{"id":2480,"date":"2019-11-17T19:14:59","date_gmt":"2019-11-18T00:14:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/?p=2480"},"modified":"2019-11-17T19:14:59","modified_gmt":"2019-11-18T00:14:59","slug":"the-parable-of-jesus-christ-the-householder-husbandmen-november-17th-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/?p=2480","title":{"rendered":"THE PARABLE OF JESUS CHRIST \u2013 THE HOUSEHOLDER & HUSBANDMEN, NOVEMBER 17th, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"images\"<\/a><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

CENTRAL THOUGHT<\/strong><\/h2>\n

May it not be that someone else does what the Lord has assigned for you because of your failure and wickedness.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

TEXT<\/strong>: Matthew 21: 33-44, Romans 9:3-5, 25-33\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0READING TEXT<\/strong>:\u00a0 Matthew 21: 33-44<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

INTRODUCTION:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Parables, which were common \u2013 place stories, provided our Lord Jesus Christ an effective vehicle of communicating the deep truths of the kingdom of God.\u00a0 This particular one of the Householder and husbandmen was no exception.\u00a0 It reveals God\u2019s eternal plan of salvation for mankind, namely that through Israel the Gospel of Christ be made known to the world.\u00a0 With their reflection of the Messiah, the gentiles \u2013 a people who were not regarded as one \u2013 have, by faith, become children of Abraham and instruments for the propagation of the Gospel.\u00a0 This parable could be of more significance to our generation than it was to the audience (scribes, Pharisees, commoners, etc.) that received it from the Lord.\u00a0 Israel got carries away with her rich religious heritage,<\/p>\n

thinking it could substitute for the Messiah.\u00a0 That same deception has overtaken some of us today.\u00a0 We think the kingdom of God is our exclusive right because of either our position in church or our financial contribution to the church, or some other worldly standard, and fail to bring forth the fruits of true repentance.\u00a0 We can be certain that the fate of these wicked husbandmen will be ours if we fail to repent.\u00a0 Though the program of God for the human race is carried out by men and women who are yielded to Him, it is not subject to any man neither can it be held to ransom by any single individual.\u00a0 Whenever we erroneously think we have become indispensable in the vineyard of the Lord, then the Lord raises someone from obscurity to further His plan.\u00a0 Elijah was taught this humbling truth when he thought he was the only one left who had not bowed down to Baal, not knowing that the Lord had reserved 7,000 faithful individuals, 1 Kings 19:9-18.<\/p>\n


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\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

LESSON OBJECTIVES<\/strong><\/p>\n

The objectives of this study are:<\/em><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. To know those represented by the householder and husbandmen.<\/em><\/li>\n
  2. To know the purpose of the parable.<\/em><\/li>\n
  3. To know how to properly take care of that commitment to us.<\/em><\/li>\n
  4. To know the consequences of rejecting the Messiah.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n


    \n<\/strong><\/p>\n

    BIBLE TRUTH<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLDER AND HUSBANDMEN?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      A householder is one who owns a property which he either takes charge of or leases to others for a period of time and for an agreed return.\u00a0 The returns can be in the form of cash (monetary returns), crop harvest, or in kind.\u00a0 In this parable being considered, the house holder is a land owner who planted a vineyard, walled it round, dug a wine press, and built a watchtower in it and rented the vineyard to some farmers, and went away to another country.<\/p>\n

      Husbandmen, are in general, stewards to whom are entrusting some responsibilities by a householder.\u00a0 They usually enter into an agreement with the householder, and the agreement specifies their obligations in terms of what, how and when returns are to be made.\u00a0 In this parable, the husbandmen are farmers who rented the vineyard, and promised to send a part of the harvest to the householder.\u00a0 Two groups of husbandmen are mentioned in this parable.\u00a0 The first group reneged on the agreement made to send part of the harvest to the householder.\u00a0 They are called wicked husbandmen because they did not only fail to make returns to the householder but mistreated and even killed the servants and the only Son of the householder.\u00a0 The second group of husbandmen were only called in to take care of the vineyard only after the first group had been driven away because of their unfaithfulness.<\/p>\n

