"What Will Owner of the Vineyard Do?"

“What Will the Owner of the Vineyard Do?”

“From Ulster Plantation to the Carolina’s with the Gospel!” *

Russell H. McCullough / Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210

www.archdale.org / gospelcall.blogspot.com - Date:  23 April 2017

Text: Mark 12.1 – 12; Psalm 80.8 - 19

Thesis: The Owner of the Vineyard will return and destroy the evil tenants and give the vineyard to others

1           Introduction – What is involved in establishing and maintaining a vineyard?

A.    Purchasing the land

B.   A Vinedresser is hired

C.    Other workers are hired

D.   Plowing out the rocks

E.    Building a secure wall

F.    Building a tower to guard the vineyard

G.   Terraces are built on any steep hills

H.   A winepress must be built

I.       A permanent cover crop must be planted

J.     Vines are planted at approx. 1,555 per acre in mid-April by hand, one by one

K.   The trellis system is constructed

L.    The irrigation system is installed

M.In the first year, the vines are allowed to grow freely so as to establish a strong root system

N.  In February of the 2^nd year all the vines are pruned back to only 2 buds per branch

O.  In February of the 3^rd year the vines are all pruned back again

P.    In May of the 3^rd year and again after harvest in October of that year, fertilizer is applied

Q.  In July-August of the 3^rd year are cut back radically to remove up to 50% of the young crop

R.   The third year is the last year that slow growing vines are trained and spared

S.    Ongoing in every year during the months of March, April, and May constant care is taken to protect against frost.

T.    Ongoing in every year constant care is taken to discover and eradicate pests.

WHAT WILL THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD DO?

U.   If unsuccessful in the October Harvest of year 3, all unsuccessful vines are uprooted and destroyed after the very first useable crop is gathered

2          The Owner of the Vineyard Went Into Another Country

A.   12.1

1)     Planted

2)    Fenced

3)   Dug a pit for winepress

4)   Built tower

5)   Leased to tennets

3          The Owner Sends a Servant to the Vineyard for Fruit

A.   12.2 – 3

1)     Took him and beat him

2)    Sent him away empty handed

4         The Owner Sends a Second Servant to the Vineyard for Fruit

A.   12.4

1)     Struck him on the head

2)   Treated him shamefully

5.  The Owner Sends Yet a Third Servant PLUS Many Other Servants to the Vineyard for Fruit

          A. 12.5

                   1) The 3^rd servant they killed

                   2) Some others they beat

                   3) Some others they killed

6.  Finally, the Owner Sends His Beloved Son to the Vineyard for Fruit,

          A. 12.6 – 8

1) The owner said; “He is my son, they will respect Him.”

2) The tenants said however; “He’s the heir!  Let’s kill him

    and take his inheritance for ourselves!”

3)   They took him, killed him, and threw him out of the

 vineyard.

7. WHAT WILL THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD DO?

          A. 12.8 - 9

1) “He will come and destroy the tenants and give the

       vineyard to others.”

8.  The Answer in Scripture

          A. 12.10 – 11

                   1) The greatest shock in history!

5          CONCLUSION: The servants are the prophets and the beloved Son is the Christ. 

6         The Meaning of the Text in It’s Theological, Historical & Cultural Context: Israel has continually rejected God and His Will.  They have killed the prophets and they have killed the Christ.  Rejecting Christ is tantamount to murder.

A. Knowing far more about God’s will than they did, most are still rejecting God and His Son Jesus Christ.

7          The Challenge of the Text for Christians Today

A.    All we are servants in the Vineyard of God.  He will someday return.  Will we repent or perish?  Will we hear and obey or will we refuse to hear and kill the messenger?  WHAT WILL THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD DO?  God is on His way back to his vineyard and he will arrive at any moment!

8         “The Gospel Call”

·         My fifth great uncle was Hugh Gaston who was rector at the Ballywillan Presbyterian Church (pictured above left) in County Antrim, Ulster Plantation (Northern Ireland) and wrote the most dangerous book of his time; Gaston’s Collections.  It allowed “the ploughman to know more Bible than his clergyman.”  Hugh fled to South Carolina where he died prematurely of the measles.  He is buried just one hour south of Charlotte in Chester County, S.C. in “Burnt Meeting House Cemetery.”   Uncle Hugh continues to inspire my ministry to this very day.  You can read more about Uncle Hugh here: http://www.ballywillanpci.org/rev-hugh-gaston

Ruins photo courtesy of: ballywillanpci.org.