"Tight lines" is a blessing fishermen offer each other, a wish for lines taut with the weight of good fish. May God grant that the lines written here be taut with His blessings.
Wednesday, 01 October 2008 | |||
|
Foreclosure | |||
|
The bank doesn't want your house. As the failures of Sallie
Mae and Freddie Mac have shown us, banks really don't want your
house. Foreclosure is a disaster not just for the borrower but for the
lender. Banks do well by loaning money to responsible borrowers who are
faithful in making payments. Foreclosures are money-losers for the bank,
especially in a down real-estate market. Matthew 21:33-46, the parable of the wicked tenants, shows that God also is not keen on foreclosure. Prior to the dire consequence called for by the Jewish leaders themselves in verse 41, the landowner tries very hard to bring his lazy tenants around. In Matthew the story has two sendings of servants, then the son. In Mark's version there are no less than four sendings before the son is dispatched (pun intended). The landowner represents God's constant struggle to bring His people to repentance. The Old Testament is the record of the continual sending of His messengers and their frequent ill-treatment at the hands of His people. This parable should not be read as a story of the handing over of God's blessing from Jews to Gentiles. That interpretation would take it out of its context as a polemic against the Jewish leaders to whom Jesus was talking. It's a story aimed at those among Jews who, in the same spirit as those who rejected the prophets, now reject Jesus, God's Son. Those receiving the kingdom at that point are still Jews. We can see two things in this parable for us as Christians. The first is the amazing perseverance of God in His efforts to redeem us. He spares nothing, including His own Son. The second is a warning about our own Christian responsibility as stewards of the kingdom. I'm not sure what the meaning for us is of the threat to take the kingdom away in verse 43, but there is certainly a strong expectation that we are to bear fruit. | |||
|
Profile |
I am the pastor of Valley Covenant Church in Eugene, Oregon. I love to flyfish and hike along the beautiful rivers in our area. I welcome your comments as I share sermon work in progress and occasional other thoughts.
Thank you for visiting this blog. I invite you also to visit my web page.
|
Blog Posts |
Archives |
|
|
SurgeMail - Blog Server Software |
Windows Mail Server Software |
UseNet News Server Software