Rejecting the Patient, Pursuing God
Rejecting The Patient, Pursuing God – Mark 12 & Isaiah 52
Jordan Hill
Feb 16, 2025 35m
Parables help us to clearly understand the depth of meaning behind a story. In Mark 12, we see God's provision and patience with His people. We also see how our fallen nature leads us to reject God's messengers and ultimately Christ Himself. The response to the realities of this story is an urgent repentance and seeking after Him through grace in faith. Video recorded at Grapevine, Texas.
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Small Group Study Questions:
Opening Question:
• If you could plant and own a vineyard, what type of wine would you produce and why?
General Observation:
• What stood out to you most from the parable Jesus told about the vineyard owner and tenants?
• How does Jesus use this parable to tell the story of God's relationship with humanity throughout history?
Understanding the Message:
• In the sermon, the pastor talked about God as a "caring creator." How does the parable illustrate God's care for His people?
• Why do you think the tenants (representing humanity) continually rejected and mistreated the owner's servants and son?
• How does Jesus use this parable to confront the religious leaders of His day?
Personal Application:
• The sermon states, "We have rejected God. We have taken what he has given us. And we have said, we don't want you, God." In what ways have you seen this rejection of God in your own life or in the world around you?
• How does understanding God's patient pursuit of humanity, despite constant rejection, impact your view of His love and mercy?
• The pastor said, "Inheritance and eternal life is on the table for you today, now, now, now, not tomorrow." How does this urgency make you feel about your relationship with God?
Action Steps:
• This week, take time to "recall and retell" God's story as it relates to your life. Write down specific ways God has pursued you and shown you mercy.
• Identify one person in your life who needs to hear about God's patient love and mercy. Pray for an opportunity to share your story with them this week.
Prayer:
Loving Father, we are humbled by Your persistent pursuit of us, even when we have rejected You time and time again. Thank You for sending Jesus, the cornerstone of our faith, to offer us mercy instead of judgment. Help us to recall Your goodness daily and give us courage to retell Your story to those around us who desperately need to hear it. May we never take Your patience for granted, but respond to Your love with wholehearted worship and obedience. In Jesus' name, Amen.
The Vineyard Parable: A Story of Rejection and Redemption
Have you ever felt rejected? Perhaps by a friend, a family member, or even someone you deeply cared for? Rejection stings, doesn't it? But what if I told you that the greatest story of rejection - and the most incredible story of redemption - is playing out right now, with you as one of the main characters?
Let's dive into a powerful parable that Jesus shared, one that confronts us with some uncomfortable truths about our relationship with God, but also offers us an amazing hope.
God: The Caring Creator
Imagine a man who invests years of his life and hundreds of thousands of dollars to create a beautiful vineyard. He plants the vines, builds a protective fence, digs a winepress, and constructs a watchtower. This isn't just a casual hobby - it's a labor of love.
In Mark 12:1, Jesus begins His parable with this vivid picture: "A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower and leased it to tenants and went into another country."
This isn't just any story about a vineyard owner. Jesus is painting a picture of God Himself - our caring Creator who has invested everything in creating a beautiful world for us to live in and enjoy. As Isaiah 43:7 reminds us, God says, "Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
Think about the intricate design of our universe, the beauty of nature, and the complexity of the human body. God orchestrated all of this, creating an environment where we can thrive and be in relationship with Him. He's given us this amazing "vineyard" called Earth, and His desire is for us to tend it and enjoy a relationship with Him.
The Stunning Rejection
But here's where the story takes a dark turn. The vineyard owner sends servants to collect his share of the fruit, but the tenants beat them, shame them, and even kill some. Finally, the owner sends his beloved son, thinking, "Surely they will respect my son." But instead, the tenants see an opportunity to seize the inheritance for themselves. They kill the son and throw his body out of the vineyard.
It's a shocking story, isn't it? We might feel indignant at the injustice. But here's the uncomfortable truth - this is our story. Throughout history, humanity has repeatedly rejected God's attempts to be in relationship with us.
From Adam and Eve choosing to eat the forbidden fruit, to the Israelites worshipping false gods, to the religious leaders rejecting Jesus - it's a pattern of rebellion against our Creator. And if we're honest, we see this same pattern in our own lives.
As I shared in the sermon, "We take the very breath that God gives us, sustains us with, provides us with, and we curse his name." It's a sobering reality, but one we need to confront.
Jesus: The Rejected Cornerstone
But here's where the story takes an unexpected turn. Jesus says in Mark 12:10-11, "Have you not read this Scripture: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
Despite our rejection, God didn't give up on us. Instead, He sent His Son, Jesus, to become the cornerstone of our salvation. As Peter declares in Acts 4:11-12, "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Through Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection, God turned our rejection into the means of our redemption. It's a stunning display of mercy that we don't deserve but are freely offered.
Our Response: Receive or Reject
So, how will you respond to this incredible story? There are really only two options:
1. Reject God's offer: You might be someone who has been rejecting God's patient, persistent pursuit. If that's you, I urge you to reconsider. As Hebrews 3:15 warns us, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."
2. Receive God's mercy: Or perhaps you're ready to accept God's amazing offer of forgiveness and relationship. If so, now is the time! As 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, "Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
Putting It Into Practice
If you've received God's mercy, here are some next steps:
1. Recall God's goodness: Take time to remember where you once were and how God has changed your life. As Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:12-13, "Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ... But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."
2. Respond in worship: Let your gratitude for God's mercy fuel your worship and devotion to Him.
3. Retell the story: Share your testimony with others. Tell them about the God who persistently pursued you and offered you mercy when you deserved judgment.
