We’re Characters in His Story

As a Christian fiction writer, I’ve spent more than my fair share of time in the consideration of characters. Although plot plays an important part in any novel, it is the characters who make the plot and who therefore make the story.

Jesus was a storyteller, using parables as a way of drawing parallels between the physical world and the spiritual world–an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. One of the parables he told in the temple in the hearing of the religious leaders of the day was the parable of the landowner, a vineyard, and the tenants to whom the vineyard was entrusted.

Let’s examine the characters in this story more closely.

Characters – The Landowner

Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey. When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. ~Matthew 21:33-34 (NASB)

Notice these facts about the landowner:

He did all the work, including planting the vineyard, building a wall, wine press and tower, as well as locating vine-growers.
He sent out his servants to the vine-growers to get what was rightfully his–the produce from the vineyard.

Characters – The Vine-Growers

The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them. ~Matthew 21:35-36 (NASB)

Notice these facts about the vine-growers:

As stewards of the landowner’s vineyard, they failed.
Their motivation wasn’t the vineyard, but power and control. Because of this skewed motivation, they mishandled the authority given them by the landowner.

Characters – The Son and Heir

But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. ~Matthew 21:37-39 (NASB)

Notice this fact about the son and heir of the vineyard:

He fulfilled the duty given to him by his father, in spite of personal danger and sacrifice.

There are also some things to notice about the landowner and the vine-growers in this passage:

The landowner gave the vine-growers chance after chance to respond and do the right thing, including sending his son.
Again we see the wrong motivations of the vine-growers: they were greedy for power, control, and the inheritance. Their wrong motivation resulted in an act of murder.

Characters – Lessons to Learn

Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,

‘The stone which the builders rejected,

This became the chief corner stone;

This came about from the Lord,

And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. When they sought to seize Him, they feared the people, because they considered Him to be a prophet. ~Matthew 21:40-46 (NASB)

Though characters in a story determine the plot, all good stories reveal and deliver a deeper message. This parable told by Jesus also delivered a message–a message the religious leaders of the day didn’t want to hear–a message that is every bit as relevant today as when Jesus lived.

Lessons to be learned:

As believers and members of the family of faith, we play the part of those to whom God has entrusted His vineyard. We are His stewards and His servants.
We need to keep a constant check on our motivation for serving God. Are we in it for what’s in it for us? Are we greedy for power and control? Are we guilty of beating and killing our fellow servants, those God has sent to us for the purpose of gathering what rightfully belongs to Him? Are we guilty of usurping the Son’s authority?
We need to realize that no matter how patient God is in delaying to return to His vineyard, that He will one day return to execute judgement on those who have abused their position and fellow servants.

Father God, all praise, glory and power belongs to You and You alone. You are the owner of the vineyard. May we be found faithful in stewardship of what belongs to You. May we not be distracted by worldly matters, but may we be about the business of producing fruit for You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

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