Gospel Reflections #41: God is never Unloving a Sinner

Matthew 21:33 "A certain master of a certain house made a vineyard, and hedged it... . and set up a watchtower."

Jesus began the second of three parables to the religious leaders with the metaphor of Israel as a vineyard.

The peasants who rented the vineyard killed the servant their master sent, and the master sent his son, who also was killed. This shows that Israel crucified Jesus.

From a human perspective, one might take it as normal for the master of the vineyard to kill or punish the peasants.

What would God have done? For the sake of the farmers, for the sake of Israel, He even gave His own Son. Not only that, but He wants to give His Son as the foundation of a new vineyard to those who believe in and accept Him.

God does not accept evil deeds as "evil," but sees them as "apart from God" and "lost/lostness." God does not judge us but has mercy on us.

He looks for and finds the lost. He loves us with an abiding love. By dying on the cross, Jesus became the foundation of our new world. Without this cornerstone, it would be impossible to build a new us.

Just as the owner of the vineyard invited the farmers into the vineyard with everything they needed in place, He invites us with everything we need in place. That is God's way! It is the way that only God can do it, not in this world!

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This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, a devoted student of the Bible who passionately embraces the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on the Gospels as a way to reach out to others and spread the message of Jesus. We're sharing her message here so that you too can experience the joy that comes from the Gospel that fills her heart