone who falls on that stone will be falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be whom it falls will be crushed…”crushed…”

Jesus looked directly at them and Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written: meaning of that which is written: "'The stone the builders rejected "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone'? has become the capstone'? Everyone who falls on that stone Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed." on whom it falls will be crushed."

The teachers of the law and the The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, arrest him immediately, because they knew he had because they knew he had spoken this parable against spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of them. But they were afraid of the people the people

- Luke 20:9-19 - Luke 20:9-19

The story behind the story of The story behind the story of ChristmasChristmas:

From the beginning, God’s From the beginning, God’s overwhelming desire has been overwhelming desire has been for for relationshiprelationship with his creation with his creation

We were We were formedformed for for fellowshipfellowship with Godwith God

The bible is the story of God The bible is the story of God reaching outreaching out and humankind and humankind resisting and fighting him resisting and fighting him

God reaches out, we reject God reaches out, we reject him. God reaches out again him. God reaches out again

So how did God react to So how did God react to continual rejection by the continual rejection by the people he loved? people he loved?

He responded by He responded by sendingsending his his Son: the first Christmas!Son: the first Christmas!

The story behind Christmas is this: The story behind Christmas is this: God said, “Nothing else has God said, “Nothing else has worked. I’m not ready to give up worked. I’m not ready to give up yet. Maybe they’ll listen to my yet. Maybe they’ll listen to my Son. Maybe they’ll recognize his Son. Maybe they’ll recognize his authority”authority”

Christmas is all about the Christmas is all about the awesome awesome patiencepatience and and lovelove of of God for those who oppose himGod for those who oppose him

This is how God showed his This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the one and only Son into the world that we might live world that we might live through him. This is love: not through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our an atoning sacrifice for our sins sins - - 1 John 4:9-101 John 4:9-10

"Showed his love"- to reveal "Showed his love"- to reveal something that was something that was previously previously hiddenhidden. That's . That's what Christmas is about- it's what Christmas is about- it's the the unveilingunveiling of God's heart of God's heart

God sent us his God sent us his bestbest. There's . There's no oneno one left to send after left to send after JesusJesus