Properly Approaching (American)privilege-2 Series

PROPERLY APPROACHING (American)PRIVILEGE-II

—Matthew 21:33-46

OR:

A CHRISTIAN APPROACH To AMERICAN PRIVILEGE

Attention & Need:

Americans(& generally any nation which is free) are A Privileged & Proud Nation/People...But many Americans, including yourselves, may find your ‘privilege & pride’ are misplaced--or--centered on illegitimate sources.

Characters/Representations in the parable:

Landowner—God

Vineyard—Israel as the focus of God’s attentions & love(& thus also speaks to the Church)

Wall—Ownership/Separation/Protection

Wine Press—Anticipation of fruitfulness/A return

Tower—Concern/Protection

Vine-growers—Spiritual Leaders/Nurture

Slaves—Prophets(Apostles & speaks to(?Preachers/Teachers?)

Son—Son of God/Jesus

Thru this parable, Jesus highlighted/clarified a proper approach to an God-ordained privilege.

There is a Proper(Christian) Approach to (American)Privilege.

What is a Proper/Christian Approach to (American)Privilege?

Or

How should America approach her God-ordained privilege?

9 approaches to American privilege.

We have previously discovered that we must

Approach our (American)privilege with...

1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT(:33a)

Furthermore, you must...

2—Approach your (American)privilege with...

RELIABILITY/Trustworthiness(:33b)

Explanation:(:33b)Entrust/Refreshment

:33b—“...And he leased it to vinedressers & went into a far country.”

The “Landowner” “plants” with the expectation & anticipation of a harvest.

The “Landowner” has expectations of the vine’s production.

The vineyard obviously requires specific care & attention.

*The “Landowner” “leased”/let out/rented or otherwise entrusted the “vineyard” to “vine-growers”/husbandmen/farmers.

*These “vine-growers” represent Israel’s Chief priests & Elders, i.e. their spiritual leadership. These are charged with tending the vines & vineyard. They are charged with encouraging fruit production from the “vineyard.”

These spiritual leaders are NOT the prophets, who are represented by the servants(:34-36)! But they are absolutely answerable to the message of the prophets & particularly the (S)son(:37). Their message is the same & comes directly & indirectly from God.

The “Landowner” “leases” the “vineyard” to those who have expertise in appropriately handling the vineyard & it’s produce. They were expected to be proficient at maintaining the “vineyard’s” health & coaxing it’s full fruitfulness.

They were specifically ‘called’ to the task(“lease”).

“The ‘lease’ allowed three forms: 1)Money-rent, 2)A proportion of the crop, or 3)A definite amount of the produce whether it was a good or bad year. Probably the last form is that contemplated here.”—RWP

They obviously were expected to be concerned with such a task. They were blessed & thus privileged to be such.

*After having established His “vineyard” & it’s care, the “Landowner” went on a journey away from his public & land, so that he was physically absent.

He had business to take care of & was comfortable that he had left his concerns/matters/obligations(2Tim. 2:11-13) in good hands.

2Tim. 2:11-13—“This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”

“Leased/Let...Out/Rented...out”—ekdidwmi—Verb—1) To give out of one's house, power, hand, stores; 2) To give out, give up, give over; 3) To let out for hire; 4) To farm out; 5) To let out for one's advantage. Strong—To give forth, i.e. specially--To lease. Used 4X.

“Vinedressers/Vine-growers”(See :34, 35, 38, 40, 41)—gewrgov—Noun Masc.—1) A husbandman, tiller of the soil, a vine dresser. Strong—A land-worker, i.e. Farmer. Used 19X.

From—gh—1) Arable land; 2) The ground, the earth as a standing place; 3) The main land as opposed to the sea or water; 4) The earth as a whole; 5) A country, land enclosed within fixed boundaries, a tract of land, territory, region. Strong— soil; by extension--A region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe.—& the base of—ergon—1) Business, employment, that which any one is occupied; 2) Any product whatever, any thing accomplished by hand, art, industry, or mind; 3) An act, deed, thing done: The idea of working is emphasized in opposition to that which is less than work. Strong—from a primary(but obsolete) ergw(to work); Toil(as an effort or occupation); by implication--An act.

*“Went into a Far Country/Went on a Journey”—apodhmew—Verb—1) To go away into foreign parts, go abroad. Strong—To go abroad, i.e. Visit a foreign land. Used 6X.

Lit.=‘Off from (his)public’

From—apo—1) Of separation; 2) Of origin—2a) Of the place whence anything is, comes, befalls, is taken, 2b) Of origin of a cause. Strong—a primary particle; “Off,” i.e. Away(from something near), in various senses(of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative).—&—dhmov—The public(as bound together socially).

Argumentation:

1Sam. 29:1-7—“Then the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek, & the Israelites encamped by a fountain which is in Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines passed in review by hundreds & by thousands, but David & his men passed in review at the rear with Achish. Then the princes of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years? And to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me.” But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; so the princes of the Philistines said to him, “Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him, & do not let him go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become our adversary. For with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads of these men? “Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?” Then Achish called David & said to him, “Surely, as the LORD lives, you have been upright, & your going out & your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the lords do not favor you. Therefore return now, & go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.”