FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT
April 6, 2025
Isaiah 43:16–21
Philippians 3:(4b–7) 8–14
Luke 20:9–20
God’s Beloved Son Has Redeemed Us
Our life and works apart from Christ, no matter how they may glitter to the eyes of the world, are ultimately rubbish and have no righteousness. Rather, in the scandalous cross of Jesus, we find our righteousness alone “through faith in Christ” (Phil. 3:9). By such faith, we “know him and the power of his resurrection” (Phil. 3:10). For the same God who brought Israel out of Egypt has done a “new thing” for us in Christ Jesus (Is. 43:19). He has sent His beloved Son into His vineyard to be killed by sinful men and to become “the stone that the builders rejected.” Yet, the One rejected by men “has become the cornerstone” of His Church (Luke 20:17). Through the waters of Holy Baptism, He provides us daily refreshment in our earthly pilgrimage, “a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Is. 43:19).
INVOCATION LSB 151
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION LSB 151
P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
INTROIT Psalm 3:3-6; antiphon: v. 8
P Salvation belongs to the Lord;
C your blessing be on your people!
P But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
C my glory, and the lifter of my head.
P I cried aloud to the Lord,
C and he answered me from his holy hill.
P I lay down and slept;
C I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
P I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
C who have set themselves against me all around.
C Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
P Salvation belongs to the Lord;
C your blessing be on your people!
COLLECT OF THE DAY** LSB 156
P Let us pray.
Almighty God, by Your great goodness mercifully look upon Your people that we may be governed and preserved evermore in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 43:16–21
16Thus says the Lord,
who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
17who brings forth chariot and horse,
army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
18“Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
19Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
20The wild beasts will honor me,
the jackals and the ostriches,
for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
21the people whom I formed for myself
that they might declare my praise.”
EPISTLE Philippians 3:8–14
8Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
VERSE OF THE DAY
C The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
HOLY GOSPEL** Luke 20:9–20
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the twentieth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
9[Jesus] began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. 10When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. 13Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” 17But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’?
18Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
19The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. 20So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Sermon by Pastor David Matthews
Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you from God our Father and from Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hear the words of Christ, "And he began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for along while."
Today, we gather to hear a parable spoken by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, from the Gospel of St. Luke. In this parable, we encounter a vineyard, a landowner, and a series of tenants who abuse their responsibility and reject the rightful authority of the one who sent them. Jesus uses this parable not only to speak to those who stood before Him in His day but also to reveal the spiritual truth about God's Kingdom, His justice, and His mercy.
In this parable, Jesus begins by telling of a man who planted a vineyard, rented it out to tenants, and went away on a long journey. The vineyard, of course, is a symbol of God's people, Israel. The owner of the vineyard, the landowner, represents God. The tenants represent the religious leaders and the people who are entrusted with the care of God's kingdom on earth.
Now, as the time for harvest approaches, the landowner sends a servant to collect the fruit of the vineyard - these servants represent God sending His prophets to Israel to call His people to repentance, faith, and righteous living. But what happens? The tenants, those who were entrusted with God's vineyard, mistreat the servant. They beat him and send him away empty-handed.
So the landowner, sends another servant, and the tenants do the same thing - beating him, treating him shamefully, and sending him away. The landowner then send even a third servant, and they do the same to him. Now, at this point, one might expect the landowner to send an army to take strong action against the tenants. But instead, he decides to send his beloved son, saying, "perhaps they will respect him."
But what to the tenants do? They plot to kill the son, thinking that by doing so, they will seize the inheritance for themselves. They then kill the son and throw him out of the vineyard. Jesus then asks the question, "What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?" He answers, "He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others." The people listening couldn't believe their ears, and they say, "Surely not!"
But then Jesus, quotes Psalm 118:22-23, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." He makes it clear that He, the Son of God, is the one whom the religious leaders and the people of Israel are rejecting.
Here is the heart of the parable. The tenants were entrusted with the vineyard, but they did not honor the landowner. When the son-the heir-came, they rejected him because they did not want to acknowledge his authority over them. Instead, they plotted to destroy them.
This is exactly what the religious leaders were planning to do to Jesus. He was the one sent by God, but they were rejecting His authority. And, sadly, the rejection of Jesus was not a new phenomenon-it was a part of Israel's history. The prophets whom God had sent to call Israel to repentance were often rejected, mistreated, and killed. And now, the ultimate Prophet, the Son of God Himself, stood before them, and they too would reject Him and plot His death.
The parable ends with the religious leaders recognizing that Jesus was speaking about them. But rather than repent, they were filled with anger and wanted to arrest Him. They were determined to silence Him, to put an end to His challenging words. But they feared the people, for the people recognized Jesus as a prophet.
Jesus' words here are not just a condemnation of religious leaders of His time. They are a warning to all people who reject His authority and His call to repentance. The vineyard, which represents the kingdom of God, will be given to others, those who receive the gospel with joy, those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
As we reflect on this parable, we must ask ourselves: Are we like the wicked tenants, rejecting the authority of the Son? Or do we recognize Jesus as the rightful heir, the Savior, the Lord of our lives?
There is an important lesson here for all of us. The Kingdom of God is not ours to control. It belongs to God. And He has given us the responsibility to tend His vineyard to live as His faithful people, to proclaim His Word, and to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. But when we reject God's authority, when we refuse to listen to His Word, we are no different than the wicked tenants in the parable.
God has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to redeem us from our sin, to die for us on the cross, and to rise again for our justification. And yet, there are many who continue to reject Him, to live as though they are the masters of their own lives, not recognizing the authority of Christ over them.
But here's the good news: Even though the tenants rejected the son, the landowner did not abandon the vineyard. Even though the people of Israel rejected Jesus, God's plan of salvation continued. And even though we have sinned and fallen short of God's glory, God continues to invite us into His kingdom.
The question before us today is: Will we respond in faith, recognizing Jesus as the Son of God and our Savior? Will we receive the gospel with joy and gratitude? Will we bear fruit in keeping with repentance, living lives that reflect God's love and grace?
God calls us to repentance and faith. He calls us to turn away from our sins and to trust in the promises of the gospel. And He calls us to live as faithful stewards of the vineyard He has entrusted to us.
Dear beloved Saints in Christ, let us no be like the wicked tenants who rejected the Son. Instead, let us receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Let us bear fruit in His kingdom, living lives that honor Him in all we do.
As we go about our daily lives, let us remember the vineyard is not ours, it is God's And He has called us to serve His faithfully, to bear fruit, and to share the good news of His kingdom with all people.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.