Remember, you are now part of God's beautiful vineyard, carefully tended by a loving Creator. Let's live in a way that reflects His goodness and shares His story with a world that desperately needs to hear it.
Recorded in Grapevine, Texas.
Opening Question:
• If you could plant and own a vineyard, what type of wine would you produce and why?
General Observation:
• What stood out to you most from the parable Jesus told about the vineyard owner and tenants?
• How does Jesus use this parable to tell the story of God's relationship with humanity throughout history?
Understanding the Message:
• In the sermon, the pastor talked about God as a "caring creator." How does the parable illustrate God's care for His people?
• Why do you think the tenants (representing humanity) continually rejected and mistreated the owner's servants and son?
• How does Jesus use this parable to confront the religious leaders of His day?
Personal Application:
• The sermon states, "We have rejected God. We have taken what he has given us. And we have said, we don't want you, God." In what ways have you seen this rejection of God in your own life or in the world around you?
• How does understanding God's patient pursuit of humanity, despite constant rejection, impact your view of His love and mercy?
• The pastor said, "Inheritance and eternal life is on the table for you today, now, now, now, not tomorrow." How does this urgency make you feel about your relationship with God?
Action Steps:
• This week, take time to "recall and retell" God's story as it relates to your life. Write down specific ways God has pursued you and shown you mercy.
• Identify one person in your life who needs to hear about God's patient love and mercy. Pray for an opportunity to share your story with them this week.
Prayer:
Loving Father, we are humbled by Your persistent pursuit of us, even when we have rejected You time and time again. Thank You for sending Jesus, the cornerstone of our faith, to offer us mercy instead of judgment. Help us to recall Your goodness daily and give us courage to retell Your story to those around us who desperately need to hear it. May we never take Your patience for granted, but respond to Your love with wholehearted worship and obedience. In Jesus' name, Amen.
The Vineyard Parable: A Story of Rejection and Redemption
Have you ever felt rejected? Perhaps by a friend, a family member, or even someone you deeply cared for? Rejection stings, doesn't it? But what if I told you that the greatest story of rejection - and the most incredible story of redemption - is playing out right now, with you as one of the main characters?
Let's dive into a powerful parable that Jesus shared, one that confronts us with some uncomfortable truths about our relationship with God, but also offers us an amazing hope.
God: The Caring Creator
Imagine a man who invests years of his life and hundreds of thousands of dollars to create a beautiful vineyard. He plants the vines, builds a protective fence, digs a winepress, and constructs a watchtower. This isn't just a casual hobby - it's a labor of love.
In Mark 12:1, Jesus begins His parable with this vivid picture: "A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower and leased it to tenants and went into another country."
This isn't just any story about a vineyard owner. Jesus is painting a picture of God Himself - our caring Creator who has invested everything in creating a beautiful world for us to live in and enjoy. As Isaiah 43:7 reminds us, God says, "Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
Think about the intricate design of our universe, the beauty of nature, and the complexity of the human body. God orchestrated all of this, creating an environment where we can thrive and be in relationship with Him. He's given us this amazing "vineyard" called Earth, and His desire is for us to tend it and enjoy a relationship with Him.
The Stunning Rejection
But here's where the story takes a dark turn. The vineyard owner sends servants to collect his share of the fruit, but the tenants beat them, shame them, and even kill some. Finally, the owner sends his beloved son, thinking, "Surely they will respect my son." But instead, the tenants see an opportunity to seize the inheritance for themselves. They kill the son and throw his body out of the vineyard.
It's a shocking story, isn't it? We might feel indignant at the injustice. But here's the uncomfortable truth - this is our story. Throughout history, humanity has repeatedly rejected God's attempts to be in relationship with us.
From Adam and Eve choosing to eat the forbidden fruit, to the Israelites worshipping false gods, to the religious leaders rejecting Jesus - it's a pattern of rebellion against our Creator. And if we're honest, we see this same pattern in our own lives.
As I shared in the sermon, "We take the very breath that God gives us, sustains us with, provides us with, and we curse his name." It's a sobering reality, but one we need to confront.
Jesus: The Rejected Cornerstone
But here's where the story takes an unexpected turn. Jesus says in Mark 12:10-11, "Have you not read this Scripture: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
Despite our rejection, God didn't give up on us. Instead, He sent His Son, Jesus, to become the cornerstone of our salvation. As Peter declares in Acts 4:11-12, "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Through Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection, God turned our rejection into the means of our redemption. It's a stunning display of mercy that we don't deserve but are freely offered.
Our Response: Receive or Reject
So, how will you respond to this incredible story? There are really only two options:
1. Reject God's offer: You might be someone who has been rejecting God's patient, persistent pursuit. If that's you, I urge you to reconsider. As Hebrews 3:15 warns us, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."
2. Receive God's mercy: Or perhaps you're ready to accept God's amazing offer of forgiveness and relationship. If so, now is the time! As 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, "Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
Putting It Into Practice
If you've received God's mercy, here are some next steps:
1. Recall God's goodness: Take time to remember where you once were and how God has changed your life. As Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:12-13, "Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ... But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."
2. Respond in worship: Let your gratitude for God's mercy fuel your worship and devotion to Him.
3. Retell the story: Share your testimony with others. Tell them about the God who persistently pursued you and offered you mercy when you deserved judgment.
Remember, you are now part of God's beautiful vineyard, carefully tended by a loving Creator. Let's live in a way that reflects His goodness and shares His story with a world that desperately needs to hear it.
Recorded in Grapevine, Texas.
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