Sermons

October 4^th 2026 - Matthew 21:33-46

Pray

What is something you expect to happen? What is predictable, regular, almost guaranteed?  For example…

I expect Buffalo Sports teams to break our hearts.

I expect groceries will continue to get more expensive.

I expect more churches will close in the coming years.

Our expectations have been informed by our prior experiences. So perhaps it should be no surprise that in our gospel reading today, the chief priests and elders expect violence to be met with violence. I think if we are honest with ourselves, we just might expect the same.

A traditional interpretation would be to view this parable as an allegory. Let’s see if you can guess or know the metaphors.

The landowner is said to be…God.

The vineyard when used here and hint in our Isaiah reading, is symbolic for… ancient Israel.

A tougher one…The Tenants are… the people Jesus is talking directly to, the chief priests and Elders.

The servants in the teaching story are…the prophets.

The Son then is…Jesus. In this understanding the story is part recapping history and foreshadowing what is about to happen.

The religious establishment who benefits from maintaining the status quo and who are neglecting their calling to care for those in need, expect punishment, death and loss. They make this clear in their response to Christ when he asks, “When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” The powerful respond that they expect a miserable death. Perhaps not surprising given their intentions and their own lived experiences.

They are under Roman oppression. If you rebel Rome executes. Now faced with a threat to their own power, influence, and identity, they are looking for a way to end Jesus. Jesus who expects to die. Jesus who expects and promises something new to rise from the ashes. The rejected stone is to become the cornerstone. The vineyard, the kingdom is to be taken away from you and given to those who produce fruit.

Let us take a moment to confront Antisemitism and Supersessionism. Antisemitism is hate or prejudice against Jewish folks. Supersessionism is a sinful doctrine that views Christians as having succeeded or replaced the Jewish people as God’s people. Readings like this Gospel story have been used to justify hateful and hurtful actions towards Jewish people throughout history. Even Martin Luther himself has some really awful and I mean awful antisemitic writings. Vile perspectives still held by many folks who call themselves followers of Jesus. Church, we have some house cleaning to do, repenting to live out. This and all hate we have a responsibility to unequivocally denounce. We are called to proclaim God keeps God’s promises. For if the Creator went back on promises to the descendants of Abraham, then how could we ever expect that God in Christ would keep their promises to us. Furthermore, when reading this passage within the larger story it’s clear Jesus is not talking about Jews and Christians. Jesus does not say the church or any institution inherits the vineyard but that it will be given to those who produce fruit. This then is a conversation about those who are faithful and those in power who cause grave harm to the vulnerable.

There is sobering irony that Christians have used a teaching meant to call out those who are inflicting harm to then inflict harm on our Jewish siblings. There is seemingly something innate to being human that seeks superiority, that strives for power, that expects the only way to have something is to take it. Our expectations inform our actions… we act like we own creation. We act like change is improbable if not impossible. We act like violence is the only answer. Jesus again and again shows us all another way.

The passage reveals our expectations, and our own brokenness. Hear then another story and ask yourself, what did you expect was going to happen?

In April 2025 13-year-old Glenda Yoder was driving a pony cart with her two brothers; ten-year-old Darrell and 9-year-old Devon. They were struck and killed by a car driven by seventeen-year-old whose name is Sienna. Texting and speeding were said not to be factors. This was an accident and an awful tragedy. However, that didn’t stop hate and malice from being directed at Sienna. The children’s family, the Yoders are Amish, a people who take faith deeply seriously, they decided they wanted to meet with Sienna face to face. Then when they heard she was receiving hurtful comments and hate mail they handwrote a note that they posted in public parks near their home. The note in part states, “Let’s pray for Sienna and stop the hate mail. Our family has met and talked with her. There are no bad feelings toward her…We will love Sienna as our new friend. God is Love. Pray for her and pass this along. Love, Dad Kevin & Inez Myron, Marlin, Galen, Karlan and Kalen Yoder”

Talk about defying expectations. Before this family had even buried their children, they took it upon themselves to meet with, forgive, and extend protection to Sienna. Their story need not be prescriptive for those who have experienced tragedies. This level of grace is hard to fathom. But I do believe their love is an example of what producing fruit for the kingdom could look like. Broken hearts breaking expectations with love.

Today’s passage must not be used to hurt other groups. Today’s passage should not be used to paint God as a vengeful or punishing. Rather the parable invites us to consider how we might break our addiction to violence and domination. That we might wonder how we collectively can cultivate good fruit that gives life. For God seeing our need did not stay far away but sent his Son to see us face to face. Jesus, whose own body would be broken by violence but whose giving of self would break the cycle of sin. For Jesus shatters our expectations as the rejected cornerstone who defied death in resurrection. This divine love, grace, and mercy is not earned, it might not even be expected, but to Katiana, to you, to me and to all it is promised. Amen.