First Presbyterian Church

During Jesus' last week on earth, he staged in intentional, and well planned, series of "rejections."  On Palm Sunday, by declaring himself to be king, he rejected the kings of all nations and set himself up as King of Kings (Psalm 2).  The very next day, by clearing the TempleTemple as unable to save (and, by his actions of the next few days, he demonstrated that he is able to save).  (and by cursing the fig tree), he rejected the

In our text for this week, the key verse is Mark 12:9.  He tells a parable about a vineyard.  The vineyard in this parable is his people.  The vineyard is tended by tenants, who, in v. 9, are ultimately removed (killed) and replaced by other tenants.  In essence, another rejection is occurring, and this one involves the priests and spiritual leaders of Israel.

The events of Holy Week produced an apocalyptic re-ordering of life for God's people.  No longer would earthly kings, physical temples, or Levitical priests, to mediate salvation.  In the new world, Jesus is King, salvation is through Christ, and his nation has become a kingdom of priests (I Peter 2). 

As a kingdom of priests, we receive blessing directly from God, and we bring that same blessing to each other.

SERMON OUTLINE:

Mark 12:1-12; Mark 13:28-31.                        Palace Coup

Introduction:  One thing adults (and leaders) learn to do is hold their tongue...

            be diplomatic...  don't just say what's on your mind...

How, then, to explain Jesus?!  In this text in particular.

            Punch line?  The people he offends want to kill him.

The Story:

            Winery.  Tenant Farmers.  Percentage of increase.

            Yearly collections time rolls around...but what's this?

            Rough Treatment.  Stealing.  Murder.  Even the Son killed.

            Who are these "Bad guys?"

                        Isaiah 5:1-7.  Israel the vineyard

                        v. 12,  The Tenants:  Chief Priests, Teachers of the Law, Elders...

                        The servants who get killed: Prophets...and Jesus.

            Result:  The Tenants will be killed (v. 9), and replaced.

                        By whom?  Who are the new Tenants?

            God's people the vineyard; Priests the new Tenants.

                        Christians:  A KingdomPriests

Questions for Reflection, Mark 12:1-12.

1. If you could identify five gifts or traits that each pastor should have, what would they be?

2. React to this statement:  Churches today are too reliant on pastors to mediate God's blessings within the church and too the world.

3. Read Mark 12:1-5.  This is a parable about a vineyard, and tenants that God put in charge of his vineyard.

4. What do you think the vineyard represents?  (see Isaiah 5:1-7).  And who are the tenants?

5. If you had to guess, what were the responsibilities of tenants?

6. To treat the servants as they did in vv. 3-5 is shocking, considering that tenants have no rights of ownership.  What do you think might have been their reasoning?  (who do the servants of the master represent?)

7. Read vv. 6-8.  The master sends his own Son.  What reasoning do the tenants employ when killing the son? 

8. How is that reasoning faulty?  (read v. 9)

9. The punch line of the story is v. 9, where those leaders (see v. 12, they're the priests and religious leaders) are killed, and the vineyard (God's people) is given to others.  In the NT church, who are those "others" who are tenants of the vineyard?

10. Read I Peter 2:4-9.  How might this passage either inform/defend, or re-shape your answer?

11. How does being a "kingdom of priests" provide a challenge to churches like those identified in question 2, above?

12. What would change about FPC if we were more intentionally a kingdom of priests?