The King's Son

The King's Son

Easter or Resurrection Sunday. That is what we are here to celebrate today. However, I think it is essential that before we talk about what took place on this Sunday we need to back up to the Tuesday before and listen to an exchange that Jesus has in Temple. He walks into the place of worship and tells several stories to the religious leaders there. Here is one of the stories He tells. This story will lead to an important question that must be answered by the religious leaders of that day. Their answer informs us.

Luke 20:9-16 (NIV)

?He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out. “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’ “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”

Jesus, on the Tuesday before His death on the cross, is telling the folks in the Temple what was about to happen to Him. He states that a vineyard owner would try to reach the people who rented his farm to receive payment. These people would mistreat and beat up each of the representatives the owner sent until finally he decides to send his son. The landlord believes and is certain that the tenants would respect and treat his son differently. But shockingly, he discovers that instead of just mistreating the son they reject him and kill him. Jesus then asks an interesting question that has implications for us on this Easter Sunday. He asks, “What will the owner do when this happens?” The people in the Temple know how the owner in the story will respond. They reply, “The owner will come and kill the tenants”.

This story that Jesus told is about Him but, it is also about us. How is it about us? Isn't it true that so often, too often, we act like these tenants. We think we can run our business better than the King. We think we can be more fruitful and successful if we do life on our own. Our own plans, our own life, our own way. And just like the tenants we mistreat The representative of all representatives. The King, trying to get through to us sends a chip off the old block. One in His likeness, authority, and power. The King sends His son. And like the tenants in the story, we not only mistreat the Son, we also reject Him. Is this what you have done with Jesus? Have you thrown Him out? Dismissed Him? Ignored Him? Rejected Him?

We may not have been present on Good Friday, but I submit to you that when we reject Him, we are sending Him to His death. And so, the same question must be asked again. What should the King’s response be?

The religious leaders knew the proper response from the landowner when his son was rejected. Shouldn't the correct answer they gave be the same and the just response from the King when we reject His Son? He should punish us. Capital punishment. That would be right. The King's son mishandled. Rejected. Crucified. Dead. We should bear the consequences of that. We should be held accountable for that and no grace should be offered. But here is the plot twist. Instead of punishing us The King's Son takes our punishment. It is the surprise ending which we call Easter. This is why the Easter story is the most important moment in history for us.

Luke 24:1-6?On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!