26-0906a - Detailed Summary

Mike greeted the church and said that it now fell to him, in his vocation, to present a message from God’s word. He gave the title of the lesson as “The Christian’s Inheritance.” He explained that the lesson grew out of an email he had received which stated that the New Testament should be read as a will, because a testament is a will. He repeated that a testament is a will and then cited Webster’s Third New International Unabridged Dictionary, which defines a testament as a covenant, as scripture, and as a last will. Mike observed that people often speak of “the last will and testament” being read at a certain time. He argued that if one definition of testament is last will, then the phrase “last will and testament” is unnecessary, because the last will is a testament and a testament is a last will. He then noted that within a will there is a list of heirs who are to receive an inheritance. He turned to Romans 8:16–17, where it is said that the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirits that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified together. Mike added that a will is most likely made concerning the children and concerning what the father, the mother, or a close relative decides to give them.

Mike said that they now wanted to look at some Scriptures that use the word inheritance, beginning with Mark 12, where Christ tells a parable. Starting from Mark 12:1, he recounted that a man planted a vineyard, set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat, built a tower, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country. At the proper time the owner sent a servant to the vinedressers so that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard. They took the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. The owner sent another servant, at whom they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. He sent yet another, whom they killed, and many others besides, beating some and killing some. The owner then had a beloved son, whom he sent last, saying that they would respect his son. The vinedressers said among themselves that this was the heir, that they should kill him, and that the inheritance would be theirs. Mike paused at that point in the narrative.

Mike then turned to Matthew 21 without reading the entire parallel passage, noting that Jesus tells the same parable there. In Matthew, when vintage time drew near, the owner sent servants to the vinedressers that they might receive his fruit. The vinedressers took the servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. He sent other servants, more than the first, and they did the same to them. Last of all he sent his son, saying they would respect him. Matthew records that when they saw the son they said among themselves that this was the heir, that they should kill him and seize his inheritance. They took him, cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. The question is then asked what the owner of the vineyard will do when he comes. Mike pointed out that Matthew 21:38 says they seize the inheritance after slaying the son, and he compared that with Mark 12:7. In Mark 12:9 Jesus says the owner will come, destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. Mike then highlighted a difference in how the two accounts present the owner’s response. In Matthew, Jesus asks what the father of the son will do, and the people answer that he will destroy those wicked men miserably and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render him the fruit in their seasons. In Mark’s account, Jesus himself states in verse 9 what the owner will do: he will come and destroy the vinedressers and give the vineyard to others.

Mike said it had come to his mind that people look for so-called discrepancies. He called them “so-called” because some will notice that something is worded one way in one place and another way in another place, give the matter little consideration, and simply declare a contradiction. He insisted there is no contradiction in these two tellings of the story. He illustrated the point by comparing the sending of the servants. Matthew says the owner sent servants to receive the fruit, that the vinedressers beat one and stoned another, that he sent other servants more than the first, and that they did likewise, after which he sent his son last of all. Mark’s account, Mike noted, can sound as if the owner sent a single servant whom they beat. Some would cry contradiction because Matthew speaks of servants and Mark of one servant. Mike rejected that charge. Whether the owner sent one servant at a time or several at one time, he did send his servants. It is the same parable in Matthew and in Mark. The vinedressers mistreated the servants. Supposing that they would respect his son, the owner sent him, and they killed his son.

Mike asked the congregation to consider again the question Jesus posed in Matthew: when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers? Matthew records that the people listening answered that he would destroy those wicked men miserably and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who would render him the fruit in their seasons. In Mark, when that same question is asked, Jesus himself responds and tells what the master or owner of the vineyard will do: he will come and destroy the vinedressers and give the vineyard to others. Mike said it makes no difference whether the people replied to Jesus’ question or whether Jesus himself stated what the owner would do. The answer is the same either way. The owner will come, destroy those wicked men miserably, and give the vineyard to other vinedressers who will take care of it as he wants it taken care of and who will do what the owner wants done.

Mike said he knew the two accounts are the same because of the Scripture that follows. He quoted the passage about the stone which the builders rejected becoming the chief cornerstone, which was the Lord’s doing and is marvelous in our eyes. He then cited Jesus asking whether they had never read in the Scriptures that the stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, and that this was the Lord’s doing and is marvelous in our eyes. In Matthew 21:43–44 Jesus says therefore that the kingdom of God will be taken from them and given to a nation that will produce its fruits, and that whoever falls on this stone will be broken, but on whomever it falls it will grind him to powder.

Mike noted that when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard this parable they perceived that he was speaking of them, because they did the same thing to Jesus that the vinedressers did to the owner’s son. He observed that if one were reading Mark’s account alone, one might think the vinedressers had forgotten all about the son’s father, the owner of the vineyard, and then ask what the father would do after they killed his son. Mark records that they sought to lay hands on Jesus, but they feared the multitude, for they knew he had spoken the parable against them. So they left him and went away, because the people really looked to Christ.

Mike then turned to another Scripture that is quite different from the vineyard parable but still tells something important. Jesus had been speaking to a multitude from Luke 12:1 through verse 12. Then, in verse 13, the passage that had been read in their hearing, one from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus answered, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” and said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Mike paused to talk about the situation. It was within a family, between two brothers. One of them had an inheritance, no doubt from their father. Mike said he did not know whether the inheritance in view was only that brother’s portion or all that was left in the will. He observed that people want to take advantage and are ready to receive a big inheritance, then become disappointed when they do not get as large an inheritance as they expected.

Mike said the man, thinking of who Jesus is and addressing him in one translation as Master, put Jesus in an authority position and asked him to tell his brother to divide the inheritance. Jesus refused, because he was not sent to take care of problems that arise within families. Families have to work out whatever problems come along. If they are to receive an inheritance, the will is effective when the testator dies, as Scripture says. Jesus’ question, “Who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” means he does not have that position and is not getting into family differences. What made this man want his brother to divide the inheritance with him is about the same thing that moved the vinedressers concerning the wine press. Jesus told them to take heed and beware of covetousness. The vinedressers were coveting the wine press, but they did not go after it in a legal way. One’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. Those things are temporary. What a father leaves in a will is temporary and will be had only for a little while. If it is a house and property, it might be flooded out or catch fire and burn up, and then it is gone. Mike said these things are temporary, and he would stop at that point in the discussion of earthly inheritance.

Mike then said that Christ came to give us an inheritance, but we will not receive that inheritance unless we become his children. We have the power to become his children by believing that Jesus is the Son of God and who he said he was. We hear that he came and died upon the cross for us. The gospel, the good news, is that he who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that does not believe shall be condemned. Mike cited Acts 2:38, where Peter tells the people who asked what they should do to repent and be baptized every one of them in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Remission of sins comes when we obey what God wants us to do. God will make us his children when we become obedient to his way to obtain salvation. When we do what he says, receive his word, and are baptized, we are added to the church. Acts 2:47 says the Lord added daily to the church those who were being saved. Those who are saved are in the church. We must remain faithful to him and, as children, be obedient to him. If we want this inheritance that he is offering, this will in the New Testament is effective because Christ died, and a will is effective after the testator dies, who is Christ. Mike then invited anyone who wanted to do the will of God to do so while they stood and sang, and if anyone had any other thing on his mind, to come forward and have the church pray for him while they stood and sang.