GLEANINGS from the Daily Office – Duh!

GLEANINGS (from the Daily Office) – Duh! – Year Two, Advent 1, Thursday, December 3, 2015, Matthew 21:33-46

“They perceived that he was speaking about them.”

You think?

That had a great set up. They were rocking a vineyard with a hedge, a wine press, and a tower. They had all the means to protect their crop, both a hedge and a tower. And following the harvest that could press the grapes and likely barrel the wine right there. And all this was at the owner’s expense. Sweet! All the tenants (property managers) had to do was produce some fruit and give the owner his share of the harvest.

When the time of the harvest came, the owner sent his people to collect. But the tenants maimed and killed them all. They were even brazen enough to kill the owner’s son thinking with him out of the picture they would inherit the field. Unlikely! Even the chief priests and elders knew that was nonsense. The owner, they knew, would rightly fire these property managers and hire others who would abide by the deal. Give the owner his fruit in due season.

Then it hit them. Uh oh. We’ve been in charge of the vineyard for a very long time. But seemingly they were not producing fruit. However unwanted change was coming.

Church leaders, let him who has ears hear!

–Frodo: “I wish none of this had happened.” Gandalf: “So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”–

Grace Community worship Sunday at 9:00 in the China Grove Missionary Baptist Church, 3187 Osborne Road, Brookhaven, 30319.