Ungrateful Employees

In verses 1-12, Jesus tells a story which describes the Jewish religious leaders' historical treatment of God's prophets.

1. People who build businesses care for their organizations
   
2. Owners expect a share of the profits
   
3. Owners have a right to a share of the profits
   
4. Renters are stewards
   
5. Renters perform a service to the owner
   
6. Therefore, renters deserve a share of the profits
   
7. Owner:Boss::Renter:Employee
   
8. This story may have contemporary application to the workplace, not just to spiritual matters
   
9. My boss hired me to perform a service
   
10. My boss deserves honor and a fair day's work
    
11. If Jesus worked for his father in the carpenter's shop, then he was a model employee
    
12. Sometimes employees beat up the very people who hire and pay them
    
13. This attitude is sinful
    
14. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men (Colossians 3:23, NIV)
    
15. Does "work at it with all your heart" mean be a workaholic, at the expense of your family?
    
16. Of course not. But my attitude toward my employer must be one of humble service, not entitlement and bitterness.
    
17. Why would the vineyard owner continue to send people to collect his dues if the renters were untrustworthy to the point of beating and killing the owner's people?
    
18. This parallels OT reality, but does not appear to be wise advice for a boss
    
19. How does this relate to the concept of "turn the other cheek?"
    
20. A boss can turn the other cheek without giving up his ownership stake
    
21. A boss can give wayward employees multiple chances to do the right thing
    
22. A boss ought to feel pain when his employees don't do the right thing
    
23. The evil renters escalated their rebellion to the point of killing the owner's son
    
24. The renters' goal was not just to avoid paying the owner, but also to claim the entire estate for themselves
    
25. This is a new level of sin and evil, trying to oust your boss and take his or her estate
    
26. When and how do I steal from God in this way?
    
27. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord (Romans 12:19, NIV).
    
28. The verse above quotes Deuteronomy 32:35
    
29. The very next verse in Deuteronomy says: The LORD will judge his people / and have compassion on his servants / when he sees their strength is gone / and no one is left, slave or free.
    
30. The Lord's judgment and compassion on his servants are simultaneous
    
31. My parental judgment and compassion on my children must be simultaneous
    
32. The stone which the builders rejected / Has become the chief corner stone (Psalm 118:22, NASB).
    
33. There is no escaping the Truth value of the Bible, Old and New Testaments
    
34. No matter what I attempt to do in my sin, God's will is going to be accomplished
    
35. So why rebel? God will get his way in the end!
    
36. If I trust God, and I believe the Bible, then it is in my best interests to obey him completely
    
37. Is it in my children's best interests to obey me completely?
    
38. If I am doing my job as a parent, then the answer ought to be yes
    
39. Why don't I obey God completely?
    
40. For the same reasons my children don't obey me completely
    
41. Why don't my children obey me completely?
    
42. Their selfishness
    
43. Because I'm a idiot sometimes
    
44. Because they think they know better than me
    
45. As I reflect upon challenging interactions with my kids (and my wife and my students and etc.) I ought to reflect upon how this parallels my own rebellion toward God
    

Lord, I pray that you'll help me learn how to obey you more fully through faith in your Truth and obedience to your Word. Remind me to reflect upon my own sinfulness when I feel wronged!