Stories and Signs: "Privilege and Responsibility"

Stories and Signs: “Privilege and Responsibility”

    Matthew 21:33-46

Steward - "One who uses and manages all resources God provides for the glory of God and the betterment of His creation." 

I. Rejecting responsibility as stewards and acting like owners. (Matthew 21:33-35)

Isaiah 5:1-2, 7 - “Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and cut out a wine vat …and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes…

And he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!”

Psalm 24:1 - “The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."

Proverbs 21:20 - “Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person, but a foolish man consumes them.”

Colossians 3:23-24 -“Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.”  

Matthew 25:21 - “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’”

Matthew 25:29 - “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

Proverbs 3:9 - “Honor the Lord with your possessionsand with the first produce of your entire harvest.”

1 Peter 4:10 - “Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God.”

Luke 16:11 - “So if you have not been faithful with the unrighteous money, who will trust you with what is genuine?”

Ephesians 3:1-3 - “For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles- assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's gracethat was given to me for you, to show the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

II. Rejecting God’s warnings and God’s Son because we love ourselves so much. (Matthew 21:36-41)

1. Christ-Like words.

Hebrews 13:15 - “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”

2. Christ-like character.

Galatians 5:22-23 - “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

3. Christ-like ministry.

John 15:8 - “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

4. Christ-like use of pain and suffering

Romans 8:23 – “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

FAITH SHEET

1. Why do you think so many people see Jesus as just a “good and nice teacher” and fail to consider His teachings about judgment?

2. What are the responsibilities that come with our privilege of being God’s people?

3. How would you respond to the way the farmers treated the servants in the parable?

4. We tend to think of warnings as something bad, a message of judgment. How are God’s warnings to us a sign of His grace?

5. What aspects of this parable’s warning apply to us today?

6. What do you most appreciate about God from this parable? Pray.