      When this parable is examined in the light of the divine truth it is expected to convey that the householder represents the Lord; the first group of husbandmen, the Jews, while the second group represents the Gentiles.<\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF THIS PARABLE?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        The parable of the householder and husbandmen refers to God and two groups of people \u2013 the children of Israel and the gentiles.\u00a0 This parable reveals the scope of God\u2019s original plan of salvation for the entire world, the Jews being the first beneficiaries.\u00a0 The children of Israel had a rich religious heritage: \u201cThere is the adoption of sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.\u00a0 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God overall forever praised! Amen\u201d, Romans 9:4-5 NIV.\u00a0 This rich heritage was such a source of pride for the Israelites that they went about to establish their own religiousness, Romans 10:3.\u00a0 Consequently, they turned a deaf ear to all the prophets who were sent to them, and eventually rejected Jesus Christ, whom they crucified.\u00a0 On the other hand, the gentiles, devoid of such heritage, were to be recipients of the salvation in Jesus Christ through the children of Israel.\u00a0 Their rejection of Christ sidelined the nation of this responsibility.\u00a0 Through Peter, some of the disciples of Christ, and particularly Paul, the good news of salvation was brought to the gentile world.\u00a0 In Acts 10, Peter\u2019s prejudices against gentiles was destroyed with the vision of unclean animals brought down to him from heaven, and, in obedience to the Lord, preached the word to Cornelius, his household and close friends which was accompanied with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the audience, Acts 10:44-46.\u00a0 Then later the Lord used Paul to expose many gentile nations that then existed to the Gospel.\u00a0 We, who are gentiles, who have come to know the Lord, constitute the second group of husbandmen in this parable.\u00a0 We are the \u201cengrafted olive branch\u201d in Romans 11:11-21 whom Paul warned to live in awe of the Lord always, otherwise we shall, like the Jews, be cut off.\u00a0 Our walk with the Lord calls us to continually work out our salvation with fear and trembling, Philippians 2:12.<\/p>\n

        Another important issue brought out in this parable is the fact that Christ is the sure foundation, a tried and tested stone which was laid by God Himself.\u00a0 All who put their trust on this STONE shall never be dismayed, Isaiah 28:16.\u00a0 We quote from the very last edition of this Manual: \u201cAs a sure foundation, it implies 100% reliability, and as a tested stone, it indicates that it has stood the test of time, and as a precious cornerstone, it implies both its value to all men and its indispensability to our lives as the cornerstone is to a building.\u201d\u00a0 We summarize below a five-fold revelation of Christ as the Stone or Rock:<\/p>\n

        A. Christ is the Rock that was smitten that the Spirit of life may flow to all who drink, Exodus 17:6;\u00a0 1 Corinthians 10:4;\u00a0 John 4:13-16<\/p>\n

        B. Christ is the capstone of stumbling, 1 Corinthians 1:23; Romans 9:31-33. Unbelief causes men to stumble at this stone.<\/p>\n

        C. Christ is the Rock cut out to crush the Gentile kingdoms, including that of the Antichrist \u2013 not by human hands, but by the divine power of God.\u00a0 Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45<\/p>\n

        D. Christ is the crushing stone of judgment to all who it falls upon as a result of unbelief. Matthew 21:44.<\/p>\n

        \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. HOW CAN WE AVOID BEING UNPROFITABLE HUSBANDMEN?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          As earlier stated, husbandmen are stewards, and the chief requirement of stewards is faithfulness.\u00a0 Thus, to avoid being unprofitable husbandmen, we must be faithful to the Lord.\u00a0 First, we must all recognize that every believer has been committed with something for which the Lord demands his faithfulness.\u00a0 Every believer has been committed with the ministry of reconciliation, which requires that we make conscious efforts at reaching friends, relations, work mates, school mates, and those with whom we come in contact with the Gospel of Christ.\u00a0 For many of us, the interest in doing this is rarely there; it is no longer a priority as it was when we first came to know the Lord.\u00a0 We are exhorted today to seek the Lord for a new zeal in sharing our faith with those who are lost.<\/p>\n

