Woe to you vineyards and vineyard people

Everyone has been talking about vineyards recently. Last week it was Matthew. On Sunday I suspect it was a large number of our pastors. Today Isaiah is the first to bring it up. I have heard a lot of people talk about wells and watering holes being the place to find a husband or wife. We see that over and over. But, what about vineyards. There is something about them. Just in these last few weeks we are seeing them as places where God's judgment is manifested and where people's faith is tested.

In Ezekiel last week we heard how fair God was and how unfair the ways of the world are. I believe that it can be seen the other way around: the world is fair and God is unfair. But, there is justice in the world's fairness and hope in God's unfairness. When we look to Christ on the cross in Luke's Gospel he hangs not just with sinners, but with criminals. These criminals have been found guilty, not of sin, but of crimes. They have been condemned justly.

We abhor the punishment of suffering and dying on the cross, but the fact that criminals are punished for their crimes against others is necessary, fair, equal, and just. We delight in the forgiveness that is ours through Christ, but it seems so unfair that we only pay a small price. Our small price is the price of repentance and what we get in return is grace, forgiveness, and the gifts of eternal life.

How unfair that in the end we might turn away from our sins to hear the lord say "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." There is an abundance and an overwhelming unfairness to grace... thank the lord.

Hey, once again I invite you to reflect on the lectionary texts this week and share some of those reflections with us, you can email me at cforeman001@luthersem.edu or leave your comments anytime this week.

The texts for this week are

Isaiah 5:1-7

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

Philippians 3:4b-14

Matthew 21:33-46