Yielding Wild Grapes: Prophet Margins Series

When I was in seminary, I was introduced to Chateau Elan Winery & Resort. This place well above my pay grade Spanning 3,500 acres of rolling hills and wooded forests, Chateau Elan reigns as North Georgia’s premier destination resort. A favorite for weekend getaways, corporate retreats, and everything in between, this sprawling property features stunning indoor and outdoor event spaces, multiple restaurants fine dining, professionally staffed golf and tennis clubs, a world-class spa, and more.

Oh, it is really nice visiting this place is like going to another country and being wrapped in luxury. When You set in the retirants’ they put the napkin in your lap and bring a little bowel to the table to wash your hands before you eat. And oh, how beautiful the grounds and the gardens and vineyards are all around the small villas you sleep in.

But who would pay $400 to $800 a night if the wine vineyards were run down and the building were moldy and trash was all over the place. I was watching the local news this week and they were showing this sister that went to the Myrtle beach for a girls retreat and the hotel room they were staying in was run down and she tweeted a video of the walls with the green mildew all over they place, she was so upset she would even take the video down to get her money back.

What is, is what should be: in other words what you claim to be is what you should be.

Vineyards are aesthetically beautiful places. They have beautiful greenery, well-manicured lawns, and rows of grapevines. They are exquisite and breathtaking. The rolling hills are marvelous to see.

In biblical days, a vineyard was a prized possession. They were well taken care of. It took a great deal to take care of them. There was always the nurturing of the grapes or whatever fruit was featured. This tending to the vineyard was all orchestrated for one thing: grapes—fresh, whole, round, perfect grapes. Workers in the vineyard were meticulous and detailed in their care.

However, God speaks of grapes gone wild. There is no excuse for wild grapes. They’ve been watered, given good shade to not be parched by the sun. They’ve been given the best environment for growth. So, it’s not adding up.

Why has God’s vineyard, a beautiful masterpiece, somehow led to the production of wild grapes?

These grapes in this song of Isaiah were not sufficient, healthy, or wholesome for their intended use.

This would not be the last time God was disappointed by fruit. You’ll recall Jesus while on a journey walked up to a fig tree that looked like it was ready for the picking, but it was not. Jesus was seemingly angry at the tree for false advertising. The tree was presenting an appearance that didn’t match its reality. This too was a lesson.

Today, our vineyards are buildings gardens, and sometimes even fields. For some of Us churches in some cases are Vineyards. Big Churches with Sanctuaries that have major lighting and technology packages and cafés and eateries to enjoy one’s sojourn there. The visuals can be breathtaking, and clearly the buildings are well-cared for.

These type of major ministries should have fruit that changes folk’s lives, these major vineyards of churches should have children’s ministries, senior ministries, houseless ministries, poverty ministries, health care ministries, and even Job growth development ministries.

But A lot of the time what we find is wild grapes. Many of times what the community finds in our modern day vineyards of Methodism is garbage Grapes. Let’s look at these Wild Grapes.

1. Wild grapes are basically sins with severe consequences. Bible commentator Matthew Henry writes, “Wild grapes are the fruits of the corrupt nature, fruit according to the crabstock (that’s pulled from anywhere), not according to the engrafted branch, from the root of bitterness. . . .

Wild grapes are hypocritical performances in religion, that look like grapes, but are sour or bitter, and are so far from being pleasing to God that they are provoking. . . . Counterfeit graces are wild grapes” (Commentary on the Whole Bible, p. 1,086). Counterfeit people are wild grapes, Fake Folks are wild Grapes.

All of Us, have known some wild grapes that showed up when you met them like they were grapes but after you got to know them, they were really sour and had no sweetness in them.

2. Wild Grapes and Grapes that hind in the darkness. For those who have experienced Discipleship in Jesus Christ, wild grapes are equivalent to the worthless deeds of our past: “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord.

So, live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.