          Our time, financial resources, and talents (professional and spiritual) have been entrusted to us to be used to honor the Lord.\u00a0 We are stewards of these resources, and we are certainly at some time going to give account to the Lord how well we utilized them for the furtherance of the kingdom.\u00a0 Our time could be used in profitable visitations which could be a source of encouragement to a weak brother or sister; our finances can be used in assisting those who have needs in our midst, and our talents could be used in edifying the body of Christ.\u00a0 To be idle and unprofitable in the body of Christ is a great dis-service and abuse of God\u2019s endowments in our lives.\u00a0 Many of our local congregations will profit immensely when our resources are utilized in running the various departments \u2013 ushering, music, teaching, and other areas of ministering, etc.\u00a0 When that becomes the case, there will be a steady and healthy growth in the body of Christ.<\/p>\n

          \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. IS THE HOUSEHOLDER STILL SENDING SERVANTS TODAY?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            The trust of the program of God for the salvation of our world is directed primarily at gentile nations.\u00a0 The Lord desires that all men be saved.\u00a0 In fulfillment of that spoken by our Lord in Matthew 24:14: \u201cand this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.\u201d\u00a0 The preaching of the gospel to peoples, tribes and races who had not heard it before is taking and unprecedented dimension.\u00a0 Servants of the Householder are being raised daily to go to remote lands and peoples who had been known to be hostile to the kingdom.\u00a0 Some, in the process, are being maltreated and killed.\u00a0 At the same time, a lot of progress is being made, with in-roads being made with the Gospel.\u00a0 Because this is dear to the heart of the Householder that all men be saved, He will continue to raise men and women whose testimony would confound the devils, so that those under his grip can be liberated and set free.\u00a0 You may well be such an instrument in the land of the Lord.<\/p>\n

            \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

              \n
            1. WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF REJECTING THE HOUSEHOLDER AND HIS SON?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Christ asked the Pharisees and Scribes after He had shared the parable with them, this heart-breaking and thought-provoking question, \u201cwhen the Lord of the Vineyards comes, what will He do to the husbandmen?\u201d Of course, they rightly replied, \u201cHe will miserably destroy these wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render Him the fruits in their seasons\u201d,<\/p>\n

              Matthew 21:40-41. The term miserable destroy connotes destruction without mercy or pity or iota of compassion.\u00a0 Hebrews 2:1-3 says, \u201c\u2026How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.\u201d\u00a0 Hebrews 10:31 further says, \u201cIt is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.\u201d\u00a0 There is surely a certain judgment that awaits all those who reject the plan of salvation in Christ Jesus.\u00a0 We are still in the period when we can still avert the judgment of God by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

              \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

              \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

              DAILY LIVING APPLICATION<\/strong><\/p>\n

              In Christian service, no one is too important to be indispensable.\u00a0 When we think that we have become indispensable, then we find to our amazement someone else being raised to do the Lord\u2019s business more effectively.\u00a0 To remain in the place of effective service for the Lord, we must avoid depending on our religious heritage (past achievements, position held in the Church, etc.), remain humble under the mighty hand of the Holy Spirit, and yielded to His dealings continually.\u00a0 Then we maintain being profitable husbandmen, as our talents, resources and endowments find expressions in distinguished service to the body of Christ and humanity.\u00a0 In these closing moments of this age, no believer should be idle; there is so much that can be done for the kingdom that it requires the input of all.\u00a0 The Householder needs you today in His vineyard to bring forth fruits at harvest.<\/p>\n

              \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

              \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

              MEMORY VERSE<\/strong><\/p>\n

              Romans 11:20<\/p>\n

              \u201cWell, because of unbelief they were broken off, and though standest by faith.\u00a0 Be not high-minded, but fear.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                CENTRAL THOUGHT May it not be that someone else does what the Lord has assigned for you because of your failure and wickedness.   TEXT: Matthew 21: 33-44, Romans 9:3-5, 25-33\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0READING TEXT:\u00a0 Matthew 21: 33-44   \u00a0 INTRODUCTION: Parables, which were common \u2013 place stories, provided our Lord Jesus Christ an effective […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2482,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sundayschool"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/images.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2480"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2480\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2484,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2480\/revisions\/2484"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}